Listening To This Week Playlist 17 August

Welcome to the latest Listening To This Week. 23 songs. As usual, a mix of the Guitar Pop you might expect with some left field surprises and returning heroes. A new single from Colin Moulding with accompanying video from our old friend Thomas Walsh. Plus the return of New Radicals who continue from where they left off.

The song order is not about song preference, but how the playlist flows.  All embeds open in new windows to aid scrolling. Links to the artists will also appear on I Don't Hear A Single Social Media sites over the next 24 hours. This will help you to discover more about those who appear here. 

The Feeders - Back To Indiana

Western Union Hall - No More Feelings

Colin Moulding - Want It Bad

Mock Media - Mock City Rock

Bagful Of Beez - Keep Up With The Joeses

Dropkick - Side Note

The Low Prioriies - Ruler Of Venice

Shredded Sun - ifihadahifi

The New Radicals - One Night Only

Adult Magic - Sore Eyes

Oddysses - Cerbie

Smug Brothers - Extra All The Time

Librarians With Hickeys - 1972

Exploding Flowers - Spinning Carousel

Fantastic Shams - Fresh Start

The Allwells - Greta

Das Phaedrus - Confidence Is High

The Schwa - Madison Crybaby

Benny J Ward - Fear Of Going Out

The Jet Black Berries - Rocketfire Sex66

Eaten By Trees - Sensational

Mopar Stars - Everyone Wants What I Got

Ceylon Sailor - Love Is A Detour

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Sparks - Live On The Moon

 

Where do I begin with Sparks? Now over half way into their 6th Recording decade. The few bands that have this longevity tend to tour with Greatest Hits sets, yet the Mael Brothers promote a new album on each tour and are able to incorporate a phenomenal back catalogue amidst the more recent songs. They tour a lot now, when normal practice for a long time was to rarely play Live. I am a fan since buying Propaganda on release and they toured then, but the audience was more screaming girls in a Bay City Rollers type of affair.

They are as popular as ever with an audience spanning generations and it is amazing how someone so quirky can become so popular. The Facebook groups show the age range and there can be an irritation from older fans thinking they were first and so most important. Sparks have always moved on, through Glam Rock, Synth Pop, hardcore dance to the now where they do what they want to across more of a soundscape. As an 11 year old, I knew every word of Propaganda and I still do and I have been a completist ever since.

One thing that many long term fans fail to do is admit that not every album is ace. Personally, I think the 80s after Whomp That Sucker and Angst In My Pants was a bit of a nadir in their career, Pulling Rabbits Out Of A Hat anyone? But even in that period, there was some gold, Music That You Can Dance To is a fantastic album and gets a welcome Deluxe Reissue this year. It is nice to hear the title track here. But, the creativity remains in abundance and as well as Grandparents, Parents and Grandkids are in the audience, there are many who discovered them under their own steam. Fans who only slightly remembered This Town Ain't Big Enough.

The fact that they have worked with the likes of Visconti and Moroder is ace, but they are a band of the now. Live albums can be a reminder of being there and generally are something that you listen to once and file. But Sparks are different. Live, they are a band and the soundscapes are replaced by a slightly more Rock sound that provides different interpretations of the new and the old. It is of course, wonderful to hear the classics such as This Town and When Do I Get To Sing My Way, but now the anthems are also more recent. The opener, So May We Start sets the scene perfectly. The closer, All That, has taken on a magnificent life of its own to become a major piece in their catalogue.

It is amazing to hear the likes of Reinforcements and Goofing Off join the later stuff. No1 In Heaven is perhaps overrepresented with half of the album here. Maybe, Academy Award Performance could have been replaced with something older. The MAD! material seems to translate less well and I did think that that most recent album was a little light in places. But these are minor quibbles. Just enjoy how a band so left field can be celebrated so much in 2026. Since you ask, my favourite album is Indiscreet, an album that has been in my Top 10 Albums forever, fighting XTC's Oranges And Lemons for first place.

You can listen to and buy the album here. It is available everywhere on Vinyl, CD and as a download.

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Professor And The Madman - Dreamworld

 

We've previewed this by the lead singles, patiently awaiting the release date. The US / Anglo quartet are back after six long years. Sean Elliott and Alfie Agnew are from California, whilst Rat Scabies and Paul Gray are from the UK.

Scabies and Gray are well known in these parts from their days in The Damned and what a rhythm section they are. A great counter balance for the songs of Elliott and Agnew, who share vocals, which adds even greater variety to proceedings.

On first listen, Dreamworld sounds like a great Pop Rock album, but repeated listens unravel the layers and reveal a great variety. Very 60s led, but moving across that decade and as soon as anyone heard the single, 12 Strings And Tambourines, would soon realise that they are listening to something special.

If you liked that, then you are gonna love Adams Street, one of the best things that you will hear all year, part Brit Pop, part Big Rock. The changes song by song are remarkable. Nuclear Boy is great UK Wave, Mental Tape is smooth Bossa Nova that breaks out.

The Light is 1965 UK Beat, Merseybeat even. Brand New World starts all 60s McCartney Pop before moving into something slightly Music Hall with its Ob La Di barrel piano. Temple Of Madness is a big production, classic 70s Pop Rock.

The title track which opens and closes the album is great fun, a real let's do the show right here, march through the street affair. The scope and range of the album is so impressive, a ton of ideas are brought to conclusion on a beautifully arranged and produced offering.

You can listen to and buy the album here. It is available on Vinyl, CD and limited edition 8 Track as well as a download.

