Lick Online - Demo Reviews

Nowadays the term ‘singer-songwriter’ can roll off the music journalist’s tongue a tad too easily, a fate which I’m trying desperately not to meet when describing this acoustic-tinged single released by Adriana last year. The dark and poignant ‘Fire in Me’ deserves nothing less than a respectful round of applause and certainly not the connotations surrounded by the easy-listening genre previously mentioned.
Although this single was released in 2006, the Glasgow artist has earned herself an unsolicited plug thanks to a mere 30-minute set which she played in the Ayr branch of popular coffee and music house Beanscene. Adriana easily held the attention of the caffeine injected mob by kindly introducing each thoughtfully written song with a genuine charm often uncommon for someone so experienced in the industry.
The classically trained vocalist claims influence from Ani DiFranco to Joni Mitchell to Tori Amos…. all of whom seemed to taught her the importance of beautifully structured melodies along with pure honesty within her lyrics.

Fire In Me is available for download at iTunes and other download sites.

Connected [single]

The Grim Northern Social have an impressive live reputation, including T in the Park slots and gigs with big names such as Elvis Costello and Simple Minds. They now return with the follow up to their 2003 self- titled album, the brand new single ‘Connected.’

Their brand of catchy, punchy pop is inoffensive and fun. Undoubtedly, this is an entertaining song, and perhaps an exciting live show, with a great deal of swagger and stomp. However, does this result in substance being put on the back burner? Dubbed as Glasgow’s ‘next big thing’ they are yet to make this desired impact. The first album bodes well for the band, but they have not quite realised their potential with the new single.

‘Connected’ begins with some feedback, and a few power chords to get you in the mood. Full to the brim with power, the song, however, lacks meaning. In the current Indie scene, the need for bands to do something different is ever increasing. This is where the Grim Northern Social fall down.

The first thing that comes to mind when you hear the B- Side ‘Strange Advice For Babies’ is, unfortunately, The Fratellis. Or perhaps the Stereophonics. Or maybe more recent Primal Scream efforts. Basically, this seems to be a case of a great deal of bluster and fun, but little else.

The Grim Northern Social present a fun and catchy new single, but it is ultimately forgettable. Perhaps the best way to approach it is to take it at face value; this is not a song that will change your life, but you may enjoy dancing to it one night.

> Karen Schlegel

Drama Queen [single]

Okay, the obvious immediate reference point here is The Vines. The music is shameless pop, but with a slightly grittier texture previously best represented by the aforementioned Australian power-trio. The fact that “Drama Queen” revels in the same kind of posturing simplicity initially attributed to T-Rex and later adopted by The Dandy Warhols means it’s a definite “feel-good” number for those looking for angst-free, radio-friendly soundbites.

The vocals carry sniffs of Queen in their multi-layering. The relatively simple drums competently stomp their way through 3 minutes, making the tune a likely candidate for Student Union dance-floors across the UK.

Mind you, despite its favourable comparisons, “Drama Queen” lacks both the hum-able longevity of The Dandy Warhols’ and the vague sense of recklessness that surrounded The Vines. Equally, Switches fall well short of the brilliantly crafted, intelligent catchiness of The Strokes, opting for a more ham-fisted, power-chord approach.

Being frank, it’s nothing new. The melodies are predictable, the harmonies textbook and the backing vocals functionally inane. Yet it seems that is what it often takes to write potentially successful pop music these days so - assuming this was their intention - well done.

Mission accomplished

> Chris Cusack

This Ain't A Scene It's An Arms Race [Single]

Nutritionally speaking, this is junk food. It’s a luke-warm, processed Macdonalds’ burger designed to immediately disintegrate after swallowing, leaving you feeling unfulfilled and craving more. Coincidentally it also contains more than its fair share of ground up faecal matter.

“This Ain’t a Scene…” is 3:32 your life will never forgive you for wasting. It’s the illusion of music. A cut-n-shut of composite parts, cynically slung together in the wallets of a hundred Mercury Records mortgage-paying executives.

Is the title vaguely political? Who cares!? Relying on Fall Out Boy for your political subversion is like relying on the Daily Sport for your current affairs. It’s the sanitised tip of a childish, sloganeering, rebellion-lite, protruding above the horrendous vending-machine-fresh backing track of the music.

“This Aint a Scene…” sounds like The Backstreet Boys in places. It sounds like Britney Spears in places. The vocals are so heavily auto-tuned you wonder if he’d even heard the song when he sang it. The guitars are so tokenistic as to force Les Paul himself to question exactly what he has achieved in his life.

This is not rock music. This is barely music.

Leave it alone.

>Chris Cusack