I Don't Hear A Single Joint Album Of The Year 2016 - Somerdale

Now this is the territory that I always feel at home in. New Jersey's Somerdale are a three piece power pop group that would easily be at home in 1975 UK fighting it out for a Top 5 spot with some Chinn and Chapman prodigy.

The album really is high class Pop Rock. In ASH's nine years, this is the sort of thing we usually celebrate. However, it's normally some lost album that we fawn about, Jigsaw, Pilot, Ace, you name 'em.
We've often mused about why there are no new bands doing this now. Well now we have Somerdale.





This sort of 70's Medium Wave Territory is something I spend a lot of time listening to and trust me, I know my stuff. I also get to listen to a lot more badly done stuff than good. "Shake It Maggie" has been the biggest surprise for me for a long time. It's fantastic.

Don't get the impression that the album is derivative, because it's not any way. It doesn't wear its influences on its arm. the songs just gently remind you of that time. "Take It From The Top" could be Liverpool Express and should probably be the lead single. "Waiting For You" could be Jigsaw. On other songs, you hear 10CC, The Arrows, Andrew Gold, the list goes on.

.


"Puddles Of Me" could be prime time Badfinger.  "She's Leaving California" hints at a rocking John Miles. The biggest surprise is that Somerdale are American, they sound so English. Finally for the Power Pop Kids, well there's "The Coolest Kid In The Room", pure Fountains Of Wayne.

I remind readers often that this place is not for the gushing, I receive a lot of music and it's always appreciated. However I have a policy of only reviewing things that I like. I've done hatchet jobs on things that I don't in the past, I'd rather not these days, it's unfair and I just choose not to review them.

So when I tell you that this is the best thing I've heard in ages, you can trust that remark. Shake It Maggie is, it's a superb listen and right up my street. I read that they've released two albums before this, I'm just sorry I missed them, because this album is fantastic.

You can listen to the album and then buy the album here.  


..................

I Don't Hear A Single Albums Of The Year 2023 : 31 - 40

 

For the last few 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. 

Narrowing things down to this 100 has been really difficult. The countdown is 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

31 The Foreign Films - Magic Shadows      IDHAS Review

32 Blueburst - Significance       IDHAS Review

33 Dolph Chaney - Mug       IDHAS Review

34 Somerdale - Let's Get Started       IDHAS Review

35 The Projectors - The Projectors      IDHAS Review

36 The Midnight Callers - Rattled Humming Heart       IDHAS Review

37 True Stars - True Stars       IDHAS Review

38 Local Drags - Mess Of Everything      IDHAS Review

39 Real Tears - Whipped Dreams      IDHAS Review

40 The Reverberations - Half Remembered Dreams      IDHAS Review

...................................

Somerdale - Let's Get Started

 

When I Don't Hear A Single started in July 2016, it was never meant to be what it has become and I mention this because Somerdale played a big part in our outreach. IDHAS was set up as a reaction to old timers droning on about all new music being crap, but it was only planned to be a weekly post sort of thing highlighting great albums.

Then at the end of the first year, I decided to choose an album of the year. The days of Best 100 Albums were well in the future. I chose two albums as joint Best Of Year, Nick Piunti's Trust Your Instincts and Somerdale's Shake It Maggie. You can read the original reviews here and here. From that point, IDHAS exploded with fans and artists constantly in touch and both defined where we were at that time. 

So I feel that I owe both albums and artists a lot and the return of Somerdale is particularly pleasing for me. The band have also come full circle, having been discovered by Ray Gianchetti at Kool Kat, there is something particularly pleasing to see them return to the label.

In truth, Let's Get Started makes you feel like they've never been away. This is 70s harmonic Pop Rock of the highest order, those original comparisons to 10CC, Jigsaw, Ace, Liverpool Express and Badfinger still stand true.

The band can still do Power Pop as Good Enough more than proves, but often they come across as say The Who if they were on the Not Lame label. Somerdale can also perform a Ballad as well as any Rock band, without it ever sounding forced or necessary as Time Speeds underlines with its mastery of mellowness and its wonderful Guitar track.

