31 Reviews In 31 Days Done And Dusted.

 

That's the 31 Reviews in 31 Days done in what was one of our busiest months. Fear not, there are more to come as time constraints have meant there is a carryover, plus presently we have 18 albums with forward release dates, including two long awaited ones that are released tomorrow. 

We eventually managed to review 37 in October. So it may be worth checking the month over to see if you've missed any of the great offerings. It really has been a stellar year and as the year has progressed, it has got better and better.

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The Len Price 3 - Misty Medway Magick

 

It's been three long years since Ipdipdo and so it really is time for more Medway Magic. Having inadvertently covered the debut album from Glenn Page's son Tom's band , it is time for dad. Incidentally, the Cream Soda debut has been rigidly in our Top 10 Most Popular Reviews since release, still is.

Although very much a locked in trio, it is Glenn's dulcet tones that mark out the difference to other bands who follow a similar path. That and the strength of the songs of course. The Len Price 3 are never far away from outstanding Guitar Pop, hence being on the Wicked Cool label.

Unfairly lobbed in with the Mod Pop brigade in their early days, there is much more to them. If anything there is more of an affinity with UK Beat, particularly the early years of The Kinks. But they also branch into Jangle Pop and more modern Guitar Pop.

The Len Price 3 · Emily's Shop

Page is joined by bassist Steve Huggins and Drummer Neil Fromow in this high energy trio. My world is lit up by the ventures they make into Psych Pop, and there is plenty here, when they come across like a less Psych competitor to Orgone Box. 

They certainly are at the top of their game here. The likes of Emily's Shop and Misty Medway, the Psych Pop excellence is demonstrated, yet the three can handle slower numbers like the melancholic closer,  One Day You Will Break My Heart which almost breaks your heart.

The Len Price 3 · The Luckiest Guy Alive

The Luckiest Guy Alive may be the best Pop Rock song this year, wonderfully arranged with a jangly Guitar Riff. There's also real wit present on the likes of If I Could Cheer You Up and these are not throw away lyrically, songs are stories in many cases.

They have also not forgot about the raucous UK Beat when the Power Trio takes over, particularly on You've Changed. The Len Price remain one of the great Guitar Pop acts around, live and in the studio. They master switches in tempo and sheer melody. Misty Medway Magick is an album to add to your collection now.

The Len Price 3 · You've Changed

You can listen to the album here. You can buy the album at all good Record Shops everywhere and some of the places here.

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Julian Cubillos - Julian Cubillos

 

It's been 7 years since the last Julian Cubillos album and all the way from Queens, New York comes an intriguing listen. Having spent the time in between as a collaborator, this self written and played album is an absolute joy.

His gentle vocal suits so much and here in delicious lo-fi, he wanders across the genres and when he occasionally Rocks out, he does it with verve across unusual inventive arrangements and fascinating riffs. The best example of this is the I Used To Be Someone.

But Cubillos can also be Poptastic, the strumathon of Haunted Paradise is somewhere between Indie Pop, Dream Pop and Guitar Pop. There's also a dance feel to Fruit Stripe as it races along at pace. Yet Portuguese Bend is soulful with an engaging vocal. A little 70s even.

Yet stripped down, he is just as good. The opener, Returning is a surprise choice, with all the left field arrangements elsewhere, it is a straight ahead Acoustic Pop song. Flesh & Blood has a driving bassline and is particularly Pastoral with a slight hint of Psych Pop.

Does It Hurt You is much more in the Psych Pop mould, again laidback, but instrumentally magnificent and hypnotic. It is a cracking listen that mixes the smooth with the Intelligent Indie. I usually try to provide total variance in my three embedded songs, but the more Electric stuff just knocks similar protagonists over the boundary. A real winner!

 

You can listen to and buy the album here.

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Vegas With Randolph - Drops Of Gold : The Best Of Vegas With Randolph

 

A celebration of the career thus far of Washington DC's Vegas With Randolph. It isn't deliberate, but this month seems to be celebrating releases by bands that we covered in our early months. This lot were one of the earliest.

We reviewed Rings Around The Sun in 2016, their third album, we weren't around for the 2008 self titled debut nor the 2011 follow up,  Above The Blue. That album remains one of my favourite albums ever, I still listen to it regularly and it sort of announced what we were about.

