The fourth week of our trial in which we add the LTTW Playlist to Mixcloud. It is usually exactly the same as the Monday playlist, just on an extra format and allows listeners to hear the whole thing without individual clicks.
This week only 27 of the 30 songs appear on this mix. Our intention was always to see what the reaction to this was after 5 weeks. We can decide if there is demand, feedback welcome. We are always looking at what we do, comparing the time taken to compile versus the time that could be spent writing reviews.
Having added the original LTTW, which remains incredibly popular and Here Is The News, we are aware that we still want to major on Album Reviews. A reminder of the song order is below. Links to the Mixcloud Playlist are also below.
01 Jamie Turner - Hum Drum.mp3
02 Dale Webster - Life's A One Way Train.mp3
04 Broken Bow - Rainfall.mp3
05 The Souls - Bangladesh.mp3
06 Pseud - Dressed To Kill.mp3
07 Young Scum - Lighter Blue.mp3
08 The Infinity Chamber - Get Down.mp3
09 First Day Of Spring - On Monday.mp3
10 Stinkus - Take What You Want
11 Rudy Nuno - Serenity
12 Bruce Moody - Labels
13 King Ropes - Radio Jane
14 Lodet - Somon Dobert
15 Goodnight Sunrise - Maybe It's Just Me
16 Take 24 - Our Love Is Asleep.mp3
17 Bucky And The Bookworms - Big Mouthin'
18 Dear Providence - Burnt Post
19 Naked Giants - Bad Guys Win
20 Crazy Sally - Freedom
21 Riot Collective - Don't Count Me Out (Feat. AJ Perdomo)
After bemoaning the shortage of choices last week, we are delighted to be back up to the full 30 this week and it has probably been our biggest number of submissions since we started LTTW. The result is an absolute crackerjack of a playlist.
I do hope that you can listen to all the songs across this week. The last listed is as great as the first and you have plenty of time to listen. This weekly playlist is solely for submissions, not the usual stuff that we dig out ourselves.
All embeds open in new windows to aid scrolling. Links to the artists will also appear on I Don't Hear A Single Social Media sites over the next 24 hours. This will help you to discover more about the artists who appear here.
A reminder that we don't have A Spotify Account purposely. We don't believe that it helps the artists who appeal to us and our followers in any way. So we only embed a Spotify link if there is no other available or the artist insists on it.
Jamie Turner - Hum Drum
Dale Webster - Life's A One Way Train
the dt's - Cherry
Broken Bow - Rainfall
The Souls - Bangladesh
Pseud - Dressed To Kill
Young Scum - Lighter Blue
The Infinity Chamber - Get Down
First Day Of Spring - On Monday
Stinkus - Take What You Want (feat. lophile)
Santiago & The Soulmovers - I'm Free From You
Rudy Nuño - Serenity
Bruce Moody - Labels
King Ropes - Radio Jane
lodet - Somon Dobert
Goodnight Sunrise - Maybe It's Just Me
Kraig Durco - Pow
Take 24 - Our Love Is Asleep
Bucky And The Bookworms - Big Mouthin'
Dear Providence - Burnt Post
Naked Giants - Bad Guys Win
Crazy Sally - Freedom
Riot Collective With Aj Perdomo - Don't Count Me Out
As a paid up member of the Jon Auer fanboy society, I think we should bang on his front door until he finally gets a new solo album out, it is nice to hear something similar. Yours & Mine are a trio who get pretty close to that Posies vibe.
The New York Trio of Greg Baldwin, Kris Hayes and Dan Wintersteen have fashioned up a great debut album. I could tell you more, but my great friend, Patrick from Sweet Sweet Music has published a great interview with Greg that tells you all you need to know about the history of the band. You can read that here. There's also a mention of another fave of ours, Extra Arms in it.
The sound is Posies like with big riffs and choruses, but Baldwin's vocal gets close to Lindsey Buckingham at times or I dread to say it, like a restrained Liam Gallagher. For all intents and purposes, the band come across as a Power Trio who are locked in and provide a great Power Pop or Guitar Pop sound, whatever your preference of genre naming is.
I'm Not Ready To Go is a great opener, jumping in with an ace summer vibe, all riff. a restrained melodic vocal and a killer chorus. Shadow shows a slightly different side to the trio, slight rockier, more Indie Rock with a meandering accompanying Guitar that sound more US 90s College Rock, even a little Britpop.
Our Own even sounds like a rocked up Dropkick with a massive Glasgow chorus. There is also great variation. Keep On is very UK New Wave, even a little Glenn Tilbrook and Who Knows is wonderful restrained Jangle Pop.
The Kid gets into Cotton Mather territory and The Here And The Now is a rare moment of slowing it right down and the band prove themselves just as adept at that. They even close the album with a slice of UK Beat on Gimme Gimme Rock & Roll. The Shadow You Cast is a splendid listen,
You can listen to and buy the album here. It is available at Name Your Price for a limited time.
