Best Of 2023 : Three More Winners

 

Single Artist Compilation Of The Year :     IDHAS Review

Dot Dash - 16 Again

Various Artists Compilation Of The Year :      IDHAS Review

Ice Cream Man Power Pop And More - A Sprinkle Of Summer Fun

Single Of The Year        IDHAS Review

The Len Price 3 = The Grass Is Always Greener

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Dot Dash - 16 Again

 

We love Dot Dash. Not through any favouritism, but we do think of them as our band because their output matches exactly what I Don't Hear A Single thinks it is about. The trio may be from Washington DC, but the sound is wonderfully Brit.

Now into their second decade, every album unbelievably improves on the last and their most recent offering, Madman In The Rain was third in our Best Of Year 100, deservedly so. 16 Again marks a pause and a celebration of what they have achieve for a number of reasons.

Here are 15 songs from their career and a Television Personalities cover from their 7 album journey thus far. It is also acknowledgement of their continued history on possible the nicest label around, Canada's The Beautiful Music.

It is also the band's Vinyl debut and a chance to acknowledge the joy that South Wales's Country Miles Records continues to bring to the Indie scene. You have wall to wall excellence across all 16 songs. I could bang on about the individual songs, but I've covered most in previous reviews.

The album provides an opportunity for those who have not yet discovered the sheer magnificence of the band as well as letting us know where you've been. If you are a fan of Guitar Pop (and most of those who visit here are) then you will acknowledge the riff led, big chorus filled selection.

For those who are fans already, it is an opportunity to have a Greatest Hits Of Sort and have Dot Dash on Vinyl which is probably where they deserve to be most. Wall to wall splendidness is here on a 12 Inch Disc. 

The album can be listened to and bought here. It is also available as a download. You can find out more about Country Mile Records here. You can find out more about The Beautiful Music here.

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I Don't Hear A Single Albums Of The Year 2022 : Top 10

So we arrive at the Top 10! As mentioned previously, it has been a really difficult task putting these albums in order. My choices may not be your choices, but I think we have a varied 100 and there is something in it for everyone.

Well done Bandicoot! It has been a great year for Wales with some fine albums emanating from a great country. Strangely, for a UK site, Bandicoot have the first British Album Of The Year on IDHAS on the 7th Occasion.

01 Bandicoot - Black After Dark       IDHAS Review

02 Richard Öhrn - Sounds In English       IDHAS Review

03 Dot Dash - Madman In The Rain       IDHAS Review





04 The Mommyheads - Genius Killer     IDHAS Review

05 The Beths - Expert In A Dying Field      IDHAS Review

06 Spygenius - Jobbernowl      IDHAS Review

07 Toni Tubna And The Stockholm Tuba Sect - When The Magic Went Wrong       IDHAS Review

08 Best Bets - On An Unhistoric Night         IDHAS Review

09 The Tambles - Scraping By        IDHAS Review

10 Outtacontroller - Come Alive        IDHAS Review

Finally, a mention for one album that didn't appear. The one main rule for the IDHAS100 is that an album has to have been reviewed on I Don't Hear A Single. Chris Church's Darling Please wasn't reviewed here, due to me reviewing it for a magazine that insisted that I did not review it elsewhere. I thought Chris would benefit from this bigger audience. There is a real possibility that the album would have been in this Top 10 if it had been reviewed.


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Dot Dash - Madman In The Rain

 

In an ongoing theme, when I posted the I Don't Hear A Single Audio Extravaganza archive episode on Mixcloud, Dot Dash opened it and I thought wow I haven't heard from them for a while. As if by magic, Hey Presto, a puff of smoke, then this appeared. 

After a run of six albums in seven years resulting in the splendid Proto Retro, there has been a gap of four years to Album No 7. Proto Retro was in the IDHAS Best Albums Of The Year. The then fresh Trio format signalled a move closer to Guitar Pop and that is nailed here.

