Ryan Allen - One Week Off

 

I am a big Ryan Allen fan as proven by the reviews on here.  Starting when he was part of that Michigan Wrecking Crew with Nick Piunti, Chris Richards, Legal Matters etc. I've been through his solo years and full band Extra Arms and now we are solo again, certainly this year.

This is Allen's second album this year. The premise was rather than take the traditional week's holiday, how about recording an album in a week. Not that One Week Off sounds as if it's thrown together. You would also not necessarily think that this was a solo album in which he does everything.

I have to admit that I couldn't quite take to April's Livin' On A Prayer On The Edge, if felt a bit too commercial. I prefer Allen when he has an edge and this is him bang back on form. He has the knack of writing and playing Indie Rock that is melodic, yet isn't afraid to Rock.

One Week Off has everything you would expect from the man. Big choruses, riffs and superb Guitar playing. He can rock your block off and then ease you down with a singalong chorus. Here, he is also happy to chances.

The Punk energy of Do It All Again, the jangling pacy Power Pop of Think Fast, the top notch Psych Pop of Escape Road are all absolute winners. What's That You Say sounds most like his band, Extra Arms, Back To The Bubble is primetime 90s College Rock, yet When Is Everyone Gonna Stop? is a great shouty slab of Garage Rock.

Don't expect Ryan Allen to come up for air, he doesn't do ballads. Even the Power Pop joy of Simple Pleasures has a rawness to it. Allen is a major talent, a master at melodic Indie Rock with an attitude. This is an album showing him at the top of his game.

You can listen to and buy the album here.

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I Don't Hear A Single Albums Of The Year 2024 : 41-50

 

For the last eight 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. A reminder that only new albums are included among these 100.

Narrowing things down to this 100 has been really difficult. The 100 albums are 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.

41 Gentlemen Rogues - Surface Noise     IDHAS Review

42 Macseal - Permanent Repeat       IDHAS Review

43 Mt. Misery - Love In Mind     IDHAS Review

44 I Do You Do Karate - III      IDHAS Review

45 Caddy - Caddy     IDHAS Review

46 The Junipers - Imaginary Friends        IDHAS Review

47 Steve Conte - The Concrete Jangle      IDHAS Review

48 Nick Frater - The Rebutles 1967-1970      IDHAS Review

49 The Resonars - Electricity Plus      IDHAS Review

  

50 Extra Arms - Radar     IDHAS Review

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Extra Arms - Radar

 

Those who have followed us for a while know that we like Ryan Allen a lot. From his Michigan solo and sideman days up to the excellence of Extra Arms that we have here, a band that generally frequents the noisier side of Guitar Pop.

The quartet link perfectly through a locked rhythm section, a riff driven way of gripping you through dual guitars and Allen's rock out vocal. But Radar feels slightly different than what has gone before. It feels more polished, less in your face and this should bring an even wider audience that the band certainly deserve.

This is no way a criticism, quite the reverse. The songs are great as ever and there is still the ability to blast off. The guitar solo on Inflatable Boys is as wonderful and aggressive as the band have ever been. But there is also new directions that can be taken which show off the talent that is around.

Space And Time for instance is splendid anthemic Pop Rock that adds some great Pedal Steel  Mad Dog Blue for instance nods towards the likes of Fountains Of Wayne and Your Highness kicks of with a big guitar intro that edges towards 80s Rock.

Sit Back Up even treads into 70s Classic Rock territory with its Thin Lizzy like Guitar sound. Then there is the Replacements like scuzz of Shut 'Em Down which also nods to past. But is the instrumental additions to the album that really work.

Brass on All Good Things Take Time and Sax on Sit Back Up confirm the slightly new direction. Radar is a really accessible album that deserves big attention. It certainly points to bigger times which Extra Arms deserve more than most. It also shows them to be a proper band.

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

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Ryan Allen - The Last Rock Band

 

Before people run for the hills because of the words concept album, this is not Prog, it is a set of songs with a theme, but these songs stand up on their own and I'm not sure that listeners would notice it as a concept, story led, album if it didn't tell you so on the album cover.

I trust Ryan Allen more than enough to know his feet are on the ground and have watched and written about his career with great interest. The solo years as Ryan Allen And His Extra Arms,and I have compared him to being like Nick Piunti's noisy wayward son. 

