I Don't Hear A Single Albums Of The Year 2024 : Top 10

 

So we get to our Best 10 Albums Of 2024. Any of these 10 could have been Number 1 and this reflected how diverse I Don't Hear A Single has become over the years. It is essentially a home for Indie Pop Rock, but it isn't afraid of taking different paths. For instance Prog and Psych is placed well amongst the 100 albums, which is a testament to how open the ears of followers are.

We chose The Armoires because we believe it was so different to much of everything else we heard in 2024. But, any album that is reviewed on IDHAS is recommended. We only review what we have liked. The 100 albums will be posted as a list later.

1 The Armoires - Octoberland     IDHAS Review

2 The Mommyheads - One Eyed Band      IDHAS Review

3 Teenage Frames - Everything Has Led To This     IDHAS Review

4 King Black Acid - Victory For Mad Love    IDHAS Review

5 Emperor Penguin - Gentlemen Thieves     IDHAS Review

6 Silk Cut - Silk Cut       IDHAS Review

7 Amateur Ornithologist - Hide      IDHAS Review

8 Silent Forum - Domestic Majestic      IDHAS Review

9 Ward White - Here Comes The Dowsers      IDHAS Review

  

10      James Sullivan - Vital Signs     IDHAS Review

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Ward White - Here Comes The Dowsers

 

As long time supporters of Ward White, we are delighted to see him on Roger Houdaille's excellent Think Like A Key label. As you might expect, White continues his usual inventive take on Art Rock with his plummy vocal and unique storytelling, but at times this feels like his commercial album yet.

Whereas you normally expect the Bowie-esque stylings of Cliffhanger, with lots and lots of words, that takes on an extra dimension with its Guitar solo. There is also an out and out killer Pop Rock song in the opener, Continuity.

It doesn't end there. Our Town is so damn catchy with its killer chorus, slight Jangle and background Piano Pop, there's even some whistling. Pick Up Your Face is even as close as Ward White will ever get, it is a splendid song.

This is not to say that White has forgotten what he is about. There is still plenty of the wonderful storytelling that he is noted for. His writing lets you imagine the scenes of the characters and events that he betrays.

There is also the magnificent closer Speak, Harry. Superbly arranged, moody and melancholic, it is a fitting curtain on a fine album. The title track is also an example of what White excels at, 70s sounding smoothness, lyrical excellence and a hook all chorus.

Here Comes The Dowsers is his best album yet. There is plenty of what established fans will admire, but there are also lighter, poppier moments that will hopefully bring many more. The man masters his own patch, but it would be nice if there was more general appreciation of his unique talent.

You can listen to and buy the album here. It is available on CD or 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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Ward White - Ice Cream Chords

 

With I Don't Hear A Single being noted for reviewing albums that normally rely on melodic riffs or big choruses, no matter what the genre, you may be surprised to learn that Ward White is one of the most popular read artists, 

I say surprised, because he's not what you would imagine to be the stand out artist amongst the chiming guitars, but he is. Last Year's The Tender Age Review had over 9,000 views, no mean feat for a Blog that covers just a small corner of the musical world. It was rightly in the Top 10 IDHAS Albums Of The Year.

He keeps getting discovered by new listeners, yet he is no overnight sensation, I make this 14 albums in. He's also not your typical Guitar Pop star, his plummy voice might be expected to be more suited to the white lines of the road and there is an almost Ferry-esque lounge lizard feel to his tones.

But this is intelligent Pop Rock at its finest. Unexpected arrangements, vocal twists and a lyrical adeptness mark him out as an unusual, but saving grace. Every album is as good, if not better than the last and Ice Cream Chords builds on his outstanding reputation, 

If anything, this feels even poppier than usual, Lyrically, it as deep as ever, but the instrumentation sounds even more accessible than usual. The new listener generally finds that a Ward White album creeps up on them and then grips them like a vice.

From the moody melancholic Signore to the jaunty Pop Rock of 50,000 Watts ago, this is an album that keeps on giving. Slouch is a wonderful Torch Song, yet Rumors is the nearest White will get to a Pop Song. I've deliberately held back on too many song descriptions, urging you to listen to the album in its entirety. You will be more than glad that you did.

