Song reviews

It’s not often that I come across a band that can convincingly sound angry but Templeton Pek do indeed sound angry and, while “Artifact” sounds more American than British punk, their song still resonates loudly with honesty.

The combination of harmonies and country music influences is the special sauce that makes “Needlepoint Heartache by twins Surely Shirley into more than just another story song from sentimental street. It’s old school but still so very fresh.

Upbeat and commercial, “Written In The Stars” will no doubt become a singalong festival favourite over this summer. Liv Dawn hits all the right notes with this one and duly continues on her journey to become the new Amy Macdonald.

As songs go, this is a fragile one that drifts, lyrically and musically, inside your head. “Waterphile” is therefore a perfect accompaniment to contemplation with the delicate female vocals and piano proving rather enchanting.

Hey, another Finnish band. Morimus walk the introspective path beloved of indie bands back in the day and “Lice” mixes melancholy and melody to good effect. If you ponder greater things whilst drinking a cappuccino then this one is for you.

No one could accuse Cosmic Kitten of being anything other than robust in their approach and their song “Hole In My Soul” duly rumbles with discontent, raucous female vocals and much macho power chord riffage. That will do nicely.

You’ve got to give Maliika credit. Her song “Who Was I” takes introspection and romanticism off into the mists without actually getting lost and, if a cloud could sing along, then it would sound something just like her.

It’s been a while since I had to look up what a song title meant but “Cognitive Dissonance” had me do just that. Brontës make their point about duality with literacy and sweet harmonies making this song really rather charming.

Frenetic in the best punk style, The Red Lite District kick their words of blue collar social discontent about with energy and conviction and “We Are All Working Class Now” duly seems like it had just jumped out of a time machine from 1978.

Now here’s a song with some muscle. “Seeing Red” is loaded with guitars with weighty purpose but balanced with some almost theatrically retro female vocals to thus make this song as much of today as yesterday.

Pleasingly commercial with that easy on the ear feel, “Push & Pull” demonstrates that commercial songwriting with a sentimental edge is well within the skill set of Chloe Styler. Even your gran will like this one.

So, what makes great music? A piano and two voices apparently. Eve Goodman and Sera use delicate harmonies to float “Cwlwm Cariad” up among the clouds and this song is proof, once and for all, that you don’t need wings to fly.