The Garden Of Earthly Delights 2024 Volume 1

 

A chance to celebrate more 2024 albums, before we move on to 2025. We just ran out of time to write full reviews for these excellent offerings, but just want you to know how much we liked them.

Silver Sun - Mild Peril

My love of Silver Sun from Day 1 knows no bounds. One of the finest Power Pop bands that the UK has produced. The sad loss of James Broad is felt by me as a fan and personally as we chatted occasionally mainly about our pet Lurchers. He handled his illness with great dignity. James's wife, Lu, dropped this album late in the year. It is the album that James was working on before he passed away.

You can listen to the album here. It is also available on the likes of Spotify. A wonderful testament to a wonderful man.

The Tangerines - Make It Happen

Swedish Power Pop veterans, The Tangerines are now approaching their third decade together. Make It Happen reveals they haven't lost their Power Pop chops, but there are also departures into Pop Rock. Jangle Pop, AOR and even Psych Pop. A great listen!

You can listen to the album here. You can buy the album and find out more about the band here.

Bubblegum Lemonade - Lawrence Of Suburbia

Laz McCluskey, he of Strawberry Whiplash, returns to his solo project, Bubblegum Lemonade. The Jangle Indie Pop is prevalent as you might expect with some lovely 12 String vibes. But there is also variety present and quite a few surprises. Overall, there is a Sarah Records feel, but also a Television Personalities feel. Another triumph for Mattinee Recordings. All the way from Santa Barbara via Glasgow.

You can listen to and buy the album here.

EggS - Crafted Achievement

Great angular Indie Rock from a mysterious Parisian 7 piece. The sound doesn't give the impression of a 7 fold band, it is quite sparse, but contains some wonderfully surprising riffs and arrangements. An album that is delicate, yet wonderfully listenable. Intelligent Indie at its finest and available on the excellent Hartlepool label, Prefect Records. Which is also home to Mt. Misery who have been IDHAS's 2024 wild card.

You can listen to and buy the album here.

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I Don't Hear A Single Albums Of The Year 2020 : 11-20

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 11 : Nick Frater - Fast & Loose    IDHAS Review

No 12 : Joe Giddings - Better From Here      IDHAS Review








No 13 : Silver Sun - Switzerland     IDHAS Review

 

No 14 : Sparks - A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip          IDHAS Review

      

No 15 : Greg Pope - Wishing On A Dark Star    IDHAS Review

No 16 : Mason Summit - Negative Space       IDHAS Review




  



No 17 : The Foreign Films - Ocean Moon     IDHAS Review

No 18 :  Mooner - The Alternate Universe of Love    IDHAS Review

No 19 : Kiwi Jr. - Football Money   IDHAS Review

          

No 20 : Parsonsfield - Happy Hour On The Floor         IDHAS Review

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Silver Sun - Switzerland

 

There were plenty of splendid Pop Rock bands in the 90's, particularly during Brit Pop and after. Most were at the edges whilst the Jarvis / Gallagher / Albarn attention seeking made all the noise. I can think of few great UK Power Pop bands from that time. Bands may have dabbled with the odd song, but, for me, Silver Sun were the nazz. With the exception of Ash, who you suspected wanted to be pop metal, the band were the main challengers to what was going on in the States.

Those first two Silver Sun albums stand up against any Power album of the time. Only Tsar's debut comes close. Those albums produced two of my favourite singles ever, Golden Skin and I'll See You Around. There are also two inspired covers from that time. Too Much Too Little Too Late got a lot of attention and the cover of Rush's Xanadu, condensed into 4 minutes is inspired.

There have been two albums since the self titled debut and Neo Wave, one was recorded by James Broad alone, the other was by the band. We've also had The Bullets. However, Switzerland feels like the third album proper, it is certainly just as good as those opening offerings. The original band play on Earth Girls Are Easy and Original Girl, the rest is Broad solo. This wasn't the plan. After the 2017 Reunion, supporting Sleeper, a band album was planned. But eventually Broad recorded the rest alone.

It really is like Silver Sun have never been away. Massive choruses, killer riffs and solos and wall to wall melody are packed into 30 minutes. Original Girl is most like the early days, but any of these songs wouldn't be out of place on their early albums. Needle In The Ball Pit has a Chucklevision-ish chorus, but the song reminds you how great Silver Sun were at pace.

Love That Body crashes into Ash Territory and God Room is The Ramones go Power Pop. You can imagine the latter being a Theme Tune for a Kids TV Show. Chain Of Command is pure UK New Wave and Over Me At All is a killer sing along joy. 

Switzerland reminds me a lot of that first Tsar album with its hooks and pace. There is a rare coming up for air on Photograph, a slowed down wonderful song that fully demonstrates Broad's melodic strength. Switzerland is the best Power Pop album that you will hear this year, it may very well be the best album of any genre.

You can listen to the album here (plus all the other streaming sites) and buy it from everywhere. You really should!

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