Bleu - Sargeant Pepper Grinder

I have been a Bleu fan forever. From Headlong onwards and it probably makes us both feel old to realise that was 26 years ago. I've played Redhead constantly since its release and also followed his side projects. L.E.O. 's Alcapas Orgling and The Major Label's Aquavia.

The former sounded more like ELO than ELO at times and the latter remains one of my favourite albums ever. The tie up with Mike Viola and Ducky Carlisle is amazing melodic pop and Ducky is one of the people remembered on this album.

https://bleu.bandcamp.com/track/start-a-band

As a side issue, I'm often asked where the I Don't Hear A Single name came from. Many get the Tom Petty Into The Great Wide Open connection and the cerebral twigged in the early years that the place was an Album Review site, although Listening To This Week changed a lot of that.

But the main influence was a song from that album by The Major Labels, a song fittingly called I Don't Hear A Single. I lost touch with Bleu through his Disney years etc, only because it wasn't really aimed at me. I was just happy that he was getting his due worth.

So, it is wonderful to have him back with a full album no less and what a splendid album it is.  It has all the hallmarks of a classic Bleu album. Multi layered, a kitchen sink production, killer choruses and sheer joy. Indeed, his tribute to Ducky Carlisle, Start A Band, could have easily been on Aquavia.

Full of wit, the amazing thing is that he makes the subject matter, Death, Loss, aging so damn catchy. He can also still write a ballad. Where The Colours Bleed is darker and has an exceptional shared vocal with Carly Paige.

He even revives part of Start A Band in Scotch and makes an even bigger statement. The Last Scene Of The Magic Dead is a big 70s Pop Rock moment that treads into Yacht Rock. I'm Not Dead is the big Lighters Out Epic. It is more than a little Todd Rundgren.

But all roads lead to the reprise of the title track. a massive production. It contains everything that covers the great man's career. Beautifully arranged clever Guitar Pop, a raiding of the instrument cupboard, celebrating the now and then. There are some great albums already out this year, but this may be the thing that has delighted me most.  Look out for the hidden track, a real jaunty minute long.

You can listen to and buy the download here. You can buy the vinyl here.

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The Creepy Jingles - Against All Opps

 

For a small label in Kansas City, Enigmatic Brunch don't half release some great stuff from great artists. Wills Van Doorn, Eggs On Mars and now The Creepy Jingles. Described as an EP, but more of a mini album, Against All Opps is so damn catchy.

You will have heard Throw Me In Some Rice on the Listening To This Week Playlist and it's 60s mellotron sound linked to more modern Pop still sounds just as wonderful. Having these songs ready and then having to learn them again and record with a new line up due to departures doesn't show.

Jocelyn Nixon is a fine songwriter, offering up melody and depth and a song like Funhouse Mirror shows a closing surprise with a wonderful Guitar solo. The closer, Nu Fables, also delights with great Pop and sounds more like a Torch song.

Stay High almost becomes a marching song, a reminder of great 70s Pop Rock and You Don't Trend is poppier Slacker Rock with a real lyrical adeptness. I Don't Need A Thing From You is splendid Pop, great New Wave keyboard accompaniment and another fine guitar solo. The whole thing is a joyous listen.

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

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The Temponauts - The Summer Rain Archive

The Temponauts are from Italy and another example of a Listening To This Week Playlist submission leading to us going rooting further and what a cracking album The Summer Rain Archive is. The sort of album that Power Pop has been waiting all year for.

The revival of the genre has largely been due to a meatier sounding version, so it is wonderful to hear something more classic again. Plus, in Backstreets, Freckles, Afternoons they have one of the great Power Pop songs of the year.

But they don't stay in one place, they Jangle a hell of lot, sometimes gently, most times a little more upfront and there are hints of Psych Pop,  Paisley Pop and some great 60s sounding Guitar Pop. The whole album is a feel good affair.

The stand out is how addictive the riffs are, the songs are melodic, but this is a real Guitar album that just drills into your brain. The immersive Guitar Sound matches the choruses, but dominates proceedings throughout, never letting hold.

As a Psych Pop freak, Outer Dark makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. How We Lost The War is cracking Merseybeat and Sunday Eyes goes all Americana. The Girl Who Wasn't There is 100mph joy and Is It You? is Paisley heaven with a hint of UK New Wave.

It may be the Jangle that grabs you most, but the diversions work just as well. 12 songs, not one of them a duff, the album is superb Guitar Pop, played with expertise and depth. A totally splendid listen that demands your attention.

You can listen to and buy the album here. I'm hoping someone like Kool Kat will pick this up for a physical release.

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Motorcycle - Relive It

 

Dandyboy Records are never far from hitting the bullseye and they've certainly got the maximum 50 score with Sacramento Trio, Motorcycle. Most of the Trios that we cover are either Power Pop or Power Trio, these three are neither.