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Hurry - Zoned Out

I Don't Hear A Single may wander more around the genres these days, but it should never be forgotten that it was built on Power Pop and Hurry have been a key part of that. 2014's Everything / Nothing was reviewed on Anything Should Happen. 2016's Guided By Meditation missed out due to the gap between ASH ending and IDHAS starting.

But the three albums that followed are all reviewed here and all 3 were in the year's Best Of's. So we hit 2026 and other reviews note Zoned Out as the 6th album, I had it down as the 7th, but that's immaterial. I said in 2021 that you know what to expect, but that is the beauty of previous albums.

Matt Scottoline's vocals suit Power Pop perfectly, he writes some of the most joyous melodic songs that you could ever wish to hear. There's never been any doubt that he is a Teenage Fanclub fan and now Gerald Love appears on the excellent, Moving After You to underline this. 

The guitars are chunkier and there is more synth than usual, which actually enhances the relevant songs, but this is a Guitar album, a brilliant Guitar album. It is also the best Teenage Fanclub album that Teenage Fanclub didn't write and perform.

Zoned Out sounds like TFC in their glory period from the early days to Grand Prix. The riffs are omnipresent, the solos extended and the songs are ones that you will be singing along. It is a little rockier and beautifully arranged and performed.

The whole album underlines the beauty of the Guitar and the chorus. I defy anyone to put together 10 songs of absolute quality and consistently. You may have some idea of what you are gonna get, but I just want more and more of it.

You can listen to and buy the album here. It is available on Vinyl and as a download.

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Fantastic Shams - Back Of My Mind

 

You get the impression that the Indianapolis quartet, Fantastic Shams think of themselves as a Garage Rock band, but are so damn melodic that what comes out is wonderful atmospheric Guitar Pop and it is really fine. 

Recorded Live to Analogue, Back Of My Mind is totally engaging. It does feel a little 60s at times, wonderfully so, but they constantly hit the right buttons. My Side Of Town and Window Shopper are delicious blasts of 60s Psych.

Yet Back Of My Mind mixes the band's Garage strength with something far more modern Angular and the chorus is addictive. Bianchi Celeste, as heard on the current Listening To This Week Playlist, is much more Indie Pop and that arrangement is spot on.

Walking The Dog again flirts with Psych Pop, but also chugs along like a Creedence Clearwater Revival song. What Arthur Said is great UK Beat, hints of The Move with a killer Guitar solo. Walking The Dog has an epic vibe that may represent best what the band want to be. It has a real Rhythm and Blues feel.

The closer, Fresh Start comes in at 6 and a half minutes allowing the quartet to hit a hypnotic groove, it is mind blowing, a sort of acid trip. The whole album resonates, a little DIY as you might expect from the way it was recorded. But Back Of My Mind is refreshingly wonderful.

You can listen to and buy the album here. It is available on CD and as a download.

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Feaster - Big Super

 

I've been listening to this for a few months and it hit a nerve pretty early on. Sometimes, it is hard leading a double life. I Don't Hear A Single is my main realm, but away from it, I listen to much noisier stuff, particularly Psych and Prog. The two don't often mix. But when they do, Wow!

Initially, I thought Big Super, a little noisy for here, but repeated listens made me realise that great albums should translate anywhere and this is Great. Feaster are a quartet from Philadelphia and I've seen them labelled as all sorts from Indie to Psych Rock. Maybe best sticking with Rock with a heavy Psych tint.

They raid genres at will whilst remaining quite unique. They aren't Prog, but random changes within songs  may make you think they are. At times, they flirt with 90s Rock, but you think you've nailed them and they come up with a Surf solo.

The album is an incredible listen. The arrangements are complex, but built on a riff or a vibe. They can also be very melodic. I said they aren't Prog, but Footguns is a great Prog song. They can also be gentle, particularly, the magnificent Rally For The Win. Yet, BABA goes full on Led Zeppelin.

Simple John is a corking mix of 60s Psych and Brit Pop. Surprise is probably my fave, it broods and then breaks out. Come To is another cracker, more commercial, great Psych. All 10 songs are different. As we hit August, this will feature high in the Best Albums Of 2026.

You can listen to and buy the album here. An album that serves a physical release.

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Listening To This Week Playlist 10 August

24 songs this week and the LTTW Playlist sounds a little more quirky than usual. Still plenty of Guitar Pop, but also adventures into different areas. Oh! and is that Mitch Easter with his first solo single in 20 Years? 

The song order is not about song preference, but how the playlist flows.  All embeds open in new windows to aid scrolling. Links to the artists will also appear on I Don't Hear A Single Social Media sites over the next 24 hours. This will help you to discover more about those who appear here. 

Tom Coward - Waitrose United

Dave Cope - Bard's Blessing

The Kind City - Corpse

The Happy Somethings - Meanwhile

Timothy Ivan - Relax

Winterbury - toky$t@r

Mitch Easter - Fine Forever Wanting

Charming Arson - All The 2s Are 1s

Moon Construction Kit - Down The West Coast

Hello London - Bad Acting

Fantastic Shams - Bianchi Celeste

Corde Sortie - Bizarre

Beans - Remember

Imperial April - Wake Me From My Sleep

Bill Baird - Karma Loan

Anton Barbeau - Come Home To Me

The Cindys - Glass Shattered

Psychotic Youth - Girls

Awake & Dreaming - Cold Shoulder

Awake & Dreaming · Cold Shoulder

Downpilot - Strange Horses

Winter TV - Can't Dine

Lady Flash - ティターンズベイベー (Titans Baby)

Jeff Vidov - Signs Of Life

Translucent Veil - The Veil

Translucent Veil · TRANSLUCENT VEIL - THE VEIL

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