You can listen to and buy the album here. You can find out more about Ward White here,

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I Don't Hear A Single Albums Of The Year 2021 : Top 10

01 The Orange Peels - Celebrate The Moments Of Your Life       IDHAS Review

02 The Easy Button - Lost On Purpose       IDHAS Review

03 Chris Church - Game Dirt       IDHAS Review





04 Andy Bopp - AB      IDHAS Review

05 Ian McNabb - Utopian       IDHAS Review

06 The John Sally Ride - Now Is Not A Great Time      IDHAS Review





07 Livingmore - Take Me        IDHAS Review

08 The Mommyheads - Age of Isolation         IDHAS Review

09 Spygenius - Blow Their Covers        IDHAS Review

10 Ward White - The Tender Age        IDHAS Review





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Ward White - The Tender Age

 

Over the five years plus of I Don't Hear A Single you might expect the most popular review to be something that was all big chorus and riff happy. It is in fact, Ward White's 2020 album, Leonard At The Audit, one of the best things that I had heard in ages that graced the Top 10 of the IDHAS Best Of 2020 list. You can read the review here.

The problem was how do you follow that? Well, The Tender Age equals, if not betters that 2020 masterpiece. White is a revelation, the nearest comparison is prime time Bryan Ferry. He certainly has the charm and the look. The vocals are also not a million miles away, but the songs are a million times more complex and ballads are nowhere in sight.

There is also the lyrical genius. These lyrics are plentiful and you wonder how he gets all the sentence out in one breath. These songs remind me of Ron Mael on those first three Island albums, not in style, but in format. All those words and subjects that are just unexpectedly banal with killer one liners. 

Songs entitled Denture and Gail Where's Your Shoes, subjects such as being charged an extra day for your rental car. White is labelled as an Art Rocker, in truth this is more Art Pop. Beautifully constructed songs that take unexpected twists and turns. 

There is also tons of variation, compare the piano schmooze of Dentures to the pace and Guitar Pop of On Foot. There is a Billy McKenzie feel to Heavy Lifting. In comparison Wasn't It Here rocks, albeit gently. You'll have heard the magnificent Let's Don't Die At The Stoplight on a recent IDHAS 10 Song Mix, something that gets nearest to explaining the phenomenon of Ward White.

Easy Meat is very Bowie-esque and Dirty Clouds deserves special mention for the extraordinary lyrics. If anything this album feels a little more Pop than Leonard At The Audit and there are certainly unexpected Guitar moments. One word describes The Tender Age. Marvellous!

The album is released on the 8 October. You can listen to the two embedded tracks and buy the album here.

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I Don't Hear A Single Albums Of The Year 2020 : Top 10

01 The Corner Laughers - Temescal Telegraph       IDHAS Review

02 Derrero - Time Lapse       IDHAS Review

03 Spygenius - Man On The Sea       IDHAS Review








04 Tugboat Captain - Rut       IDHAS Review

05 Chris Church - Backwards Compatible      IDHAS Review

06 Ward White - Leonard At The Audit      IDHAS Review








07 Paul Molloy - The Fifth Dandelion        IDHAS Review

08 I Do You Do Karate - One Last Job In Mexico        IDHAS Review

09 Davey Lane - Don't Bank Your Heart On It        IDHAS Review

10 Custard Flux - Oxygen        IDHAS Review






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Ward White - Leonard At The Audit

Ward White is one of Los Angeles's Best Kept Secrets. particularly to UK Listeners. The man is an absolute revelation. His lyrics are more akin to poetry and he builds characters in his songs with a depth unrivalled by most singer songwriters.

Arrangements take unexpected turns after unexpected beginnings. Then there is his splendidly plummy voice, more plummy than even Bryan Ferry. He's provided a back catalogue of exceptional albums that sound like they come from anywhere but L.A.







It may be the done thing to state that a new album is the best thing that an artist has ever done or a real return to form, this is neither. Leonard At The Audit simply continues and enhances the stature of  what has gone before. This album is in a league of its own. I don't see anyone around making an album as great or different to what is around.

Take, for instance, a song like Ice Capades. It starts all medieval and ends up as a great Pop Rock affair and it is those changes of directions and general inventiveness that makes Ward White stand out from what else is around.








