Alex Pester - Almost England (Bandcamp Name Your Price)

 

I am a massive fan of Alex Pester. I bore people by banging on to all and sundry about how great the young man is. He has released his second album of the year, the boy is prolific and this time he has fashioned up very different.

Almost England is a sort of coming of age Concept album about growing up in a small English Town. It is divided into five chapters, each chapter divided by an engaging instrumental. Pester has even gotten hold of Peter Daltrey of all people as an announcer.

At approaching 90 minutes, it is a double album. Unlike his previous work which has been very Pop based with numerous surprises and a real Lilac Time feel, Almost England is at times more Acoustic, a little Folky and certainly Pastoral.

There are the breakout moments which are inspired, but there is a gentler feel, soothing, yet intriguing. The songs are too many to mention all, but you will have heard the magnificent Una Stubbs on the Listening To This Week Playlist.

Where The Trouble Starts is gentle Psych Pop, very Stephen Duffy. England By Train shows the Acoustic side of the album and is really lyrical adept. Always Missing Busses is splendid Indie Pop and People Watching is great Psych, almost Pink Floyd 1967.

Pester is a major talent and we don't hear from a lot of those in the UK. The album is a big listen with 30 songs, but it is certainly worth the effort. Intellectual songs that celebrate the past, but also but a modern spin to proceedings. Pester keeps amazing me with what he comes up with.

You can listen to and buy the album here. 

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Sparks - Music That You Can Dance To (40th Anniversary Edition) (2CD)

I am a massive Sparks fan. One of the first three albums that I bought was Propaganda. I knew all the words then as I do now, although I may understand them more now. Over five decades on, the Mael Brothers have kept their followers along the way and added a whole new audience. They are as popular now as they have ever been and the material may be different, but is just as revelatory as those Island Years. I don't contribute to the fan groups as you are not allowed to be objective about any album and I am always objective.

Their 70s was great, maybe with the exception of the muscular Big Beat. They surprised everyone with the two Synth Pop albums at the turn of the decade and then went back to the band format backed by L.A.'s Bates Motel and produced two wonderful albums. Angst In My Pants battles with Indiscreet as my favourite Sparks album. They were followed by an ok album then the dire Pulling Rabbits Out Of A Hat. They then turned back to the synth duo format and offered up Music That You Can Dance To An amazing affair that showed Synth Pop could be intelligent and have more than one stream.

I loved the album. At the time, I was around the country and managed to gather all of the 12 Inch Singles, including a couple of white labels, so I have a lot of the second disc material, but there are additional surprises that I don't. The album has been remastered and brings both the UK and US version together in the 9 Tracks. Change bizarrely was the single in the UK, but not on the album. Armies Of The Night was removed from the US Version and replaced by Change.

The album still sounds as great as ever. The stand out being the bass driven, The Scene. The title track. Armies Of The Night and of course Change are great Pop songs. Let's Get Funky and The Shopping Mall Of Love show how weird and wonderful, Sparks could be and I have a special place in my heart for Rosebud with its Orson Wells Inspiration. The second disc contains 17 songs and is largely the 12 Inch mixes and B Sides. Although two demos of Music That You Can Dance To, are accppanied by demos of Rosebud and Fingertips. There is also the unreleased, How To Survive demo. Strangely, the Fright Night version of Armies Of The Night isn't here.

The remaster is great and this is an album to be treasured, certainly one for the new fans to jump on and the second disc will be essential for long time fans. The double Vinyl version only includes six of the bonus tracks.

You can buy both the CD and Vinyl versions here.

 

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The Serfers - Debt Sounds

 

Brighton's The Serfers have a reputation as a Surf Punk outfit. But there's not really a lot of Surf here, so don't expect Dick Dale comparisons.. Punk wise, if that is here, it is more like when Punk went into New Wave. There is a fantastic energy and you can imagine what a live act they are.

The sound is more Indie or Alt Rock and dare I say it, there is a feel of early stuff from The Killers, although the band may hate me saying that. Interestingly, the choruses are massive and largely melodic and match the killer riffs that completely ignite your soul.

