Singles Roundup: Dilana, Kat Kennedy, Lordi, and Jewels & The Howl

This week, we have a few songs we need to talk about that stand on their own, and I either can't or won't be talking about in a larger context. I'll explain as we go along.

Rooftop Screamers ft Dilana - Tearing It All Down

What do you get when you combine the blues (which I don't like) with Dilana (who I love)? In the case of this song, you get the grit of the blues as it's supposed to be done. If the blues is about pouring out the pain of life to make room for better spirits, that's what we get here. Dilana's voice has always sounded like a bleeding heart, and the slick yet sweet sensation of blood on the tip of your tongue builds as the song unfolds. The guitars snarl and howl, like a barbed wire necklace reminding us to never get too comfortable. We get cut, then the healing balm of Dilana's vocal, and we see the scars tell our stories.

Kat Kennedy - Party

As time wears on, Taylor Swift's "Folklore" continues to grow in my esteem, and it's one of the few albums from recent times I think is going to have the staying power to be a true classic. I say that because Kat Kennedy's new song borrows heavily from that sound, and it's glorious. She has the same breathy vocal delivery, which perfectly fits the mood of the morning after too much of a good time. It's hangover music, in essence, delivered with the subtle and somber pop tones that remind us regret can be a good thing, because it shows we're capable of learning. I really found myself loving this song.

Lordi - Believe Me

I said enough about the utter failure that was Lordi's last album, where they took on a dozen different styles in a fictional jukebox of rock history. This is the first single from the SEVEN new albums they will be releasing to flesh out that terrible idea, and it's even worse than I could have imagined. Lordi cannot write disco, Lordi should not write disco, no one wants to hear Lorfi write disco. But they did it anyway, and it's a complete mess that I'm not sure has an audience. I was never going to sit through seven albums, but after hearing them do a take on "I Was Made For Lovin' You" that's a hundred times worse, I'm not going to listen to even one more song. They might have officially made it in the 'dead to me' pile.

Jules & The Howl and Deffo - Bring Me Your Tears (Unplugged)

I talked about this song when it was originally released, but this new acoustic version merits revisiting what the song has to offer. Stripped down to just Jules' voice and acoustic guitar, we do get illustration of the old adage about great songs needing nothing more than that, but the true joy is the extra space the sparse arrangement gives for the nuances of Jules' performance to stand out. Here, every ounce of pain Jules sings echos in the silent spaces. The song takes on a more somber, bluesier tone, but it also resonates louder than ever before. It's a powerhouse performance, and a sizzle reel all in three minutes.