Bleu - Sargeant Pepper Grinder

I have been a Bleu fan forever. From Headlong onwards and it probably makes us both feel old to realise that was 26 years ago. I've played Redhead constantly since its release and also followed his side projects. L.E.O. 's Alcapas Orgling and The Major Label's Aquavia.

The former sounded more like ELO than ELO at times and the latter remains one of my favourite albums ever. The tie up with Mike Viola and Ducky Carlisle is amazing melodic pop and Ducky is one of the people remembered on this album.

https://bleu.bandcamp.com/track/start-a-band

As a side issue, I'm often asked where the I Don't Hear A Single name came from. Many get the Tom Petty Into The Great Wide Open connection and the cerebral twigged in the early years that the place was an Album Review site, although Listening To This Week changed a lot of that.

But the main influence was a song from that album by The Major Labels, a song fittingly called I Don't Hear A Single. I lost touch with Bleu through his Disney years etc, only because it wasn't really aimed at me. I was just happy that he was getting his due worth.

So, it is wonderful to have him back with a full album no less and what a splendid album it is.  It has all the hallmarks of a classic Bleu album. Multi layered, a kitchen sink production, killer choruses and sheer joy. Indeed, his tribute to Ducky Carlisle, Start A Band, could have easily been on Aquavia.

Full of wit, the amazing thing is that he makes the subject matter, Death, Loss, aging so damn catchy. He can also still write a ballad. Where The Colours Bleed is darker and has an exceptional shared vocal with Carly Paige.

He even revives part of Start A Band in Scotch and makes an even bigger statement. The Last Scene Of The Magic Dead is a big 70s Pop Rock moment that treads into Yacht Rock. I'm Not Dead is the big Lighters Out Epic. It is more than a little Todd Rundgren.

But all roads lead to the reprise of the title track. a massive production. It contains everything that covers the great man's career. Beautifully arranged clever Guitar Pop, a raiding of the instrument cupboard, celebrating the now and then. There are some great albums already out this year, but this may be the thing that has delighted me most.  Look out for the hidden track, a real jaunty minute long.

You can listen to and buy the download here. You can buy the vinyl here.

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The Creepy Jingles - Against All Opps

 

For a small label in Kansas City, Enigmatic Brunch don't half release some great stuff from great artists. Wills Van Doorn, Eggs On Mars and now The Creepy Jingles. Described as an EP, but more of a mini album, Against All Opps is so damn catchy.

You will have heard Throw Me In Some Rice on the Listening To This Week Playlist and it's 60s mellotron sound linked to more modern Pop still sounds just as wonderful. Having these songs ready and then having to learn them again and record with a new line up due to departures doesn't show.

Jocelyn Nixon is a fine songwriter, offering up melody and depth and a song like Funhouse Mirror shows a closing surprise with a wonderful Guitar solo. The closer, Nu Fables, also delights with great Pop and sounds more like a Torch song.

Stay High almost becomes a marching song, a reminder of great 70s Pop Rock and You Don't Trend is poppier Slacker Rock with a real lyrical adeptness. I Don't Need A Thing From You is splendid Pop, great New Wave keyboard accompaniment and another fine guitar solo. The whole thing is a joyous listen.

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

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The Temponauts - The Summer Rain Archive

The Temponauts are from Italy and another example of a Listening To This Week Playlist submission leading to us going rooting further and what a cracking album The Summer Rain Archive is. The sort of album that Power Pop has been waiting all year for.

The revival of the genre has largely been due to a meatier sounding version, so it is wonderful to hear something more classic again. Plus, in Backstreets, Freckles, Afternoons they have one of the great Power Pop songs of the year.

But they don't stay in one place, they Jangle a hell of lot, sometimes gently, most times a little more upfront and there are hints of Psych Pop,  Paisley Pop and some great 60s sounding Guitar Pop. The whole album is a feel good affair.

The stand out is how addictive the riffs are, the songs are melodic, but this is a real Guitar album that just drills into your brain. The immersive Guitar Sound matches the choruses, but dominates proceedings throughout, never letting hold.

As a Psych Pop freak, Outer Dark makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. How We Lost The War is cracking Merseybeat and Sunday Eyes goes all Americana. The Girl Who Wasn't There is 100mph joy and Is It You? is Paisley heaven with a hint of UK New Wave.