The band specialise in outstanding melodic Pop Rock. Two vocalists, Erick Kern and John Ratts, who sing lead on their own songs and the sheer harmony of their individual and combined vocals is matched by stellar arrangements and in particular, sing along choruses.

Collating 24 of their songs, remastered, particularly with Vinyl in mind across double Vinyl and double CD releases. There are also 10 bonus tracks on the Digital Edition with the Bandcamp purchase. It is a celebration of an 18 year career of mini masterpieces. Ecological thinking without shoving it down your throat.

That career shows that you can offer up big productions, without going over the top, everything is about the song. At times they fit into AOR and can be compared to likes of Queen and yet can produce great Power Pop or slow things down within get mawkish.

Drops Of Gold shows how great Pop Rock can be. Singalong,  foot tapping joy. Fair warning to look out for the Guitar solos, you won't believe what you are hearing. I've selfishly gone for my favourite VWR songs to embed, you can listen to a whole lot more on the link below.

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

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The High Frequencies - The High Frequencies

 

I once called Lisa Mychols the Queen Of Power Pop. I still think of her that way. Pop of the highest order with that wonderful sugar sweet vocal. There is some of that here and she excels at it, but this, thanks to the locked in band element and it is a band album, this is a much rockier Mychols and it's great.

Mychols varies her vocals to the variety wonderfully well on both the Guitar Pop and the Indie Rock. She is far more important than comparing her to others, but a song like Clean Up Time is pure Debbie Harry Blondie and it suits her well.

Girl In Trouble is all Brass Revue, almost Motown and her phrasing on Nothing Really Stays The Same is totally ace. The Go-Gos spring to mind on. She even sounds temptress like on the opener with a vocal that reminds you of those Power Pop glory days.

But as the album progresses, the Rockier stuff largely takes over and it is really really great. It is a credit to the band that this suits her so well. The album loses none of the big choruses, riffs and solos, it just makes you shake your fist, memorably so.

Stratospheric is right in your face, it just stomps. Parasite is great 80s Big Rock and Can You Hear Me is anthemic, all attitude. Miss Me When I'm Gone has a hint of Ska, feels like a better produced Garage Rock, almost Rhythm And Blues.

Then there is the closer. Nexus Star, that allows Mychols to show off her vocal strength, solo in the first part. She sounds a little Rachel Sweet. The whole album is a revelation, hints of the past, but more aggressive in instrumentation in parts. The album is on the Jem Records label.

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

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Vanity Mirror - Super Fluff Forever

 

Today's 3 Reviews stay current and new, but also hark back to over a decade ago when we began our rise. We were much more of a place for Power Pop then. This second of the three is a cracking reminder of how great the genre is, particularly when it mixes Guitar Pop, Pop Rock and Psych Pop. This album encompasses all.

Vanity Mirror is a collaboration between Toronto's Brett Randall and Los Angeles Drummer, Johnny Toomey. Randall lays down all the songs and sends the songs to Toomey for the drums and it works really well, the drums suit the songs perfectly.

The first three songs sum up the directions perfectly. White Butterfly is wonderful Psych Pop with a hint of David Watts, the type that most regularly floats my boat. The Apple Tree is pure Badfinger head to toe and Anna M is very Andrew Gold in construction and sound. Great Piano Pop!

 Calling the album Power Pop may be a stretch as it progresses. The more Mellow songs are Piano led, the upbeat ones Guitar led. But when the two mix, it is absolute fireworks. many of the mellow songs are aided by a Great Guitar solo.

Jack Of All Trades is slice of Garage Rock and UK New Wave with a little Punk vibe. Plasict Heart goes all 80s New Wave and Painted Blue may be the best thing on display. McCartney Pop of the highest ordered, very late 60s that adds flute and a wonderful Ringo like Drum Pattern.

The whole album is beautifully presented. Unexpectedly, the slower songs grabbed me most. I never thought they would after hearing such an Electric opener. Super Fluff Forever is a splendid reminder of how melody stays with you longest. This is a cracking listen.

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

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Trolley - A Carnival Of Grey And White

 

I was talking to a friend about the dying days of Anything Should Happen. He thought I was through with the net, I did too. So he was surprised at my return. I stopped ASH because of tiredness of the Facebook groups I was in being full of participants telling everyone how crap all new music was. So IDHAS became a reaction, covering solely New Music, but with an ability to compare the new to the old.