The title track is deliciously heavy, very Alt and even a little 90s Rock, but with big hints of Psych. At times, the harmonies catch you by surprise in a great wave. The Goth like solo on Negative FX is stirring and Welcome Home is splendidly broody, reminding me a lot of The Armoury Show,

Damaged III is a cracking listen, the harmonies work beautifully and you get a hint of Surf, the chorus grips you. Bad Blood is probably the most Surf, but that song is also lit up by an addictive riff. Loose Control is really up and at 'em, mesmerising at times and an anthemic Guitar sound.

Special mention has to go to Violins, it would make a killer single. Incredibly catchy and more commercial than you might expect. Debt Sounds shows that you really shouldn't rely on genre labels. If I did, I would miss out on many albums and this one is definitely great.

You can listen to and buy the album here. 

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Classic Traffic - Real Music

 

I've had this album for a while and have been waiting for it to appear on Bandcamp to be able to embed some songs and direct you to listen to the whole album and hopefully buy it. Now it has and it is a fantastic listen. You can read my review of 2024's Turn It Up here.

The New Jersey trio describe themselves as living somewhere between Thin Lizzy and Teenage Fanclub, but my ears have them closer to Cheap Trick except for the two mellower songs. I do see a lot of bands compared to Da Trick, most are nothing like this, these three are.

A lot of Power Pop fans like Cheap Trick even thought they aren't really of the genre. It is usually labelled Pop Rock and this is that, but the rhythm section of but Bass Player, Dogmeat and Drummer, Dante Fotino, provide a Power Pop beat. Fotino also adds the lyrics.

Andy Altodino is vocalist, a ringer from Robin Zander and Guitarist. It is the Guitar that grabs you most, big riffs and solos to match the killer choruses. Those solos probably deserve the Thin Lizzy comparisons, but also remind me of the likes of The Darkness.

The opener, My Rage, gets you right into the mood for what is to come, a real singalong, foot tapping and at times fist pumping. Ghost's Host does get a little Teenage Fanclub instrumentally, but then bursts out with an anthemic solo. 

Yet There With You is very close to Power Pop and Wanna Wish is much nearer Classic Rock. Sorry Songs closes the album with an incendiary Guitar solo. Real Music is a storming listen, proper Pop Rock and a joy that you want to put on again straight after it closes.

You can listen to and buy the album here. It is available on Vinyl and as a download. The band's Bandcamp site is here for their back catalogue.

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Listening To This Week Playlist 2 November

The first of five Playlists this month. Another great listen with the maximum 30 Songs. Great Guitar Pop, with some fine surprises and a closer that deviates from the norm.

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 later today. This will help you to discover more about those who appear here. 

2nd Grade - Cellophone Girls

Exploding Flowers - Flowers Under Cracked Cement

Joy Cleaner - Seven And Seven

Electric Pets - Glam!

Dear Darcy - Halo

Dear Darcy · Halo

The Slow Death - You're Not Coming Back

Hamlet - Columns

The Response - Keep Calm And Carry On

Pseud - Dressed To Kill

Egil Gustafsson - Hey, Mister Stumble

Egil · Hey, Mister Stumble

The Dim - Pay Day

Or Best Offer - Fast Strong Horse

The Plastic Pals - Keep An Eye On The Door

devices - Ideas Laid Out Like A Pattern To Follow

Trinket - If Not Soon Then Now

Brian Noyes - Colours Of Everything

Imperial Teen - Hands All Up

Soup Activists - Johnny

Starcleaner Reunion - Maschine Mock Up

Any Version Of Me - Until We Meet Again

Orange Farm - Affectionate Friction

Kramies - We're All Dead

Lisa Pedace - Panda Drummer

Lisa Pedace · Lisa Pedace - Panda Drummer

Ghost Party - Big Riff (du du duu du du du du du du du du)

Tooth Gore - Boxes

The Embrooks - Dear Ebenezer

Ape Hangers - Miss You Girl

fervid - Hot Mercedes

Ted Bunny - Out For Blood

Adam Giles Levy - Dopamine

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Welcome To November

 

Hope you are all catching up with October's extended 31 Reviews In 31 Days. November is more of the same as there are still plenty of albums to write up. It is also a month of 5 Listening To This Week Playlists. We are getting close to the 100 Best Of 2026 albums at the end of December and then the exciting things planned for January.