Then there is Extra Arms which is still more than alive, indeed some of these were songs intended for the band, but lockdown intervened and the return to recording resulted in writing a different batch of songs for What Is Even Happening Right Now an album that appeared in the IDHAS Best 100 Albums of 2022.

Extra Arms, being a band, ironed out a lot of Allen's punkier efforts and became a little more Indie Rock, a bit less shouty, but just as melodic and seemed more cohesive. But these songs and the concept nagged away at Allen and he returned to them and recorded the album himself.

We Have Returned

It is a great album and to be honest, sounds like a band album which shows how much he has developed, It is also even more commercial than what has gone before, at times edging towards Classic Rock, but firmly in Pop Rock.

Indeed, We Have Returned could be on a Nick Piunti album. It is an ace offering, a little 70s with a killer riff and changes part way through to something a little more Townsend and then goes all Indie Melodic Rock. Three songs in one, but it really works.

The title track is another melodic winner and again reminiscent of latter day The Who. Discovery veers a little towards Rush, Like The Ramones has the pace of The Ramones, but sounds a bit more like Rockpile and has a great Glam Rock chorus.

Stop The Train

Stop The Train is probably the nearest that you will get to a Ryan Allen ballad and Second Act has a riff that is close to Heavy Metal, but remains as catchy as hell. Earlier fans who compare this to his early stuff will not believe it is the same musician.

Just wait till you hear the riff on Because I Have To, it is wonderful. The only thing that doesn't quite work is Bought A Computer. You can understand the reason with its Ditch The Guitar sentiments and how it fits the narrative, but it comes across as the Instrumental version of Human League's Dare album. But even that song is redeemed when the album kicks in.

The |Last Rock Band is a splendid album. Riff laden with killer choruses and beautifully produced, arranged and written. Allen's vocal is restrained resulting in a more mellow sound that suits the material perfectly. Once a shouty Guitar Punk, the man is nearer and nearer to becoming a Rock Star.

Because I Have To

You can listen to and buy the album here. Release date is tomorrow, so the embeds will be inserted as soon as the songs are up on Bandcamp. With the difference between UK and US Time, this may be in the morning.

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Extra Arms - What Is Even Happening Right Now

During March's review of Ryan Allen's excellent solo EP (here) I mentioned that the excellent Pop on display was very different to his day job and here is that regular work. Extra Arms are a much louder proposition, wonderfully loud.

Starting out as Ryan Allen And His Extra Arms, the direction then was a little more Garage Punk Pop. Since morphing into Extra Arms, a proper band with an established line up, that punkishness has slightly mellowed into great Power Pop.

This is Power Pop at pace though. The songs are more in your face than a traditional Power Pop album, the band rarely come up for air, noisy upstarts in a world of jangling niceness maybe. It all works beautifully, every fist shaking moment.

The songs never lose their melody and are built on massive riffs and big choruses, designed to be played in sweaty venues. There are hints at times of Sugar at times, but it is just hints. Allen has never forgotten his Punk Roots, it is just that the songs have become even more accessible.

The riffs just drill through your head, the vocals are never shouty when it would be easy to be like peers who adopt that mode. A song like Life In A Cube just rocks your socks off and when it breaks out further, it is simply awesome.

I also note the increasing harmonies. What used to be a call and response, at times develops into more vocal play. Every Extra Arms album offers something more than the last. The band develops more each time. Just don't expect any ballads. What Is Even Happening Now is a splendid listen.

Pre-order here for the album's 3 June release and just wait until you hear I Don't Wanna Die on next week's IDHAS 10 Song Mix. I will add a couple more songs on release date and refresh this post.

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Ryan Allen - I'm Not Mean EP

 

The excellent Ryan Allen is generally more down and dirty in Extra Arms mode, both solo and as a band. Extra Arms are usually splendidly noisy with Punk sentiments, although the chorus and melody have always offered a Pop sensibility. 

Indeed I've always thought of him as the raucous son of Nick Piunti, especially as he has appeared on previous Piunti albums. On this EP, the Poptastic flashes become a fully fledged reality. Vocals are softer, but the hooks are still plentiful.