The Washington DC trio sound so British, wonderfully so. This isn't a cat sat on the mat lyrical affair though, there is real wit and depth in the words and a splendid adeptness in the sheer poptasticness of the songs.

More than once, they sound like a happier version of The Jam, a similar trio beat without the venom. However, the opener, Forever Far Out, they are very prime time Dodgy, particularly with the harmonies. Yet Trip Over Clouds is a wonderful slice of 60s Group Pop.

Saints / Pharaohs steps into 80s Glasgow Indie and Lonesome Sound is really close to Merseybeat. Dead Gone mirrors The Housemartins and Wokeupdreaming reveals Jangling can be moody, an unusual approach that works so well.

Trip Over Clouds is a fine song with a driving beat that edges towards Psych Pop. Animal Stone is built on a hypnotic riff and some fantastic Farfisa Organ. Instrumentally and arrangement wise, it may be the best song on the album. 

Tense And Nervous is what you might now call a Dot Dash template song, along the lines of Unfair Weather on Proto Retro, it is a fantastic place to start. Space Junk, Satellites brings that latter day Jam comparison and then there is the title track.

Madman In The Rain is simply Top Notch, magnificently melancholic with a weeping Guitar Song. Unusually with the album, when choosing the three songs to embed that might most appeal to listeners, I could choose any of the 12 songs on display.

I seldom hear a trio so in sync, rhythmically, instrumentally and vocally. There are few bands that perform such jaunty pop and are able to offer up unusual arrangements and lyrical depth. They also couldn't be on a better label than The Beautiful Music. To say that the album would be Highly Recommended wouldn't praise it enough.

You can listen to and buy the album here. You can also buy it from The Beautiful Music label here. 

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I Don't Hear A Single Albums Of The Year 2018 : 41-50

2018 has been a fantastic year for the type of music that we like. 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 Top 10 person, I just think what's the point.

However, for the first time last year, I did a Top 50, normally I just say what my favourite album of the year is. I've simply done it again, because those five posts of last year were so popular and the aim of this Blog is to get exposure (and Sales) for the artists.

As I said the standard this year is incredibly high, so much so that I've extended the choice to 100 albums. 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.

For each album, I've posted a song from it and a link to the IDHAS Review if applicable.


No 41 : Cinderpop - Bricolage       IDHAS Review here.







No 42 : The Stan Laurels - Maybe      IDHAS Review here.






No 43 : The Supahip - The Two Sided Face      IDHAS Review here.






No 44 : Hurry- Every Little Thought 






No 45 : P. Hux - This Is The One      IDHAS Review here.

No 46 : Phil Yates And The Affiliates - Party Music!      IDHAS Review here.






No 47 : Dot Dash - Proto Retro      IDHAS Review here.






No 48 : William Duke - Quatro      IDHAS Review here.






No 49 : The Yancys - The End       IDHAS Review here.






No 50 : The Cleaners From Venus - Life In A Time Machine






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Dot Dash - Proto Retro

I'm a Dot Dash admirer and they certainly are prolific. This is Album Number 6 in just 7 years and it's an absolute corker. In my review of the previous album, Searchlights, here, I remarked that it seemed a move away from their Garage Rock roots to a slightly noisy New Wave Power Pop. That direction has become far more apparent.

Now a trio, the Washington DC band, have edged nearer and nearer to a Power Pop Trio. Proto Retro has far more in common with The dB's or even more relevant, the Glasgow scene of Teenage Fanclub and BMX Bandits.







There's a real emphasis on Jangle here, the pace is slowed down in favour of melody and harmony. Terry Banks's Vocals are a revelation and it seems the tighter trio format suits them. I recently reviewed Black Vinyl Shoes for a magazine and the vibe here is pretty similar.

It's not all Scots Pop, there are departures, Green On Red is a noisy departure that works well and the excellent TV / Radio is splendid UK New Wave Power Pop, all sing along. Run And Duck For Cover is The Byrds doing Madchester.