I mention this because one of the very first reviews on the fledgling I Don't Hear A Single was Trolley's Caught In The Darkness. I can't take credit for Trolley, that was Power Pop Overdose's Curt Vance. One of the few still around from that time. He provides similar support to the knew that here does.

I never thought it would take 9 years to get another Trolley album, but tragedy intervened. Recording this follow up was halted in 2021 by the death of Mike Perotto. As part of the process of getting over Mike's death. Paul J Wall and Terry Hackbarth have meticulously finished the album, staying faithful to those sessions and the three decade of the band.

This is great Power Pop, still rooted in 60s Guitar Pop that strays into the Pop Rock of the 70s. The Psych Pop is less pronounced and the 60s sounding synths a little more abundant, but the whole album lyrically feels like a heartfelt tribute to Perotto.

There's even the addition of Brass on a couple of the songs which adds to the enjoyment rather than feeling gratuitous. The title track opens proceedings with a Telstar feel to the synth run, it could have been a Joe Meek production.

That is bookmarked by the closer, Since The Drugs Wore Off. A song that is dark lyrically, moody and magnificent 70s Pop Rock in touch with the New Wave, all to a Power Pop Drum Beat. In between you witness the Jangle Pop, almost Merseybeat, of As Long As I Can Find You.  Radio Silence has some wonderful Psych Pop Guitar to enjoy.

Starlight could be a Show Song if it weren't for the 60s overtone in the harmonies and the wonderful Brass. Leaving You Behind is great UK New Wave and the Psych Pop of Shiny Cars melts my heart. The Face you Brazened is Bowie-esque, splendidly moody and melancholic. All in all this is a great tribute and an album stands up in its own right.

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

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Guerilla Toss - You're Weird Now

 

You would expect something produced by Stephen Malkmus to be a little off the beaten track. Guerilla Toss's sixth album, the second for Sub Pop, the same thoughts applying to that label as the previous sentence. However, this is wonderfully off the scale.

Mixing the likes of Pop Rock and Dance with what is essentially a Neo Psych album, you would think that the album would be a traditional boys toys affair, but Kassie Carlson lights up the album with an extraordinary effort. Her lyrics are incredibly adept too.

Carlson matches her vocal in such varied styles that suit the sheer weirdness of the instrumental arrangements. Recorded in Trey Anastasio's studio, the combination of him, Malkmus and the band's inventiveness lays on quite a ride.

The mix of Rock and Psych Guitar with the synth soundscape and Carlson's vocal delights considerably. The album is on the edge of our circle, but is a marvellous listen. It appeals to my love of Psych, yet is incredibly melodic and catchy, hypnotic essentially.

It is an album that requires a full listen, indeed repeated listens as you hear different things on each play. I've picked my faves. Red Flag To Angry Bull is probably the most commercial thing on show and is a little Gorillaz in feel, but largely great Indie.

Psychosis Is Just A Number is a cracking mix of US New Wave, almost Devo and Psych wonderment. Crocodile Cloud mixes all that they do into one song and it it is a lot, even containing a ROAR. You're Weird Now may be left field, but is such an inventive joy. Get on it now!

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

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Bird Streets - The Escape Artist

 

John Brodeur has played a big part of my online Reviewing time. People forget about his ace solo career before adopting the Bird Streets moniker. Anything Should Happen covered three of those four solo albums, it wasn't around for the first.

2018 brought the Bird Streets self titled album, made with Jason Falkner. It was only kept off the top slot in our Best 100 Albums of 2018 by Ex Norwegian. It remains one of the best albums of the past decade that fully realised what a great Singer Songwriter he is.

Lagoon followed in 2022 and again was high up in our Best Albums of that year. We even covered it twice, reviewing the Deluxe Edition the following year. Now Bird Streets are back with the third album and Falkner is back, indeed the album is largely played by the pair.

The Escape Artist is as great as you might expect. There is obviously a lot going on in Brodeur's head because lyrically the album is really dark. It is built on self doubt, claustrophobia and almost brokenness. So how does the man put these lyrics to such engaging, largely upbeat instrumentals.

The man can do quiet and loud engagingly. There is a great deal of variety on display and it is the incredible arrangements that allow this. In the 90s, we raved about the amount of quality singer songwriters around. There are much fewer now, so thank goodness for Bird Streets.