This is great boisterous Pop, Guitar Pop if it weren't for the great 80s sounding keyboard sound that enhances everything. The arrangements are exceptional, as catchy as catchy can be, a little New Wave at times, but the trio are never stuck in one place.

The shared male / female vocal also aids things considerably. Chris's vocal is a little more rock and direct, Kortnee's more Pop, a little Sarah Cracknell at times. The former adds killer riffs, the latter provides a killer rhythm section with Matt. 

Here But Not Here is not a million miles away from New Order, yet Don't Even Try goes all 90s Rock and Forget Who My Friends Are is very close to The Killers. Just For Me is classic Synth Rock and Spinning Out is so 80s and the title track, great Power Pop.

Friday The 13th is like Rachel Sweet leading a synth band and in these days of front loaded albums, it is really pleasing to report that the best listen is probably the 9th song. Get Caught is but around a stomp and it just hooks you. The keyword here is fun and Relive It is absolutely fun packed.

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

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Listening To This Week Playlist 7 September

The maximum 30 songs this week. A really strong playlist, we've been inundated with submissions, so much so that a few have been carried over to next week. The usual mix of Guitar Pop with plenty of diversions into other genres. As always, a wonderful closer.

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. 

Chris Church - Surprise

Motorcycle - Get Caught

Hamlet - Borrowed Light

Herr Nilsson - October Surprise

The Creepy Jingles - Throw Me In Some Rice

The Temponauts - Made Of Nothing

Dropkick - it’s a Long Way To Fall Down

Knives In The Champion - Mind Dagger

Drawing Room - What I Want

Ne Pas de Machine - Jelly Legged

Willie Dowling - Rats In The Maze

Homework - Heroes Welcome

Radio Karma - Sweetheart Deal

The Rupert Selection - Riddance

The No Good Crowd - Dennis Wilson

The Gamma Rays - A Mystery

Eric Silverman - Trapped In Reverse (Raw Honey Version)

Dale John Max - Castles In The Sand

Sunday Mourners - Biograph

Federale - A Strange Vice

Creatures Of The Sun - Kaleidoscope

Caleb Hawley - Artificial Accent

The Carringtons - Noise

The Carringtons · NOISE

Dynamo Stairs - Polarized

Soda Gumball - Double Trouble

Ollie Ander White - Kiki

New Age New Wavers - Biggar Pengar

Kid Blank - In My Head

Quiz Show - Xono

Det Enda Havet - Alla Drommar Tror Pa Dig

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The Escape Society - The Escape Society

 

Hearing something great from Canada is no surprise here. The country has been one of the greatest contributors to reviews here and has a vibrant Guitar Pop scene that offers up great album again and again. Ottawa's The Escape Society are a little more Pop Rock, but just as great a listen.

Incredibly melodic, they flirt with AOR, but are just as ease with Modern Prog on the likes of Derelicts Of The Fungus Shed. On Sociopath, they are more Stadium Rock, a little hint of The Darkness and an altogether now Pomp Rock.

Useless Machine is an incredible song that featured on a recent Listening To This Week Playlist and still sounds as great. Yet compare that gentleness to the straight ahead AOR of Shut Up And Drive with its all encompassing chorus.

Tantamount To War is an epic closer that extends beyond 8 minutes. A little Vegas With Randolph like, it builds and builds with surprise synth Prog and organ runs that delight. Wonderfully arranged and totally engaging.

This is a wonderfully arranged and produced album, perhaps a little more commercial than we usually cover, but a wonderful listen. Great depth, its steps into Prog are accessible and beautifully put together. A cracking listen.

You can listen to and buy the album here. It certainly deserves a Physical Release.

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Helicopter Leaves - Sabrina Nickels

Anthony Vaccaro puts aside his Beach Bunny adventures to release his second album as Helicopter Leaves, an extraordinarily great solo project. It sounds less DIY than the debut, Get Stuck In and delves into areas that will certainly please our followers.

It is incredibly melodic, the chunky Guitar Pop being perfectly suited to Vaccaro's gentle vocal. There are hints of the likes of Dinosaur Jr. and even Teenage Fanclub and frequent ventures into Slacker Rock, but this is essentially a Guitar album.

Moments spring out surprisingly. I Should Have Been Listening is magnificent mixing genres such as Psych Pop and Fuzz Rock, but built on a laidback vocal surrounded by some great guitar. It desperately wants to be a Pop Song, but is a little complicated to be one.

Yet, Dreaming About Everyone But You is more of a rockathon with a killer chorus and an unexpected Psych Pop Guitar solo. What's One More Place is much more in your face. Feeling Nothing Is Worse is ace Power Pop and It Really Never Did is superb Slacker.

Dedicated to Sabrina Nickels, a childhood family friend, who formed Nickels musical tastes and encouraged his songwriting. The album is built on Riffs that drill into your brain, providing a great example of the joy of Guitar Pop.

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

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