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Sunday 10 November 2024
Listening To This Week Playlist
Friday 8 November 2024
Mt. Misery - Love In Mind
I'd heard quite a few of the songs ahead of the album and Hartlepool's Mt. Misery have conjured up one hell of a Pop album. The debut could be a little sad sounding at times, this follow up eschews all of that in favour of the chipper and downright catchy.
Hey is great Guitar Pop, it reminded me a lot of Caper Clowns and leads off a fine listen. There seems to be a real wave of bands breaking through from the North East, these four may be the best. More Indie Pop than Pop Rock, Mt. Misery can breakout though.
Love To Kill gets really close to Dropkick and even latter day Teenage Fanclub. It jangles like a good un. Driving Through A Dream sounds like something off a great 70s Pop Rock album, wonderfully gentle, but incredibly melodic.
Heatwave could be from a West Coast Guitar Pop album and yet Waking Up sounds like 60s Summer Pop. On My Mind is wonderful 80s Jangle Pop to a tee and Movies picks up the pace wonderfully aided by a splendid slightly weeping riff an ace solo.
There may be some who would like a little more breaking out, and the band are more than capable of this, but why would you when you master the laidback so well. Well performed and arranged, with a top notch production. What's not to like? Love In Mind hits the spot significantly.
You can listen to and buy the album here.
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The Smashing Times - Mrs Ladyships and the Cleanerhouse Boys
Prepare to be amazed. Baltimore's The Smashing Times' last album was a wonderful Pop album. They follow it with something very different. Gone are the catchy ditties, replaced with something absolutely wonderful. Underground Pop is a description that doesn't really do it justice.
I listen to a lot of music, too much sometimes and I'm always looking for something out of the ordinary. There is Intelligent Indie to be had, great Psych Pop too, but you have to search hard for it. Too much music sounds the same as everything else. Lately it has been even more of a challenge than usual.
The song titles will give you an inkling that this album is something out of the ordinary. I suppose you might call it Left Field, but what exactly is that. Vocally, it does sound very Brit and with the band beginning a 7 date UK Tour at the end of November, you can witness that in the raw.
Mrs Ladyships and the Cleanerhouse Boys is one of those albums that will take time to appreciate, but they are usually the best long players and last the longest. There is a 60s Psych edge, but there is also a fair bit of Jangle around.
For all the Syd Barrett descriptions that will spring out, there is even an Indie C86 feel at times and songs come from unusual angles, for instance, it is a while since I've heard whistling on an album.
Rupert Tingle, Button Thief is great Psych Pop, bordering on Toytown, yet still has a breakout part that could be Brit Pop. Wednesday, On A Hummingbird's Wing is incredibly inventive. It is a song built on a Jangled riff, but could be Julian Cope or Pulp and yet still sounds very 1967.
The references are very 60s, but there is more within. This is an album that you might find on the Fruits de Mer label or Gare Du Nord. It may take time to appreciate, but that time is well spent. In a sea of mediocrit, The Smashing Times are a shining beacon of light. Totally Splendid!
You can listen to and buy the album here. It is available on Vinyl and as a download.
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Wednesday 6 November 2024
Willie Dowling - The Simpleton
The album is essentially one of two halves. There are the 70s Pop Rock songs that border on a Softer Rock. All beautifully arranged and performed with the lyrical adeptness that is too often taken for granted, Dowling is a super songwriter.
Even on those lighter moments, there is still variety. Then there are the big production numbers which at time lean more towards The Dowling Poole with the Piano replacing keyboards. The closer, In The Ocean builds and builds with a wonderful arrangement.
Sadie Goldman is very sedate, but expertly sang and hypnotic. At times, these songs are very reminiscent of Kid In A Big World era John Howard. But when these songs break out, the word magnificent is the only one I can attach to them.
The Gravy Train vocal is Bowie-esque and the jauntiness of Down The Slide is totally affecting, a little Andrew Gold in places. I Killed My Imaginary Friend may be best thing here, lightning fist, a little 80s New Wave with a hint Toytown. Dowling has never made a bad album, he certainly isn't gonna start now and this is one of his best.
You can listen to and buy the album here. It is available on CD and as a download.
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Tomato Flower - No
I know many, and definitely me, bemoan the end of The Sugarplastic. I have always loved the angular earlier stuff of that band and so No as an album delights me. The Baltimore quartet have that angular. slightly chaotic, but splendid Guitar Pop down to a tee.
Previous to this, Tomato Flower have been more noted more for their Dream Pop, slightly pastoral and gently Psychedelic. This album still contains a couple of great examples of that past, but is largely more about the Intelligent Alternative Indie Pop that we know and adore.
