Song reviews

Showing their spirited side, Glasgow’s Cherri Fosphate romp through their song “Neighbour” with the kind of robust sense of purpose that easily distinguishes them from the pack of mundane indie rockers that are now destined to follow them.

Intellectual and yet hinting at fairy tales for stylistic motivation, Berne’s lightly chilled delivery of “In The Woods” actually gives the song a hymn like quality. That said, the wolf is still out there.

Self-consciously clever, Calico right click their musical mouse on jazz funk and despatch their song “Fold A Winning Hand” with the kind of clinical efficiency that suggests that there is much value in formal musical training.

Rather old fashioned and clearly enamoured by the laconicism inherent in irony, Eckhardt and The House hits the low key road with his song “Mexican Wedding” and Bella Hay for company (just like some modern day Nancy and Lee might do).

Although clearly steeped in the ways of power pop, Glasgow’s Piranhas and Sharks nonetheless season their song “Red Road” with a sprinkling of Scottish guitar pop edginess that nicely complements their sentimental lyrics. It’s singalong in a cardigan time.

“These Are Not The Drugs (You Are Looking For)” is the kind of song that might make you regard Colonel Mustard & The Dijon 5 as hippies of our times. Or, alternatively, you might regard this band as purveyors of the kind of party songs that are themselves narcotic in nature. Be smart for they, and their songs, are.

“Miles From Home” might well be minimalist electro pop but, in the land of sequenced repetition, it is all in the detail and Boston’s Miss Geo follow their chosen path with a convincing mix of innocence and enthusiasm. If the coffee shop isn’t really your thing then this is the kind of song that will make your iPad shuffle.

Surprisingly robust for a Glasgow band, Proud Honey stomp the streets of this no mean city like a proper rock band should with their song “Weekend Millionaires” nudging them, in no uncertain manner, on to the last bus to the stadium anthem. The guitar, once more, is where it is at.

Sounding like he was defrosted from a fridge bought in the eighties, HÔN nonetheless demonstrates that the synth pop thing can still be cool with his song “Honeydream” simmering with the kind of repressed emotion that makes the midnight hour so special.

“Rewind” is a pleasingly melodic mainstream country song from Kalsey Kulyk. The song has enough Ashley Monroe style seasoning to take it to the airwaves and enough Stepford Wives in the lyrics to make you wonder if she is really as conventional as she purports to be.

Once in a while I get to hear what I like to call music for grownups and “Frozen Out” by the Deadline Shakes is most certainly the kind of song that will bring joy to the ears of those who have been around long enough to develop a taste for the finer things in life. This is power pop done right and may the Deadline Shakes be forever blessed.

Sinuous and eminently classy, Nova Heart right click on the satisfaction icon and make their song “We are Golden” candy for all those electro pop ears out there.