I Don't Hear A Single Top 20 EPs Of 2023

 


2023 is brought to a close with The Top 20 EPs Of The Year. There may be more 2023 releases covered in the early part of 2024, but as for the ramped up Social Media and Countdowns, they all end here. For each EP a song is embedded from the release and a link is provided to the IDHAS Review where you can find further details and how to listen or buy the EP.

1 Svenssen - Falling Out Of Fashion     IDHAS REVIEW

2 Half Catholic - Art In Heaven     IDHAS REVIEW

3 The Chase - Bonzo Bonanza     IDHAS REVIEW

4 Pretty - Citrus Magic    IDHAS REVIEW

5 Jonesy - Doppelgangbangers    IDHAS REVIEW

6 Leon In The Wild - Leon In The Wild     IDHAS REVIEW

7 Movie Jail - Movie Jail   IDHAS REVIEW

8 Råttanson - Trebled Region     IDHAS REVIEW

9 The Popguns - Popism     IDHAS REVIEW

10 Bitter Defeat - Terrific Effort    IDHAS REVIEW

11 Fuzziliers - Would You Believe     IDHAS REVIEW

12 Mansfield - Come Rain Or Shine     IDHAS REVIEW

13 The Vapour Trails - On A Beautiful Day     IDHAS REVIEW

14 Gizmo - Buddy System    IDHAS REVIEW

15 Finn's Motel - Last Year's Leaves      IDHAS REVIEW

16 Rick Kingo - The Truths, The Lies, The Lot    IDHAS REVIEW

17 Dennis Davison - Creaturefeature       IDHAS REVIEW

18 Carl Green In Particular - Off Balance       IDHAS REVIEW

19 Shangri-Lass - Over & Over      IDHAS REVIEW

20 Modern Rituals - Razed      IDHAS REVIEW

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Movie Jail - Movie Jail EP

 

Looking at the Most Popular posts of the past 30 days, there is a domination of single song fayre that would have you believe that we are Internet Radio DJs and have put our caps on backawards dude blah blah etc. Much as we are delighted about the success of the new-ish Listening To This Week, it can give the wrong impression.

I Don't Hear A Single is, always was and remains a Review site of the long format. Latest releases that float our boat and so it is nice to get back to what we actually do. Where better to start than with the magnificent of Lexington Kentucky Five Piece, Movie Jail?

You know how much we love Angular Indie Pop and Rock and this lot are exactly that. There is a vibe of Talking Heads in the feel, but a lot more of The Sugarplastic in the arrangements and even The Mommyheads in their selection of riffs.

There is a lot to like in this type of stuff in general, but Movie Jail are particularly excellent at fleshing out the sound into unusual arrangements and the unexpected welcoming of instrument interruptions from everywhere, particularly keyboard related. This enhances those Angular Guitar Riffs.

There's even the ghost of Prefab Sprout in both New Way To Work and Ship Dream. The latter in the arrangement and the former in the vocal. One has a great Brass break and the other a real lounge feel. This adds to the variety, but it is the earlier offerings that hit home with a bang.

Stop At The Mark has a hypnotic earworm riff while Call The Neighbours is Indie excellence of note with a resemblance of Field Music. Our favourite though is Porous Rock, a wonderfully constructed that grips you and the instrumental change on the chorus is wonderful. Inventive and yet compelling, I just wish there was more. But I'm greedy and should be content with the splendid 5 songs here.

You can listen to and buy the EP here.

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