Trailed by three great singles. Run For Our Lives is wonderful 70s Pop Rock, It's A Start is beautifully arranged gentleness, part Folk, part late 60s Trip Out. Everyonewelovewillgoaway is built around a gobsmacking Bassline with Psych Pop Guitar, yet remains more UK Beat.

Elsewhere. Bedhead is a really interesting opener for someone essentially so electric. mainly Acoustic and accompanied with an Electric strum. Incredibly moving, almost Americana in feel, particularly the string arrangement. Mistaker is very different, all riff, a little Power Pop.

Wasted Years sounds more Brodeur of the earlier albums. A song story with a hypnotic riff, splendidly word heavy. Both Pride Is A Gun and Don't Be A Stranger both show the aforementioned quiet, melancholic and heartfelt.

Suite Amnesia is the big closer, epic in scope and part way through, it just rips in to something close to Garage Rock, it just underlines the strength of the artist. The Escape Artist shows a musician and the top of his game, few could write and perform an album of such scope. Just one question left! When are we gonna get that Jason Falkner solo album?

You can listen to and buy the album here. It is available on Vinyl, CD and as a download. You can find out more about Bird Streets here. You can listen to and buy John Brodeur's solo albums here.

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Listening To This Week Playlist 27 October

 

26 songs to delight your lugholes this week. As usual, the expected and the unexpected, hopefully showing the range of what we cover a little. As well as the traditional version, we have put the playlist on Spotify and you will see the link below.  25 of the 26 songs are available on Spotify. 

The weekly playlist is largely for submissions, not just the usual stuff that we dig out ourselves. 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 the artists who appear here. 

The Spotify Version    (No Museums - Midway is not on Spotify)

Link To Spotify

Midland Railway - Unwavering Optimism

Midland Railway · Unwavering Optimism

The Plastic Pals - Flames Of Fate

Mo Troper - The Best Seat In The House

The Brothers Union - Where I Still Belong

Tom Minor - Bring Back The Good Ol' Boys

Tom Minor · Bring Back The Good Ol' Boys

Witkin - Conversations In My Head

It's Karma It's Cool - Serotonin

Curling - Precious Coffee Moments

No Museums - Midway (Not On Spotify)  

No Museums · Midway

Toy Parlour - Dead Inside

The Planes - Tear The World Apart (MFLB Version)

Running Out The Clock - No Parking

Dear Boy - Now More Than Ever

The Mosfets - Fargo

Refeststramus - Hell Or NYC?

Joy Forever - Slow It Down

The Rallies - I Believe

The Michigans - Spring Ahead (Fall In Line)

La Need Machine - Rock And Roll Show

Rich Restaino - Man Has Shit For Brains

Fire Blanket - Live Laugh Love

Sona Bliss - Be Like You

Mermaid Island - Perfectly Happy

Strawberry Whiplash - At The End Of The Day

Matinée Recordings · Strawberry Whiplash - At The End Of The Day

Isaac Neilson - Spiked (Mind Eraser)

The Violet Twilight - Better Than You

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Playlisting

 

The latest Listening To This Week Playlist is curated and will be out tomorrow morning. We just have to embed the songs. For the curious, the Spotify version is already up. I just wanted to make a point after a strange submission this week.

We are fiercely independent and guard it with vigour. Our choices for LTTW are our own choices. We get a lot of submissions for the playlist. The choices are own, music that we particularly like and narrowing it down to 25 choices or so takes a lot of work.

The track order also needs thought. We try to get it to flow and not put similar genres too much together. It will always major on Guitar Pop, but will also try to show the varied tastes that we have. We never expected it to be so popular, because it was intended as a small diversion from Album Reviews.

A submission this week was a a fairly good song, But the band requested that if we wanted promotion to their Social Media followers, it should be placed in the first 3 songs on LTTW. It was immediately declined and we were aghast.

No inducement is ever accepted here. We accept none. We only encourage artists to provide social media details to help themselves and the other artists on the playlist. The Social Media tagging takes up way too much time, we could be listening to more music, but it helps the artists.

We are not Spotify fans in any way. We don't listen to submissions on Spotify and only put a version of the playlist there to help the artists, because the artists kept asking for it. We also insist on a link to either Bandcamp, Soundcloud or You Tube to allow the IDHAS focus on the playlist to be non Spotify.

