Song reviews

A rather better than average pop song, “Just Life” got me thinking of appropriate Taylor Swift comparisons yet Blü Eyes has enough in the way of individuality to keep her clear of being the next corporate musical toy.

Slow paced as The Bow take it, “Desire” nonetheless successfully makes the case for saving a song through the use of a suitably intense vocal performance. Somewhere out there is a movie soundtrack waiting for this song.

Once more into the land of heartfelt love songs, dear friends. Kayla Diamond keeps it earnest all the way through “Always Been You” and the song pretty much steers itself in the general direction of mainstream Spotify playlists.

Emma Miller’s voice drifts delicately across her song “Sail Away” without ever letting the words and music that convey her message wander from the course set by those mistily programmed loops. I feel the wind in my face.

Keeping themselves securely within the boundaries of commercial expectation are Club Beirut and their song “Stay” confidently meshes retro synth pop influences with just enough muscular guitars to duly guarantee airplay.

“Swan” rolls like Madonna overdosing on bleak minimalism with Kenichi & The Sun reciting the curses of the modern world over a looped hymn of compressed anguish. No ray of light here but you can’t argue with the sentiments expressed.

Hercules Mandarin return after a four year break with “Red Liquorice”. It’s a welcome return too with the song stretching itself into your ears courtesy of a big chorus and guitar irony. Is this a part of something bigger? Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps.

I like a good commercial song and “Fairway Drive” is just that with enough in the way of golden age of rock influences to take you all the way to the bridge in three minutes. Rachel Norman leads the way with confidence.

“In Every Mountain” drifts through your mind like some long faded recollection of a time you never actually lived in. Yves Jarvis holds his cusp of Aquarius groove on a steady course as if determined to hypnotise your ears.

The synthesisers and deep emotional darkness pervade “Auf Allen Wegen” yet there is something pleasingly dramatic about the way Schwarzschild get to the point that duly makes you want to wear sunglasses after midnight.

As Michael Cooke is from Glasgow, I suppose it would have been unreasonable to expect a happy song and “Losing My Mind For Nothing” duly rolls the downbeat emotions into a guitar powered indie vibe. Worthy if not shiny.

All those fashionable indie rock moves from the past are regenerated and infused by Irish band Magazines into their song “Happy Alone”. The lyrics have a downbeat edge but there is something endearingly wistful about the vocals that encourages repeat plays.