Music - Part 402 - Shirley Said | Kolo | Following Foxes | Matinee | The Senton Bombs

More singles for your delectation.  Some good some not so.   You decide.

 

Shirley Said – Salvation / Merry-Go-Round

 

Starting off with an absolute cracker – Shirley Said release a double A single (do they still exist?).  Salvation reminds hiapop Blog of Cocteau Twins with a sugary sweet vocal courtesy of Giulia Scarantino as it shimmers and glistens from start to end. The Italian duo is completed by Simone Bozzato who add some fabulous synth sounds particularly on Merry-Go-Round sounding a bit like Goldfrapp before they went a bit wrong after Supernature.  Expect big things from Shirley Said.

 

8/10

 

The Shirley Said website is here.

 

 

Kolo – Castro (LHM Records)

 

London based trio bring us a guitar pop from their forthcoming debut album Who Wants To Rule The World?   It’s nothing new and nothing amazing but it’s a decent enough track, catchy and well written if this is your sort of thing.  It won’t set the World on fire but they are sure to have an audience waiting for them somewhere thanks to the big sounding chorus and rock-pop appeal.

 

6.5/10

 

 

Kolo have a website here. 

 

 

Following Foxes – Following Foxes EP

 

Debut EP from four lads who look they should be finishing their homework before messing about in a band.  Thankfully, they make nice sounds and the EP is packed with five of them.  Not overly commercial but enough interest to warrant more than one play.  Lead track Almost Lost It is nice jangly guitar pop with some souring vocals and a video artfully shot in black and white in somebody’s Living Room.

 

7.5/10

 

The Following Foxes website is here. 

 

 

Matinee – These Days (Neon Tetra Records)

 

Named after the Franz Ferdinand song, Matinee come all the way from sunny Italy with nice guitar rock/pop which has some anthemic ambitions.   From the album of the same name, These Days is again more than capable of being a hit for the quartet – America could well take the band to their hearts as they possess that sort of style that seems to drive our trans-Atlantic friends wild.  A support slot on a major tour wold do the band a lot of good, and you’ll probably hear from them again in the not too distant future.

 

7.5/10

 

 

Matinee have a website here.

 

 

The Senton Bombs – Phantom High EP (Holier Than Thou Records)

 

Described as ‘Punk infused Rock ‘n’ Roll’, The Senton Bombs are a bewildering proposition.  They sound a little like Iron Maiden meets Guns ‘n’ Roses but lack the OTT approach that Axl and friends had by the bucketful.  Again, they will have their supporters but it all seems very old hat.

 

6/10

 

 The Senton Bombs website is here. 

 

 

 

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