Young Scum - Lighter Blue

 

I am not the expert of Jangle Pop and Indie Pop, that title belongs to my great friend Darrin lee and his essential Janglepophub. If it Jangles, he will tell you if it is the Bees Knees. Having said that, I think many of my peers will agree that Young Scum's 2018 self titled debut album was a wonderful example of both genres.

The obvious question is why it has taken so long for the Richmond, Virginia quartet to follow it up. I don't know the answer to that, but I do know that Lighter Blue is a corking second album. It takes what is great about that debut and ventures a little further.

At its heart, it is still 80s sounding Jangle Pop, very C86, almost Glasgow, beautifully arranged, performed and arranged. Gentle to the extreme with winsome vocals, memorable choruses and gentle meandering jangled riffs.

There are also surprises. Didn't Mean To for instance has a great double vocal and starts all tame and beautiful before slipping into something much pacier and See It Through rocks out more than expected and Wrong gets close to The Supernaturals or The Housemartins and Jangles like a good 'un.

Away is another pacier song with a killer riff. in fact a killer song. But special mention goes to Velvet Crush, a song title that betrays some influence and adds a meandering solo that is very close to Everything Flows. Lighter Blue is as Jangly and Melodic as you would expect, but adds more than you might expect.

You can listen to and buy the album here. It is available on Vinyl from Pretty Olivia Records here. American Vinyl orders will be sent from Portland to allow cheaper shipping costs.

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Ways In Waves - Matters To Ash

 

This is essentially an Indie site, but quite a few of you know of my love of Prog and where I think it is appropriate and may fit here, I add it in here. Edmonton, Alberta's Ways In Waves are essentially a one man Project with the aid of Drummer, Joel Jescke and some great Backing Vocalists.

That one man is Brian Raine and what a musical virtuoso he is. At its heart, the album is Modern Prog, Neo Prog maybe and it is very melodic at times and sounds as close as I've heard to my beloved, The Mommyheads.

Raine's vocals is very close to Mommyheads land as are some of the arrangements, particularly the more poppy and angular moments. That vocal can also sound a little like a mellow Jon Anderson. This is most relevant when Matters To Ash gets more Classic Prog.

That Classic Prog adventures are spot on, time signature and changes of direction, but the album can also be incredibly mellow on songs such as Enough Of Nothing. Raine can also do Electronic when he gets close to the likes of 80s stalwarts such as a deeper Howard Jones.

The closer, Love Enough, is part Pop Rock, part Eastern, completely out of context with what has gone before and adds great Sax from John Sweenie. But it is Who In War that best encompasses all the strengths of Ways In Waves when Raine is at his most melodic.

You can listen to and buy the album here. You can find out more about Ways In Waves here.

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No Parking For Caravans - Say Hello EP

 

A quick detour to a 3 Track EP, but what a great EP it is. No Parking For Caravans are a loose collective of Songwriters and Musicians with a great band name from Beverley in Yorkshire. Currently, a trio, these three songs reveal a surprising variety across the release.

Say Hello is great 80s Indie Guitar Pop, the type that we love. Last Train To The Coast is a bigger arrangement, piano led 70s Pop Rock. Then there is magnificent No Accident with its incredible mix of styles.

That closing track starts all Psych Pop, but takes in Shoegaze, Baggy and even Brit Pop. The Bassline is absolutely hypnotic. The whole EP reveals a variety that promises much more. A visit to their Bandcamp site will provide you with other singles from their recording debut in 2018.

Indeed, their debut album from 2019, Where The Fire Escape Touches The Ground, is available at Name Your Price currently. This lot are a collective that certainly deserves your attention and ears. I will be adding a track to the next Listening To This Week.

You can listen to and buy the EP here.

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The Bad Ups - Life Of Sin

 

There was a post on a Power Pop Facebook Group that suggested that Power Pop fans don't like Pop Punk. That may be true of the dismal old timers who want to gatekeep that genre with all sorts of don't do this, do that rules. Thankfully there are fewer of that breed these days.

Pop Punk is so close to a more aggressive Power Pop when you weed out the robotic vocal stuff. Listen to The Bad Ups and tell me this doesn't get close to Power Pop, particularly the new breed of bands that are livening up the genre splendidly.

