Song reviews

Synthesiser powered introspection is almost fashionable these days and Marek Kubala duly tracks layers of sequenced intensity into his song “Godspeed”. This isn’t one for a pub singalong but, if downbeat is your thing, add it to your playlist.

Ah, the voice of the computer as seen from the corner cubicle of a coffee shop with the processed emotions resonating within “Running in Circles” neatly illustrating that Pony Girl are a product of our times. Just listen and all will become dark.

Brooding is the best way to describe “Peace Out” by Katrina Ford. Loops run through the song but Ms. Ford heads right into the freeform artistic equivalent to torment in order to breathe reality into her words. Not catchy but substantial, if you get my drift.

Glasgow’s Hound go all Weezer with their power pop song “Take Off” and successfully supply all the melody and singalong choruses that such a musical adventure requires. Then they take it to the bridge and it’s all hooks and ladders baby.

Chicks on Speed take their song “CRISPR” for a long walk on the quirky side of the street. No idea what those right of the crackerjack box lyrics mean but they add a welcome degree of weirdness to the locked to the loop beats. Shang-A-Lang!

Coming straight down the interstate from Dallas are Sloth Fist with their loud and proud guitar powered rock until dawn song “Too Old to Rock. You’ve heard it before but, surely, that’s the point and are Sloth Fist really past their best? I think not.

Old style and old school soul from Nathan Johnston & the Angels of Libra and “All Your Love” duly ticks all the cool style boxes. In the matters of poise and performance, both singer and band never put a foot wrong. Take me to the river.

Moody vocals and synth riffs? That might well be a retro style move aimed at the trendies but there is much more depth to “Saturday Night” than that and Major Parkinson demonstrate that experience in the art of making music still counts.

You can’t dislike a song that has both whistling and offbeat vocals and the quasi country rock quirkiness that Burn The Louvre have used to season their song “Achilles Heel” duly made a positive impression on these ears. It’s Canada dry, baby.

Even the most cynical ears can surely hear the surfeit of style in Transviolet’s “Love and Power”. Moody and deep in meaning, words and music intertwine as the song leads us to the bridge that we don’t really want to jump off. Supreme montage music.

Superficially fluffy but probably not, “Beachy” proves, once again, that The Aquadolls can do sugary sweet singalong pop songs that aren’t sentenced to be forever imprisoned in a shopping mall playlist. I worship them. Really I do.

Taking post punk angularity as their style signpost, Glasgow’s Blush Club duly walk the walk of ironic indifference with “Spices” reminding us all of the true value of an art school education yet, somehow, they get away with it. Cappuccino drinking bastards.