Song reviews

“Temples” shows that London band Panic Island can generate more than enough energy to charge up the average venue with indie rock energy. The committed vocals are plugged into the mains and thus help the song transcend the limited production values.

Kind of ethereal in their outlook, Taxi Taxi take “Floating Forever” out on the town for a metaphysical drink or two. This might well be yet more Swedish electro pop but, this time, the sound of the shadows is there for all to hear.

Downright downbeat, Irish singer songwriter Roberta Howett injects heartfelt sentiments into “Broken Wings” to pump up all that piano powered emotion. If Girls Aloud were still in the charts, this would be their ballad of choice but, in the here and now, Ms. Howett still has a song likely to trouble the top 40.

Subtle and sensitive, the supportive balance between the male and female vocals that make up The Paper Shades drift “Strong” out into the pond of folk and Americana influences. Not so much blown by the wind of change as under the control of a gentle breeze, this song is nicely executed conventionality.

Once more into those retro synth grooves as Modern Family Unit entice us to do the resurrection shuffle to their curiously hypnotic exercise in finger snapping to the click of the robotic beat. “Mm mm mm ah” might well be made of plastic but it’s dirty plastic and that makes it special.

Edgy and oblique, Kaleigh Mason wanders far from the comfort zone of the average singer songwriter with “Mental Illness” suggesting that it was reality rather than supposition that brought forth her words. The song ticks the boxes while making you look over your shoulder.

It is good to hear a real talent maturing and Lisa Crawley does just that with the subtlety of “Stranger” adding to her connoisseur appeal. All you need is love, said the Beatles, but the truth is all that you need is Lisa Crawley. An antipodean Lynsey De Paul? Perhaps, perhaps, yes!

“No Surprise” shows that Kadooge - from Illinois - can fly straight as an arrow towards their musical target. Make no mistake, it’s still a mid-west rock song underneath the metal encased riffs, mystical lyrics and macho vocals but the intention here is clearly to make some proper stadium style noise.

Once more into the breach dear friends as Josefin Öhrn + the Liberation takes us on a walk through the alleyways of melancholy with “Always So Bright”. Give the song some time though and its initial black cloud will dissipate into the bright sunlight so beloved of the evangelist. Let us walk up the mountain!

It seems Scandinavian pop is unstoppable these days with Sirena’s “Lunar Lights” being yet another example of a song carefully sculpted into ear candy for the smarter than average consumer. Like Bourneville chocolate, this song is both dark and smooth.

So lightweight it might possibly float, “Wild Sisters” makes the most of its folk influences whilst providing further proof that The Birdman Rallies should be heroes to beard scratchers everywhere. Song sung thoughtfully, as it were.

You can’t go far wrong with soulful funk and that, fortunately, is a style that Soulnaturals can do in their collective sleep with Gloria Pryce keeping the words real and the heat turned up throughout “I Never Knew A Hell Like You”. This song is testifying to the 100% natural beat.