Listening To This Week Playlist

Earlier than usual, an absolute corker this week. A varied 32 songs, but also a hint of returning heroes with Orgone Box, Dropkick, Dom Mariani and Silver Sun appearing. One of the best Playlists that we've ever compiled. I know we would say that, but have a listen to see if we are right.

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, most likely tomorrow due to the later hour of posting. This will help you to discover more about the artists who appear here. 

CMON CMON - All The Other Kids

Killer Cashew - Romance

Ryan Hendry - No Time For Wondering

The Warlochs - Nosedive

Tasks - Bring On The Flood

Combos For Dogs - Trilogy Of Terror

Orgone Box - Web Of Melancholia

Verry Gerry - The Face You Try To Hide

The Sabs - Cloudy Day

Silver Sun - Nothing To Show For It

Hushtones - Paper Flowers

Dropkick - Dreams Expire

Dom Mariani - Jangleland

Tomato Flower - Radical

Kaleb Braun-Schulz With The Nightingale Band - One Arm Free, No Legs Free

Flying Hearts - Gangster Lies

Blair Davie - Coming Of Age

Devin Johnson - Painting Pink

Ellen May - Bombs Away

Barking Poets - Arizona

Palejoy - I Bet Heaven Isn't Real At All

Heavy Sweater - Eyelids

Minorcan - Scorpio Sting

Alligator Ladies - Crazy Magician Man

The Rusted - One Time For The Rebels

Doubt Kills - Timebomb

Ignatius Reilly - Great Escape

Dark Triad - It Could Be Worse

The Discarded - The Green Door

Tropico Duclos - Submarino o Whisky

Slung - Fire To Burn

Baraka Palmer - Technology

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Mt. Misery - Love In Mind

 

I'd heard quite a few of the songs ahead of the album and Hartlepool's Mt. Misery have conjured up one hell of a Pop album. The debut could be a little sad sounding at times, this follow up eschews all of that in favour of the chipper and downright catchy.

Hey is great Guitar Pop, it reminded me a lot of Caper Clowns and leads off a fine listen. There seems to be a real wave of bands breaking through from the North East, these four may be the best. More Indie Pop than Pop Rock, Mt. Misery can breakout though.

Love To Kill gets really close to Dropkick and even latter day Teenage Fanclub. It jangles like a good un. Driving Through A Dream sounds like something off a great 70s Pop Rock album, wonderfully gentle, but incredibly melodic.

Heatwave could be from a West Coast Guitar Pop album and yet Waking Up sounds like 60s Summer Pop.  On My Mind is wonderful 80s Jangle Pop to a tee and Movies picks up the pace wonderfully aided by a splendid slightly weeping riff an ace solo.

There may be some who would like a little more breaking out, and the band are more than capable of this, but why would you when you master the laidback so well. Well performed and arranged, with a top notch production. What's not to like? Love In Mind hits the spot significantly.

You can listen to and buy the album here.

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The Smashing Times - Mrs Ladyships and the Cleanerhouse Boys

 

Prepare to be amazed. Baltimore's The Smashing Times' last album was a wonderful Pop album. They follow it with something very different. Gone are the catchy ditties, replaced with something absolutely wonderful. Underground Pop is a description that doesn't really do it justice.

I listen to a lot of music, too much sometimes and I'm always looking for something out of the ordinary. There is Intelligent Indie to be had, great Psych Pop too, but you have to search hard for it. Too much music sounds the same as everything else. Lately it has been even more of a challenge than usual.

The song titles will give you an inkling that this album is something out of the ordinary. I suppose you might call it Left Field, but what exactly is that. Vocally, it does sound very Brit and with the band beginning a 7 date UK Tour at the end of November, you can witness that in the raw.

Mrs Ladyships and the Cleanerhouse Boys is one of those albums that will take time to appreciate, but they are usually the best long players and last the longest. There is a 60s Psych edge, but there is also a fair bit of Jangle around.

For all the Syd Barrett descriptions that will spring out, there is even an Indie C86 feel at times and songs come from unusual angles, for instance, it is a while since I've heard whistling on an album.

Rupert Tingle, Button Thief is great Psych Pop, bordering on Toytown, yet still has a breakout part that could be Brit Pop. Wednesday, On A Hummingbird's Wing is incredibly inventive. It is a song built on a Jangled riff, but could be Julian Cope or Pulp and yet still sounds very 1967.

The references are very 60s, but there is more within. This is an album that you might find on the Fruits de Mer label or Gare Du Nord. It may take time to appreciate, but that time is well spent. In a sea of mediocrit, The Smashing Times are a shining beacon of light. Totally Splendid!

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

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Willie Dowling - The Simpleton

 

As long time fans of Honeycrack, Jackdaw4 and The Dowling Poole, we just couldn't resist a listen to Willie Dowling's debut solo album. Particularly, as we had heard that it was gonna be a Piano Pop affair and we do love the Piano.

