Song reviews

Neatly reverential to the halcyon days of synth-pop, Apache Darling set the sequencer to pulsate the rhythm of “More Than Me” to the beat of complexity and thus indicate that they have actually learned something from those that have gone before them. The passionate female vocals sit sometimes sit awkwardly on top of the electronics but all is saved by a crowd pleasing chorus.

Despite being somewhat forced and awkward, “Dover” shows that Finnish band Junes Garden can do melodrama in that meaningful mainstream rock ballad style that still occasionally troubles the charts even if the song itself never really gets up to speed.

Oh, you can never have too much Americana. Actually you can but at least Swedish band Crowpush leave the oft visited dustbowl behind in favour of a walk in the shadows of a genre renowned for not having any. “Weak As Water” is therefore unexpectedly high on atmosphere and all the better for that.

Nicely melodic if still obviously in awe of their American indie influences, Australian band Tesla Coil move smoothly through “Confines” with the laconicism evident in the vocals neatly underpinning the smarter than average lyrics. I’d want to hear more from this band before actually getting enthusiastic but the markers for success are there.

What is happening here? I’ll tell you. Miss Kristin is following her own musical path with a diligence rarely found today. If this were 1967, her song “Circles Around The Sun” would be filed under “tune in, drop out” but today it will no doubt just set off a frenzy of violence against cute bunny rabbits.

Neat and earnest if anything, Love For Zero make a solid showing with “Dust” even if the synth pop atmospherics can’t quite compensate for the awkwardness in the lyrics and the general lack of sparkle.

If you are going to do folk music then you had better avoid the trap of retelling the past again and again and again. Most don’t bother but Jamie Flett avoids said trap with some style and even takes “Monkeys” off for a psych pop ramble before reconnecting the song with its elemental inspirations. It’s a metaphysical redemption song and you don’t get too many of those these days.

“Razorheart” shows that Swedish band Violet Days can do anything a mainstream American pop band can do with Lina Hansson’s voice sitting neatly on top of this factory produced musical confection. You are pretty much guaranteed to hear this song on the radio.

There’s a lot of synth-pop about this week and Spanish duo Huias are yet another contender. The minimalist backing track adds little to “Wooden Moon” but the sometimes there and sometimes lost in the reverb female vocals exude the ethereal and give you a reason to listen.

An appealing shadows and light approach enlivens “Not Enough (For Us)” as Black City Lights use alternating overlaid vocals to turn the doom laden synth-pop backing track into something inspirational. It might well be a retro sound but it is a retro sound done well.

Shrinking Minds roll with the groove and spin “Sense” into an unfocused dive that takes them into the world of psychedelia. They have the feel right but there is a certain lack of concentration evident that renders the end result untidy and, consequently, rather unconvincing.

Kind of jangly in that sixties folk rock kind of way, The Sailmakers make “Delivo” more than the sum of its rather crudely assembled parts and leave you with a warm, fuzzy feeling too. It’s enough to make you want to smoke something.