Song reviews

Suitably honest and direct, Hooby and the Yabbit tell it like it is with “Tea and Toast” resonating with the robustness that only beer, the blues and guitars can bring. Whilst not breaking new ground, it is nonetheless abundantly clear that this is a Saturday night soundtrack.

Some fuzzy guitars and a large helping of reverb can make all the difference to a song and that’s what Glasgow’s Life Model have used to make “Real Estate” echo around the room. This is the best use of two minutes and thirty two seconds that I have heard this year.

There isn’t really very much to “Broken” but, in her own wistful electro pop way, Solå soon nuzzles her way into your affections and duly justifies her place on your daily playlist. She kind of reminded me of Virna Lindt so I reckon she must be super cool too.

Norwegian indie rock seems to be rather more uplifting than the version that we get in this country with Kakkmaddafakka using their song “Naked Blue” to capture the spirit of warmer days and duly raise our spirits in these dull December days.

Somewhat overblown in his approach, Canada’s The Hope State aims for the big emotions with his song “Butterflies”. His motivations may not be particularly original, but I suppose his heart is in the right place.

It has been a retro week and Sweetwood follow the trend with their song “One Of These Days”. Strong vocals make the song and will motivate the connoisseur to dig out those old Billy Ocean albums for one last spin.

Whilst conventional in their approach, Shookrah successfully steal the vibe from nineties' British jazz funk and then rough it up a bit to suit the tastes of more modern days. Not one to nudge the charts perhaps but should find friends in the better bars and VIP rooms.

Another adoration of the better days of American power punk, Bony Macaroni nearly overdose on retro irony but you can’t argue with the simple fact that “Doom” would be a suitable soundtrack to your ice cream powered dysfunctional mood.

You don’t get many songs that mix menace and angst as well as “They’re Cheap” but, then again, Skating Polly are a band so much better than our corporate times deserve. Hit me one more time with your power chords for I worship thee. Yes, I do.

I almost thought this was yet another indie rock band but Doncaster’s The Hudares have enough grit, especially from Dave Howard’s roughhouse vocals, and grungy guitars to take “What’s in a Minute?” right out of the end of their street and onwards to a wider audience.

Playing out like steroid pumped indie pop, HAVVK kicks the door down with her song “Always The Same”. Perhaps a bit too polite for a song with a sharp edge, HAVVK nonetheless gets her point across with a fair amount of style.

“Monochrome” ticks all the urban style boxes for Ama with her rather sweet and innocent voice lifting this song above the technology that created it. It is more of a groove than a song but her charm carries the day.