I recall one idiot who I gave a poor review too many years ago, spreading the rumour that we get a kickback from Bandcamp. Rubbish of course. We major on Bandcamp simply because it allows listeners to hear more of an artist's work and most importantly, the option to buy. 

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Greg Pope - The Roar Of Silence

 

Out of nowhere, three years on from Rise Of The Mythical Creatures (review here), a new album from Greg Pope arrived trailed by a killer single, Fallen Star, which is on the current Listening To This Week Playlist. It may be a cliche to state it, but this may be his best album yet.

There are two solo artists that followed us on from Anything Should Happen coverage wise. Nick Piunti and Nashville's Pope. These two offer up a glorious past, but continue to release revelatory albums. Piunti's arrives next February, Pope's is now.

Greg Pope differs from most because he has an unmistakeable production. As soon as you hear one of his songs, you know it is him. Many may not his work at Power Pop and I see that. But there is a much bigger take. Songs take take on completely directions, often in the same song. 

The man's ability to write a memorable chorus no matter which way the verse goes is legendary, but he is never afraid to take chances. His songs are hard to categorise, maybe there should be a special Greg Pope genre. I can't think of an artist to compare him to, but if many want to settle on Power Pop that's ok.

He regularly bothers our Top 20 in the Best Albums Of The Year. Yet the quality and diversity of his material makes it hard to describe individual songs. I will pick my favourite 3 (today) to embed, but I urge you to listen to the whole album. Newbies are in for treat.

He can Rock, edge into Psych Pop and Alt Rock, yet the Power Pop choruses and unusual angles make every song an adventure. The Album Of The Year for 2025 is gonna be a challenging pick, because this is another contender. Long may Greg Pope continue to be Greg Pope.

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

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The Goods - Don't Spoil The Fun.

 

What is so special about the recent revival of Power Pop is that we now wait excitedly for album releases. Unthinkable in the genre a few years ago when it all seemed to be about the Classic with followers badmouthing all new bands as rubbish and then going back to the albums they bought decades and decades ago.

Just as with The Prize's recent debut album, I've been waiting around for The Good's debut album anticipating today's release. Don't Spoil The Fun doesn't let me down in any way and the fact that it is released on one of my favourite labels, Dandyboy Records, melts my heart even more.

Oakland's Rob Good is solely responsible for half of the songs and the trio with Cherron Arens and Gabriel Monnot, and what a trio they are, handle the other half. The full length sounds less direct than the self titled EP, concentrating more on the melody and arrangements.

The difference here to the new noisier breed of Power Pop is that the album sounds more like the Classic sound. A sound that was developed through the UK New Wave, the US late 70s Revival and the 90s Not Lame days.

There is a good deal of Jangle as you might expect, demand even, but these recordings stand up as well as anything that has been and gone. Songs are built on melody, memorable riffs and big big singalong choruses.

It is virtually impossible to pick out a favourite, I could have embedded any or all of the 11 songs as favourites. Id though have a real soft spot for the more 60s sounding, slightly Psych Pop tinge of Sunday Morning Out Of The Blue. But the whole thing is an absolute Tour De Force.

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

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It's Karma It's Cool - One Million Suburban Sunsets

 

I don't need to go into our history with It's Karma It's Cool, it is part of the fabric here. Better you search here and you can follow their story album by album. We've been there from the ground floor and we now reach the fourth level.

It is gobsmacking to compare this to that Popdogs EP with its classic Power Pop to now because the quartet's fourth album is massive sounding. It is almost out of our remit, because this is a big production, almost Stadium Rock, a Guitar Extravaganza.

Beautifully produced and arranged Kitchen Sink style, One Million Suburban Sunsets is a Rawk album, splendidly so. The band are at the top of their game in a roof raising, wonderfully played and Jim Styring has progressed bit by bit into a great front man.

His vocal brings the material to life, but the arrangements are stellar and although there are memorable choruses and great solos, it is held together by a superb rhythm section. Plus, for all this Big Rock, the band are not afraid to branch out. 

21st Century Meds still veers towards Hard Rock and Arcades is mighty close to a Prog masterpiece. These Heavy Days rocks yer socks off and Sidewalks may give the impression of slowing things down, but wait for the chorus.

