Singles Roundup: Kat Kennedy, Slash, Neal Morse's New Trio, & Tony Martin

Just because it's December, that doesn't mean music has stopped. Albums are few and far between this month, but we're still getting a bunch of new singles. Some might be considered Christmas gifts, but most are already getting the machinery moving for next year's first rush of albums. So what do we have in store for us today?

Kat Kennedy – Unpacking

Her previous single, "Party", is what first caught my attention. I loved the quiet, restrained mood that came through, taking echoes from Taylor Swift's "Folklore". This new song follows the same blueprint, with Kat using her voice as more of a quiet whisper. The song echoes the weary, tired feeling of moving on, rather than whatever rage may have existed at the moment the relationship blew apart. This is a sound I have dubbed 'Daria rock' before, and I keep finding myself drawn to the flat, 'over it' attitude this style thrives on. At least when it's done this well, that it. Kat has given us a nice little Christmas treat with this song.

Slash – Fill My World

The lead single for Slash's upcoming album is fantastic. This song is a bit different. Feeling much more like a ballad, this song is entirely about pulling back and not doing too much. Slash's playing is restrained, softer and with far fewer notes than usual, while Myles Kennedy never jumps into his highest and most questionable range. The song lacks a bit of punch, but it's nice to hear the group doing something a little different. This does nothing to dampen the enthusiasm for the upcoming album.

D'Virgilio, Morse, & Jennings – Julia

This year, I was listening to a fair amount of The Jayhawks, in particular because I was in a mood where I loved hearing Gary Louris and Mark Olson's voices blend together. Neal Morse must have been in a similar mood, because he has put together this trio with Nick D'Virgilio and Ross Jennings, and this first song is a lovely acoustic based song filled to the brim with vocal harmonies. It's a classic sound, and the ethereal way the notes float around one another is the sort of thing that makes music so wonderful. It isn't heavy, or cool, but it's beautiful.

Tony Martin – As The World Burns

I don't want to be harsh. Tony Martin is a great singer, but by and large, he hasn't had much opportunity to sing good songs, so his reputation suffers. If this song is an indication of his long-gestated solo album coming very soon, that's not going to change. He sounds great, even after all these years, but the song itself is nothing to care about. The riffs are fine, the production could use some more bite, but the failing is entirely with Martin's vocal lines. The verses are fine, but the chorus has no melody at all, and hits the metal paint-by-numbers thing that feels like little effort was put into making an enjoyable song. It's trite, it's cliche, and it's boring.