Taking You Back is pure UK Glam Rock, you can just envisage the Flares, Platform Boots and Butterfly Collars. There is always a Somerdale Anthem and this time it is saved for the end. Long Way To Go demonstrates how uplifting Pop Rock can be. Much maligned in the past, the genre has a way of lifting the mood with memorable moments.

This time there isn't a song as outstanding as Excuse Me, a song that defines Somerdale and is one of my favourite songs ever. But Lulu comes pretty close to trumping it and is the type of song that band excel at. Great to have this lot back and they had better not leave it so long next time. Let's Get Started can only be denoted as splendid from start to finish.

You can listen to and buy the album here. The CD can be ordered directly from Kool Kat here.

...............................

Somerdale - Maggie Says It Again

I've never done lists, I've never seen the point. My favourites change weekly and a lot of the time, you are comparing Apples with Oranges. I have always picked an album of the year and for I Don't Hear A Single's first year and for the first time ever, I named two albums as my joint albums of the year.

Nick Piunti's Trust Your Instincts album is his best yet and that shared the spotlight with Somerdale's third album, Shake It Maggie. Nick Piunti is on Marty Scott's revived Jem Recordings Label and the fantastic news is that Somerdale are now signed to Jem. Having the weight of Jem behind them, a label that includes The Anderson Council, Nick Piunti and The Bayonets on it can only help give Somerdale the success they clearly deserve. I really do rate them that highly.

The album really is so good that it deserves wider attention, so the band returned to the studio to add four new songs to the original masterpiece. All four are great additions and you've probably heard them on the radio. I know my colleagues at KOR Radio are well into them.

I've incorporated my original review below. You can buy the album for download or as it should be heard, CD, at Amazon US and Amazon UK.


Now this is the territory that I always feel at home in. New Jersey's Somerdale are a three piece power pop group that would easily be at home in 1975 UK fighting it out for a Top 5 spot with some Chinn and Chapman prodigy.

The album really is high class Pop Rock. In ASH's nine years, this is the sort of thing we usually celebrate. However, it's normally some lost album that we fawn about, Jigsaw, Pilot, Ace, you name 'em. We've often mused about why there are no new bands doing this now. Well now we have Somerdale.





This sort of 70's Medium Wave Territory is something I spend a lot of time listening to and trust me, I know my stuff. I also get to listen to a lot more badly done stuff than good. "Shake It Maggie" has been the biggest surprise for me for a long time. It's fantastic.

Don't get the impression that the album is derivative, because it's not any way. It doesn't wear it's influences on it's arm. the songs just gently remind you of that time.

"Take It From The Top" could be Liverpool Express and should probably be the lead single. "Waiting For You" could be Jigsaw. On other songs, you hear 10CC, The Arrows, Andrew Gold, the list goes on.

.


"Puddles Of Me" could be prime time Badfinger.  "She's Leaving California" hints at a rocking John Miles. The biggest surprise is that Somerdale are American, they sound so English. Finally for the Power Pop Kids, well there's "The Coolest Kid In The Room", pure Fountains Of Wayne.

I remind readers often that this place is not for the gushing, I receive a lot of music and it's always appreciated. However I have a policy of only reviewing things that I like. I've done hatchet jobs on things that I don't in the past, I'd rather not these days, it's unfair and I just choose not to review them.

So when I tell you that this is the best thing I've heard in ages, you can trust that remark. Shake It Maggie is, it's a superb listen and right up my street.

I Don't Hear A Single Album Of The Year

2016 has been a strange old year. The deaths have been well covered elsewhere and here at ASH Towers, we've had an unusually chaotic second half of the year that has put our lives in perspective. After a quiet first half of the year music wise, the second half of the year exploded and coincidentally, the I Don't Hear A Single Blog was here to cover it after going public in July.

People who know me, know I don't do lists. Part of me doesn't see the point, but more relevantly, my favourite albums change weekly, daily, hourly, so any list would be a snapshot of that particular time of day.

I would say that anything that has appeared on here is worthy of anyone's record collection. We only review what we like and if it does appear on here it's because it's a great offering from the artist involved. The Blog isn't sycophantic, we just don't review what we don't like.