The Philadelphia quartet have fashioned up a crackerjack album with a twin Guitar attack that is a storming listen. They come with a Punk or Pop Punk reputation, but Life Of Sin is far more Power Pop than that, rocked up to the limit, but wonderfully refreshing.

There's even nods to Indie Rock, Garage Rock and of course Pop Punk. There's also a nod to lead singer Travis McKayle's Jamaican roots with a little Ska on Lowes, guitars up to hilt of course. The album is really melodic and delivered at pace, but it is full of riffs.

There's even a surprise Acoustic closer in NTB which almost drifts towards Americana, completely out of kilter with the 10 songs that precede it which rarely come up for air. The Bad Ups follow the fine tenet in saying what you want to say and getting off. No boring extended songs are present here.

Better Than You reveals their Pop sensibilities as proven on the latest Listening To This Week. With a killer Rhythm Section (Chris Slaughter's drums get very Motorhead's Phil Taylor at times) and a magnetic front man, this is an album that gets you singing along and shaking your fist.

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

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The Rare Occasions - Through Moonshot Eyes

 

I'm not one for predictions, but I will get on my soapbox and say that The Rare Occasions are going to be massive. They are already on their way as the followers show and that grows and grows with the reaction to their current Tour.

I listen a lot to the new arrivals in Indie Rock and although I am delighted about the return of the Guitar band only a few years after being told that the instrument was dead. Yet so much of it is mediocre, if that, the next band sounding the same as the last one. So many seem to want to be Oasis and although they are gonna tour again, that time is approaching 3 decades ago. 

These three are the real deal. It isn't exactly my Future Of Rock And Roll moment, anyway the trio leans far more towards Pop. The trio hail from New England, now reside in Los Angeles and sound so Brit. They have a mastery of Guitar Pop that covers everything from the Glasgow Bands to Brit Pop to now.

Everything is just so great sounding. Great variance, a big sound, a maturity beyond their years and an ability to come at songs from different angles, yet be so dynamic and melodic. The opener, Mr Bubbles, could be a great lost Brit Pop song, but Brit Pop just appears in glances thereafter.

They also have that knack of turning songs on their heads by changing tack part way through a song, the almost Space Rock of Hummingbird being a fine example. Bury The Knife could be Franz Ferdinand and Black Ballons could be a less pompous version of The Killers.

Darling, The Planets is the song that introduced us to The Rare Occasions with its ace angular feel. Through Moonlight Eyes is the best debut album that I've heard in a long time. Follow the link and see if you think I'm right. Just remember my words in 2026!

You can listen to and buy the album here.

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The Nature Strip - Domesticated Beast

 

I suppose that for all our adventures around Indie and more, if we had a centre point, it would be intelligent melodic Guitar led Pop. Bands that are not of the lyrically banal, magpie, riff gathering persuasion. Here's a fine example of what I mean.

The Sydney quartet master the catchy with bigger than expected arrangements and gentle-ish vocals, but wrap surprisingly adept lyrics around instrumental excellence. If the past few years have been dominated by great Canadian albums, this year feels like the resurgence of Australia. 

Australia used to more than hold its own Power Pop wise, but it seemed to be overtaken by a mixture of Blues Rock and melodic Indie Pop. Add into that passive Psych and Prog, too many bands wanting to be King Gizzard. Vocalists seemed to want to be Jimmy Barnes or Neil Finn. Now the fightback is on.

You've already heard Wavelength on Listening To The Week and that is one of the singles of the year. The Nature Strip's fourth album adds 11 more songs and what songs they are! The variety on display is both delightful and a little jaw dropping at times.

You get Brass laden Summer Pop with Prime Time and even more Brass on the smooth 80s sounding Surgery. Sixth Sense is great 60s UK Beat Pop whilst Signature Move is more 70s Pop Rock and The Big Chorus gets close to Yacht Rock.

Baby Beast is all Psych Pop and there really should be more Mouth Organ in Indie Rock. Monday (Roll The Dice Forever) could easily be on an 80s Teen Movie Soundtrack and this lot can Rock testified by the superb opener, I Cannot Deny You which Jangles like a good 'un.

Both Wavelength and Prime Time even encroach into more recent Andy Partridge territory which is no bad thing. Domesticated Beast is an absolute belter of an album. An explanation at joyful Pop can be and how it can change the weariest of minds into something far more positive.