Paul Kelly, a stalwart of the Glasgow scene has been threatening to follow up The Martial Arts 2006 debut album and 18 years on, number 2 is finally with us. The in demand sideman offers up a cracking Pop Rock ride that is both charming and chorus led.
Although feeling and sounding very 70s, there are hints of both the 60s and UK New Wave. But the album is most in common with the West Coast Pop of the likes of The Explorers Club, a little less vocal harmony led, but much more Sunshine Pop.
Almost Bubblegum joy seeps out aided by big arrangements and Kelly's gentle understated vocal. The latter being the key requisite as Kelly could make you enjoy him singing the Phone Book. A song like Exploding Crushing Inevitable could be imagined appearing midway through an American Cartoon Series.
Friends Of Fools has hints of 70s Glam Rock, certainly the singalong Pop that accompanied that period. But there are diversions, Hold On Full Of Hope is New Wave Pop of the highest order. Not Coming Down has a killer chorus and a slight Pete Wylie feel.
Working On My Eyes is the big ballad and adds a great Sax break, but the real stand out is the closer, aptly called Closing Number which is melancholic, almost heartbreaking, but breaks out into Jangling Joy with a Psych Pop instrumental ending. It is a magnificent six minutes.
Kelly has that knack of the best jaunty songwriters with songs of sadness and lost relationships surrounded by instrumental happiness. There's a real chipper vibe to In There Like Swimwear that is infectious. You don't have to bang songs out to make them appeal. Great stuff!
You can listen to and buy the album here. It is available on Vinyl or as a download.
As the Festival Season nears an end, so the new releases start to come and what new releases they are!
Tamar Berk - Good Times For A Change
We adore Tamar Berk. She has lived a life and so is able to apply her lyrical depth to both joy and sadness, doing both incredibly well. She can bang out a catchy riff driven Power Pop or Pop Rock or sound incredibly vulnerable and melancholic.
Every album reveals a new slant without ever negating what she is good at. This is no exception and reaching for a cliche, this one is her best yet. Trailed by the splendid single, Good Impression, the album is due for a 6 September release on Vinyl and CD. You can pre-order those now, but also listen to the full album and buy the digital release now.
Daryll-Ann - Spring
Some of you will remember how beloved Daryll-Ann were in the Anything Should Happen days. We republished Mick's piece for ASH in our early IDHAS days here. We've followed the post band days often and to see them back does bring a tear or two to our eyes in joy.
Spring is released on 13 September and has been previewed by two singles, Everything I Knew and A Note About Time, both excellent. The album is available from Excelsior Recordings, probably the most efficient European label that I've ever ordered from. You can pre-order the return of our Dutch heroes on Vinyl or CD here.
Mike Viola - Rock Of Boston
In all of my musical Internet life, Mike Viola has been a constant. When far more noted for Power Pop, he was one of the giants and unknown to many here, he was part of one of the three references for the I Don't Hear A Single name. The Major Labels song was on one of my favourite albums ever and the trio of Viola, Bleu and the sadly missed Ducky Carlisle were one hell of a trio.
You can listen to that song here. Viola has become a sober elder statesman of Power Pop and his recent album releases have been every bit as good as what has gone before. Loginx are also a fantastic label. They don't release masses of albums. but those that they do are splendid and feature tried and tested artists. You can pre-order the album for its 20 September Release on Vinyl, CD and as a download here.
Paul Molloy - The Madmen Of Apocalypso
We adored Paul Molloy's debut album, The Fifth Dandelion. It seems like yesterday that I reviewed here, so I was more than surprised to realise that it was four years ago. The Coral's Guitarist has followed that up with another cracker.
The new one is still is set in the wonderful Psych Pop of that debut, but spreads its reach a little further with wit and versatility and he still gets close to Toytown at times, Hurrah!. The album can be pre-ordered here and is released on 6 September.
Chime School - The Boy Who Ran The Paisley Hotel
Chime School's second album is one that we've been patiently waiting for for quite some time. It pushes all the buttons that we and lots of our followers love. Plenty of 80s Guitar Pop and Jangle is mixed with an ability to stretch out into the worlds of Teenage Fanclub and Dropkick.
Melody is the key and with catch all choruses and killer slightly gentle riffs, it is down for a review here on release. You can order the Vinyl, CD or Download here. You can listen to three of the 11 songs there including the one below. The album is released on 23 August.
Ex Norwegian - House Music and Sketch Expanded Versions
I think many of you know of my adoration of Ex Norwegian. I've been there from the start and they have never disappointed. It is a fight between and The Mommyheads who I have spent most time with. I am also in admiration of what Roger Houdaille has done and continues to do with the Think Like A Key label.
30 August brings Remastered and Expanded Editions as well as Vinyl releases of the albums from 2010 and 2012. The Less Tiesto Edition of House Music features a complete Remaster of the original album and 13 Bonus Tracks. You can pre-order that here.
