Song reviews

Once more into the past with the power punk irony of Weezer being resurrected by Bony Macaroni with their song “Piece of Shit”. Underachievement is spiritually back in fashion so this example of melody driven irony is pretty much a fashion item.

With a distinctive voice and no small amount of guitar talent, Jackie Venson neatly balances the conventional with the oddball to give her song “Cover My Eyes” the kind of hypnotising effect that leads the educated ears of the world to the record shop.

This is a good start to the weekend. It would seem that all is not polished perfection in the world of Scandinavian electro pop as Anna Karenina demonstrates with “Cat Got Your Tongue”. Filled with oblique theatrical flourishes, this is a song that will wake up your mind.

An intriguing mix of brooding electronica and ethnic influences, “Black Sea” seems more of an enchantment than a song with Tiger Lion hypnotically convincing us that all is not always as it seems. Classy, without a doubt.

Not one to chase mainstream appeal, Ashley Iona instead stamps a notable amount of class upon her song “Leaving” with the result being the kind of song that resonates. Some might call that an old school approach, but the truth is always, and always should be, real.

Even though the song runs to the best part of seven minutes, “Mandrel Cantus” sounds like it was meant to be longer with Jo Quail’s considered and elegant approach to music making clearly designed to entrance rather than immediately impress.

It’s not hard to guess that “Halflife” by Sandra Kolstad is yet another example of the uber cool Scandi electro pop genre but there is nonetheless enough complexity and quirkiness to get this song attention in both the sunshine and the shadows.

I am always suspicious of bands with a name that is also a literary reference and, indeed with "Flip", Dolores Haze prove themselves to be the voice of the trendsetters with their synthetic urban sound designed perfectly for iPhone playback.

I suppose that some might regard my classification of “Please Baby Please” by Awkward Family Portraits as teen Americana to be simplistic yet this Glasgow band are so obviously in awe of the past as to transcend the easy accusation of being a mere pastiche.

I would have thought that Britpop would have had its day by now but Brighton band 12 Stone Toddler have other ideas with their song “Heaven Was Closed” being infused with both lyrical acuity and left handed quirkiness. Good it is.

I can’t say that I am familiar with the past musical escapades of Edinburgh’s Vive La Rose but his song “Schiehallion” exudes enough maturity and alt-folk sensibilities to make me curious. Laidback he may be but he is clearly not short on purpose.

About a heavily processed as you can get without actually being a computer programme, “EGC” demonstrates that electropop duo TGC know that the sound of today is an entirely synthetic one but that our times still have need of a heartbeat.