Richard Öhrn - Sounds In English

 

Imagine that Shindig wasn't a magazine. but an album. This album wouldn't be a million miles away from it. Sounds In English is very 60s in sound and feel. Sounds In English doesn't want to rock your socks off, it wants you sit in your easy chair and admire its beauty.

Richard Ohrn is noted as the Guitarist in Sweden's excellent Power Poppers, In Deed. but don't expect chiming guitars here. This beautifully plated and arranged Pop, be that Baroque, Psych, Beat or Folk, it is absolute joy and may very well be Big Stir's best release yet.

For all the different routes taken, it is the most straight ahead song that has the most appeal. Take This Bottle is great Pop with a big Jangle and a massive chorus. There's a little 80s Elvis Costello in the vocal and the piano run is reminiscent of the Costello and Nieve shows.

But there is everything here that you could possibly want. The jazzy Every Shade, the drama and melancholic The Coolest Manners, the Psych Pop of Seal Your Move. Could Have Loved You More edges towards Country early on with a fine drum shuffle and breaks out into Bacharach Brass.

Someone To Forgive You is a great Example of laidback European Pop whilst sounding Carl Wayne at times and containing a hypnotic acoustic riff. 5th Month Announcement is top of the bill Folk whilst I Chose You comes over all Long John Baldry dramatic.

Spanish Moon has a big Baroque Pop intro with a Jeff Lynne like restrained vocal. I obviously know my Big Stir, but I can tell you that Sounds In English was my biggest surprise yet. The album is magnificent, beautifully arranged, sung and performed. All I can say is Wow!

You can listen to and buy the album here.

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I Don't Hear A Single Albums Of The Year 2019 : 21 - 30

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.



21 The Supernaturals - Bird Of Luck     IDHAS Review

22 Spelling Reform - Stay Inside       IDHAS Review








23 The Anderson Council - Worlds Collide       IDHAS Review

24 Custard Flux - Echo       IDHAS Review








25 The Voluptuals - Terminal Patience      IDHAS Review 








26 Dave Cope And The Sass - Dave Cope And The Sass        IDHAS Review








27 Green Buzzard - Amidst The Clutter & Mess       IDHAS Review

28 Colin Wylie - Colin Wylie       IDHAS Review

29 In Deed - Everest (US Edition)       IDHAS Review








30 Ronny Tibbs - Lone Fry       IDHAS Review








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In Deed - Everest (US Edition)

My love and admiration of the Big Stir Label and community is well documented. Christina and Rex have grown a scene and roster from very little in just a few short years. I can't think of anyone who has done more for Power Pop and Pop Rock in that time. They have invigorated a genre that was dying on it's feet, in fact derided at times.

The label delights in Physical releases and it's weekly Digital Singles are inspired and now approaching 30. I can't think of a greater addition to the label than In Deed. Sweden has long had a fine Guitar Pop scene, it just doesn't get the attention it deserves. Big Stir will provide that worldwide forum.

Sweden is also home to two of my favourite musical friends in Nick Fletcher and Wayne Lundqvist Ford. We'd probably move there if I wasn't so set in my ways, but I digress. Everest was released in 2017 and it now has a deserved re-configuring with additional tracks and it sounds just great.






The problem with any Swedish band that is Female Fronted are comparisons with Abba and The Cardigans. The latter is more relevant here with the high Guitar quota, but In Deed are nothing like The Cardigans apart from the odd diversion.

Everest is far from straight ahead Pop Rock. There are some wonderful Psych Pop moments on songs such as Never Really Noticed and the wonderfully noisy Heart Attack, which is a Psych Masterpiece. My favourite song on the album, but others will choose something different, there are that many candidates.






Linda Karlsberg's Vocal range is outstanding, delicate on Fantastic, aching on the Farfisa accompanied Over And Over. Song To You is all Carnaby Street and  According To You has a real jangle with a biting attitude of a lyric.

Flavour Of The Month has a Ska riff, I'm Alright (When I'm With You) is very Brit Pop, think Sleeper with more depth. 15 Minor Hours is a nigh on six minute closer, at times Radiohead-ish, incredibly hypnotic, very different to what's gone before.






Everest is a fantastic album. I get bored with front loaded albums, this gets better and better as the album progresses. The US Edition enhances what has gone before and gives In Deed the opportunity to tell the world how good it is. Rightly So, because they should.

You can buy the album here.


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