It is more Piano Driven Pop Rock than a straight ahead man on a piano stool affair. You will have heard the Title Track opening up the current Listening To This Week Playlist and that sounds more than a little Andy Partridge. That was the song that encouraged Dowling to take on the album and you can fully understand why.

The album is essentially one of two halves. There are the 70s Pop Rock songs that border on a Softer Rock. All beautifully arranged and performed with the lyrical adeptness that is too often taken for granted, Dowling is a super songwriter.

Even on those lighter moments, there is still variety. Then there are the big production numbers which at time lean more towards The Dowling Poole with the Piano replacing keyboards. The closer, In The Ocean builds and builds with a wonderful arrangement.

Sadie Goldman is very sedate, but expertly sang and hypnotic. At times, these songs are very reminiscent of Kid In A Big World era John Howard. But when these songs break out, the word magnificent is the only one I can attach to them.

The Gravy Train vocal is Bowie-esque and the jauntiness of Down The Slide is totally affecting, a little Andrew Gold in places. I Killed My Imaginary Friend may be best thing here, lightning fist, a little 80s New Wave with a hint Toytown. Dowling has never made a bad album, he certainly isn't gonna start now and this is one of his best.

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

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Tomato Flower - No

 

I know many, and definitely me, bemoan the end of The Sugarplastic. I have always loved the angular earlier stuff of that band and so No as an album delights me. The Baltimore quartet have that angular. slightly chaotic, but splendid Guitar Pop down to a tee.

Previous to this, Tomato Flower have been more noted more for their Dream Pop, slightly pastoral and gently Psychedelic. This album still contains a couple of  great examples of that past, but is largely more about the Intelligent Alternative Indie Pop that we know and adore.

Destroyer is an ideal example of early Sugarplastic, despite it getting a little shouty the odd time. The instrumental arrangement on Radical is very Polly Brown. It is the arrangements across the album that are captivating, a little basic at times, but very inventive.

The Riff on Sally & Me is almost Prog and yet Tomato Flower are comfortable with mellow Pop. Temple Of The Mind is almost Disco Fun and Harlequin encroaches 70s Pop Rock Easy Listening. Do It is very New Wave, even Devo at times, almost mechanical.

Lost Lunar One even gets close to Dream Pop and reveals another fine arrangement. Magdelene even as a Fripp feel to the riff. The whole thing is incredibly engaging and the vocal sharing between Jamison Murphy and Austyn Wohlers dovetails beautifully. Wonderful Stuff!

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

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Bonfire Night Delays

Reviews have been slowed due to the Fireworks being let off in the area over the past few days. Hopefully, this is the last night. Meet Bailey, our Lurcher. who is petrified by the big bangs and my evenings have been spent settling him down.

Reviews are back tomorrow and then this post will be taken down. So with having a short moment of fame, Bailey would like you to know that he is 5 on December 2nd and that he does accept gifts.

The Review catch up begins tomorrow evening.

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Listening To This Week Playlist

27 songs this week and also an example of how fiercely we guard our independence. Despite regular offers of collaboration, we believe that keeping our freedom is the be all and end all. What other playlist would be essentially Pop Rock, but able to insert an 11 minute Prog song? 

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, most likely tomorrow due to the later hour of posting. This will help you to discover more about the artists who appear here. 

Willie Dowling - The Simpleton

Nick Joseph - Pale, Tired Bones

Mt. Misery - On My Mind https://mtmisery.bandcamp.com/track/on-my-mind

Blake - Lighting Up For You

anna!! - The Brightest

anna!! · red (the brightest)

Barbara - Waiting Outside Alone

SlackRebel - Escape

Forgotten Dream - Rabbit Hole

Eric Barlow - Raving At The Wall

Stinako - I Believe

The Smivets - Close To The Hedge

Horse Chops - Mr. Headphones

The Electorate - Face Of A Giant

The Green Pajamas - Something About The Light

Captain Wilberforce - The Installation

Soft On Crime - Repo Man

Tony Billings - One

D-Tension - He/Him

Tablefox - Where Do I Belong?

Magic User - Like The Moon

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Velociraptor - Drag Me Under

Raphael Davison - Time Takes Time

Phantom Note - S O S

Sister Ghost - Drain You

2nd Grade - Triple Bypass In B-Flat

Rowan Smith - Slow Clouds

Rat Boogie - Back Of The Bus

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That Was October That Was !

So the last 31 Reviews In 31 Days has been and gone. A very busy October meant that we managed to fit in 34. One thing that we didn't get round to is the Back To The Future Reissue feature, so that will arrive in November,

There are still plenty of Reviews to come and some really interesting Forward Release Dates to arrive. WE also hope to be able to update you all on an expansion planned for I Don't Hear A Single Which is quite exciting. The plans have already begun, but the everyday IDHAS stuff and real life work means that we can't get it up as rapid as we would like. 

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