You can listen to and buy the album here.

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Listening To This Week Playlist

A nice unrounded number of 31 songs this week. Another crackerjack selection. Feels a bit Guitar Pop this week, but there are major exceptions. 

I do hope that you can listen to all the songs across this week. The last listed is as great as the first and you have plenty of time to listen. This weekly playlist is solely for submissions, not the usual stuff that we dig out ourselves. 

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 the artists who appear here. 

The Low Sixes - Turn On The Night

Sharp Class - Lights Out

Benny P - Some Days

The Bad Ups - Better Than You

The Successful Failures - Future Employers

The Meanies - Zamboni

Lawrence J-P - Walking But We've Got Our Bikes

Pullstring - Deadline

Creem Circus - Playgirl

Grand Belmont - Lie To Yourself

Who Saved Who - Pictures Have Sound

Hazel Terrace - Revelation

Andrew Gabbard - Magic Taxi

Grizzly Coast - Two Balloons

The Convertibles - Last October

Jonny And The Fellow Revellers - I Hope We Make It

Soft On Crime - Way Facing

Lost Henry - Fox & Goose

Current Swell - Peacekeeper

Michael Younker - Heart Control

Adulting - Sprung Leaks

7 Door Sedan - Juniper

Novelistme - Stop Think Conspiracy

The Backfires - Release It All

Ram Vela & The Easy Targets - Life Is Rigged

Jim Bell with Koach Mike - Stage Fright

Zerobridge - Refugee Citizen

Samuel Manning - All That's Forsaken Is Fading Away

Plastic Valley - Joshua Tree

Polyfillas - Own Youth Movement

Andy Martin - Exactly Where I'm Supposed To Be

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The Successful Failures - Enemy Sublime

The 11th Studio album from The Successful Failures and the Trenton, New Jersey quartet know what they are about. Mick Chorba's vocal is so distinctive and lends itself to what ever direction he wants to take. Be that Indie Rock, Power Pop, Classic Rock and Americana.

You are always going to hear some awesome Electric Guitar, be it riffs or solos. This is never more so here and on Future Employers, it may the best ever Guitar Rock song that they've ever added to an album, it is a mind bending guitar fest, yet never plank spanking, it is so damn melodic.

Yet the band's well known versatility can offer the Americana Twang of Costume Party and the Country Rock and Roll all together now with Sad x Bad x Three. Then there's the Classic Rock of Alone In Texas and the Power Pop of Tell Me Again.

Yet they can be incredibly gentle, witnessed by Face The Face and they can Jangle with the best of them as on A Song Is Always On My Mind. Adelaide is great Pop Rock, again riff heavy, but with a Country slant. 

Worried All The Time is as heavy as they've ever been, a real rock yer socks affair. I just love this lot as the past reviews here reveal, but there's never been a duff album and the versatility, performances and arrangements are just dynamite.

Chorba's vocals are something that I could listen to forever. This is a Guitar album through and through, but new listeners will find something they like due to the variation. More mainstream than we normally write about maybe and certainly more Rocky, but exceptional in every way.

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

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The Low Sixes - The Oshawa Tree

 

Canada does it again as Montreal's The Low Sixes release their debut on Chicago's excellent Forge Again Records label. The quartet are no newcomers, coming together after various exploits with other bands, most notably Doughboys, but they have the energy of something much newer, yet reminiscent of previous golden days.

This is rocked up Power Pop delivered at pace with nods to Indie Rock and even Classic Rock. There feels a lot of Cheap Trick in them, but are maybe even rockier and certainly more Power Pop. To call them Pop Rock wouldn't do them justice because they are far more urgent.

Everything that would please a long time I Don't Hear A Single listener is present and superbly dispatched. Massive Riffs, Huge Choruses and Solos that come in (and end) at exactly the right time. Incredibly catchy, but leaving plenty of room to shake your fist.

Talking of Cheap Trick, The Worst Is Yet To Come is probably the best Rick Nielsen song that he hasn't written, even down to the Guitar solo and the Zander like vocal. New Action is the Rockiest song on show, nearing Classic Rock, a little Glam and massive Thin Lizzy style solos. 

