Dropkick - Throughlines

 

Dropkick are a band that has been intrinsically linked in comparisons to Teenage Fanclub, often unfairly, due to bow down that followers of that band had. The band have always had an ability to brighten your day across two decades.

Now could very well be their time. With real splits amongst TFC fans towards recent albums and particularly new one. totally coincidentally, Dropkick offer up their crunchiest album for quite some time and it does seem as the bands have changed musical positions.

I've been a fan of both from the earliest days of each and if you asked me at the moment which album I preferred to have, it would be this. There is still the Jangling that you know and love and in the quieter moments here, you do realise how great Dropkick are with sparse.

There is also the usual flirtation with Americana, particularly on Side Note. They also master West Coast Jangle Pop, as ever and even get slightly Psych Pop on The Start Of My Decline which may be the best song here, wonderful Psych Pop.

But this is a Guitar album and the Riffs and Solos are wonderful.  The Trio are splendidly tight and Andrew's Vocals still wash over you with a welcome gentleness, almost like a comfort blanket. Can't Get Back The Feeling is built on a killer rocking Riff.

Leave It Understood is more Guitar Joy and Relive It is Jangle Pop heaven. A Dropkick album is also something special to look forward too and every one is immensely satisfying, but Throughlines is up with their very best.

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

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The Oldman Sound - Fair-weather EP

The third of the 3 EP Reviews was again discovered via a Listening To This Week Submission and it is magnificent. The South Shields quartet offer up 3 songs, my only wish is that I would have loved more. This is melodic joy.

It is great to hear something wonderful from the UK. I don't know what it is about the North East, but bands seems to master Guitar Pop. The Oldman Sound certainly do. The EP is a cross between Pop Rock and Indie Pop.

Beautifully arranged and performed, particularly strong on Vocal harmonies. The three songs just melt your heart. Dead Strings takes me back to the glorious Pop Rock of the 70s, unappreciated at the time, but loved far more now. Lyrically adept and stunningly performed.

Tame (A Saints Life) is wonderfully pastoral, making me think of the likes of The Lilac Time and XTC's Skylarking. It changes directions at will and everything works. Incredibly jaunty and upbeat, exactly what we need in these times. 

The title track is more straight ahead Guitar Pop, built around a killer Riff and a catch all chorus. The solo is a thrill too. These three songs are the best thing that I have heard in ages. I can't wait for more. Well done all!

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

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Fairfax Road Show - Not Today EP

Philadelphia quartet, Fairfax Road Show are another example of a Listening To This Week submission making us dig further and finding the debut EP. These 4 songs are a great listen. Obviously American, great Pop Rock with a hint of Americana.

The song submitted was the title track and it is a jaunty cracker of a sound with a real twang to the solo. Keep On Walking is a little more like Classic Rock storytelling that hits a groove in a slight Southern Rock way, the Guitar Riff is a killer. as is the solo. 

Flowers For The Girl has greater pace and isn't a million miles away from Del Amitri. A Power Pop rhythm track and a chiming riff that beds itself into your head. Beautifully arranged and performed and another positive on a fine EP.

Hey Christine is more 80s AOR sounding, the keys are far more prominent, but that guitar sound again shines through. There is a Doolin' Dalton feel to the solo. The whole EP is a cracking listen, laidback, catchy songs and arrangements, yet you can tell this lot can play.

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

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Late Cambrian - Kin Precipice EP

 

Back to it! First up 3 EPs. Even with all the artists and releases that I cover, I do have pet bands and Brooklyn's Late Cambrian are certainly one. I adore them and John Wlaysewski is an inspired songwriter. Every song is not like the one before.

The band is incredibly melodic, but the songs have unexpected twists and turns. They constantly appear on the LTTW Playlist, I knew that Kin Precipice was the next single and had it ready for Monday, but the surprise was that it has been released as part of an EP.

The song is fine story telling, a little melancholic and brooding, another great addition to the catalogue and a particularly engaging Guitar solo in what loosely is the middle 8. Also included is the previous single, Calypso, as you might expect, completely different.

Calypso is all 80s Funk, driven by a killer bassline. Together approaches 6 minutes and is totally awesome, a snapshot of the quality of songs that are constantly delivered. In essence, a Pop Rock joy, but with hints of Classic Rock and Psych Pop that gets heavy at times.

The fourth song is an extended version of the superb How I Bleed, possibly my favourite Late Cambrian song. Again driven by the Bass, but a joyous listen with a touch of Glam Rock and a killer chorus with a closing rock out rounding off a fine EP.

Late Cambrian are one of the bands that I always associate with here. A sort of discovery of ours. I hope that we have helped to get more to listen to them, because they are one of the most interesting acts around, hints of others, but totally themselves. If they are new to you, this is a great place to start.

You can listen to and buy the EP here.

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Sykofant - Red Sun Leaves

 

Sykofant are a superb Prog band from Oslo who have captured the hearts of many followers here. The Prog is very accessible, full of melody.  They recorded two EPs and have now combined them to form their second album which also now has a physical release.