Destroyer is an ideal example of early Sugarplastic, despite it getting a little shouty the odd time. The instrumental arrangement on Radical is very Polly Brown. It is the arrangements across the album that are captivating, a little basic at times, but very inventive.
The Riff on Sally & Me is almost Prog and yet Tomato Flower are comfortable with mellow Pop. Temple Of The Mind is almost Disco Fun and Harlequin encroaches 70s Pop Rock Easy Listening. Do It is very New Wave, even Devo at times, almost mechanical.
Lost Lunar One even gets close to Dream Pop and reveals another fine arrangement. Magdelene even as a Fripp feel to the riff. The whole thing is incredibly engaging and the vocal sharing between Jamison Murphy and Austyn Wohlers dovetails beautifully. Wonderful Stuff!
You can listen to and buy the album here. It is available on Vinyl, CD and as a download.
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Tuesday 5 November 2024
Bonfire Night Delays
Reviews have been slowed due to the Fireworks being let off in the area over the past few days. Hopefully, this is the last night. Meet Bailey, our Lurcher. who is petrified by the big bangs and my evenings have been spent settling him down.
Reviews are back tomorrow and then this post will be taken down. So with having a short moment of fame, Bailey would like you to know that he is 5 on December 2nd and that he does accept gifts.
The Review catch up begins tomorrow evening.
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Monday 4 November 2024
Listening To This Week Playlist
Saturday 2 November 2024
That Was October That Was !
So the last 31 Reviews In 31 Days has been and gone. A very busy October meant that we managed to fit in 34. One thing that we didn't get round to is the Back To The Future Reissue feature, so that will arrive in November,
There are still plenty of Reviews to come and some really interesting Forward Release Dates to arrive. WE also hope to be able to update you all on an expansion planned for I Don't Hear A Single Which is quite exciting. The plans have already begun, but the everyday IDHAS stuff and real life work means that we can't get it up as rapid as we would like.
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Thursday 31 October 2024
NEPS - Common Life
Austria's NEPS offer up a cracking slab of Pop Rock. Massive memorable choruses, songs that you can sing along to, these choruses are like chants at times.You could call it a big stick of Rock with Brit Pop stamped through the middle of it.
Brit Pop is a genre that people think was only about Oasis, Blur and Pulp. But, if you moved away from the middle, the far more interesting harmony led stuff was easy to find and far more thirst quenching. NEPS would have fitted perfectly into that scene.
So maybe it is time to revitalise that scene with the new breed. This debut album would certainly help lead the way. Also, away from the big sounding chorus led songs, there is plenty of variety. Pop Shuv It for instance is a great mix of UK New Wave and early Blur.
Kicking Habits is a great male female vocal that gets into The Housemartins, even The Supernaturals territory with great pace. Goodbye is a great closer, much moodier with a real lighters out chorus, anthemic to the extreme.
Lessons For Your Life is an obvious single, although to be fair, any of these songs could do that job.Run gets all US 90s Rock with added Grunge Guitar. This is right up our street and would probably add a ramp to interest if it was on Bandcamp to listen to and buy. A splendid listen!
You can listen to the individual tracks here. The Vinyl can be bought here. Other links to listen are here.
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Shake Some Action - Chase The Light EP
Shake Some Action are never gonna change from the 60s Guitar Pop territory that they master, but here the vibe is more crunchy at times. The opener, Cut Loose, lets rip in fine style revealing another string to the bow.
How Far Will You Go is more UK Beat, but again adds ace Lead Guitar, a little Psych Pop at times, a bit of an Orgone Box feel without the trippiness. Spend The Days In The Sunshine is a little Medway, all 1967 getting it together in the country. There is also a great Brass interlude that is close to Brit Pop.
Chasin' Time gets seriously Toytown, wonderfully so and I Don't No Where She Goes goes back further towards Merseybeat, but also as a modern day jauntiness, a bit like a happier version of The Coral. Five songs here that master a beloved genre.
Shake Some Action certainly know what they are about. The sound may be a little retro and that suits. I would rather hear something that sounds like the past done this well than some of the mediocrity that we get from more modern chance takers. I don't hear anyone around doing this so well.
You can listen to and buy the EP here.
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Dear Misses - Cool Down Under
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Tuesday 29 October 2024
Barbara - Happy Days
After featuring two singles on the Listening To This Week Playlist around the same time as discovering that long time Anything Should Happen favourite, Paul Steel was producing them, we fell in love with the Tydeman Brothers.