The pace only slows down one one of the nine songs, Leave The Radio On and that is no ballad, just a little slower and very FM friendly. On the closer, Smoking Hash All Summer Long, The Low Sixes get very close to The Replacements and add a great Brit Pop change of direction a couple of times.

Teenage Crime Wave may be the best Power Pop song that you will hear this year. The Oshawa Tree is an album that be referenced for years to come. An album like they used to be, a refreshing change from some of the too Kool For Skool nonsense we have been hearing from many Indie bands lately. High marks for the album title pun too. Definitely a Top 10 of the year contender,

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

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Submissions

 

Just a few Tips For Teens about submissions to IDHAS, mainly to help the artist.

We listen to everything, but if you are sending a download via the likes of Google or Dropbox, it may include folders for WAV and MP3. We are going to listen in MP3 first, but if the folder is just marked "mp3" and when opened only the song titles are tagged, we may love it, but not be able to find who it is by. We get sent so many downloads, that we tend to download in batches and listen to the music as soon as we can. PR People are most guilty of this. 

A reminder that we do not have a Spotify account. It is too late to start one now, so any artist who submits only a Spotify link will not benefit from us linking to that as we don't have Spotify followers. Secondly, without us signing up, we personally cannot listen to the song. We believe that the type of artist we cover, gets zero benefit from Spotify anyway. We want to open doors for artists, not get someone to half listen to their song once.

Also we don't do seasonal music. I think many know my opinion on Christmas music, all that forced jollity and cat sat on the mat lyrics just don't appeal in a what rhymes with snow way. The same applies to Halloween. We used to, but to be honest, there is so much mediocre stuff. There are some great seasonal songs by great artists, but when we have included them in the past, we get snotty replies when we say we don't cover seasonal songs in a well you played them manner. Also, we got inundated with songs we would never play and so it was easier to say we don't do any.

Finally, for Listening To This Week song submissions, a reminder that we don't add Covers of Live songs. Both are welcome for Album or EP Review songs. With 300 or so Playlist submissions a week being narrowed down to 30, we prefer to concentrate on new songs, not covers of old songs. 

.......and on the subject of Tips For Teens!

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Simon Chesterfield - Simon Chesterfield

 

This is absolutely wonderful. Simon Chesterfield of The Chesterfields revisits six of his own songs to reimagine them into Orchestral Versions. Gone is the Jangle Pop and C86 notes as this is magnificent Baroque and Orchestral Pop.

An ensemble of Wessex Musicians were gathered together for the year long project. Charles Harrison's  arrangements are stunning and Chesterfield's vocal remains the focal point despite the arrangements that surround it.

When people tackle this sort of album, they generally fail with the thing sounding sparse or overblown. There isn't a hint of that here. The beauty of the album is the way the strings enhance the song and THAT voice. You recognise the songs, but these are treated in a completely different away.

The strings are a key part obviously, but additions like the Brass  are simply splendid. There is a weeping quality to the arrangements and even when traditional instruments creep in such as the Bass and Drums on Two Buttons, there is never a distraction from the song. Indeed the Brass arrangement on that closer is jaw dropping.

The standout song is Something, slightly mournful, but hypnotic and captivating. Sadness never sounded so good. I'm envious of those attending tonight's Live presentation in Bridport at The Lyric Theatre. This Solo debut is totally memorable.

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

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I Do You Do Karate - III

 

Bergen's I Do You Do Karate caused quite a stir when we reviewed their second album, One Last Job In Mexico in 2020. This was largely because it ticked so many boxes of what the average IDHAS follower likes. It went on to feature in the Top 10 of our Best 100 Albums of that year.

With a following here that has grown and added a younger audience, it will be interesting to see if Album 3 (or III) has a similar reaction. I think it will. Again on the splendid Australian label, Half A Cow label, the band's third outing is a cracker.

Peanut Carter kicks in with an Another Girl Another Planet Intro before raving up into great 80s Indie Rock with a hint of Jangle. Secretly Australian is great Jangle Rock, more like the American version, particularly vocal with a spectacular riff and solo.

Buckle Bunnies picks up the pace even more, but in a great UK late 70s way and Royal Loggerheads gets all Weezer. Plywood To The Moon is a much more laid back affair, almost Lounge, until another Guitar Solo lets loose.