I've always made an effort to name my own album of the year and I give it great thought. This year has been the most difficult. due to the quality. The likes of Greg Pope and The Nines have produced stunning albums. Sugarbush Records has had an outstanding year and those vinyl releases have been a joy.

For the first time ever I couldn't decide between two albums and after much consideration, I've copped out and gone for joint albums of the year. I must emphasise though that anything on here was in serious contention and I urge you to browse through the archive to listen to the artists featured.

It has been the year of Michigan, fantastic albums from Ryan Allen, The Legal Matters and Nick Piunti have ensured that, but my joint album of the year has to be Nick Piunti's Trust Your Instincts. The third in a trilogy of albums that have threatened to breakthrough and bring Power Pop to the masses, Trust Your Instincts should finally achieve mainstream success for Piunti and appears to be doing so. It's an object lesson in how to write and perform great Power Pop.

You can read the review here.

The joint selection is because one other album grabbed these ears just as much as Nick's album. New Jersey's Somerdale released their third album and it's the kind of record that people seem not to make any more. Pop Rock from a bygone age that would stand up with any album from that mid 70's genre.

Shake It Maggie is getting lots of attention in the UK and Europe but deserves a much wider audience.

You can read the review here.


The great news is that there's far more great stuff to come. I'm so far behind on reviews, that there's plenty more great stuff to recommend.

Somerdale - Merry Christmas Time

There's been a lot of great singles and EP's over the last month or so. I'm currently in the midst of compiling a big I Do Hear A Single post that may even stretch into two parts. People who know me, know that I'm not a great lover of Christmas singles, I find most unnecessary, bland tosh or rubbish covers.

However, I've pulled out and separated this for two reasons. Firstly, Somerdale have had a fantastic year. I delight in how the Shake It Maggie album is being received. It's one of the great albums of the year and you can read my thoughts here.

Secondly, this Christmas single is a hark back to the classic Glam Rock Christmas singles of the 70's.

Everything about it is totally charming. The arrangement is beautifully reminiscent of my teenage years. The guitar riff, the hand claps, the harmonies. Everything falls wonderfully into place. The first time I heard this, it brought a great big smile to my face, not an easy thing to do.

You can buy it for under a pound from Amazon or Apple.

Somerdale - Shake It Maggie

Now this is the territory that I always feel at home in. New Jersey's Somerdale are a three piece power pop group that would easily be at home in 1975 UK fighting it out for a Top 5 spot with some Chinn and Chapman prodigy.

The album really is high class Pop Rock. In ASH's nine years, this is the sort of thing we usually celebrate. However, it's normally some lost album that we fawn about, Jigsaw, Pilot, Ace, you name 'em.

We've often mused about why there are no new bands doing this now. Well now we have Somerdale.





This sort of 70's Medium Wave Territory is something I spend a lot of time listening to and trust me, I know my stuff. I also get to listen to a lot more badly done stuff than good. "Shake It Maggie" has been the biggest surprise for me for a long time. It's fantastic.

Don't get the impression that the album is derivative, because it's not any way. It doesn't wear it's influences on it's arm. the songs just gently remind you of that time.

"Take It From The Top" could be Liverpool Express and should probably be the lead single. "Waiting For You" could be Jigsaw. On other songs, you hear 10CC, The Arrows, Andrew Gold, the list goes on.

.


"Puddles Of Me" could be prime time Badfinger.  "She's Leaving California" hints at a rocking John Miles. The biggest surprise is that Somerdale are American, they sound so English. Finally for the Power Pop Kids, well there's "The Coolest Kid In The Room", pure Fountains Of Wayne.

I remind readers often that this place is not for the gushing, I receive a lot of music and it's always appreciated. However I have a policy of only reviewing things that I like. I've done hatchet jobs on things that I don't in the past, I'd rather not these days, it's unfair and I just choose not to review them.

So when I tell you that this is the best thing I've heard in ages, you can trust that remark. Shake It Maggie is, it's a superb listen and right up my street. I read that they've released two albums before this, I'm just sorry I missed them, because this album is fantastic.

You can listen to the album and then buy it here.  An absolute bargain at 7 dollars.  The CD can be bought at the likes of Ray's Kool Kat Musik.

Somerdale you have a fan and I suspect many more when the ASH crowd get a hold of this.