Like Steel, they are from Brighton, although this may surprise you as they sound more like a 60s West Coast Pop affair, although at times the Englishness breaks through, particularly on Mein Fraulein, a song that chops and changes wonderfully.
Recorded as a five piece, built around Henry's Piano Pop playing and the gentle engaging vocal of John, the arrangements are spellbinding. At times 70s Pop Rock breaks out, certainly on the smooth as silk, Pretty Straight Guy.
It could be John Miles playing the Guitar on Waiting Outside Alone, instrumentally it could be something from the Rebel album. Barbara aren't afraid of embracing Soft Rock, especially on Master Narrative which is very Andrew Gold, Lane Steinberg even.
In the wrong hands, a song like Grandad could be cringingly twee, but in these hands, it is charming, theatrical even and would make quite a show song. The main take is that mellow can be so engaging, particularly when it is arranged and produced as well as this.
The songs change directions at will with a real cleverness that never distracts. Happy Days is great jaunty Pop that revels in its all round joy. Maybe a little mellower than we are used to, but an absolute winner. Prepare to be delighted!
You can listen to and buy the album here.
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Monday 28 October 2024
Listening To This Week Playlist
Saturday 26 October 2024
Custard Flux - Live At 20th Dream Of Dr Sardonicus Festival 2024
To be in one exhilarating band is commendable. To start again and be just as great, if not better than the previous one reveals massive talent. Chicago's Curvey Gregory is certainly a major talent and getting about more Gig wise these days where people witness the man at his best.
The Luck Of Eden Hall were always special. The type of band that you get excited about when a release is near and frustrated at because it is an impatient wait. There were more outlets that covered the Psych scene in their time, in what was still a buoyant internet scene, unspoilt by social media.
The second coming of Gregory was the magnificent Custard Flux. A band that initially was more about analogue and non Electric, but over the five albums, they got more and more Electric. You can read our Reviews of the Custard Flux albums here y searching the Review Archive.
Again not as Psych as you might expect for Dr Sardonicus, the band are somewhere between Psych and Prog, but with songs built on riffs rather than terminable solos. Extremely melodic with a vocal that is not a million miles away from Peter Gabriel and just as adaptable.
It is always a delight to see him over here. Gregory is a multi instrument talent with a killer detail for arrangements and an ability to wander off into different tangents without ever losing the focus of the song. Yet he can play around with and lean on a killer riff. Enjoy the Festival Performance of the five piece.
You can listen to and buy the album here. It is available on CD and as a download.
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Spygenius - Live At 19th Dream Of Dr Sardonicus Festival 2023
I adore Canterbury's Spygenius, partly because of my love of Psych Pop, but more so, because of the type of people that they are and the way they celebrate the success of others. There's also the rapier wit of Pete Watts, a man who shares my bizarre sense of humour.
You might expect the quartet to be lumped in with the Medway lot, but they aren't as restrictive as many of those bands who still think it is 1967 and that Sandie Shaw lives next door. There's a melodic, almost Indie feel to what they do. They are also a sum of their parts.
Those who know the festival, may be surprised to see and hear Spygenius there. They are certainly more Pop orientated than the Psych generally on show and have no doubt that they are Psych, just coming it from a different angle.
At times, they are more than a little Robyn Hitchcock, there's certainly a big hint of Toytown. Through seven studio albums, they are themselves, they don't want to Rock things up further to gather a few long haired fans, nor thrown in a lighters up ballad.
So sit back and enjoy this live set that demonstrates what a great band Spygenius are. Remember that this is a recording directly from the board, so there are no edits of intros or touching up in the studio. You hear the band exactly as the audience did and how they should be heard.
You can listen to and buy the album here. Stocks of the CD are now extremely limited.
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Something Different Tonight
I wanted to do something a little different tonight for the two Album Features. It has been so frantic at IDHAS this year and surprising opportunities arriving to consider that I have been wanting to do something a little different, if only for one day.
I've also been a little nostalgic for Anything Should Happen, not that it will ever return. But I liked the collaboration, the anything goes genre wise, the old and the new and the pleasure of something Live, or Demo'd. The Live part hit home most.
So I wanted to celebrate two bands via a Live Recording. Those bands are Spygenius and Custard Flux. The fact that the two recordings are from two Dream Of Doctor Sardonicus Festivals also allows me to celebrate the magnificent work that Sendelica's Pete Bingham and Fruits De Mer's Keith Jones do for the scene. Both are taken for granted too often.
So coming up are Spygenius's performance last year at the 19th Festival, something that I've wanted to cover for quite a while. The second features a man who was once in the greatest Band in the land and now heads one just as great. So you also have Custard Flux's appearance at this year's 20th Festival.
