Scarlette Fever - a selection of songs

Karen Barrow (better known as Scarlette Fever) offers a song a day for 5 days for people subscribing to her newsletter. Described as 'country and pop-infused rock' I thought it worth a 'pop'.

Scarlette Fever's best known hit is 'Crash and Burn', a marvellous, powerful pop song that received plenty of air play when released in 2011. It's one of the songs here, a song to push yourself forward from the opening line 'when did you last do something for the first time?' through to the point of the song : 'so what if we crash and burn?' Who cares what happens, go for it. It's the best song of the downloads and deserved to be a bigger hit.

'Let the music save me' is a country style that could easily pass into a gospel song. It was written in Nashville and there's no hiding the influence of that place on an artist from Hertfordshire. The song is written against a burdgeoning acceptance of sexuality but also hints at the relationship with music. Scarlette Fever is a strong songwriter, musician and lyricist who has also suffered the worst of the the industry side of music. You can walk away from that industry but you'll never be able to leave a love of music and creativity. This is a slightly worthy song that you can see being used as a jam for musicians to end a festival.

'6ft woman' is another great pop song that belies a darker side as a chronicle of abusive relationships. In this case the betrayal of a lover and friend and drawing strength from the aftermath. I do love a rock song and this is a popped up rock song but actually structured like a storming dance classic. There's plenty of drums behind it but I'm sure this has been mixed and messed about with loads.

'Black and white' is another storming pop-rock that does Taylor Swift before Taylor Swift was a thing. A bitter, in your face song ending a relationship. You know how Swift uses music to get the last word? That's this song. I'm not comparing Scarlette Fever to Taylor Swift, I'm comparing Taylor Swift to Scarlette Fever. Great role models, strong female musicians that I'd so much prefer my daughter to be into than screaming at a boy band (and mine was a big Swift fan too when she was younger, it's worked out well!)

My mini-collection finishes with 'Forever', an acoustic slowy that's not generally my cup of tea. It's twee, a love-you-forever song that is as good as the million other songs in that ilk. Get this on your shortlist for wedding first dance suggestions.

I'll explore more Scarlette Fever songs and I'm sure there will be other storing pop tunes in there to find. I'm not overly keen on the gentler, slowed down love stuff but that's not because they are poor - I've just heard enough by now. What is good about the downloads is the little message that comes with them. They help you connect a bit more with the music and understand the person beneath.