Song reviews

Can’t say that I have heard of Basil Breen before but he seems, on the basis of his song “Nelson”, to know which road to follow to get commercial radio airplay. His voice exudes the necessary confidence to convince the casual listener and that might just be enough to get him recognition.

“You Were Never Innocent” is indeed a neatly polished song that reflects well on the commercial intentions of its creator with Goyell Saab fusing his western musical influences into an ear friendly three minute package that justifies a listen or two.

I can pretty much guarantee that “Say Something” is a song from the heart as that is what we have come to expect from Boo Sutcliffe. The sentimentality is there as is the necessary impassioned vocal performance making this a song for soon to be broken hearts.

“Wait By The Shore” is light and sugary yet the deeper sentimentality in the lyrics provides the balance this sonic confection needs to stay on course. Snows of Yesteryear might be on a well-trodden path but I like where they are going.

Solid Americana from The Distance with best use being made of a twelve bar style groove to keep “Feeling Fine” from swimming with the fishes while the juxtaposition of male and female vocals adds a curiously gothic feel. Someone put this on a soundtrack soon.

Robot boogie hits the dancefloor once again with Freakin’ Disco locking their sequencer on retro rhythms and sweeping synths and using “Face Yourself” to take us on a post-midnight journey to glitterball land. Those pills keep a ‘popping.

Going long and leisurely are The Trouble Notes with “Liberty Awaits” being more of journey than a song with those strong celtic muscles shouldering much of weighty meaning that this epic carries with it. It’s deep, wistful, and driven all at once.

As nicely polished as “Lessons Learned” is, I get the feeling that Craig David Johnson has more to cards to play than this melancholy, almost Americana in style, song would suggest. His voice is the clue but what’s his intended endgame?

You won’t need a time machine to find some primo pop punk as Wicked Bears have done the trip back into the past for you and the energetic and effervescent “Lucky” provides the proof of that in under three minutes. Boom!

There are retro synth stylistic moves aplenty to be found in “Influx” by Thy Veils with Maria Hojda’s voice doing an enticing yet ethereal drift over the rigidly hypnotic beats. It’s a pause for thought song that easily fills your headphones.

It says here that she is from Glasgow so Raie must be good. “Healin’ Train” does not therefore disappoint with the Nashville country rock stylistic moves being executed with no small amount of vim and vigour. The road calls out to me.

What’s this? A worthy singer songwriter? True enough for Roofman – aka Thijs van der Meulen – demonstrates that the art of mixing poetry into melody has not been lost and, yes, he even takes it all the way to the bridge. Old school perhaps, but so good.