Big Bag O Tricks

So with neither fuss nor fanfare up onto the CD player come The Serrano s, a sprightly pop five-piece from Belfast. Their opening track Natural Grace is a cute slice of retro-rock which blends Shaft-like wah-wah guitar with hippy phasing and a blissed out tune and vocal performance. They may have heard Ocean Colour Scene once or spent a lot of time rifling through their parents record collection.
Less Than Perfect is a more energetic affair, with some deft cymbal work from Des Mooney and great bubble-gum keyboards from Niall Kane in the style of Blink. There s also more of that hippy phasing stuff which I just happen to like, so there. Just In Sight is a tougher work-out, with more widdly keyboards, and a great vocal performance from Neil Walker over a tough semi-prog rock backing.
The Serrano s sound like a band on the right track, although they might have to play around with a few experiments before they hit the right groove. But this a good first demo with very impressive vocals and the coolest drumming I ve heard from a new band in a while.
Writhe, who graduated from DDU (Demo Dip University) last November, have ventured back to the studio for their second demo Psychotic Smile, and it clearly shows they ve been putting in the hours honing their skills in the meantime.
The title track merges the best elements of contemporary hard rock with a commercial song which they perform with vim and vigour. Broken Porcelain is a more subtle work-out with handsome vocals from Sean Bell and solid playing from the boys in the band, especially Marty Lynne on bass, although it might have benefited from some harmony vocals to help build the dynamic tension.
Writhe may not yet have written the song that will earn them their pension, but this Monaghan band have learned to give their songs room to breathe and they ll benefit from doing some more live work.
The tape demo from Cavan man Brian Reynolds features a bunch of his new songs performed with aplomb in a basic folk format.
There s a hint of bluegrass in Don t Know Why , a topical poke at war-mongering politicians which asks the age-old question why can t we help the people in need in this world consumed by greed ?
I have no answer to that, but maybe if every singer-songwriter stopped singing about it and fucked off and did something about it that might help, no?
The lengthy Why Them suffers from a slight out-of-tuneness and some hesitancy in the playing and continues Brian s pre-occupation with social injustice. All very earnest and worthy, but, sadly, I m not convinced the people at large are that bothered.
For some reason Reynolds bring the same competent but neutral vocal delivery to all three songs here. There s something wrong there, Brian, so fix it and get some rage in your heart before you release that album.
Lost Garden is the title (and a song on) a new CD demo from Peter Kinsella. The opening track Starlight makes all the right noises for the pop/rock market, with a full production fuelled by punchy guitars and filled out with swirling keyboards which give it a somewhat ethereal effect. Kinsella s voice could do with some beefing up on that production, but he sounds like a man at ease with his art.
The brilliant Vanishing Day opens with some sixties backward noises and has the feel of pre-T Rex Bolan. It has a truly hypnotic mantra-like quality to it and alerts the listener to what Kinsella might have to offer in a far more interesting way than the first track. One hopes he ll explore this groove even more in the future.
File under essential listening and pray for more.
Newry-based duo Wildflower are hoping their CD of a Fanning Session will attract management, a recording contract and a publishing deal. A tall order maybe, but Suburbia proves that this digital duo know how to blend a variety of styles like swingbeat, dance, pop and rock with conventional songwriting and decent melodies that distinguish them from the numerous others ploughing the same furrow.
Hang On (To Your Dreams) , apart from having an unimaginative and overused title, is a blander form of m-o-r than they might like to admit until it shifts up a gear and get the toes a-tapping. But it s still fairly ordinary in this version.
Hope is slow, very atmospheric in a Tangerine Dream kind of way and it wraps itself around you like an old raincoat. Great vocals from Lorraine help it on its way into your affections and it s the most interesting track here. Wildflower are very promising, but there s some burning of the midnight oil to be done.