I Don't Hear A Single Albums Of The Year 2023 : 61-70

 

For the last few years We have compiled annual Best Of 's because these posts seem so popular and the aim of this Blog is to get exposure (and Sales) for the artists. A reminder that anything reviewed on I Don't Hear A Single is highly recommended. 

Narrowing things down to this 100 has been really difficult. The countdown is posted in reverse batches of 10. For each album, a song is embedded from the album and a link is provided to the IDHAS Review where you can find further details and how to listen or buy the album.

61 The Lunar Laugh - In The Black      IDHAS Review

62 Cult Figures - Between Us And Heaven      IDHAS Review

63 Vanity Tapes - Hiatus      IDHAS Review

64 Sandra's Wedding - The Hopeful Boy Replacement Service      IDHAS Review

65 Star Collector - Attack, Sustain, Decay... Repeat     IDHAS Review

66 The Smivets - How We Fade   IDHAS Review

67 Stephen Lawrenson - Chants Of A Lifetime      IDHAS Review

68 Dropkick - The Wireless Revolution     IDHAS Review

69 Missilkid - Missilkid      IDHAS Review

70 Alex Lahey - The Answer Is Always Yes      IDHAS Review

..............................

Alex Lahey - The Answer Is Always Yes

 

I've talked a lot recently about the revival of Australian Pop Rock, so it is worth returning to Alex Lahey, who first perked my interest again in the country, revealing that there was far more to the musical scene than good ole boy Rawk. I knew that of course, but the artists were getting much harder to find. 

2019's The Best Of Luck Club was an amazing second album, Power Pop at heart, but with an ability to follow much harder Guitar led adventures. It made our Best Of Year albums, deservedly so, and it remains a great listen. You can read our review here. 

So it is interesting to look at her third album and see how she has progressed. Thankfully, she just keeps getting better and better. Lahey still makes great Power Pop, but easily enters both Avril Lavigne and Sheryl Crow territory. What does mark her out though is her adeptness with a lyric.

There is both a mature writing about the world and her place in it, but also a commentary on failed relationships and Australian life. The songs are delivered in a wry way, not necessarily with angst, more a bemusement. She can also be self effacing, particularly on Permanent. 

There are also marked departures from what is assumed to be her template. They Wouldn't Let Me In, for instance, is classic 80's New Wave Synth Pop. The title track is the closer and plants a firm foot into bigger Rock, almost Stadium Rock.

Good Time even kicks off the album, which is where the Sheryl Crow comparison is most apt, with the line "Everyone Is A Bit Fucked Up, But They Think They Are OK." It is a great commentary on the world today, very apt.

Congratulations is a fantastic song about Exes getting married. The Sky Is melting is splendidly laid back, intense and emotional. But both On The Way Down and Makes Me Sick point to the glories of The Best Of Luck Club.

The Answer Is Always Yes feels like a much more rounded Pop Rock album, stretching out into much bigger musical world. Lahey manages to do this without losing any of her bite or integrity. It should gather her an even wider audience and certainly deserves to. Highly Recommended!

You can listen to and buy the album here.

..............................

I Don't Hear A Single Albums Of The Year 2019 : 41 - 50

It's been difficult to get these choices down to 100. I'm also not a believer in saying one album is better than another. Most of the time you are comparing Apples To Oranges. I'm not a List person, I just think what's the point.

However, for the last couple of years I have compiled Best Of 2019, normally I just said what my favourite album of the year is. I've done it again, because these posts seem so popular and the aim of this Blog is to get exposure (and Sales) for the artists.

There is no meaning or judgement on an album that is Number 1, Number 100 or not on the list. Anything that I review on here, mention on Social Media or play on the Radio Show is as highly recommended.

I would also add that the Top 100 includes albums available as Download Only. To suggest that they are anything less than equal to a Physical release is patently nonsense and omits many wonderful albums.

I will compile a Top 20 of Reissues and Compilations combined after all this is complete. For each album, I've posted a song from it and a link to the review, where you can find further details on how to listen or buy the album.


41 Alex Lahey - The Best Of Luck Club       IDHAS Review

42 ANC4 - ANC4       IDHAS Review








43 Telekinesis - Effluxion       IDHAS Review








44 The Bungalows - Something's Going On       IDHAS Review









45 Psychedelic Porn Crumpets - And Now For The Whatchamacallit      IDHAS Review

46 Paulusma - Somehow Anyhow       IDHAS Review

47 Jordan Jones - Jordan Jones        IDHAS Review








48 Super Low - Super Low          IDHAS Review








49 Tullycraft - The Railway Prince Hotel       IDHAS Review  








50 The Fast Camels - Full Of Strange        IDHAS Review

.....

Alex Lahey - The Best Of Luck Club

I seem to be listening to a lot of Australian artists lately and maybe because they have discovered the mainstream after a bit of a lull. This is the third Oz related review in quick succession, but with all three, the vibe has been anything but antipodean.

Since Avril Lavigne seems to now want to be Lady Gaga, there's a definite space for a female vocalist who can rock and why not Alex Lahey? Don't misunderstand me, Lahey hasn't got that Lavigne shouty drawl, she's a much better vocalist and there's a real self depreciating quality in her songwriting. The production is also a bit Butch Walker, but thankfully without the audio compression and those bloody hand claps.

The Best Of Luck Club though comes across more as a rockier KT Tunstall with far more self awareness. The album doesn't come up from air until nearly halfway through with Unspoken History and then that's followed with the wonderfully noisy, venomous, Fuzz Rock of Misery Guts.

Lahey's debut album. I Love You Like A Brother was a really good album, if a little rough edged, but album number two irons out those creases and results in a splendidly melodic album, it's never short of a hook, but more importantly the toe tapping quotient is very high.

The time spent in Nashville shows at times, Black RM's is very current FM Country , yet I Want To Live With You is far more 80's Big Hair, very Belinda Carlisle. Don't Be So Hard On Yourself has a Clarence Clemons like Sax Solo that catches you by surprise, particularly as the chorus is so jaunty.

The gem is I Don't Get Invited To Parties Anymore which could very well be a Song Of The Year.  contender. You'll hear that on an upcoming I Don't Hear A Single Audio Extravaganza. But Am I Doing It Right, with it's killer riff and storming chorus and the brooding Interior Demeanour are every bit as good.

Here are 10 songs that will have some singing along. whilst others will investigate the lyrics, either way all will be listening. The Best Of Luck Club is a really admirable affair, it'll be up there fighting for IDHAS End Of Year Awards.

You can buy the album here.


.