It may be the Jangle that grabs you most, but the diversions work just as well. 12 songs, not one of them a duff, the album is superb Guitar Pop, played with expertise and depth. A totally splendid listen that demands your attention.

You can listen to and buy the album here. I'm hoping someone like Kool Kat will pick this up for a physical release.

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Motorcycle - Relive It

 

Dandyboy Records are never far from hitting the bullseye and they've certainly got the maximum 50 score with Sacramento Trio, Motorcycle. Most of the Trios that we cover are either Power Pop or Power Trio, these three are neither.

This is great boisterous Pop, Guitar Pop if it weren't for the great 80s sounding keyboard sound that enhances everything. The arrangements are exceptional, as catchy as catchy can be, a little New Wave at times, but the trio are never stuck in one place.

The shared male / female vocal also aids things considerably. Chris's vocal is a little more rock and direct, Kortnee's more Pop, a little Sarah Cracknell at times. The former adds killer riffs, the latter provides a killer rhythm section with Matt. 

Here But Not Here is not a million miles away from New Order, yet Don't Even Try goes all 90s Rock and Forget Who My Friends Are is very close to The Killers. Just For Me is classic Synth Rock and Spinning Out is so 80s and the title track, great Power Pop.

Friday The 13th is like Rachel Sweet leading a synth band and in these days of front loaded albums, it is really pleasing to report that the best listen is probably the 9th song. Get Caught is but around a stomp and it just hooks you. The keyword here is fun and Relive It is absolutely fun packed.

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

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Listening To This Week Playlist 7 September

The maximum 30 songs this week. A really strong playlist, we've been inundated with submissions, so much so that a few have been carried over to next week. The usual mix of Guitar Pop with plenty of diversions into other genres. As always, a wonderful closer.

The song order is not about song preference, but how the playlist flows.  All embeds open in new windows to aid scrolling. Links to the artists will also appear on I Don't Hear A Single Social Media sites over the next 24 hours. This will help you to discover more about those who appear here. 

Chris Church - Surprise

Motorcycle - Get Caught

Hamlet - Borrowed Light

Herr Nilsson - October Surprise

The Creepy Jingles - Throw Me In Some Rice

The Temponauts - Made Of Nothing

Dropkick - it’s a Long Way To Fall Down

Knives In The Champion - Mind Dagger

Drawing Room - What I Want

Ne Pas de Machine - Jelly Legged

Willie Dowling - Rats In The Maze

Homework - Heroes Welcome

Radio Karma - Sweetheart Deal

The Rupert Selection - Riddance

The No Good Crowd - Dennis Wilson

The Gamma Rays - A Mystery

Eric Silverman - Trapped In Reverse (Raw Honey Version)

Dale John Max - Castles In The Sand

Sunday Mourners - Biograph

Federale - A Strange Vice

Creatures Of The Sun - Kaleidoscope

Caleb Hawley - Artificial Accent

The Carringtons - Noise

The Carringtons · NOISE

Dynamo Stairs - Polarized

Soda Gumball - Double Trouble

Ollie Ander White - Kiki

New Age New Wavers - Biggar Pengar

Kid Blank - In My Head

Quiz Show - Xono

Det Enda Havet - Alla Drommar Tror Pa Dig

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The Escape Society - The Escape Society

 

Hearing something great from Canada is no surprise here. The country has been one of the greatest contributors to reviews here and has a vibrant Guitar Pop scene that offers up great album again and again. Ottawa's The Escape Society are a little more Pop Rock, but just as great a listen.

Incredibly melodic, they flirt with AOR, but are just as ease with Modern Prog on the likes of Derelicts Of The Fungus Shed. On Sociopath, they are more Stadium Rock, a little hint of The Darkness and an altogether now Pomp Rock.

Useless Machine is an incredible song that featured on a recent Listening To This Week Playlist and still sounds as great. Yet compare that gentleness to the straight ahead AOR of Shut Up And Drive with its all encompassing chorus.

Tantamount To War is an epic closer that extends beyond 8 minutes. A little Vegas With Randolph like, it builds and builds with surprise synth Prog and organ runs that delight. Wonderfully arranged and totally engaging.

This is a wonderfully arranged and produced album, perhaps a little more commercial than we usually cover, but a wonderful listen. Great depth, its steps into Prog are accessible and beautifully put together. A cracking listen.

You can listen to and buy the album here. It certainly deserves a Physical Release.

