Song reviews

Almost irritatingly catchy in its simplicity, “Sussh” has Luna Green stripping it back to the basics and, with her cleverly underplayed vocals adding charm aplenty, the proof is provided that keeping it simple works. Or, rather, that it works for her.

“Cruel Hard World” is, as you might imagine given the title, a redemption song in the classic twelve bar style with motive power provided by the kind of dirty guitar that gives the blues a good name. No surprises therefore but the spirit is undoubtedly strong in this band.

Blessed with an endearingly fragile voice, Ira Wolf takes the cultural purity of folk music and mixes it with Nashville cleanliness yet she still manages to infuse “Fickle Heart” with something deeper, almost as if a transitory sadness of her soul had been captured in words and music. An affecting song.

It may be old school but there is always something to savour in any faithful rendition of the blues style and The Hurt Project, with their song “Up In Smoke”, give us the heartfelt yet still poised vocals of Jasmin Lloyd. There may be twelve bars until dawn but she’ll stay with you all the way. Guaranteed.

Someone was talking to me about “chick led grunge” the other day and, as if the words themselves were some sort of devilish incantation, Animal Hands then delivered their single “Roaring Girlie” up to the altar for some worship with Danielle Whalebone infusing the lyrics with cigarette smoke and poetry whilst the rest of the band relive the guitar led glories of a misspent youth. The attitude, as you might imagine, is all present and correct.

You can’t get a better weapon than a bit of manic techno and Ninja Spice uses it to beat the dance floor to death with a psychotic mix of metronomic aggression and nihilistic vocals from somewhere beyond the grave. “You Pathetic Bastards Are All Scum” is the name of the song and I think she means it.

Keyboard heavy as an emotive big ballad should be, “All The Money” provides more than enough evidence of Elvira Stitt’s ability to take her diminutive voice and, through musical prestidigitation, make it fill your heart.

A raucous and rowdy rock threesome from Lancashire, Sunken Money sound like the kind of band that would make an excellent soundtrack to a drunken Friday night and “This Town’s Too Big (For The Both Of Us)” is the proof of the pudding (or, more likely, the sauce on the kebab).

A Scottish singer songwriter with a heart? It would appear so and Emma Forman keeps it honest and, most likely personal, throughout the few minutes of acoustic fragility that lead her song “Dear Sara” out into the land of moonlight and things that could have been.

“Empty Room” is nothing if not a convincing attempt at resurrecting the relentless robot electro of the eighties with the dark and distant male vocals doing an equally convincing homage to the bleakness of Joy Division. Ash Code may therefore sound like they are on an old train but at least they are on the right track.

Melodious, mid paced and obviously mature, “Walk Alone” highlights the deep and meaningful vibe that characterises London’s Lizzie and the Yes Men. The song is perhaps an unwise choice for a single, but makes for a fine album track for, in the final assessment, Lizzie and the Yes Men always were more of a relationship than a one night stand.

Endearing casual in his approach, Jamie Flett meanders through “Ewar Woowar” like a man so enamoured with west coast psychedelic rock that a marriage proposal has to be on the cards. As always though, Mr Flett’s proper manly voice and those ever present hints of quirkiness provide all the evidence needed for a conviction.