Song reviews

There is something about blues rock that is unmistakably organic and “She Was A Wonder” by Saverio Maccne exemplifies that very quality with his guitar providing all the heat that is needed to ignite the fire beneath the song.

Some splendidly wry lyrics elevate “He’s My Man” out of the ordinary and, with a notable degree of style also evident, Luvcat takes us on an ironically enjoyable musical diversion. Not quite a gothic murder ballad but it’s got the same postcode.

Emoting like she is on a mission for the mascara Gods, Raven Numan injects enough crushed beating heart sentiments and looped beats in to “Just A Number” to transform it into something that is not just another silly love song.

“Havarie” is a neat and tidy reminder of the appeal of the sequencer as Timbeau engages the retro drive to take his song through a time tunnel back to days of German synth pop world domination. That’s still kind of cool though.

It’s probably a French thing but Creve Coeur do a stylish job of keeping their runaway train song “Vertige Noir” on the tracks for over five guitar fuelled minutes while still seeming like they are ready to go off the rails at any moment. Wicked.

A bleak bit of old style synth pop from Close To Monday with their song “Only Man” mixing mood destroying analogue synth sounds in with downbeat female vocals to good effect. If your feelings of isolation wear black then this one is for you.

Claudia Balla knows what makes a modern day pop song and “Normal People” duly keeps thing solidly in the loop with lyrics fuelled by disaffection and isolation but suitably sugar coated to go down well with a cappuccino.

Very nearly but not quite quirky, the heavily processed Vanarin nonetheless follow a rather eclectic path with their song “Falling Under” nudging conventionality out of the way in favour of jump cuts and sharp edges.

Sometimes I think I use the word wistful way too often yet wistful is the very word that best describes “watercolour” by Carla Aakre and, although everything in the background seems robotically looped, her voice simply enchants.

There seems to be plenty of looped introspection out there these days and “Rabbit Hole” by Sapling is another example of this musical genre of our times. Repetition is duly used to get her point across and that she successfully does.

Kind of old school but in a kind of good way, Vamberator gather together rock’s past pretensions and mixes them in with some living in the city artistic intent to make “I Used To Be Lou Reed” into more than just revivalism. Up periscope!

I like songs that are a bit grubby and “Dark Gloves” by Death Sells is more than a bit grubby with edgy riffs, angry vocals and thudding drums further establishing the band’s down in the dark basement grunge credentials. Play loud.