I Don't Hear A Single Albums Of The Year 2023 : 41-50

 

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.

41 Soft Hearted Scientists - Waltz Of The Weekend      IDHAS Review

42 The Rallies - It Must Be Love      IDHAS Review

43 Sunfruits - One Degree      IDHAS Review

44 Real Terms - Vantage      IDHAS Review

45 Papernut Cambridge - Channel Suite      IDHAS Review

46 The High Strung - Address Unknown      IDHAS Review

47 French Alps Tiger - Switch Off All The Time      IDHAS Review

48 Dead Billionaires - Disaster Preparedness Coloring Book      IDHAS Review

49 Swive - Stereophonic Stylings Volume One      IDHAS Review

50 The Kynd - Timelines       IDHAS Review

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The Kynd - Timelines

 

The Kynd release their second album, 24 years after the first. After reforming in 2021 for live shows in celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the debut single, Egotripper and that splendid debut album, Shakedown was reissued as a Deluxe Edition.

But their plans were bigger. Having searched through the archives, the band realised how great their second album was going to be. Listening to Demos. Rehearsal Tapes and Studio Recordings, the decision was finalised to professionally record these songs at Bark Studios with Brian O’Shaughnessy.

As you might expect there are overtones of Britpop without the Mad For It nonsense. But there aren't as many as you'd expect. in fact the album sounds more like American Pop Rock. Something you might easily find on the Big Stir Label. 

This is helped considerably by Paul King's vocal which comes over as a cross between Mental As Anything and It's Karma It's Cool, maybe suited most to Power Pop. Alive, Alone is classic 60s UK Beat Pop and Work Shy crashes in as New Wave Mod Pop. Saturn Eyes has a fine sprinkling of Farfisa as does Whispers & Tones.

Spitfire Genius is classic Brit Pop, yet Homespun Genius is all Carnaby Street. Effervescent is a cracking venture into Psych Pop. Older starts like something off a Blondie 80's album before revealing a Jangle Pop cracker.

Grace is the big closer, coming in at just short of 6 minutes. Essentially, it compares to the great Pop Rock albums of the 70s, building and building to a wonderful weeping Guitar run. Timelines sounds more like the now and newly recorded, deserves to be treated as such. Highly Recommended!

You can listen to and buy the album here.

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