There is so much here to tuck into. 11 songs of which none are similar. Edmund Fitzgerald Is A Wreck is a jangling Morrissey or Lloyd Cole. Then there is the lounge of Try Me, the Spaghetti Western feel of Dreaming Of Destiny or the 80's vibe of Bubble & Squeak.

Pornagraphic Ennui has a Berlin Bowie feel and then there is Not The Half, an absolute wonder of a song that is desperate to reveal its ringing L.A Roots. This is album of the year material without a doubt. Not a duff song in sight. Beautifully thought out, played and produced. More importantly, those lyrics and that voice! Wow!








You can listen to and buy the album here.


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I Don't Hear A Single Albums Of The Year 2018 : 31-40

2018 has been a fantastic year for the type of music that we like. It's been difficult to get these choices down to 100. I'm also not a believer in saying one album is better than another. Most of the time you are comparing Apples To Oranges. I'm not a Top 10 person, I just think what's the point.

However, for the first time last year, I did a Top 50, normally I just say what my favourite album of the year is. I've simply done it again, because those five posts of last year were so popular and the aim of this Blog is to get exposure (and Sales) for the artists.

As I said the standard this year is incredibly high, so much so that I've extended the choice to 100 albums. There is no meaning or judgement on an album that is Number 1, Number 100 or not on the list. Anything that I review on here, mention on Social Media or play on the Radio Show is as highly recommended.

For each album, I've posted a song from it and a link to the IDHAS Review if applicable.


No 31 : Mike Viola - The American Egypt   

No 32 : The Orange Peels - Trespassing







No 33 : Gretchen's Wheel - Black Box Theory    IDHAS Review here.







No 34 : Ward White - Diminish      IDHAS Review here.






No 35 : Will Wander - Moon Station Volume 1      IDHAS Review here.






No 36 : TGL - The Grand Leve    IDHAS Review here.

No 37 : Ruler - Winning Star Champion






No 38 : Linus Of Hollywood - Cabin Life

No 39 : Custard Flux - Helium    IDHAS Interview here.






No 40 : Chris Richards And The Subtractions - Peaks And Valleys    IDHAS Review here.





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Five 2018 Albums That You Should Own Part 1

Houston's Buxton have fashioned up an excellent laid back affair. A clever use of some old fashioned instruments and centring around an almost Lloyd Cole like vocal, Stay Out Late is wonderfully mellow. All 11 songs breeze by, but a special mention should be given to the splendid, "Jan".

Los Angeles's Ward White returns with his eleventh album and it is another deep beautifully written affair. White's vocal is a cross between David Bowie, Roy Orbison and Elvis Costello and Diminish may be his best collection of songs thus far. Wonderfully moody, heavy on words, it's an adventure from start to finish. It's hard to pick a favourite, but Titans, which I played on the Radio Show, is as good as anything that I've heard this year.

Johnny Stanec's 2018 album is a really accomplished offering. An album that I've been playing for a few months and it certainly deserves more than a few lines. But with a new album almost upon us, I'll save far more words for that. The Future Of Nothing is a heady mix of Classic Rock and Power Pop with Acoustic Interludes in between. It is at it's best when rocks, particularly on the poptastic, When I Was Strange. However, it's Rolling Like Time that hits all the spots for me. You can pick the album up for 5 dollars at present, you should.

When you see that an album is based on a film, the hills normally call you. Not a bit of that here, Nashville's Dave Paulson's Sandusky, Ohio is Piano Rock of the highest order. The album reminds me a lot of Bleu, in it's feel is a mix of great 70's Pop Rock, particularly on the excellent, Don't Let It Get You Down. Turning Around is joyous Power Pop with a great Synth breeak. The whole album stands on it's own as splendid melodic pop, it's well worth your attention.

To end, a real surprise, an album released by a Major that's great. Universal Japan have released J Rocking Duo, Glim Spanky's new album and it's a cracker. I know J Rock (or J Pop) isn't everyone's cup of tea, but Looking For The Magic is a fine album. The fourth album moves far more towards Psych Rock, than the band's more Classic Rock moorings and Hiroki Kamemoto is some guitarist. If you want to step away from the obvious, then this is an album you should grab.