Paper Tigers is the only song that comes up for air and that is the most reflective of what has gone before. But is the anthemic likes of the title track and in particular, Serotonin that reveal the qualities of Lincoln's finest. I would like to say that we are so proud of them, but that will matter little from now on. These four are well on the way to being mega.

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

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Dear Boy - Celebrator

 

Los Angeles quartet Dear Boy may have just signalled the return of Brit Pop, Not the show off magpie headliners, but the great Pop Rock that lay underneath in spades. We have always identified with that wave and it is probably why the new Supernaturals album has spent so long in our Top 10 most viewed reviews in the past few months.

The genre marked a return to Guitar bands selling out venues and the live scene was revived, particularly here in the North West. It was all about melody, memorable choruses and killer choruses and there is loads of that here on Dear Boy's second album.

There are wall to wall anthems that are beautifully produced and arranged. Songs that you can't help singing along to. But the band aren't afraid to branch out. For instance, Kelly Green sounds wonderfully Madchester, a little Weatherall dancey.  The title track follows a similar direction.

The Address goes even further back to the post C86 years and again shows the versatility of the four, the song is all beats. There is even a nod to the big album closer noted in Brit Pop songs with the mesmerising Daylight Savings.

But for all these inventive departures, it is the Pop Rock that grabs you the most. Now More Than Ever rips in with a big Guitar solo, a cracking song that you will hear on next week's Listening To This Week, a submission that led me to the album.

Wanderlow eases in with a slight Lightning Seeds vibe After All reminds me of the unsung Brit Pop bands such as Straw and Octopus. Inevitable is another genre joy. Dear Pop do sound very UK at times and this is a splendid example of how life affirming Pop Rock can be in the right hands.

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

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Rich Restaino - Mostly We Lie

 

My great friend, Dennis at Poprock Record is a big admirer of Rich Restaino and I do love how Mr Pilon comes at music from a different angle than most. You just get so busy handling what comes in that you can forget to look at what peers are up to. 

So when Rich got in touch, I felt that a deserved listen was in order. He got in touch about this and since then, he has released a solo Piano retrospective which is a great listen, but I felt that you lot my be more interested in the much wider angles he takes and this EP from earlier this year is a great example.

These six songs are very varied and each works beautifully in very different areas. Electric, but restrained. Man Has Shit For Brains is incredibly Randy Newman, yet Drunk Punk In The Afternoon is top notch 80s Indie, almost IRS.

Most We Lie gets more West Coast, a little Petty-esque at times with a cracking riff to accompany it. Yet, Every Cliche You've Ever Hears is more Americana. Life Is Losers is much more Pop, but Don't Fall Asleep On Me Just Yet is a Jazz shuffle. Restaino offers up great variety and depth and an investigation into his back catalogue is highly recommended.

You can listen to and buy the EP here.  

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The Violet Twilight - Fate Illuminate

 

I covered The Violet Twilight's debut album, Above The Cloud, here and then the quickly following EP, Cicada here. This has been the third EP since then and Tim Butcher still sounds as great as ever. His Psych Pop is such a more interesting listen than some of the blandness the genre produces in Ox.

Fate Illuminate is wonderfully melodic, built on memorable riffs and soundscapes. His mellow vocal works beautifully with the arrangements. He can take different avenues, but here he demonstrates the strength of his Guitar playing but there are surprises. 

This will be classed as an EP, but at 22 minutes, it is more of a mini album. The Psych Pop is splendid as you might expect from such a master. But there are two songs that show off other skills. What's Behind Those Eyes gets really close to Brit Pop with Pop Rock excellence.

I Don't Care is more of a Classic Rock strum and just as effective. Fans of his Psych pop will be delighted with Better Than You specially. He just rolls these songs out with such skill. I know few as strong as Butcher is in the genre. 

You can listen to and buy Fate Illuminate here.

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Cream Soda - Serving You

 

There's something really refreshing listening to an album of such intensity and energy from a band in their late teens when so many of their age are stuck on mobiles, Tik Tok and Snapchat. Being at the other end of the age range, I can appreciate historical sounds, many that these three may never have heard of, in what they do.

Cream Soda hail from Medway, but don't expect The Medway Sound, this is loud brash earth shaking stuff and it is wonderful. Certainly, a Power Trio that are not intending to come up for air regularly. Serving You is really noisy, but also incredibly engaging.

