Song reviews

High on wistful melancholy, Lee Eller makes her song “Angel” more self-discovery than mere entertainment. Her voice suits the song well and the sparse musical support leaves plenty of space for reflection.

Country music isn’t really rebel country these days so Jake McVey wisely keeps “Y’All Girls” on the right side of the road that always leads to Nashville with his robust voice adding to the unmistakeable radio friendliness of the song.

As always one to set her own course, Sheila K Cameron takes her poetry – her words always seem more than mere lyrics – and unique style and uses both to drive “On the Road to Haida Gwaii” ever forward as if she wished her voice to be heard forever on the wind.

A most worthy singer, Linda Em adds a healthy pinch of passion to her song “Blue Girl”. The song itself may be powered by ennui but her heart and soul are clearly far from finished.

“Daphne” is an honest slice of ear friendly blues rock that sounds like it was made in 1974. Time has moved on, of course, but Finnish band Grandmother Corn handle things with a style that belies their youth.

Then along comes a song that seems to epitomise all that is offbeat in the big bad world of music. “Twinkle” is a strange song indeed veering between folky psychedelia and a show tune with Christine Leaky’s voice leading the assembled musicians on a journey to the carnival. It’s love but dangerous.

Endearingly melodic, Joe Symes & the Loving Kind have an honest song in “Things Get Better”. The influences of the past drive the song onwards and, barring the lacklustre guitar solo, it will make your ears happy.

Clearly willing to inject their indie rock inclinations with the wonder drug that is was and will always be surf guitar, Fizzy Blood take their song “Sweat and Sulphur” all the way from the street to the stadium. Anthemic!

An impressively manic slice of synth pop, “Attack” demonstrates that Officers can kick their way out of the dance floor and dominate the street. This is the kind of song that makes you want to smoke cigarettes, seek the company of women of low moral character and exceed every speed limit that has been set for your safety. This song is dead end and doesn’t care. Glorious!

More downbeat electro pop from Scandinavia with Lew – aka Sara Lewis – roughing up the sequenced beats with edgy electric guitars and her intense vocals. It might well be cold outside but there is heat in her music.

Stripped of everything other than intensity, Animalia turns up the emotion and angst and takes her song “Paradise” off for a walk betwixt the twilight zone and sunrise. There’s art in her madness and that, dear friends, surely is the point.

When you are entering the mainstream you have to be tough in all that you do and Canada’s Michaela May takes such a robust approach to her song “1954” that she very nearly obscures the sharper than you might expect lyrics. Her song may well be made of plastic but her heart and mind are clearly not.