Song reviews


  We Are So Alike by Rain On Fridays


We Are So Alike cover art


Interesting

This one is interesting. The sound is garage, perhaps even grungy, but the urban angst contained within “We Are So Alike”, diluted as it is with frustration and anger, lifts Rain On Fridays straight out of the shadows and into the light.


  Thorns by Ben Hemming


Thorns cover art


Blues rock

Old school blues rock from Ben Hemming and “Thorns”, whilst giving us more of the same, still rolls with an integrity that most modern pretenders cannot muster. If you like riffs to go with your beer then this will be the song for you.


Review date: 
  www.benhemming.co.uk

  Pick Me Up by The Search


Pick Me Up cover art


Retro indie

indie rock in the old school style from Sweden’s The Search and “Pick Me Up” duly, and very smoothly, integrates all those familiar guitar moves and meaningful lyrics into a song that still manages to sound fresh.


  The Architect by Marshall Chipped


The Architect cover art


Serious

Glasgow veterans Marshall Chipped keep it strictly downbeat for the five minutes or so of “The Architect” with enough in the way of strident guitars to let those who remember the style signature to jump on the song’s serious retro vibe.


  Take It From Me by El Sartel


Take It From Me cover art


Radio friendly

Middle of the road seems to be the place to be these days and that’s where El Sartel have taken up residence. “Take It From Me” plays out with the kind of commercial polish that makes for both radio airplay and happy housewives.


  The Swimmer by The Cowboy Mouth


The Swimmer cover art


Polished

Another band from the past rises from the rose tinted mist of days gone by and The Cowboy Mouth duly demonstrate that they have not forgotten how to put a polished pop song together. “The Swimmer” is just that.


  Escape by Katharina Pustka


Escape cover art


EDM

This one makes for a bit of a change. “Escape” hits the dancefloor in the unmistakeable EDM way with Katharina Pustka using her violin to add a bit of class into the mix even if the jarring edit at about 02:30 sounds out of place.


Review date: 
  www.katharinapustka.com

  MF by Death Sells


MF cover art


Punk

Solidly angular, Death Sells prowl the punk shadows with their song “MF”. I can hear guitars. I can hear anger. I can hear the voice of a woman on a mission. I will feel this song more if I turn the volume up. I do just that.


Review date: 
  www.facebook.com/deathsells

  Get Back by We Three Kings


Get Back cover art


Loud

Energetic full on rock from Manchester’s We Three Kings and it would not be too much of a stretch to imagine “Get Back” being added to the jukebox of any establishment that serves beer. Just beer though. No cocktails.


  Deceivers by Electric Children


Deceivers cover art


Solid

It’s pretty much straight down the line rock from Electric Children although there is enough grungy untidiness and lyrical purpose in “Deceivers” to remind you that keeping it real works a lot more often than not.


  Little Red Heart by Berenice


Little Red Heart cover art


Commercial

No idea where Berenice is from but, if I close my eyes, I can hear that she has ingested some Nashville style polish and “Little Red Heart” duly spends its three minutes ticking all the right boxes to get commercial attention.


Review date: 
  www.instagram.com/berenicae

  Timeless by Qoya


Timeless cover art


Episodic

Pleasingly episodic, Qoya infuse their song “Timeless” with more than enough grunge and long form artistic posturing to induce visions of escaping shadows heading into the light. Full on guitars and relentless reverb fill in the gaps.


Review date: 
  www.facebook.com/qoyamusic


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