The Mommyheads - New Kings Of Pop (Name Your Price)

 

From our Anything Should Happen days onwards, we've always been fans of The Mommyheads. That's continued on into I Don't Hear A Single. The band's last album, Follow You, was in the IDHAS Top 20 Albums of last year. You can read that review here. 

For a band in their fourth decade, they continue to burst with originality. They also remain hard to define, sound wise. Essentially, Pop Rock, but with heavy hints of Psych Pop and Prog. Every album throws up surprises, some commercial, others not, but the arrangements are always top notch.

 

The Title Track sounds so Sheer Heart Attack era Queen, yet Speck Among Giants is Prog Pop, think King Crimson with a Jon Anderson vocal. Forensic Hero Deconstruction is a tad Peter Gabriel, but also compares with some of the better Prog, think Steven Wilson.

Out From Under The Glass is more like older Mommyheads and a more melodic Radiohead. Focus Group is a world weary, melancholic, largely acoustic wonder of a song. Speaker Heart is another Acoustic led cracker but starts as a Psych Out. 

The whole feel of New Kings Of Pop is one of Prog Pop. Gone are the days of messing about with synths, even the Indie XTC comparisons are long gone. This is a splendidly arranged album that may take repeated listens, but well worth the effort. 

The band always surprise me, in fact I hope and expect them to, but this is truly wonderful. High Class Intelligent Pop is becoming harder to find. You have it here and with the Bandcamp Name Your Price offer, what have you got to lose? It seems fitting to end with a band who rarely disappoint. Highly Recommended!

You can listen to and buy the album here. 

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Hammered Satin - Velvet Vortex

 

Day 30 of the 31 in 31 features a review of an album released in 2019, but that shouldn't hold us back,, because as we are about to enter another Covid lockdown, what is needed is a Glam Rock album. I'm often told that I live in 1974, despite all the new stuff here, well this album makes it feel like it really is 1974.

Velvet Vortex is the second album from Los Angeles quartet, Hammered Satin. However, this is totally UK Glam Rock of 1973 and 1974. I'm told by many US music fans that Glam Rock (or Glitter as they called it) didn't make that much of a splash in the States. It certainly seems to have influenced later generations.

This could be a Chinn and Chapman album. All the pre-requisites of that era are present. Big Chords, hand claps, call and response and chants. If the songs remind you of others from the time, that's because they sound just like them in a Rutles sort of way.

The Title Track is like The Glitter Band backing Marc Bolan. Dynamite has a chorus as catchy as the Mud Song, but isn't a cover of the Chinnichap effort. Satin Stomp could be Kenny and there are hints of lesser known Glam bands, such as Chicory Tip and Hello.

As well as the songs being set in the period, the lyrics are too. double entendres and key phrases of the time. Although the album is very very Glitter Band, the playing offers much more than the originals necessarily provided. 

There are some fine Guitar Solos and the final song, Starchild is a crackerjack effort, it still sounds dated, but is not like anything else on show. It could easily appear on one of the later 70's Pop Rock albums. Velvet Vortex is great fun. it may take you back to simpler times, but that's no bad thing in 2020. 

You can listen to and buy the album here.

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I Don't Hear A Single Audio Extravaganza Volume 104

 

So it's time for Number 104 of the Extravaganza. 21 songs in 67 minutes. Unusually, this tracks the IDHAS Blog more closely due to the 31 Reviews in 31 Days. With so many reviews in October, you'll be able to read about and listen to many of the artists on I Don't Hear A Single. 

There is currently work afoot to do an alternate version of this for other sites, including a download option. The alternate version may even be a chatty affair for those who like to hear more about the songs played. The playlist will remain the same. 

IDHAS isn't about liking and favouriting, I find it all a bit tawdry. However, if you so, like the Mixcloud version, liking it gives the artists wider listening potential. The Audio Extravaganza features regularly in the Mixcloud Global Indie Charts. 

A reminder that these episodes are compiled with great care. The aim is to produce a sort of modern day mix tape. Hopefully this will be the soundtrack to your day. If you use the Mixcloud player at the bottom of this page, each song title is shown as it plays. The playlist itself is also as the first comment on the Mixcloud Episode page.

You can listen to the previous IDHAS Audio Extravaganzas on Mixcloud here.