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Helicopter Leaves - Sabrina Nickels

Anthony Vaccaro puts aside his Beach Bunny adventures to release his second album as Helicopter Leaves, an extraordinarily great solo project. It sounds less DIY than the debut, Get Stuck In and delves into areas that will certainly please our followers.

It is incredibly melodic, the chunky Guitar Pop being perfectly suited to Vaccaro's gentle vocal. There are hints of the likes of Dinosaur Jr. and even Teenage Fanclub and frequent ventures into Slacker Rock, but this is essentially a Guitar album.

Moments spring out surprisingly. I Should Have Been Listening is magnificent mixing genres such as Psych Pop and Fuzz Rock, but built on a laidback vocal surrounded by some great guitar. It desperately wants to be a Pop Song, but is a little complicated to be one.

Yet, Dreaming About Everyone But You is more of a rockathon with a killer chorus and an unexpected Psych Pop Guitar solo. What's One More Place is much more in your face. Feeling Nothing Is Worse is ace Power Pop and It Really Never Did is superb Slacker.

Dedicated to Sabrina Nickels, a childhood family friend, who formed Nickels musical tastes and encouraged his songwriting. The album is built on Riffs that drill into your brain, providing a great example of the joy of Guitar Pop.

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

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Chris Church - Surprise EP

 

There's a lot to catch up on, so I'd better get cracking and what a way to start with Chris Church of whom I've been a long time fan. Chris let me hear the opener and title track a few months ago and I thought it was precursor for his next album, due next year. 

So I was surprised myself to see this 5 track EP released and it is everything that I wanted to hear. It is a return to the thing that got me into the man. Church has never stayed still and that is admirable, but this return to sort of the start is the most welcome thing this year.

It is guitartastic, loose and riff heavy, the Matthew Sweet vocal comparisons surface again and it as though Sweet is backed by Crazy Horse. There is a real Neil Young feel at times. It Rocks as much as you could ever want something to Rock.

As ever, a solo affair, although this time with Brian Beaver on Drums. Church plays the Guitar as though his life depends on it without ever losing sight of the song and the melody. I may be selfish, but this is how I want to hear Chris Church, it is what he is best at.

It is a Rock EP of the highest order. The riff on the frantic Yes, This Is The Blues is worth the admission alone and the chorus is more than a little early R.E.M. Alt Rock of the highest quality with a feel of Garage Rock Frenzy. Angrier than the man might normally be.

The closer, Absolutely Nothing, comes up for air, still Guitar led, but more of the storytelling that Church is noted for, restrained, but you get the intent. During my absence, I've managed to gather some stunning releases, but this may be the best of them. Chris Church is back and we should all be grateful.

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

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Spygenius - rhizomania

Genres are for direction only, but where do you start with Canterbury's Spygenius? The quartet are seven albums in, a back catalogue to die for, but they are still hard to nail down. Many call them Power Pop, but there is much more depth than that. Others note, their ease with UK Beat, but again that is too simplistic.

I've always thought of them as Psych Pop, a genre that allows experimentation and lyrical adeptness, but doesn't forget the melody. There is again much more to the band than this, but Psych Pop with the emphasis on Pop does seem to be a good place to start.

What Spygenius are about though is community. They have built their reputation on this, celebrating others, sharing gigs and building their own place in the musical world. If there isn't a scene, start one, seems to be their ethic.

It is hard in this day and age to make an impact, bands want to get noticed, not for the money, there is none, but don't want a "like" and then forever forgotten. It is about bringing that scene to more listeners and the Spygenius scene stretches across the UK, Europe and the States.

So for the band's 8th album, a different approach has been taken to achieve this. They have started a new label with the Excellent Caper Clowns called Canute Records here. The Danish outfit are close friends and allies with the Danish band, who are more Pop associated with Pop Rock. 

Plus, what direction do you go in for your 8th album? A tricky question for a band well into their second decade. The answer is simple, rhizomania! keeps what they are known for and expands into other areas. The album is noticeable in embracing both Guitar Pop and experimental depth.

Watch Like No One's Watching is a great opener, Poptastic and that and Horizon Shine benefit from the joint vocals of Peter Watts and Bass Player, Ruth Rogers. The latter is fine Jangle Pop. Rogers takes up more of a lead vocal on Tre-biwt that meanders more and adds a big slab of Brass. She also is a half of the locked in rhythm section with Drummer, Alan Cannings.