There are so many influences to note. Punk is certainly one, but not the mindless type. There are also hints of New Wave, Rhythm lines that compare to early Jam. But there is also a 60s vibe of Garage Rock, Breakbeat and UK Beat.

At times, they are very Canvey Island R and B, an even more aggressive Dr Feelgood perhaps, but for all the up and at 'em attitude, the choruses are memorable, almost football anthemic and these three can play, locked in perfectly.

There's also comparisons to the Noise Pop of the mid 80s and hints of Power Pop, though I'm not sure fans of that genre would necessarily pick them out. This is certainly more aggressive than you might expect from us, but the whole album is a joy, a ball of pent up energy.

Don't expect any ballads, but you can imagine what a great live act Cream Soda are and any band that can get as heavy as they do on the magnificent Submerged Affair are worth the admission alone. Songs of the Street these may be, but they are not dissimilar to my youth. Hey HeyRay Ray could easily have been recorded in my teens and even a decade or more earlier than that.

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

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I Was A King - Until The End

Norway's I Was A King have regularly chosen interesting Producers. This time round it is Bill Ryder-Jones and that is a really wise choice for the more ethereal Pastoral Pop they regularly come up with. The band's beautiful arranged songs are lovingly recorded.

But lest we forget, there is more to I Was A King than just stunning heart melting Indie Pop. They have what could almost be an alter ego. One listen to Sleepless Nights and the fascination with Teenage Fanclub breaks out. It is pure early TFC, all distorted guitar glory.

Pool Painted Black follows suit and you realise how good they are at the noisier stuff. The closer, Until The End, edges towards modern day Fannies, wonderful Jangle Pop with a superb violin interlude. Mainstays Frode Strømstad and Anne Lise Frøkedal share vocals on a delightful song.

But you just cannot ignore the moodier, slower songs which are crafted to perfection. Dust Bunnies is pure Dream Pop with a magnificent String arrangement, it just melts your heart. Falling is Piano led and so so fragile, you now feel that your hear is gonna break.

November is a big piece of work, approaching 6 minutes, it builds and builds and broods and broods, without ever breaking out, adding an instrumental soundscape to the close. A mesmerising listen. The Birthday Song is a little Folk, Americana even and dare I say it, there is a hint of The Coral.

House Warming is pure C86 UK Jangle, all jaunty with a slight Psych Pop feel to the chorus. Until The End is quite a special listen. I Was A King mix the melancholic with the rock out so well. A band with many directions, but all of them equally great.

You can listen to and buy the album here.  Sadly, the Vinyl has now sold out. Hopefully, there will be a reissue.

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Listening To This Week Playlist 20 October

 

A little earlier than usual. We keep saying it, but the song quality just doesn't let up. 27 songs this week and it's another belting LTTW. As well as the traditional version, we have put the playlist on Spotify and you will see the link below.  24 of the 27 songs are available on Spotify. 

The weekly playlist is largely for submissions, not just the usual stuff that we dig out ourselves. 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 the artists who appear here. 

The Spotify Version    

Link To Spotify     (3 Songs are not on Spotify)

Amateur Ornithologist - Swing Around

Motion City Soundtrack - Particle Physics (Feat. Patrick Stump)

Buddie - In The Glass Shell

Cherry Fez - Superexcited

Asian Cowboy - Anomaly

Greg Pope - Fallen Star (Not On Spotify)

Late Cambrian - Into The Lilac Tree

Ray Romijn - I'll Be There

Surf The Pines - Lost And Found

Surf The Pines · Lost & Found

A View Of Earth From The Moon - Emerson And Henry David Thoreau

This Silent Divide - Secret Path

The James Rocket - Chip (Not On Spotify)

No Lonesome - Good Hurt

Shaw's Trailer Park - Pretty Hat Club (Not On Spotify)

also-ran - When

Bird Streets - Everyonewelovewillgoaway

The Origin - So You Think You Can Necromance?

The Goodbye Radio - We Love You, Glasgow

Tom X. Chao- Culture Jamming (Love Theme From The Negative Energy Field)

The Webstirs - When It's Gone

Sean Griffin - Rocks Off

The Gnomes - I'm Not The One

Max Norton - The Breakers

Alejandra O'Leary - Doubtless

Citrus Citrus - Sushi Sushi

Billy Tibbals - Rock n Roll Kids

Dreamwave - Moon Buggy

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