I Don't Hear A Single Albums Of The Year 2024 : 11-20

 

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.

The Top 10 appears tomorrow.

11 Custard Flux - Einsteinium Delirium     IDHAS Review

12 Feet - Make It Up      IDHAS Review

13 Log Flume - Splash Hit     IDHAS Review

14 Quivers - Oyster Cuts    IDHAS Review

15 Tom Minor - Eleven Easy Pieces On Anger & Disappointment     IDHAS Review

16 Tamar Berk - Good Times For A Change        IDHAS Review

17 The Vegetarians - Space Age Pagliacci      IDHAS Review

18 Custard - Suburban Curtains      IDHAS Review

19 Steve Robinson - Window Seat      IDHAS Review

  

20 The Trafalgars - About Time     IDHAS Review

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Tom Minor - Eleven Easy Pieces On Anger & Disappointment

 

I like to think that I know what I like, but what I like even more is discovering something that completely surprises me. Something that is intelligent, adeptly written and generally it is an album that comes from all directions where each song just engages you with its sheer inventiveness.

Tom Minor's album ticks all of those boxes. It is a myriad of styles that comes at you from many angles. You are not sure what will follow next song wise, even within a song and you find it hard to label, yet everything is so melodic and hypnotic.

For example, It's The Wind Stupid sounds like a Toytown song, but has a Mod Bassline and a killer chorus, a little Andy Partridge maybe in feel maybe? Goddamn And Evil has a Psych riff, yet could easily be Garage Rock. You starting to catch the drift?

Is Everything OK? sounds more 70s, but could also be Steve Marriott or Martin Newell or even Jarvis Cocker. It's Easy To Play Hearts mixes Steve Harley with UK Beat. The two songs with The Creatures Of Habit are real standouts, a fully fleshed sound, but still allowing Minor's quirkiness to flow, slightly Streetwise.

Light Heart Heavy Hand is a lyrically adept piano ballad, song in an American drawl. The Dog walkers is far more straight ahead and even sounds a little Joe Strummer vocally. Where Do You See Yourself In Five Years is all R and B and Mouth Organ, perhaps a slowed down Dr Feelgood, but also vocally a little Music Hall.

Daydreams Come True At Night is even a lullaby closer. Interstellar Standstill is wonderful. Moody and Magnificent, with a more laidback vocal. It reminds me of Ian Hunter vocally. The rap is also surprise, you think it won't fit and shouldn't be there. But like Rush's Double Agent, it works beautifully.

Eleven Pieces On Anger & Disappointment is incredibly inventive. I'd love to know what goes through Minor's mind. It isn't an instantly accessible album and needs repeated listens to realise its excellence. But once hooked you will have it by you forever. Lyrically adept and a myriad of styles, this is wonderful.

You can listen to the album and buy it here.

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