HCF comes across as a more melodic New York Dolls and Egas Moniz mixes Brit Pop with the more modern-day Guitar Pop bands. Irene gets all Countrified, but gets very close to TFC. Indeed the inevitable early Teenage Fanclub comparisons may come from elsewhere. But if they are accurate, it is more a vibe, or the odd backing track. There isn't a song that is a direct nod.

What there is however is a real lyrical wit to accompany the big riffs and awesome Guitar solos. III is a real rock out, but also so melodic, littered with big choruses and sheer joy. The band name may confuse some, but the songs will absolutely delight.

You can listen to and buy the album here. You can find out more about the Half A Cow label here.

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Electric Hero - Another Time

 

Chris Clarke has had an extensive career. Probably best known to us as the Bass Payer in Danny And The Champions Of The World, but this is not Americana. It doesn't really point at rest of his career, bands maybe a little of his time with Pete Astor.

Another Time mixes Indie Rock with 70s Pop Rock as well as stepping into New Wave, Psych Pop and even Glam Rock. There is a really big hint Ian Hunter in both the vocal and instrumentally, so Classic Rock is never out of the question.

Who Decides? starts a little David Essex Hold Me Close, but expands into something closer to The Faces. Let's Blow The Whole Thing Up is great Power Pop, yet On The Outside Looking In has some great Jangle Psych Pop on show.

Yesterday's Tomorrows is classic late 60s Rock with an added unexpected 80s Synth intrusion, whilst All That Remains goes all flared trousers Glam and Good Times instrumentally gets close to The Black Crowes. 

The Long Way Round does the Dylan meets The Rolling Stones well and One Last Time is more Classic Rock, with a little late 70s Punk rolled in. After dealing with recent reviews that were Americans sounding Brit, it is refreshing to hear a Brit sounding American. The album is more Rock leaning than we normally go, but it is a cracking album.

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

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Sharp Class - Welcome To The Matinee Show (Of The End Of The World)

 

Another Power Trio, but this time from the UK and in very different territory to The Deflators. Nottingham's Sharp Class are much more UK New Wave 1978, magnificently so. This album reminds me why I loved that New Wave scene.

They are not stuck in that era, there are big footsteps into the likes of Brit Pop, Indie Rock and the modern breed of Indie Guitar Pop bands, but the melody content is high and there is a real lyrical adeptness in these songs that few who cover similar ground manage.

There is a real Paul Weller Jam period to the words and at times the vocal, although less aggressive singing wise. Musically, they remind me a lot of The Len Price 3, but without their inclination for Mod Pop. We loved 2022's Teenage Of A Mind (review here) and this moves things on wonderfully.

The title track is probably the best thing here, New Wave of the highest order. Ordinary People is built on a killer riff, Where I'd Rather Be has a hint of Wreckless Eric, but the chorus is killer. Ivory Tower is very early The Jam with an added Jangling Riff.

Lights Out wipes the floor with most of the current new big wave of Guitar bands with another killer chorus. The whole offering rarely comes up for air, but does it without the need of a hammer. Sharp Class update the great past, bringing it into the now. Top Notch!

You can listen to and buy the album here. The CD can be ordered via the band's website here. The Vinyl can be ordered here.

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The Deflators - Inside Out EP

 

We reviewed The Deflators' last EP, Check Your Pressure, just before Christmas last year. You can read that here. A lot of what is written there, still applies here and you wouldn't want it any other way. The EP is very Noo Joisey, wonderfully so. 

It is the sort of release that you wish was on Rumbar Records, same attitude, much more melodic though and maybe that's what that label misses. This is beefed up Power Pop, much rockier than the genre usually allows, but everything else is present.

The riffs are enormous, the call and response and the sheer catchiness of it all is spot on and these are songs that you can singalong to, yet shake your fist too. Plenty try this, but few succeed and so what was once everyday is now more of a rarity.

There is a real Power Trio feel to proceedings, nevermore so on the harder, even noisier, 2nd Child. A song that gets nearer to Hard Rock, more in your face, splendidly aggressive. Inside Out is a cracking listen and certainly shakes out the cobweb.

You can listen to and buy the EP here.

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Teenage Frames - Everything Has Led To This

You've heard Brain Fever on the new Listening To This Week, so now for the long player. Everything Has Led To This brings back so many memories to where music started for me. Glam Rock was when I started to buy music under my own steam.

