Song reviews

Mainstream polished and distinctly generic as a result. “Rules of Science” won’t help make a case for promoting PictureHouse into your aural affections. Even the sonorous male vocals are dragged into the mire of mediocrity by this turgid song.

Obviously literate, J P Kallio shows a mastery of introspection in “November”. The result is stripped back to basics and undeniably depressing but, if redone with a proper arrangement, the song would probably be worth a placement or two on network television.

Downbeat in mood, Brighton’s Wolf Like Child add gothic sensibilities and a musical maturity into the melting pot that is their song “Love, Death & Fear”. It’s not quite an oddball concoction but it is one that those who regard attendance at arts festivals as mandatory would regard as essential.

Hitting the rock road like the likely lads that they are, The Bawlers run through “Southpaw Dame” just like it was 1974 with the enthusiastic male vocals overcoming the occasional clumsiness amongst the backing musicians. A positive impression is therefore left.

It would seem that Jonny KT swims in the pool of singer songwriters in NYC and, like many before him, he is determined to tell it from the heart. “Confessions of a 20 year old Reject” stumbles over its throwback to the sixties execution but you can’t deny that those lyrics do indeed come from the heart.

Once more into the breach, dear friends, once more as Hercules Mandarin again do their diligent and thorough best to convince all and sundry that maturity is the way to go in the world of song writing. “Blackjack & Roulette, therefore, takes it to the bridge with a very respectable degree of rock and soul authority.

Getting about as winsome as electro pop will allow, Sweden’s Soul of Gaia then add insistent repetition into the loop to give “Stars” its emotional impact. No surprises then but that is most likely part of their – or her - cunning plan to give meaning whilst using the very minimum of words.

Glitch Mouth are a progressive hip-hop band from Brooklyn and “How I Feel” throws an old school rap over some old school mid paced beats. Nothing new there, you might say, but the presence of some warm female harmonies adds a soft soul feel that lifts the song out of the ghetto and sends it uptown instead.

Amenti Rover are nothing if not reverential in their approach to music and “Jezebel” makes the most of their time travelling abilities. The song could, consequently, be mistaken for a product of the pure rock days of the seventies and that is no bad thing in my book.

Despite hailing from Finland, June’s Garden have chosen to abandon any local musical influences and replace them with mainstream Americana. “Song Of A Drinking Man” is therefore an honest and earnestly performed song that, like any other example of Americana that you care to name, has the unmistakeable air of verisimilitude.

Instrumental gloom band Thieves of Eden hit the wall with rather more conviction this time round “Number 3”. Whilst still a bit lacking in the virtuosity department, the band strut their stuff with a much greater sense of purpose and consequently this song may even find favour with hard rock fans.

You wouldn’t need to hear more than the first four bars of “Apathy” to work out that Anyone’s Guess were an American band. Hard rocking guitars and emotive female vocals make the requisite sonic marks and yet I remain unconvinced. Why? The band sound like they were made in a factory somewhere in the great state of mediocrity.