It is as though he's been turned the noise down or matured. I do hope not because those Extra Arms adventures are incredibly raw and gripping and suit him down to the ground. However, I'm Not Mean is a beautifully produced slice of Pop Rock.

Indeed, on both Cut Your Teeth and To Be A Journalist, the vibe is more Glasgow Jangling Power Pop. The former has a wonderful return after a slight false ending. An instrumental harmonic riff and backing vocal. The latter is built around a corking Jangle riff and aided by a massive solo. Both are crackers.

Count With Me slows the pace and comes across a mix between 60's Beat Pop and 80's Indie Pop. I'm Not Mean is even more laid back, a Postcard label feel, a ballad even. A great, largely acoustic soundscape and a fine arrangement. This is wonderful and superior to much of the Jangle Pop out there at present.

You can listen to and buy the EP here.

I Don't Hear A Single Albums Of The Year 2020 : 81-90

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 few years I 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. 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 grossly unfair, even more so in 2020 with all that has happened during the year. To qualify, an album has to be available for sale in any format.

For each album, I've posted a song from it and a link to where you can find further details on how to listen or buy the album. 

No 81 : Ryan Allen (Extra Arms) - Song Snacks Vol. 1       IDHAS Review

No 82 : Blight - Restless Chase           IDHAS Review









No 83 : Moon Attendant - One Last Summer        IDHAS Review










No 84 : Ed Ryan - Even Time       Review

No 85 : Gregory Pepper And His Problems - I Know Now Why You Cry    IDHAS Review

No 86 : Cocktails - Catastrophic Entertainment      IDHAS Review









No 87 : Ages And Ages - Me You They We     IDHAS Review









No 88 :  The Trend - Bella Vega     Review

No 89 : A Perfect Day - With Eyes Wide Open     IDHAS Review

 


No 90 : Dunkie - Working To Design    Review

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Ryan Allen (Extra Arms) - Song Snacks Vol. 1

I got into a bit of trouble with my outspoken views on Lockdown Acoustic Sets. Some, including fellow writers felt that I was being really unfair and asked what are musicians supposed to do in these strange times. My statements were never against musicians, but on what the results were, even with the circumstances as they were / are. 

It was the supposed soulfulness of the sets, rooted in covers and the new songs were all about the lockdown. I just yearned for artists to plug their guitar in and write songs like they did pre Covid. Fortunately people like Ryan Allen had had similar ideas.. He learned how to learn some recording software on the fly, plugged in offered up this DIY gem.

In some ways it would have been a return to his solo beginnings. In the days of Ryan Allen And His Extra Arms, he played everything himself before the expansion into a group. But now, he was stuck at home, with no in studio expertise. However with the creative spark thriving, he had to get these songs down.

The result is very much in Guided By Voices territory. In sing your song and get off mode, these 20 songs last 35 minutes. Some feel fully fledged, others more sketches, but without exception, all work. Allen has always been able to provide riff after riff and developed solo wise from a noisier Nick Piunti to a much harder band sound. He's always been able to flit through both, so there's no surprise that there is a fair amount of genre hopping. 

The gentleness of Here Comes The Rain contrasts with the pure noise of Throw Your Shit In The Shoot. There are also moments of real reflective joy in the Lennon Pop of the likes of I'm A Wizard Now. Metal Youth is real 90's Indie College Rock and Alone In The Sick is splendid Psych Pop. Predict The Future is lo-fi New York Power Pop and Luke Warm has one of Allen's trademark killer riffs.

Two songs especially stand out for me. For all the variety, Inventive Sports is more like a trademark Ryan Allen song, wonderfully so. Airbrush The World is absolutely Top Notch with an extended wig out to close. Remember there is a reason why the album is titled Song Snacks. The album is like a buffet and demonstrates what Allen can do. Highly Recommended!

You can listen to and buy the album here. 

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I Don't Hear A Single Albums Of The Year 2018 : 51-60

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 51 : The On and Ons - Welcome Aboard      IDHAS Review here.

No 52 : Odd Robot - Amnesiatic     IDHAS Review here.







No 53 : Half Man Half Biscuit - No One Cares About Your Creative Hub So Get Your Fuckin' Hedge Cut

No 54 : The Amazing - In Transit 






No 55 : Rob Clarke and The Wooltones - Big Night 







No 56 : Glowbox - Fossil Few       IDHAS Review here.