Peter Watts remains an extra-ordinary songwriter, front man and Guitarist and the keyboards of Matt Byrne take the bands into special areas. Throughout, the album there is the lyrical with associated with the four.

The Mr Blue-Sky Thinking is incredibly jaunty with Banjo and Barrel Piano, the instrumental is in contrast to the biting lyrics. But Is It Powerpop is built on an addictive riff and a killer chorus and again gets across its message.

My Toxic Pal is hilarious and full on Music Hall. Cnut is top notch 60s Beat and in Beachcomber, Watts sings as though his life depends on it, superbly deep with an instrumental outro that thrills. All four sing, all four play and all four deserve your undivided attention.

rhizomania! is released on 3 October. The full review will be available on release.

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Listening To This Week Playlist 31 August

As mentioned in last night's post. It is good to be back after a strange August. We've still managed to get 5 LTTW Playlists in and here is the 5th. 28 songs and a selection that explains perfectly what we are about. Obviously Guitar Pop, but other directions are explained by some of the songs here, the quirky and the genre diversions. As ever there is a great closer for your attention.

The song order is not about song preference, but how the playlist flows.  All embeds open in new windows to aid scrolling. Links to the artists will also appear on I Don't Hear A Single Social Media sites over the next 24 hours. This will help you to discover more about those who appear here. 

Amateur Ornithologist - Swing Around

Reserver - Heart Is A Bomb

Streek.b - Kickstart Awakening

Phenomenal Cat - Everything + Nothing

Blank Cheque - Only In The Movies

The Feeders - Congratulations By The Way

Dodgy - Summer Forever

The Goods - Sunday Morning Out Of The Blue

Shadow Flowers - Joy

Shadow Flowers · Joy

Summer Sleeves - Simple Matters

The Black Watch - Marie Bouzkova

Cold Shoulders - Break The Waves

Cold Shoulders · Break the waves - Digital master V1b @-10.1LUFS

Shopkeeper - Shorelines

Mr. Gentleman - Somewhere In The Darkness (Link)

Mr. Gentleman · Somewhere in the Darkness

James Brute - Turn You On If I Could Still

The Generation - When I Tell You

Wild Pink - Box Store

The Marches - The Habit

The Cuts - Fire With Fire

Beat Win The Lines - Home Beyond The Stars

Triptides - Past Lives

The Creepy Jingles - Against All Opps

Sundrast - Sleep Alone

Alternate Jane - Someday

Alternate Jane · Someday

Horizon Effect - SWAGGY P & MR SWAGSIDE

The Jimmy C - Are You Angry

Gareth Inkster - You Are Not Young Start Walking

Mars Accelerator - Formaldehyde (2026 Mix)

The Essence Of The Universe - Medicine Man

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What A Strange Month!

 

For the first time in I Don't Hear A Single's life, I felt drained and all the music listening sort of caught up with me. This combined with a heavy real life workload and an illness that just wouldn't budge took its toll. In my life here, August used to be a month that you could rest up a bit music wise, kids summer holidays etc, but the last couple of years have been like any other month, release wise.

I just sort of burnt out. It all became work and sleep and when I left space for music, the muse had deserted me. I finally feel back to normal and lessons have been learned. I need to take more mini breaks from stuff and maybe re-organise how I do things.

I love it here and the independence remains vital. But the constant moving on from one thing to another needs to be planned. The end of year Best Of Years are very popular here, but are a lot of work. So they need to be planned better and the preparation start earlier. 

There were already plans to change it slightly as I was always concerned about putting one album before another order wise and so the plan is to list the 100 albums alphabetically and then name an Album Of The Year.

The Listening To This Week Playlist has been surprisingly popular, it was only ever meant as a small thing to note great songs that weren't on EPs or Albums, but took on a life of its own, submission wise. Then again this place was only ever meant to be a smallish thing and grew and grew. In its 11th year, it is the longest that I've stuck at anything musically.

So maybe the playlist will have an occasional week's break as the compilation and listening takes up a lot of time. The LTTW has managed to get compiled and posted in August. The fifth appears tomorrow and that will be given the space of the full day.

That means Reviews will be restarted properly on Tuesday. There are currently almost 60 to catch up on, with more likely to come, but they will be approached gently on an as and when basis for the rest of September. That will lead into a 31 Reviews in 31 Days in October.

