Song reviews

Despite, or perhaps, because of, the low key retro electro intro, Emily Breeze manages to take her song “Work” on a journey from the computer to the heart and that heart is that of a literate, and ironic, songwriter.

Looping insistently might seem like taking the easy way out but Zeke Finn knows where he is going and he duly takes his song “What You Need” straight down the laptop indie pop with a purpose road to deliver his simple message to you.

As was always the case, polished pop music needs a good song and Katie Toupin gives us just that with “Magnetic Moves” oozing commerciality whilst hiding a deeper message in the sharp edged lyrics. Ears and brains blessed with maturity will appreciate this one.

Kyra Mastro puts more effort than most would do into her song “Mr. Tomorrow” with the result evoking comparison with the more literate female singer songwriters of the seventies. Add in a dash of offbeat charm and this one proves appealing to the ears

Almost self-consciously trendy, Kat Koan draws her inspiration from the robotic rhythms of the dancefloor and thus renders her song “Lustfire” in shades of super cool poetic repetition. I feel a placement in an ad for an electric Jaguar in Kat Koan’s future.

“Wear Me Out” is the kind of song that clearly aims to be quirkier than your average urban song and, whilst mercilessly looping itself as such songs do, Lush Puppy throw in enough oddball charm to make your ears prick up and pay attention.

The trashy guitars make FUR’s three minute indie pop meets fifties retro song into something rather special with “Nothing (Until Something Else Comes Along)” making you wish that nothing else would come along. Put this one on repeat.

You can’t go far wrong taking a walk on the (loud) reverb side. Josy & Pony duly do so with their song “Indécent Pur-Sang” and, in less than three minutes, convince you that all you need is attitude laden vocals and a vanload of manic riffs. Kaboom!

I didn’t think that anyone made music that could be described as middle of the road anymore but it would appear that piano man Joe Antaine does and “Awaiting The Storm” has more than enough polish to make him songwriter of choice for the next Steps reunion album.

Sounding wholesome comes easily to Carrie Scrimgeour with “Bigger Than Me” maintaining a positive note for all of its three and half minute duration. Add in her ability to scale things up when needed and you have a song that even your gran will like.

“What If” is an endearing slice of indie pop cake with The Switch adding enough jingly guitars and melancholy filled vocals to make the song rather less sugary than the classic take it to the chorus construction might have otherwise suggested.

After hearing “Seven Seas”, no one will have any doubt that Curtis Walsh has his finger on the pulse of commercial expectations as he confidently sidesteps the potholes of originality in his soon to be successful search for the mainstream. Good voice though.