Single Review: “Wish You The Best” – Brave James ft. Blue Lab Beats

Having been a fan of Brave James since the release of their fantastic track “Spaceships”, it came as no surprise that  collaboration with one of my favourite production teams was definitely going to be special.  This is a slower paced track, starting off with percussion and marimbas and it’s gorgeous.  The track as a whole …

Single Review: “Butter Side Up Boy” – Laurie Wright

Laurie Wright is back with a track with strong vocals, guitars, drums and…. Harmonica! This song comes roaring out of the gates with attitude, and it’s a cracker. I really like Laurie’s vocals on this, it sounds like he’s having a blast recording it, but this belies the dark feeling behind the lyrics, there’s a …

Single Review: “Living Proof” – Pearl’s Cab Ride

WELL!!! This… is…. FUNKY! The stabs in the intro promise so much and over deliver, this is professional musicianship at its best. From the horns, drums, bass, vocals, hammond organ this is a blast to listen to – it reminds me of early 90s acid jazz, and it’s so well done, I don’t want to …

Single Review: “Sidecar” – Prima Hera

I have heard this song so many times now, I think it’s part of my soundtrack of 2023. It’s such a simple song, Prima Hera’s vocals are gorgeous on this. She has a touch of reverb on her vocals, and she’s able to harmonise comfortably going from a major to minor harmony with the other …

Single Review: “I Still Love Him” – Blossom Calderone

There are so many things that I like about this song, first of all it’s in 3/4 time. That will always be welcome around here.  Secondly, the pizzicato strings, you don’t usually hear that in music nowadays unless it’s arpeggiated a la Rodney Jerkins 90s productions, so it’s good to hear that.  Thirdly, Blossom’s voice …

Single Review: “Penny Lane” – The Beatles

“Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes…” You know you sang along with that. I certainly did.  This song is part of English history and on this particular day in 1967, the Beatles did a last minute remix of it along with “Strawberry Fields Forever” the double a side single that they …

Single Review: “Few And Far Between” – Calum Baird

The thing I like about Calum’s voice is that it’s… Honest. What do I mean about that? Well first of all, you can hear his Scottish accent coming through real true, there are no heirs and graces there. He’s a folk singer telling a story in his songs, and you have to have a believable …

Single Review: “Sugar Pie” – Dakota Jones

Drums! Bass! Guitar! Hammond! Horns!Loooooooord the Hammond!!!!! And the star of this song that voice. This is so soulful, I can just imagine Dakota Jones rocking up to Jimmy Fallon’s looking at The Roots, uses the Force to connect with Questlove and then him counting this off like his Afrocomb is on fire and then …