Song reviews

Another case of retro being the new black but who really cares when you get neat, subtly psychedelic, melodies like The Ambersons have on offer with the smoke gets in your eyes and makes you happy “Lazy Winter Wednesday” or, with a nod to both Ray Davies and the Chinn/Chapman hit machine, the mellow metaphorical charms of “The Housecat”. Old style pop music, if you like.

These two songs are easy on the ear with genre prerequisites like jangly stringed instruments, gravelly lead vocals and tight harmonies all present and correct. It is also true that “And It Feels Like” is a bit too generic but “New Day Rising” strikes a blow for the band’s individuality. So much so that I feel the need to check if Wiltshire is actually in the good old USA.

I remember the Ten To Five Project as being a band who successfully walked a fine line between dry humour and tweeness. “Healers” from this new band - formed from what once was the Ten To Five Project – makes out like a homogenised version of the Ten to Five Project sound while “The Lost Ones” sounds quirky enough to be a Ten To Five Project song (which is a good thing, by the way). Wonder why they used a different name?

“Spanish Robots” is a bit derivative but at least Sweet Relief sound like they are having fun doing their thing even if, from their performance, I have a suspicion that they used to be a covers band. “Miserable One”, on the other hand, shows more post punk attitude and indeed intelligence than you would expect of a Scottish indie band these days. Not without potential then.

Two tasty slices of powerpop from this Texas singer/songwriter that echo the likes of Apples in Stereo or late sixties psych pop, only grunged up a bit. “Tattoo” fits that groove exactly while “Vivian” is rather fluffier  in comparison being closer to the likes of peak period Marshall Crenshaw. I suppose that you could say that Sean Russell keeps to old fashioned values in his music with verses, choruses and melody and that makes perfect sense to me.

Another sensitive singer songwriter but this time from Liverpool.  Lloyd Rock’s voice suits his intense, melancholic songs well but, in performance terms, both songs are let down by a certain lack of drama. However, these are demos and with a bit of editing – the curiously named “Envy Verses Pitty” aimlessly exceeds 7 minutes! – and a decent (strings, anyone?) arrangement, both songs could do the business for this bedsit troubadour.

Reckon these are the work of a songwriter rather than a singer as the vocals don’t really attempt to stamp character on these songs. Having said that, “Higher Love” drifts by amiably in a laidback folk meets Eurodisco with the brakes on kind of way. Quite sweet and nice really. “Six Steps Away”, on the other hand, sounds like it could be a mainstream hit for the Mariah Carey or Celine Dions of this musical world. It definitely needs some strings though.

Nicely matured power pop music à la Maypops here from American band The Xbanders with a bit of psych pop flavouring as icing on the musical cake. “Leave Here” somewhat overstays its welcome but intelligent ears will not be disappointed by “Livin’ In A Movie”.

Edge of 13 hail from the north of England. Not sure if that has any relevance but it seemed worth mentioning. On to the songs and taking “You Only Understand The Understood” first, what you get is an even tempered song that seems earnest and likeable even if it doesn’t go anywhere that hasn’t been visited before. “That Was Us” turned out be a rather more interesting example of upbeat guitar pop with a bit of the Glen Tilbrook about the vocals to add retro interest.  However, both songs are ultimately let down by that lack of musical imagination.

It had to happen eventually - a Glasgow band that doesn’t sound like a Glasgow band! Sonic Hearts Foundation are a four piece band who, on these two songs, eschew the customary indie rock for something with a much darker texture with both “Road To The Devils’ Eyes” and “Secrets” showing the influence of bands like Goodbye Mr Mackenzie (right down to the Martin Metcalfe style guitar) and even The Prodigy. Fortunately, the band are more than just a reflection of someone else's past glories and, whilst they are untidy and rambling at times, there is genuine promise on show.

Yes, good old fashioned values are on show here (like proper musicianship and a song arrangement) so thumbs up to cLuMsy for that. Of the songs, “Ball and Chain” is distinctly retro like a funky recreation of the Blow Monkeys and Hipsway while  “Wrong Road” betrays a pleasing ska influence. Though the band do plod a bit like a wedding band would, these are only demos so no doubt they will pick up the pace for the finished version. Nicely impassioned male vocals hold the songs together well.

I even remember how this demo fell into my hands. The My Music Myth chap actually handed it to me after telling the audience that the recorded versions of his songs were better than the live renditions. He did not lie although he wasn’t exactly raising the bar very far. “About A Girl” is exactly the kind of song that gives singer songwriters a bad name – it takes 52 seconds to get going and drags it out to over 6 minutes  without the slightest sign of skill or imagination in the lyrical, vocal or guitar departments.  Equally dull is “So Won’t You”. However, the CD was surprisingly aerodynamic and hit the bin on the first try.