Song reviews

The ways of the acoustic singer songwriter are often seasoned with sentimentality and “Hush” by Kathy Muir duly does not disappoint with her special sauce being the poise and literacy she adds to her recipe. One for the heart.

I would normally like to crush this one as “Everybody Prays” is undoubtedly a Christian song yet, in the troubled times of today, we all need something uplifting to listen to and Elvis Francois certainly has the voice to convince even unbelievers.

Intense is the way to go for Vénus Bleue and “Héréditaire Parricide” duly strikes out as if deeper meaning was their destiny with the inspired arrangements and theatrical vocals taking the listener all the way to the door of the rock opera house.

Heavily processed and skilfully looped into ear candy, “Certified” demonstrates that Miso Extra knows what is expected of a pop princess these days. The lyrics, however, indicate that there is more to her than simply style.

“Tall Blonde Honey” rolls like a solid rock song should yet there is more substance than you might expect in the lyrics. The Kyle Jordan Project aren’t a protest band but they also aren’t blind to the bleached ways of the modern world.

This is an odd one. “Sanctimonious Sue” sounds like it should have been released back in the sixties yet, with determined repetition, PHK stretch this song out to a seventies style five minutes without losing anything in the way of vigour.

It has been a week for songs that sound like they should have been made decades ago. Nothing wrong with that, of course and “For The Win” by Dick Aven duly exudes that, fondly remembered. FM rock sentimentality.

Some songs are just endearing and “Nobody’s Listening” by Budapest is one such song. The band have been about for a while and that shows in the polish they bring to the retro inspired arrangement as the song heads for the big singalong chorus.

Ploughing the ambient genre for inspiration comes easily to Guido Affini and “Lulla By” duly loops itself in deeply meaningful circles over its five minute plus running time. Its going somewhere and doing so with style.

Splendidly angular, “No Choice” is all the proof you will ever need that post punk bleakness and the arthouse are now, and always have been, bosom buddies. Kudos to Haneke Twins for pulling this time traveller out of their hat.

Aiming their song squarely at the trendsetters, 100% WET throw the kitchen sink into the sonic maelstrom that is their song “No Choice”. The tempo shifts as if on the road to nowhere yet, remarkably, the cappuccino tastes the same.

Lala Salama combine wistful female vocals and indie murkiness to good effect and their song “Kuva Susta” duly and successfully evokes wintry thoughts on the way to a dramatic finish. Getting better all the time, as they say.