Song reviews

Almost annoyingly catchy, “Running Away” is all the proof your ears need that Quad 90 remain determined to keep on truckin’ down their chosen retro disco path. Even more annoying was feeling my feet moving to this song. Smile dearest and dance.

Big riffs and a bad attitude pervade “Dance Again” by Alffa and amid all that banging and crashing you will find enough in the way of brooding anguish to satisfy the soul of any discontented youth. It’s a song and a statement.

I like a bit of post punk angularity in the morning. It sounds like a better yesterday to me. I am thinking that Lawns probably do a lot of songs that have sharp edges and arthouse pretensions and “Eggshells” duly makes the grade. Cool for cats.

A boisterous revival of that blue collar Brit pop sound, “F Up” sounds like it like should be the soundtrack to the excessive consumption of WKD Blue. Essex boys Bilk add all the attitude the song needs to take it to the singalong chorus.

Indie sentimentality aplenty from St Dukes with “Growing Up” mixing the mellow with meaning for a whole 205 consecutive seconds of loveliness. The endearing female vocals make you wish you had some ice cream to go with the song. I sigh again.

I recognise style when I hear it and Valentina has style. Hers is a bleak, introspective and distinctly downbeat style but style it is and “Hands” utilises a piano figure and hypnotic tempo changes to make me wish I was one of the cool kids.

When Did I Get Old? I can’t remember but Adam Whitehead ponders on that very subject in his song with the lyrics being distinctly decent and infused with blue collar sentimentality. Add in the Nashville style polish and country radio airplay beckons.

I can’t actually remember why I thought Leyya were another indie pop duo but “Hundred Or More” instead seems to be powered by some rather muscular sequencers with those female vocals being processed into exquisite oblivion.

“Golden” is a song is so unashamedly commercial that it practically forces you to sing along whilst waving your iPhone in the air with NATI belting out her song like the trouper she is meant to be. A true summer song.

Not being a fan of Norwegian black metal, I didn’t expect to find “Between The World” by Trelldom as rewarding as I did. This is a big song full of a brooding yet elegant mix of melancholy and menace that simply surrounds you.

You don’t get many songs that sound positive these days but “Happy Thoughts” by Natty Maxwell is one such song with the nineties urban soul influences that are clearly present in her sound making it all so easy on the ear.

Soul meets funk in the retro melting pot that was used to cook “Frank’s Zone” by Koko-Jean & The Tonics and the resulting musical stew will satisfy the appetite of those who like the sounds of simpler, and better, times. Fingersnapping good.