Song reviews

Jackie Venson always tries that little bit harder and “Witchcraft” provides yet more evidence of that. Musical maturity always shows through and, with classic rock stylisations decorating the song, both old and young ears will grow to like this one.

Just for a change this week, “Hooked on Helen’s “No Turning Back” is an upbeat pop song that would have been right at home in the charts in the days before EDM ruined it all. Anyway, I would have bought it if I had to just so I could sing along in the car.

Another band hooked on retro, Chateau Chateau nevertheless sidestep the dangers of exorcism with “Driving in Circles” inheriting enough from the Tucson sunshine to make it endearingly quirky. Best bit was the unexpected, and rather cheesy, saxophone solo.

Clearly keen to occupy the sensitive end of the indie rock spectrum, Marquee Grand avoid going for maximum guitars and instead chase the mainstream with some decent lyrics and a latté friendly chorus. Methinks “Just Like You” should do some business.

Wryly interweaving minimalist plastic synth pop sounds with lyrics that would be equally at home in an old school power ballad isn’t a new approach in the Scandi pop world but Majro shows that, with her song “Talk”, she has mastered the style.

Lots of retro analogue sounds and effects give “Who Ae We To Love” a swirling, diffident feel that allows HunBjørn to walk the line between the currently trendy downbeat synth pop sound and her more emotionally diverse arthouse influences.

Not.Your.Regular.Boy ticks all the retro dancefloor style boxes with “I Want You” resonating with the necessary repetition and currently trendy post midnight analogue sounds. There’s even a mid- sized chorus to get your lips moving with your feet.

Ah, the tortured soul of the singer songwriter still walks this planet! Christopher The Conquered strolls the low key path the many have strolled before him but “The Day I Went Solo” has an honesty and directness that few bother with nowadays.

There seems to be no shortage of low key indie pop coming out of Sweden these days and Chez Ali’s “Shake Shack” is a cut above the average with both melody and the laidback, almost lounge, feel working in the song’s favour.

“Hey There Cowgirl” shows that Palm Springsteen have mastered brooding old school synth pop and have also added enough modern day attitude to make the song seem far more muscular than is the norm in these compromised days. Crank it up!

At last a singer with a passion for what she is doing. Nuela Charles has the confidence and old school style to get her message across which makes her song “Long Way Down” an essential part of your healthy diet. Your ears will thank you for this one.

“Lemonade” does indeed have some fizz – and some fuzz – and provides the necessary proof that the ghost of nineties rock is more than happy to haunt a band of today like Nikki’s Wives. The strength is in the female vocals and it’s retro all the way.