It was a very Singles led genre, albums largely, in the first instance, singles and a load of covers or tosh. Few ever made an album as consistently great as this. Also, there seems something bizarre about the best UK Glam Rock nowadays coming from the West Coast Of America.

Los Angeles have fashioned something that sounds so 1974, wonderfully so. It has grabbed the best of the genre and produced an album as fun as the singles were from that era. This could be 14 great singles from the time, beautifully done.

The detail is wonderful, hand claps, fade outs, big riffs, memorable singalong choruses and songs as catchy as catchy can be. I half expected them to appear on this week's Top Of The Pops or Lift Off With Ayshea. 

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It isn't all Glam, but thankfully most of it is. However, the back end of Punk / beginning of New Wave is celebrated splendidly on Fighting Words. I'm also reminded of the heavier Sweet B Sides on Disappointment and Power Pop is well represented by the likes of Only Lonely Tonight.

There's even Blockbuster sirens on the fast and loud Agree To Disagree. Fats Domino's I'm Alive is obviously a well covered song, but I have never heard it as Power Popped and Glammed Up as here. Albums like this should be treasured, it is an absolute crackerjack of a release.

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

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Zul!tas - The Trilogy (Name Your Price)

 

It is rare for us to write about an individual song, but this is great and it is three songs in one. Coming in at over 11 minutes long and it isn't Prog, whatever next? Zulitas is a band of independent underground artists from North Carolina.

The smorgasbord of interlinked bands provided a quartet and what a foursome! Originally a concept album written by Harry Harrison, wrote years ago, about his life to that point and was recorded to tape. Far more psychedelic, it was passed to Drummer, Marty, who promptly lost the only copy.

Harry had kept all the details of the songs in a binder and Marty and he co-wrote The Trilogy from three of those songs and re-recorded what you hear now with Taylor Casey on Bass and Matt Wentz on Guitar. You've heard an edited version of it on a recent Listening To This Week, here is the full monster.

As mentioned, we rarely cover individual songs away from the playlist, I can only remember one of similar length by Nick Frater years ago that we scribbled something for and that was very Todd Rundgren, again not Prog..

The song has everything from Pop Rock (although more Rock) to something Muse-ish, big heavy riffs to something more Blue Collar show song style. It is an astounding listen, truly awesome and more than worth your time. I can't wait to hear more from these four.

You can listen to and buy the song here.

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Listening To This Week Playlist

We get so tired of people saying that there is no great new music around. Here are 32 examples to prove that is nonsense with a corking Listening To This Week.

I do hope that you can listen to all the songs across this week. The last listed is as great as the first and you have plenty of time to listen. This weekly playlist is solely for submissions, not the usual stuff that we dig out ourselves. 

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 the artists who appear here. 

Steve Robinson - The King Of Scatterbrain

Teenage Frames - Brain Fever

Keeley - Forever Froze (Edit)

Swive - Mirrors

The Amnesia - Vampire

Bottlecap Mountain - Fire In The Hole

The Nature Strip - Wavelength

The Old Ceremony - Valerie Solanas

Dear Misses - Mosquito Dance

Some Gifts - Sympathy For The Free Market

Hijack Hayley - Oh My God

Mt. Misery - Sunday Song

Dress Kit - Front Lawn

Ruby Blushing - This Must Not Be The Place

Your Friend And Mine - Acceptance

Ty Walker And The Humanoids - All Hat, No Cattle

Rick Kingo feat. Cherry Fez - In Our Solitude

Daydream Keys - Neo-Trauma

Splikak! - Low-Hanging Fruit

David WILTs - Mibi I'll

THE STRAZE - Losing My Mind

Liteweight Champion - Everyone Is Wrong Most Of The Time

The paper monsters - River On Omega

Noah Sties - Indiana

the Snorts - pocket cowboys

No Flowers - Original

ECHO FRAME - Call Me Luci

Pentire - Love On TV

Have Fun! - Gaslighter

Loser Demon - Business Days

Third Ward - Alleluia

Oh Doom! - We Lost Our Friends

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Sunbuzz - Hello Again EP

 

I've been loving this 5 Track EP. Although it is available to stream here and elsewhere, I just wish it was available on the likes of Bandcamp where people could buy the thing. Sunbuzz are a trio from Northport New York and this is great Pop Rock.