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Wednesday 23 October 2024
Crash Harmony - Nobody Asked For This
New York's Crash Harmony finally record a debut album, over three decades on, and it is really good. Reviews have centred on comparisons to the mid to late 80s period of the band's heyday citing The Replacements and R.E.M and there are examples of both.
There is the scuzziness of The Replacements the odd time and the Indie part Jangle of R.E.M., but on a song like Writing You Out Of My Scene, the quartet get more 80s Rock, even Classic Rock. The Jangle when introduced works really well too.
German Camp gets closer to Garage Rock, yet Building Blocks is classic Soft Rock, Yacht Rock and Orange Background could be 70s Pop Rock. The excellent Floating's chorus would even make a great TV Comedy Theme Tune if this were the 90s. The slow riff is a killer on the verse too..
There is great Power Pop present also on the likes of Velour Goodness and Last Night's Girl, both coincidentally contain Jangled Riffs. Then there is the complete surprise of the closer, Cymbeline, and it's approaching 7 minutes.
It is a monster of a song that is so good that it flies by quickly. Very mid 70s Classic Rock with brooding slightly Psych Guitar and yet at times the song could appear on Fleetwood Mac's Tsk. It is out of kilter with what goes before, wonderfully so, but just adds to the variety on display.
It is not as though careers ended 30 years ago. Dave Derby is the kingpin of the splendid Gramercy Arms and Mike Potenza is in my beloved Anderson Council. Reviewers will have you believe that this is all late 80s influenced, it isn't, it showcases much more than that and does it really really well.
You can listen to and buy the album here. It is available on Vinyl and as a download.
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Tuesday 22 October 2024
Benny P - No Place (Bandcamp Name Your Price)
Recorded as a solo album in which Ben Polito plays most of the instruments himself, since moving to Philadelphia, Benny P have become a band and started live shows. To be fair, this doesn't sound like a solo recording, the drumming is live tracked, which is unusual for such a recording.
Another example of a Listening To This Week submission leading to an album review. That song was Some Days and it still sounds wonderful now. Essentially, the album, released yesterday, is great gentle Jangling West Coast Pop, but there are plenty of surprises as the album progresses.
The title track instrumentally has a real Jazz tint and Little Wonderful Mistake is great Americana. Lonely even steps into Classic Rock and Aching Hearts is fine 60s Summer Pop. But it is the Jangle that hits you most, at times venturing well into Power Pop.
Can You Tell Me? even has a Psych Pop Jangle that is music to my ears. Save Me even mixes Rock and Roll with a rock out chorus. Morning is the type of song that Americans do so well, it just breezes along at a pace that just draws you in.
Vocally, Polito has a soothing effect that suits the material perfectly. At times, he sounds a little like Michael Collins of The Summer Holiday, although a little more Soulful and a bit less Pop. Catchy as Catchy can be, with a maturity beyond its years, No Place is an absolute cracker.
You can listen to and buy the album here. It is available at Name Your Price, so what have you got to lose.
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Eve 6 - Dream Fist
Eve 6 are obviously a band with a deep history and a long career. Most notably recently, their reputation has been handed due to vocalist Max Collins take over of the band's Twitter account and turn it into a must read fun packed thing. One of the great things on the Musk riddled bollocks spreading thing that it became.
The Trio have also been great exponents of Patreon, and use it as it is meant to be used. Allowing interaction with fans, but more essentially a way to ensure music is rewarded financially with its fair recompense. These 12 songs were released monthly to Patreon subscribers and now they are collected on Dream Fist.
This is not something that is just random songs thrown together. It feels and sounds like a proper album, a splendid album in fact. I do wonder what long term fans think of it, it does feel very different to the Alt Rock they are known for. Bands move on and many of my faves started as something completely different, particularly Pop Punk bands.
It has an opposite effect with me. Eve 6 have been a band that I've admired casually, largely because I don't indulge in that genre enough. But I think this is one of the most interesting albums that I have heard in a long while. It is an absolute stormer.
There are still hints of the trio's past, but here the variety is totally admirable. At times, it is Modern Rock, at others Indie Rock, but there are even footsteps into Power Pop and Electro Rock. Indeed considering the latter, Even Though is completely out of kilter with everything else here, but absolutely wonderful.
I'm not going to go into the songs, because this is an album that deserves your attention from start to finish. I've picked my three favourites, but I could have chosen any 3. I don't know if it is the way songs were recorded one per month, but the results are extra-ordinary. I urge you to get the headphones on and give it a go. Wonderful!
You can listen to and buyout e download here. The Vinyl and CD can be order via the Band's website here.
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