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Spygenius - Rhizomania

 

I am a writer, people tell me I'm a decent one, but I wish I could write as well as Peter Watts. His lyrics are inspired taking lyrical adeptness to higher levels. He has depth, a wonderful turn of phrase and a biting wit, he sees things that others see, but describes them at a higher level

A song like the vaudeville My Toxic Pal is 7 seconds short of a minute, but sums everything that I personally feel at this particular time. He also is the prime vocalist and guitarist. But this album is not just about Watts.

The album is totally a collaboration, all sing and the arrangements are stellar. They've not forgotten what they are good at, but this album takes them miles further. Previously known as a Psych Pop band, there isn't that much Psych Pop here. It is more Guitar Pop or Pop Rock.

I've had the chance to listen to the album many many times and at first you fall for the wit and the arrangements, particularly the choruses, but as you listen to it more, there are different songs that grab you and I want to mention my two current favourites are the closing two songs.

Different to the ones that precede them, they show off the band's skills to even greater extent. Beachcomber is the longest song and the most straight ahead, but it is totally engaging, there is a build, but not much of one. You hear flute, a little Baroque and mellotron, but the song doesn't want to deviate from what it is and nor should it.

Tre-Biwt is Welsh, Button in English. Ruth Rogers, bass player extroadanaire is Welsh and takes lead vocal on the song. It is superb Indie Pop with accompanying Brass and great harmony vocals. It is a complete surprise and spending listen.

Elsewhere, the delights are many. Watch Like Not One Is Dancing would be the ideal single and But Is It Powerpop takes the mick out of longstanding Power Pop group jokes and arrangements. Canute is great 60s Beat Pop, a little R and B with some top notch Farfisa.

Mr Blue Sky Thinking Blues has a really hilarious deep lyrical message, but is jaunty, full of vocal harmonies, barrel piano and Banjo. Horizon Shine has a real 60s Trippy message, opened by a sort of I Can't Let Maggie Go and has Pastoral Pop Psych vibes.

Alone Again, Orwell hints to their Psych Pop past. I know writers often state that this a band's best album ever, only for it to be thrown to history soon after. This probably is and certainly shows how much the quartet have progressed through 9 albums. Magnificent.

You can listen to and buy the album here. The CD can be bought from Canute Records here.

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Softjaw - Love Can't Kill You

 

I wanted to save two albums to close the latest 31 in 31. I've had both for a while, but the testament to both albums is that I'm still hearing new things as I listen to them again today. Both are so good, that followers have asked when they are going to be reviewed.

I'm sure Softjaw will have been reviewed gloriously elsewhere, but I have deliberately avoided all to form my own take on what will be up there in the Best Of 2026. Although technically their second album, the first was gathered as a sort of best of what had been around in one place. 

At its heart, Love Can't Kill You is a 60s album, not throughout, but certainly half of it. A wonderful 60s affair that takes in Merseybeat and dare I say it, the early Beatles albums. I do dread saying that because I get so much sent to me that notes it as Beatles and it isn't fit to wipe their shoes. These songs do though, not copyist, they stand up in their own right.

But a couple of songs get extremely close to prime time Cheap Trick. These being You May Be Right and the magnificent Flying High. There's also 70s UK Glam Rock with You Won't See Me Cry and I Know You Do, but mirror brilliant 7 inch singles from that age.

My heart is also melted by the glorious Psych Pop of Million Different People. All 12 songs are beautifully constructed. Beautifully produced and arranged. Riffs and harmonies everywhere and where one is needed, a killer Guitar solo.

It is the vocal arrangements that are most effective, particularly on the big choruses. I could have embedded any of the songs, but have chosen three to show the variety. As well as being a possible Album Of The Year, a special round of applause should go to Dandy Boy Records, which should definitely be the label of the year.

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

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