The Vaccines – Wreckin’ Bar (Ra Ra Ra)
‘Wreckin Bar (Ra Ra Ra)’ by The Vaccines is one minute and twenty- four seconds of infectious guitar music, with touches of retro, surf, the 70s, lo- fi and something new. Justin Hayward’s voice is as distinctive and more- ish on this track as it was when he was Jay Jay Pistolet, although this project is completely different.
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Johnny Flynn feat. Laura Marling – The Water
‘The Water’ is as wonderful as you would want a duet between Laura Marling and Johnny Flynn to be. Simply it is a beautifully crafted song, which is absolutely in the tradition of folk music- and true singer- songwriters. The water and our relationship with it, the solace, inspiration and restoration it can bring as it flows through our lives is the theme. The lyrics from this track could easily stand alone and the melody and singing are haunting and melancholy but also reassuring and peaceful. If anything ‘The Water’ is better the more you listen to it- and it is a song you can listen to repeatedly and yet want to hear more each time.
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Sea of Bees – The Woods
‘The Woods’ by Schmercury nominee Sea of Bees (Julie Baenziger) may not be receiving as much air play as the previous two singles but musically it’s certainly a match for them. The track begins with a pulsating guitar line that could lead in many directions- but once Baenziger begins singing her voice becomes the fascination. She sings as she writes her music- with a mixture of strength and fragility. The whole song is slightly hypnotic and other worldly without being too much of either. It is the central refrain ‘happy as a bird’ that particularly resonates throughout the track- and the song closes peacefully with that lyrical line- and thought.
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Words: Kim Deadman