Song reviews

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.

I’m a sucker for this kind of low-key electronica and duly I took Sumner’s “Put It Out” into my cold, cold heart. Whilst it is true that no musical chances are taken here, the song just makes you feel fuzzy all over. That’s good enough for me.

Blues believers ElectroBluesSociety drag in the stalwart voice of Boo Boo Davis to give that authentic Chicago blues vibe to “Tell Me”. The result is traditional but anything with Boo Boo Davis in it will do just fine for me. Solid as a rock!

Silverbacks take the boisterous path with their song “Just in the Band” and duly throw in enough youthful untidiness and ragged post punk influences to make the result seem more organic than you would expect of a modern day band. Angular, but in a good way…