The Extra Sketch Edition of Sketch again contains a complete Remaster of the original album and adds 22 Bonus Tracks. You can pre-order that here.
Bad Moves - Wearing Out The Refrain
Washington DC's quartet release their third album on 13 September. Their seems a much chirpier affair than 2020's Untenable which sounded darker at times. The male / female vocal switches work really well with the material.
Songs that are great jaunty Guitar Pop, beautifully arranged and performed with killer choruses. However the lyrical excellence reveals a real social conscience. This may very well become your favourite album of the year.
There is also a UK Glam Rock vibe to the songs at times. 3 of the 11 songs can be listened to now. I've chosen Hallelujah to demonstrate that Glam Rock feel, but New Year's Reprieve is the killer single. You can pre-order the album on Vinyl, CD or Download here.
Best Bets - The Hollow Husk Of Feeling
So great that they opened a recent Listening To This Week, Best Bets release their excellent second album on the splendid Meritorio Records label. Recorded in Ōtautahi Christchurch, there is a spiritual side to the album without ever becoming earnest.
This is Power Pop, but also leans towards the IRS 80s. The geeky references are still there with the likes of Mortal Kombat and Seinfeld together with the relevance of everyday banality. But the songs are both uplifting and extremely catchy. You can pre-order this 27 September release here. The album is available on Vinyl or as a download.
The Junior League - Our Broadcast Day
We have always been big admirers of Joe Adragna's The Junior League. He masters Power Pop that could have been recorded in any decade. At times there is a cool 80s Guitar Pop feel, but his latest EP, Nattering Nabobs is great Power Pop. That can be listened to and bought here.
The title track is co-written with JJ Murphy who adds Guitar and is classic West Coast Guitar Pop. The excitement is building for his album release on 4 October. Our Broadcast Day rings out with melody and harmony. Details will appear on the same Bandcamp site as the EP.
The Successful Failures - Enemy Sublime
The 11th album from Trenton New Jersey's The Successful Failures is a cracker. A quartet that you just can't pigeon hole, they are as at ease with Indie Rock or Power Pop. Americana as Classic Rock. You just have to listen to a whole album to realise that you still can't label them.
They can blast out Riff led Rock and although that may suit Mick Chorba's big vocal most, he is equally adept on quieter songs. The band master the Front Porch as well as the big venue and their reputation as a live act is second to none. You can pre-order the 11 October release here. It is available on Vinyl, CD or as a Download.
The Boys With The Perpetual Nervousness - Dead Calm Deluxe Edition
The collaboration between Dropkick's Andrew Taylor and Gonzalo Marcos of El Palacio De Linares has just got better and better, so it does feel like time to revisit that splendid debut album from 2019. Remastered with 7 Bonus Tracks, 6 being Demos, it remains as great a debut as it felt then.
Taylor has one of the great voices of Guitar Pop and it is testament to Dropkick that his band now gets almost as many references as Teenage Fanclub in that genre. The new version is released on 13 September and can be bought here on one of two Vinyl versions and as a Download.
Los Angeles's COWBOY BOY describe themselves as Pink Glittery Power Pop and there is a lot of truth in that, but it is really only half the story. Olivia Maria and Mike Kevin initially come across as a popped up Pop Punk duo.
The opening part of the album will obviously compared to Avril Lavigne. Maria is a great vocalist, all self effacing attitude and like a more restrained Lavigne and Kevin is Butch Walker without the over production and those bloody handclaps.
But both are far more diverse. Maria can be far more delicate and Kevin offers up great Classic Rock riffs and solos that make you realise that Lipstick On A Pig is equally Indie Rock and Pop Rock amongst the Power Pop.
The best comparison of the chalk and cheese is Dissolver. Both parts are relatively short sub two minute affairs and the first part is a wondrous performance from Maria, gentle, heartfelt, almost heart breaking. But the second part just explodes, all noise and built around killer Guitar work.
Perfectly also reveals Maria's sensitivity, a melodic restrained vocal that underlines her lyrical adeptness, this is certainly not an album of woe is me shoutiness. The album is at its best when it rocks out though and Great Scott is the best example of rocking with restraint and what a Guitar solo.
But Nice Girl is the killer single, all riff and attitude matching that vocal strength with a superb instrumental arrangement. The beauty of Lipstick On A Pig is that you approach it thinking it is one thing, yet leave it thinking it is something else. Great Stuff.
You can listen to and buy the album here, It is available on Vinyl or as a download.
The third week of our trial in which we add the LTTW Playlist to Mixcloud. It is usually exactly the same as the Monday playlist, just on an extra format and allows listeners to hear the whole thing without individual clicks. This week only 21 of the 23 tracks appear on this mix as we have been waiting for two of the songs to be able to add them. We have had to go now to allow the rest of the week to be dedicated to Reviews.
A reminder of the song order is below. Links to the Mixcloud Playlist are also below.