The amazing thing is that site views have remained as high in a much quieter posting month. Over 300,000 so far this month. A reflection of the popularity of the Playlist and listeners going into the Reviews Archive.

Sorry I've made this a bit about me. It is never intended to be. This place is about the musicians and the music. I am forever appreciative of the support that you give these artists in a world that makes it hard for any of them to get any attention.

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Listening To This Week Playlist 24 August

Whilst well on the way in recovering from a recent illness, I didn't want to miss out on offering up the latest LTTW Playlist. It is a cracker. 26 Songs. Very much what we are known for with a few surprises and as always, an exceptional closer. One observation and that is how far Facebook has fallen from the platform that musicians wanted to be on.

The song order is not about song preference, but how the playlist flows.  All embeds open in new windows to aid scrolling. Links to the artists will also appear on I Don't Hear A Single Social Media sites over the next 24 hours. This will help you to discover more about those who appear here. 

Bleu - Scootch

2nd Grade - Cellophane Girls

The Escape Society - Useless Machine

First Prize - Goodbye To The Day

Moon Construction Kit - Right Across The USA

Next Week's Washing - Where Did I Go Wrong

Duncan Maitland - Dummy (Single Edit)

Punch Drunk - Harmonium

Punch Drunk · Harmonium

Girl For Samson - Ogress

Helicopter Leaves - Feeling Nothing Is Worse

The Gershwin Brothers - Mr Happiness

Silk Cut - Curiouss Tripp

TMYGN - Simple Things

Illuminated Sidewalks - A Rough Approximation Of Life

Illuminated Sidewalks · A Rough Approximation of Life

The Generation - Don't Know About You

REDD. - Better

D.L. Forrest - Can't Sleep (feat : runner)

Pintandwefall - Mustang

The Pierce Kingans - Onlyfans Detected

Timothy Ivan - Moving Day

The Grogans - Reasons

The Wheel Workers - One More Thing To Say

Chateau - Man Of The Country

SP's - Ripper

Bad Bad Luck - Super Ego

King Black Acid - I Want To Join You

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31 In 31 Update

 

Good Intentions mean little. But the 31 Reviews In 31 Days Extra in August hasn't worked out. Largely, because of my recent recovery led to a strange writer's block. No idea why, but the illness had took a lot out of me. All is fine and Reviews will be back in earnest and there are a lot awaiting my Parker Pen work.

The aim now is to get as many up as possible at the back end of this month and all through September before we hit the traditional 31 In 31 in October. I'd just run out of steam a little. I did think of putting IDHAS on a sabbatical for a couple of weeks, but preferred to just step out for a short while.

I'm listening a lot at last and I will tell you all about what I heard onwards. Thanks for your patience. It has been a blast seeing old Reviews feature heavily in Popular Posts over the last few weeks. It was what was intended here, but the Blogger format and sheer number of reviews doesn't make that easy for readers / listeners. Thankfully, you have taken up the challenge.

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Listening To This Week Playlist 17 August

Welcome to the latest Listening To This Week. 23 songs. As usual, a mix of the Guitar Pop you might expect with some left field surprises and returning heroes. A new single from Colin Moulding with accompanying video from our old friend Thomas Walsh. Plus the return of New Radicals who continue from where they left off.

The song order is not about song preference, but how the playlist flows.  All embeds open in new windows to aid scrolling. Links to the artists will also appear on I Don't Hear A Single Social Media sites over the next 24 hours. This will help you to discover more about those who appear here. 

The Feeders - Back To Indiana

Western Union Hall - No More Feelings

Colin Moulding - Want It Bad

Mock Media - Mock City Rock

Bagful Of Beez - Keep Up With The Joneses

Dropkick - Side Note

The Low Prioriies - Ruler Of Venice

Shredded Sun - ifihadahifi

The New Radicals - One Night Only

Adult Magic - Sore Eyes

Oddysses - Cerbie

Smug Brothers - Extra All The Time

Librarians With Hickeys - 1972

Exploding Flowers - Spinning Carousel

Fantastic Shams - Fresh Start

The Allwells - Greta

Das Phaedrus - Confidence Is High

The Schwa - Madison Crybaby

Benny J Ward - Fear Of Going Out

The Jet Black Berries - Rocketfire Sex66

Eaten By Trees - Sensational

Mopar Stars - Everyone Wants What I Got

Ceylon Sailor - Love Is A Detour

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