I reviewed both EPs, so link you to those reviews here. Red Sun was reviewed here and Leaves was reviewed here. The Album format suits the songs most revealing both the instrumental complexity and songwriting excellence.

You can listen to and buy the album here. You can buy the album on Vinyl. CD or as a download.

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Listening To This Week Playlist 12 October

As we continue our 31 Reviews In 31 Days, which we are well ahead of, there is no way we should forget about the continual growth of the LTTW Playlist. 29 songs this week which again mix what we are known for with other journeys off the beaten track and a great closer to finish proceedings.

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. 

Stephen Egerton - Roland Grace

Mopar Stars - Only Bar In Town

Letters Of Acceptance - In Sunken Style

Gene Champagne - Beach Boy Wannabe

Orange Doors - Infection

The Goods - Sleepytime

Naive Men Leading the Blind - Fairytale Love

Naive Men Leading the Blind · Fairytale Love

David Myhr - Say Yes

The BV's - melancholy

Sweaty Wednesday - Dodgy Dave

Hamlet - Looms Large

Trash Man - Ten Years

Bob Hillman - Invisible World

The Grawks - Magnificent Little Death

Liv Waters - Mean Streak

British Birds - Stuck In A Room

Drama Dolls - Dancing

The Hat Ladies · DANCING

Stephen Kohler - Step Into My Shoes

Slowly Slowly - Parallel

Class - Take Me With You

Bleak Streak - Forest Crater

The Oldman Sound - Fair-weather

Good Vibes Rollercoaster - You'll Never Forget Me

Slowly Slowly · Parallel

Oski XD Doski - Lewd Cipher

Modest Accommodations - GenXish

Modest Accommodations · GenXish

The New Tigers - Star

Last Second Dropout - When It Rains

The Shriek - Oxenfree

The Weather Mainstream - No Downer

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Gene Champagne - Too Pop For Punk...Too Punk To Care

 

Canadian, Gene Champagne is Punk Royalty. A multi instrumentalist, but largely known as a drummer for Teenage Head, The Killjoys and The Black Halos. The release coincides with upcoming shows in Quebec and Ontario celebrating the Danny Garcia documentary Vive Le Punk : 50 Years Of Punk.

For those two shows, a supergroup has been formed called The Vive Le Punk band featuring Champagne, Casino Steel and Matt Dangerfield from The Boys and Dave Rave of Teenage Head. In the meantime, Gene completed a four date Canadian Mini Tour last night.

Champagne's debut album is an up and at 'em cracker. Not so much Punk, more in line with the likes of The Ramones and the noisier brand of noisier Classic Power Pop from such as Marc Valentine. It sounds very much like what you would hear on a Rumbar Records release.

Indeed, the opener, Gimme Ammunition, has big hints of UK Glam Rock instrumentally. Beach Boy Wannabe adds to the variety, total 60s California Beach Boys Pop with a great Guitar solo. She's An Atom Bomb is great heads down melodic Power Pop with a great Twanging solo.

I'm Disconnected is nearer to Classic Rock with the emphasis on Rock with an altogether now chorus. There are two inspired covers, a rocked up Yummy Yummy Yummy and an awesome version of The Barracudas' I Can't Pretend which adds to the melodic Guitar Pop quota.

The album is quite a surprise, certainly more catchy and melodic than you might expect. An album that underlines the joy that Power Pop can bring, but also has big hints of The Ramones and UK New Wave. A cracking listen. Top Notch!

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

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Nick Frater - Nick Frater

 

From one extreme to the other for tonight's two reviews. Mopar Stars rattle the walls, Nick Frater caresses them gently. We've been with Nic Frater from the beginning of I Don't Hear A Single largely, certainly for 9 of the 10 years.

Album wise, it was from the start with 2018's Goodbye Kayfabe, but before that there was the 18 minute long The Sombrero Fallout Suite, a Todd Rungdren-esque joy, which I urge you to listen to here. Frater specialises in Pop Rock, particularly the 70s version.

There isn't a duff song amongst his back catalogue. The self titled album is up there with its best. Classic 10CC has been the biggest comparison, but here at times, parts of the album sound a little Squeeze, certainly Glenn Tilbrook, but the arrangements are bigger.

You'll have heard Mirror Mirror on the Listening To This Week Playlist and it may be the best Power Pop song that you will hear all year. Every Trick In The Book is the big arrangement number, wonderfully so, but the arrangements are massive throughout.

Supremely melodic throughout, as a keyboard player, the songs are very much focussed on those instruments, but it is never intrusive and allows the Piano Pop to stand out most, particularly, Play In The Shadows. Lazy Castles is splendid Easy Listening fayre and Another Tonight On The Town has a real swagger to it.

There is a stellar cast of guests, particularly on Have A Nice Day, including Spygenius's Peter Watts, Joe Kane, Jamie Whelligan and Steven Wilson with Ulysses's Luke Smith on Bass for large parts of the album. You know what you are gonna get with Nick Frater and the joyous Pop never stops.

You can listen to and buy the album here. You can buy the Vinyl and CD here.

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