The real joy though is that jangle. Never more so on the superb, Unfair Weather which could be The Housemartins. Special mention too for World's Last Payphone, a wonderful song that can be downloaded free. Proto Retro is a million miles away from the ramshackle earlier Dot Dash Days. Both are equally great, but this much nearer to my heart.

There's a lot of Jangle around at the moment from lost bands to new wannabes, much of it is mediocre, few can do it this well. This album is a corker and should be added to your collection forthwith. What are you waiting for?







You can listen to and buy the album here.

Dot Dash - Searchlights

Although Washington DC's Dot Dash are very much known for their excellent Garage Rock, they've supported quite a few Power Pop Legends and with Searchlights you can see why. Their fifth album in five years feels far more like The Replacements if they were a UK New Wave Band.

Don't get me wrong, they've not ditched Garage Rock, there's enough here and I wouldn't want them to, it's what has given them the live reputation that they have. However, the riffs are more frequent, it's not all a hundred miles an hour and you get more time to appreciate the quality of the songs.





The Infinite is the best example, those Bass Lines and Riffs are straight out of the Power Pop Book Of Essential Songs, but there's far more of an edge and lyrically it's not my girl has left me and I'm sad.

Summer Light is wonderfully moody with it's chatty verse, Holly Garland has a riff that would be at home on an album by The Vapors or even The Only Ones. Something In-Between could be prome time Jam era Weller. In fact, Hunter Bennet's Bass Playing on the whole album reminds me of Bruce Foxton. Daddy Long Legs is Dr Feelgood to a tee.





The only time the album lets up is the closing smooch In The End. What you have here is one of the best Power Pop albums of  last year. I've known of the band for quite a while, but Searchlights has gripped me. a corker of an album  and if you get the chance to see them live, do.

Just to show they haven't forgotten Garage Rock, here's Lonely Serenade.




You can listen to and buy the album here. Holly Garland and Woke Up Saturday Night are available as free downloads. You can also tuck in to the band's Back Catalogue.

The Garden Of Earthly Delights

Allah Las - Calico Review

Many people thing Psychedelia is easy, that it's just doodling needlessly pretending everything is just alright man. Others turn to it when they want some background music, whilst some just can't see the point.

The difference you'll notice when you hear a good psychedelic album. Los Angeles's Allah Las' third album is such a beast. It's very Drop Out in it's sound, Syd Barrett fronting The Velvet Underground, but the album makes you listen rather than using it as some background noise.

Psychedelia isn't for all, but if it's for you, you'll love this.

David Dundas - David Dundas

David Dundas's 1977 debut album has been released on CD and many may ask why. All will know Blue Jeans, well that gives you a taste, but there is far more to him than that. The album is a real chipper affair. Piano Pop Rock that jollies along in a Gilbert O' Sullivan manner.

If I had to compare him to anyone, it would be as a male Lynsey De Paul. Songs like Another Funny Honeymoon are really catchy affairs and Stick On Your Lollipop is a real piano stomp. The trouble is that this album would have hit paydirt three or four years earlier. It's not what 1977 listeners wanted to hear.

Dot Dash - Searchlights

Ottawa's Dot Dash offer up their fifth album in as many years. For those who like the quiet life, it's not an album that will offer such. It's loud, brashy with riffs all over the place. Great garage, very comparable to The Replacements. Yep Mats fans will definitely love this. 

It'll add real variation to your collection. The riffs are great and if you want to let your frustration out, this album will do just that for you. I like it a lot.

You can buy it here.

Zane Drake - American Venus

You Tube's region restrictions are a pain when you are trying to help an artist. So there's no sound clips for this, US Viewers may be able to catch up with the songs here.

This is an enjoyable romp through the late 60's mixing psych with Classic Rock. At times it's the MC5, the vocals are more The Strokes, but most of the album grabs you. A real rock out, particularly the title track. Worth investigating more.