Very 70s in feel, at times almost Piano Pop, Andrew Gold like sort of, but the EP also gets Jaunty and even Rocks.Desiree Today for instance opens up with a Riff that could be on The Clash's London Calling. Sunny Days could be Ben Folds.

Let It Ride gets close to Brit Pop and sounds a little Lennon 70s instrumentally. Rock & Roll Saved My Life is the jaunty addition. Lyrically reflective and racing along. Find Your Way Back Home is the Lighters Out closer, a little 80s in vibe.

Splendidly arranged, performed and produced, I just wish there were more of it. Discovered via our Listening To This Week, we've already chosen two of the five songs on weekly episodes. This is the sort of melodic joy that we know and love on IDHAS.

You can listen to the album here and at the links above.

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The Duke Of Surl - Borneo

 

Will Brown describes The Duke Of Surl songs as being recorded in New York low end Basements. I know from the amount of new music that I hear that when you read the words "Home Recording", you are not quite sure what to expect. It really can be the good, the bad and the ugly.

But Borneo is more on the wonderful side. Very inventive, varied and extremely interesting. At times, the album is quite insular, dark even, but at other times, songs can break out into wonderful Psych. It is the Psych that stands out most, it is all groove rather than in your face weird.

That Psych can venture into Psych pop, but it is never anything other than hypnotic. The groove just washes over you. The Bells features awesome Guitar work, but also adds Jangle and a cracking Bassline, whilst Whispers is almost Folk, Psych Folk of Course.

The riffs are awesome, particularly on the mind-blowing Reflections and Luther's Rock lands somewhere between Garage Rock and The Coral. There's even a hint of Glam Rock in the song. The Lie is wonderfully chaotic, starting almost Medieval and then breaking into something like Mark Knopfler riffing on something very outer 1967.

There are two bigger pieces when not a minute is wasted. Brown's Lullaby is as mellow as the album gets, more mainstream, nearly a ballad, but the six minutes plus builds and builds into something noisy and cerebral, almost ceremonial.

The Walk / The Storm is a minute longer and is half 70s Classic Rock until the song absolutely explodes into paint stripping Psych. This doesn't sound like a home recording. Psych and Prog have recently been waylaid by bands who want to show their ethereal side. This is proper Psych. absolutely splendid! Special mention to Bubbles, an hypnotic instrumental joy.

You can listen to and buy the album here.

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Steve Robinson - Window Seat

 

We do like what Steve Robinson does. His 2021 album, Swallowing The Sun is a cracking example of Pastoral Pop and featured in our Best 100 Albums Of The Year. You can read our review here. Window Seat is his solo follow up to that album.

However, in between these two albums was a duo album with Ed Woltil, Shadow Play, their second, in which I described it as the pensive meeting the jaunty. You can read that Review here. That album appeared in our Best Albums Of 2022.

So we were expecting big things from this release and boy do we get them. Ed Woltil is again present on production duties and adding some exceptional Guitar. Dave Gregory again guests on two songs, one of which is a dead ringer for XTC.

Dealing with that song first, The King Of Scatterbrain is very much a sort of Mr Empty Head Part 2, but Gregory is present on this one and Robinson's vocal is so Andy Partridge whilst the arrangement is very Oranges And Lemons with acoustic hints that are more Mummer. Emma Robinson even sounds a little Colin Moulding at the end. It is Psych Pop of the highest order.

Robinson is a long time Englishman abroad and the songs do sound more than a little Brit, but the closest that his gentle melodic vocal comes is to that of Neil Finn. The album does feel even more laidback than previous albums, there are less burst out moments than what has gone before.

That doesn't lessen the album, quite the reverse, because the lyrical adeptness reveals itself far more and these songs are lit up by inspired Guitar moments. There are also some real standout moments.Are We There Yet? is wonderfully brooding and builds and builds.

Hesitation Blues is great 70s Pop Rock with a vocal that is very Gilbert O'Sullivan and Unnecessary Wars is a corker of a song with a killer chorus and again a fine turn from Gregory. An album to be listened to from start to finish. Why Oh Why is Steve Robinson not much bigger?

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

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