Song reviews

Packed full of droning synths and moody intent, “VHS” embodies the retro lo-fi vibe that its title would suggest with Alex Kelman executing his downbeat intentions with notable efficiency. The bleak tone is no doubt deliberate but the song hits it mark.

It seems to be the week for sentimental songs and Erin K duly adds “Keep Her” to the “what becomes of the broken hearted” playlist. Her lyrical adeptness is always obvious and her level headed approach to telling it like it is has appeal.

Scottish band The Camans resurrect a standard song called “The Banks of Inverary” and do the diligent and reverential thing by replaying it in a form that even the long gone would recognise. Then again, you can’t actually go wrong with a song like this.

Had to give this one a third listen as this curious hybrid of loops, guitar melodies and excessive plastic processing never seemed to go anywhere yet left me somewhere far away from where I started. Offbeat just about covers it. It must be a style thing.

Ever wondered what a protest song might sound like in 2023? Pretty much the same as it would have sounded in 1968 if “Peak 2023” by Chris Pellnat is anything to go by. The lyrical references might well be of today but the irony is timeless.

You don’t hear a vocoder used much these days. There’s probably a reason for that but there is a certain degree of amusement to be found in The 23s retro synth loops that suggests “Never Be The Same” wasn’t recorded in black and white.

Certainly singing and sounding older than her years, Jessica Woodlee treads an introspective trail with her song “By Now”. Her words do have more meaning than most and the end result stays resolutely in the shadows. A serious song indeed.

Solid is the perfect word to describe Ben Hemming as he chips yet another brick out of the rock wall. We are talking old school seventies style blues rock, of course, and “Holy For A Day” duly rumbles, emotes, purports and struts its way into the sunset.

As polished and processed as song of these times should be, “Let Go” easily makes the transition between radio and the dancefloor and back again with b0ka soon persuading your ears that not everything is as plastic as it might appear.

Nicely American in a nice way, Anna Goldsmith heads to the mall with her song “Miracle” and demonstrates that all those retro pop punk moves have not been forgotten and, as she takes it to the bridge, you want to jump with her. Candy it is.

I almost feel like I should be tripping to listen to a song like “Lemuria” by A.Wake. Looped all the way until dawn yet remaining simultaneously synthetic and organic, this song is a fine example of 21st century psychedelia on the rampage. Mood is where it is at.

It must be a Glasgow thing. Blush Club force all those angular post punk influences into “Calamity” and head for the chorus high on oblique lyrics and jagged guitar jangles. Call it coffee shop syncopation if you like but it is definitely a Glasgow style thing.