Song reviews

Sequencing charm into a song isn’t easy yet “Denial” is an example of the right way to do it. Looped old school electro beats keep the power coming on strong while those stylishly oblique female vocals sprinkle sugar on top. Cooler than a refrigerator.

It must be a European thing. “Break Away” rumbles and grumbles in that curiously retro way of post rock bands like Cani De Portici do to reinforce their determination to use the pure instrumental format to break down some invisible walls. Brooding.

Pleasingly jagged and oblique, Gorgeous take their lo-fi vibe and apply it liberally to “Raindrop” to thus alter it from a potential indie pop anthem into near arthouse posturing. Some songs are deliberately difficult and this is one of them.

Brooklyn duo Teeniest keep it low key and “Hold On To Dawn” duly makes a discrete run for the finishing line. The guitars mesh nicely with the vocals in the way things were done in more organic times and the end result pleases the ears.

Emo Swedish style from Tribe Friday with “Swimsuit” demonstrating that absorbing all those old school American influences isn’t as much of a handicap as you might expect. The guitars carry the song but the heart is still in there somewhere.

There are times when I think the evil Nashville will take over the world and sometimes, I think there is still hope. Julia Poorman gives me hope as her song “Upstream” engages folk rock first gear to entrance my ears.

I like a bit of quirkiness in the morning (and evening) and Mary Hennessy duly twists things just a bit out of shape and thus gives her song “Teeth” the bite it needs. It’s the perfect montage song.

Kind of grungy and full of what sounds like deliberate distortion, “Silver Thread” scrapes the wall with its sonic abrasiveness. Nonetheless, there is a guitar solo and Anna’s Bones do kick the chorus out of the park so the song is one for me.

Los Angeles band take the turn for the mainstream freeway with their song “Extraordinary” maintaining the legal limit for its four and a half minute journey and Janelle Barreto having the sense to drive the song safely and considerately.

I seem to remember that Caragh once sang the saddest song that she who stabs had ever heard. “Bones of You” also successfully evokes a similarly sentimental response if from a rather more mature perspective. A most elegant and emotional song.

Romi O walks a fine line between looped rigidity and outright quirkiness with her song “M2M” having an oddball vibe that encourages curiosity regarding the rest of her musical output. Maybe not radio material yet distinctly interesting.

Alex Rapp goes all deep and reflective with “Ego” and, with sequencers and synthesisers supporting her, the mood is set for drama in a most stylish way. Curiously, I liked this song a lot better the second time I heard it.