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: “Little Grey” – Laura Dannan

Now this song caught my ear for a variety of reasons, first of all, I love Laura’s way of writing she’s a singer songwriter that writes about…  Well.  Life! If you don’t know what I’m talking about listen to her song “Mid Life Crisis”, it’s self explanatory.  This song is about her car though.  Yes.  …

Single Review: “Without” – Tiger Mendoza ft. Emma Hunter

This track caught my ear because of the lush string arrangement and also Emma’s strong vocal on top. She sits right in the mix. I love the lyrics:  “I am like a tree without its leaves I am like a river without its water And nothing will ever be the same…” The beat is four …

Single Review: “Blue Monday” – New Order

As today is supposed to be Blue Monday I thought I’d revisit an 80s classic. This song has all the synthesiser goodness incorporated with early samples. The version I’ve picked out is the original 1983 mix, which clocks in at 7:30 – this would have set the dance floors alight back in the day, because …