I Don't Hear A Single Albums Of The Year 2024 : 61-70

 

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.

61 Dan Miraldi - Ulysses      IDHAS Review

62 Ian St. George - Emergency Index      IDHAS Review

63 The Phase Problem - The Power Of Positive Thinking      IDHAS Review

64 ahem - Avoider      IDHAS Review

65 The Shop Window - Daysdream     IDHAS Review

66 The Violet Twilight - Above The Clouds       IDHAS Review

67 Mark & The Clouds - Machines Can't Hear You      IDHAS Review

68 Raised On TV - Make Time To Make Time      IDHAS Review

69 The Real Numbers - Thank You      IDHAS Review

  

70 Spiral Heads - 'Til I'm Dead     IDHAS Review

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The Shop Window - Daysdream

 

I've been dying to tell you about this album for quite a while. The Shop Window are from Maidstone, but the five piece have made their name as Jangle Poppers rather than the usual Medway scene's dalliance with Psych Pop.

Their third album is a double and quite a herculean affair that is divided into two, Days And Dream. Days covers the Jangle Pop that you know, love and sort of expect and boy does it Jangle. However, decades are crossed magnificently. 

Days covers everything from Merseybeat to the Jangle explosion of the UK 80s. From the US rocked up 90s version to the modern version dominated by the likes of Eyelids and of course pointers to Byrds. It does at times feel a bit Marr and Squire, even Ride, but is so beautifully done.

However, it is never set in its ways. It's A High adds a wonderful Twang and uses Brass well as Northern Uproar used to do. Beyond The Stars gets close to Brit Pop. Live To Love & Love Your Life is a gentle anthem that adds more tasteful Brass.

Dream is very different, magnificently so, almost experimental. Blues is a song that I've become very familiar, it chimes, but is more Pop Rock in which the vocal compliments the instrumentally so well. Loneliness sounds very Camp Fire.

A World Where We Remain is much moodier, melancholic and brooding.Happy Now continues that feel. Then there is the closer, Made In Heaven, all 7 minutes of it. More electronic, a song that grips you and builds into a massive soundscape that is almost hypnotic. A splendid listen.

So two very different halves make up Daysdream. One is the jaunty joy that Jangle should and does bring. The other has more of a darker shoegaze vibe in which the Jangle is still around, but more in the background. This is an album that is ambitious and yet so easy to like. Top Notch!

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

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