Skeleton Staff - HEPTO-ALTRUISM

 

We absolutely adored the last album from Sydney's Skeleton Staff when it appeared in late 2022. You can read the review here. HEPTO-ALTRUISM is just as wonderful and varied as the aforementioned Malapropism. However the path it takes is slightly different.

This is a much gentler album, the bombast has been replaced by something that is much 60s led, all harmony and intriguing arrangements, but the band's expertise with a chorus is still admirable and as adept as ever.

This is intelligent Indie with a big heart and you know how much we love such. Take for instance Sugar, a song that reeks of San Franciscan Bubblegum, all vocal harmony and jaunty arrangement. There is a wonderful interlude that enhances the song even more. 

Forever Or We Go Down In Flames is magnificent Psych Pop with a touch of UK Beat and The Littlest Pig is all I Can't Let Maggie Go with delightful harpsichord. The Chosen even gets all ba ba ba ba Beat and is top notch Jangle Pop.

Away from the 60s, The Devil's Best Tunes is more 70s Pop Rock with a C86 intro. I Don't Belong In This Era I'm From is more than a little Brit Pop. Indeed, it sounds like Jarvis Cocker fronting Christie as a wonderful Psych Jangle to it.

1am is a real outlier as an opener. Sort of Chris Difford doing Chaz and Dave to a TV Crime Thriller soundtrack. It shouldn't work, but it does. Skeleton Staff call themselves a Cartoon band, there is way more of interest here than many other straight ahead bands. Another great album!

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

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I Don't Hear A Single Albums Of The Year 2022 : 11-20

This year, the standard has been the highest since IDHAS began six and a half years ago. Narrowing things down to this 100 as been really difficult. For each album, I've posted a song from it and a link to the IDHAS Review where you can find further details and how to listen or buy the album.

A reminder that anything reviewed on I Don't Hear A Single is highly recommended. 

No 11 : Lannie Flowers - Flavor Of The Month     IDHAS Review





No 12 : Custard Flux - Phosphorus    IDHAS Review

 

No 13 : Tamar Berk - Start At The End     IDHAS Review

 

No 14 : Maple Mars - Someone's Got To Listen          IDHAS Review

      

No 15 : Ward White - Ice Cream Chords    IDHAS Review

       

No 16 : Amoeba Teen - Amoeba Teen       IDHAS Review


 


No 17 : Greg Pope - Rise Of The Mythical Creatures     IDHAS Review

No 18 :  Communicant - Sun Goes Out   IDHAS Review

No 19 : Fuzzbubble - Cult Stars From Mars   IDHAS Review

          

No 20 : Skeleton Staff - Malapropism         IDHAS Review

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Skeleton Staff - Malapropism

 

You are in for quite a ride Ladies and Gentleman! Sydney's Skeleton Staff are wonderfully bombastic in an early Queen sort of the way and have the over the top ability and wit to challenge The Darkness. Yet a song such as She Made Believe In Make Believe Again is pure Dance.

Oh and they are a cartoon band! But thankfully not as piss poor as Gorillaz, another cartoon band, that no one likes to admit are incredibly mediocre. One minute they could be in a Broadway Show, the next they could be major Stadium Rock stars.

Take for instance, the opener Investiture. There is so much going on its two and a half minutes, you need a breather to get over it. You want Pop Rock, well here is Hand Up In The Sky which is classic 70s Album wonderment.

You Only Good In Pictures is savvy 80s New Wave, yet Is This Thing Gonna Work Out could be prime time Robbie Williams and a Hair Metal Guitar Solo takes over the show. Paranoia Stakes barrels along to a UK Glam Romp stomp.

Bugger All is great 70s Piano Pop, You're Gonna Fly Too is a real show stopper, almost Disney and The Heart of The Sun is a bigger than big Brit Pop anthem. A and R is a cross between funk and Power Pop, wonderfully bizarre with some Lounge Lizard thrown in and a biting wit of a lyric. 

Harlots is comic Opera, even a little Toytown with a cockernee barrow boy vibe and a Brian May like solo. Malapropism is just so damn melodic with exceptional twists and turns. Forget the cartoon band bit, this is chorus after chorus and an absolute adventure. Simply Wonderful!

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

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