Song reviews


  Quinzhee by The Voluntary Butler Scheme


Quinzhee cover art


Quirky indie

“Quinzhee” is a nice example of cardigan wearing indie pop with just enough quirkiness and left of field lyrics to class this song as endearing. I don’t think I could face an album’s worth of music like this without resorting to violent retribution but there are many out there who could.


  Matter of Time by The Luka State


Matter of Time cover art


Not happening

Looped to the point of anonymity, The Luka State take no less than a full minute to demonstrate that they don’t have much more than a title for their song “Matter Of Time”. All credit to these three young lads nonetheless for stretching their lack of creative inspiration out to twelve seconds off the four minute mark. They are young so they can only get better. Maybe.


Review date: 
  facebook.com/thelukastate

  Soul Aspiration by Knocking Ghost


Soul Aspiration cover art


Not trying hard

Rather dull and lacking in inspiration, “Soul Aspiration” is unlikely to generate much interest by casual ears in London band Knocking Host. More educated ears will have heard this type of sequenced plastic song done to death a couple of decades ago.


Review date: 
  www.knockinghost.com

  Paint Me by If You Say So


Paint Me cover art


Swedish songstress

Simultaneously fragile and serious, Swedish singer If You Say So steps right up to the edge of melancholy with her debut single “Paint Me”. This is another slice from the Scandinavian pop cake, of course, and therefore this song stays close to the retro norm but I have to admit that the lady’s voice is not without that wistful appeal.


Review date: 
  www.facebook.com/ifyousaysomusic

  Rotation by Ummagma


Rotation cover art


Beginners

Rather careless in both its execution and production, the duo going by the name of Ummagma will struggle to generate any interest in their lo-fi single “Rotation”. I have no problem with DIY music making but this song would have been so much better if someone had been doing some quality control.


Review date: 
  www.ummagma.com

  My Name by Jesse Burke


My Name cover art


Identikit

Obviously determined to ensure that you remember his name, Canada’s Jesse Burke takes as much looped plastic as he can find and recycles it into a song called “My Name”. Whilst his voice is much better than the song, all potential credibility is lost with the addition of a painful (but no doubt obligatory) white boy rap.


Review date: 
  www.facebook.com/iamjesseburke

  Going to Rio by Francobollo


Going to Rio cover art


Trying too hard

Although “We’re Going To Rio” is an oddball concoction of indie influences, Francobollo – yet another Swedish band – don’t go quite far enough to gain left of field support. A pleasant enough song but most likely not the one to break this band.


Review date: 
  www.facebook.com/francobollomusic

  Shoulders by Petter Seander


Shoulders cover art


Retro pop

“Shoulders” makes for a rather pleasant intrusion of the present into the musical past with Petter Seander proving that being Swedish can make retro guitar pop an uplifting experience. His impassioned vocals suggest that this song is more than one for the road.


Review date: 
  www.petterseander.com

  Loud and Loveable by Long Long Showers


Loud and Loveable cover art


Looking backwards

Although “Loud and Loveable” by Swedish band Long Long Showers seems little more than an untidy and rambling hybrid of Britpop and Postcard, there is nonetheless an underlying theatricality that suggests that the live environment may be their forte.


Review date: 
  on.fb.me/I76RSX

  Fall Out by Fou De Toi


Fall Out cover art


Indie Swedes

“Fall Out” is, to the credit of its creators Fou De Toi, an upbeat and melodic pop song that has more than enough musical buoyancy to overcome its drag bag of retro Europop musical references. It’s a pity that it isn’t summer as this song would be very compatible with warm nights.


Review date: 
  foudetoi.se

  On The Way by Pop Culture Pirates


On The Way cover art


Reflections

“On The Way” is a respectable example of one man minimalist soft rock with more than a hint of retro psych pop seasoning added to the musical recipe. Although rather awkward in his execution of the song, Pop Culture Pirates – or at least the captain of their ship anyway – knows how to emote reflective bedroom melancholia.


Review date: 
  popculturepirates.bandcamp.com

  Change My Way by Burntfield


Change My Way cover art


Finnish rockers

Walking right down the middle of the mainstream rock road are Finnish band Burntfield. Manly guitars from Ville Repo ensure that there is more than enough testosterone flowing through “Change My Ways” to ensure your appetite for rocking loud music (and concurrent consumption of cold beer) is satisfied.


Review date: 
  www.burntfield.com


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