Song reviews


  As The Moon by Laura Brizuela


As The Moon cover art


Smooth

Fashionably synthetic, Laura Brizuela makes all the right moves from the playbook that gets airplay on commercial radio stations these days. “As The Moon” isn’t a song to shock or surprise but it might well make your journey home a bit nicer.


  Time Will Tell by Riiver Brukes


Time Will Tell cover art


Confident

There is a decent amount drama to be found within the sub 3 minute duration of “Time Will Tell” and Riiver Brukes demonstrates both her confidence and her reverence for rock conventions like a guitar solo. I like guitar solos.


  Sail Away With Me by Caragh


Sail Away With Me cover art


Sentimental

Sweetly sentimental in approach, Caragh also demonstrates that she has more than enough poetic poise to power her song “Sail Away With Me” on the short journey from your speakers to your ears. Satisfying in a summer smoothie kind of way.


Review date:  April 30 2023
  caraghmusic.com

  How Would You Handle This? by George Katsos


How Would You Handle This? cover art


Sixties

You can’t really argue with a man’s choice to use sixties’ pop influences and George Katsos certainly has used plenty of those very influences to fuel his song “How Would You Handle This?” with the looped minimalist percussion and keyboards holding the song up until the fade.


Review date:  April 29 2023
  georgekatsos.com

  Billie Eilish Won't Follow Me by Teeniest


Billie Eilish Won't Follow Me cover art


Offbeat

There is a certain offbeat charm underpinning “Offbeat” by New York duo Teeniest and that gives this song its legs. The lyrics take Jonathan Richman to the coffee shop for a cappuccino with an extra shot of suitably ironic commentary thrown in.


  Heartbreak in the Making by Dagny


Heartbreak in the Making cover art


Commercial

Polishing up that nineties pop rock groove and injecting it straight into a twenty first century song is Dagny with this Norwegian singer sounding like she is actually from sunny California. “Heartbreak in the Making” is retro Cadillac cool.


Review date:  April 29 2023
  dagnymusic.com

  Still Holding On by The Dollyrots


Still Holding On cover art


Pop Punkiness

“Still Holding On” is a fine example of the pop punk style and The Dollyrots easily demonstrate their grasp of the core concepts of this raucous retro sound. I don’t know if they still have shopping malls but this song should be booming from the speakers in all of them


Review date:  April 29 2023
  www.dollyrots.com

  Tied by Mona Mur


Tied cover art


Style

Mona Mur is a musical legend and it is therefore no surprise that she can take oppressive retro beats and nihilistic lyrics and turn them into something that could make the shadows dance. I wear black because that is what she decrees. Worship her.


Review date:  April 21 2023
  monamur.com

  10 Bucks by Katelyn Lehner


10 Bucks cover art


Country

Maybe Nashville will take over the world? Sometimes it looks that way with the plethora of country ladies ready to pull a blue collar bunny out of the cowboy hat. “10 Bucks” is the hook that Katelyn Lehner uses to do just that.


Review date:  April 21 2023
  katelynlehner.com

  Electric Love by Miss Tammy Darling


Electric Love cover art


Lively

Another excellent name. This time the moniker is Miss Tammy Darling and she also does not disappoint with her song “Electric Love” neatly crossing the line between neo and northern soul. Old and new at the same time and she also takes it right to the bridge.


Review date:  April 21 2023
  misstammydarling.com

  Automation by Virgin Mary Disco


Automation cover art


Promising

Let’s face it, Virgin Mary Disco is a great name for a band and their song “Automation” also does not disappoint with its initial, retro eighties, vibe transforming into something altogether rockier and lyrically bleaker than you might expect. Very promising.


  Rubber Hits The Road by SUSU


Rubber Hits The Road cover art


Rock

The are times when the old ways are best and “Rubber Hits The Road” proves just that with SUSU pulling out some powerful blues rock moves and joining them with strong female vocals. Yeah, play this one loud. Then play it loud again.


Review date:  April 21 2023
  www.instagram.com/susu_


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