No 57 : Extra Arms - Headacher







No 58 : Big Sunset - Big Sunset      IDHAS Review here.

No 59 : Michael Simmons - First Days of Summer







No 60 : Valley Lodge - Fog Machine 







.

Extra Arms - Headacher

This is more of a heads up really as I don't want to give too much away. It's been two long years since Ryan Allen's wonderful Basement Punk album, you can read that review here.  When Allen was playing shows for that album, his assembled stage band developed outstanding live reviews.

So for Headacher, that live quartet became a band and Extra Arms was born. Some of you may know of Ryan from his assistance on Nick Piunti's albums or from his solo play everything himself albums. Well, he had a great band history before his solo days and the new four piece really works.

The album sounds even more rounded and it's noisier than Allen's solo stuff, if that's positive. It's all hooks and solos. There is still the anger, but it's far more framed. From the window smashing speed of You Make The Life You Want and the New Wave drive of the excellent Push The Button to the acoustic closer, The Last One, this is exceptional material.

There's even a song that would be at home on a Nick Piunti album, the splendid Honey Brown. I know some Top 20's for the year that come out, bizarrely, in October. Well I wouldn't advise many of my peers to take this approach.

Headacher is released in all formats on 12 October, you can pre-order the Limited Edition Vinyl now by heading here. The uninitiated can also catch up with the Ryan Allen Back Catalogue there. There will be a full album review nearer the release date.

Various - If It Feels Good Do It

First off I'm a big Sloan fan, through great and mediocre I'll always stick by them. I'm like that with Cheap Trick, the band always gets the benefit of the doubt. If an album is disappointing, I'll just wait for the next and these aren't the times of an album a year.

Secondly, I am not that keen on tribute albums, they've been done to death and I've never really seen the point. This is different, I love it. Why? Because it's got a line up of many who are hot in Power Pop land at the moment and secondly, because not all versions are faithful to the originals.




I happened to mention in my Gretchen's Wheel review that not many people dare to cover Sloan and Keith Klingensmith quickly corrected me on this. The 31 song collection is on his label Futureman Records . Incidentally Futureman are one of the more exciting labels around, celebrating the best of new and old Power Pop.

The cast is great including Stereo Tiger, Nick Piunti, The Well Wishers, Chris Richards, Andy Reed, The Anderson Council, Paul Mellancon, Gretchen's Wheel and Ryan Allen plus many more.

Nick Piunti makes Right Or Wrong sound like a Nick Piunti song, Stereo Tiger reinforce their reputation as one of the best around at present and Chris Richards handles Coax Me beautifully.





King Radio cover the title track in a sort of lounge lizard style and Kristin Von B becomes Kim Wilde as if she was backed by the Go-Go's with Devo interruptions. The album is great fun and great value at 31 songs for 10 dollars. The killer though I've already praised in my review of Behind The Curtain. Gretchen's Wheel's cover of Try To Make It is absolutely inspired.




You can buy the album here and then have a look at what Futureman Records are doing. Anyone who is trying to recreate interest in Gladhands is fine and dandy with me.

Ryan Allen And His Extra Arms - Basement Punk

Many of you know how I bang on about Dom Mariani and Tommy Keene, well they now have a contender and a serious one.

Watch Me Explode and Basement Punks could easily be DM3 and there's no greater compliment in my eyes. Both songs are from Ryan Allen's third solo album, Basement Punk.

Add in connections to both Nick Piunti and Andy Reed and what a winner this album is. The boy can rock.

This is the sort of release that you used to see on Not Lame, great Power Pop.  Mal 'n' Ange is a real singalong. Gimme Some More is prime Tommy Keene.  Songs like People Factory show a lyrical strength not usually associated with Power Pop. Without A Doubt could very well be Material Issue.
The Destroy This Place Front Man, also plays a mean lead guitar.





I'll be honest that I'd grown frustrated this year with hearing the same old thing. This month I've heard at least five albums that are contenders for the year's Top 20, each one different in their own way. This is a straight ahead Power Pop record, the type we love and there's not much around that could live with it.




7 dollars is a snip and there is a limited 500 Run CD available for 10 dollars. I would suggest that CD is the way to listen to this and it should be heard Loud. The album is Power Pop Joy! You can buy and listen to it here.