Here are the contents of Volume 104 :

01 The Persian Leaps - Spoon-Fed

02 The Melancholy Kings - Niomiah

03 Professor And The Madman - Time Machine (Radio Edit)

04 The Happy Fits - Hold Me Down

05 Girl Skin - Forever & Always

06 The Feels - She's Probably Not Thinkin' Of Me

07 A Perfect Day - Give It Away

08 The Overtures - Watching The Grass Grow

09 The Boy Least Likely To - It Could've Been Me (Pop String Version)

10 Parsonsfield - Til I Die

11 The Szuters - Good Thing

12 Lady Legs - Idle Hands

13 Whelligan - Anyone Who Never Had A Heart

14 Wicketkeeper - Modest Breakfast

15 Out Of My Hair - When The Last Wind Blows

16 Coupons - Moz Disco

17 Paul Molloy - Salad Days

18 Amber Run - No One Gets Out Alive

19 Early Humans - Tentacles

20 Mom - Don't Leave With My Heart

21 Trolley - Two Tickets To The Moon

IDHAS Audio Extravaganza Volume 104 Mixcloud Link 



Or Click Below







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Kool Kat Musik Weekly New Release Update

Welcome to the Kool Kat Weekly New Release Update. Kool Kat are distributed in the UK and Europe by I Don't Hear A Single as part of our aim to keep CDs available and affordable. The Kool Kat Links with each album take you to further details on each release and the purchase link.

Further purchase details and links to Kool Kat's Entire Stock can be found here. Without further ado, here are seven new additions to Kool Kat Musik This Week.

Kurt Baker - After Party (Wicked Cool Records) 2020      $13 

                            

What began as raucous noise in a Maine basement is poised to be the soundtrack to many a socially distanced soiree as Kurt Baker gets back to his roots.   “After Party” marks a return to primo power pop form under Kurt’s own name, backed by his five-piece American band.  

Kool Kat Link

Bandcamp Link

Blank Pages - Is This Real? (FDR Records) 2020      $10    

                                     

The world is a heavy place right now and “Is This Real?” (Blank Page’s sixth offering) is a record for these crazy times.  As the title implies, There's a state of disbelief wondering what’s real and what’s fake. Blank Pages songwriter Greg Potter explores these questions through the lens of indie pop, balancing his signature melodic sound with weighty ideas. 

 

Kool Kat Link

Bandcamp Link

Van Duren - Idiot Optimism (Omnivore Records)  2020       $15       

                                

From late 1978 until 1980, after the release of “ Are You Serious?” , Van Duren immediately returned to the studio - recording 14 tracks (one being a medley of two songs) that rivalled his tremendous debut.   “Idiot Optimism” was shelved, eventually being released in Japan without his involvement some 20 years later. Now, at long last, “Idiot Optimism” returns as Van originally intended it to look and sound. 

   

Kool Kat Link

Apple Music Link

Van Duren - Are You Serious? (Omnivore Records)  2020      $15  

       

A Memphis pop icon, Van Duren was not only a contemporary of Big Star, he played with both Chris Bell and Jody Stephens in The Baker Street Regulars.  Managed by Andrew Loog Oldham, his 1978 debut album, “Are You Serious?" Duren plays everything but drums on most tracks and at a time when Beatles influenced pop was a rare commodity, this album was a breath of fresh air for the few who ran across it.  

                                   

Kool Kat Link

Apple Music Link

FaB - This Wicked Pantomime (2CD) (Kool Kat Musik) 2020      $16        

                      

Every once in a while, Kool Kat like to push the boundaries of the scope of pop music that it releases..  FaB (Fitzsimon and Brogan) are one such example. In the 90’s, as members of the band Pretty Blue Gun who were signed to Cavell Records, an indie label licensed to Sony, they released two critically-acclaimed albums.  David Bowie’s drummer from The Spiders from Mars, Woody Woodmansey and Elvis Costello’s drummer, Pete Thomas both guest on the album.

 

Kool Kat Link

Bandcamp Link

Supercrush - SODO Pop (Don Giovanni Records) 2020        $14            

  

Supercrush vacate the territory right bang in the middle of The Posies and Teenage Fanclub without ever really sounding like one or the other. The sonic results demonstrate the type of attention to detail that comes only from countless years of combined experience and devotion to the craft of making great records.

Kool Kat Link

Bandcamp Link

Andrew Taylor - The Lockdown Session – October 2020 (Self Released) 2020      $13         

                                                                 

Still stuck at home during the pandemic, Dropkick’s Andrew Taylor wrote and recorded these 10 songs (playing all of the instruments) for the fourth instalment of his “Lockdown Session”

Kool Kat Link

Bandcamp Link

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Giant Eagles - Second Landing

 

Rotterdam's Giant Eagles' second album is wonderful 80's Pop Rock. It's awash with harmonies and riffs with more than a side order of synths. All the more surprising is that the band are a Dutch Supergroup of sorts and the members are known largely known for Pop Punk. 

Second Landing is a cross between 80's Blue Oyster Cult and Secret Messages era ELO. The production is huge, the synths are a wall of sound, think The Motors' Tenement Steps album and the songs have choruses that catch you hook line and sinker.

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All this might sound a bit cheesy, but I can't remember hearing this type of Rock being done so well, since it was all the rage. This was Pop Rock that adorned US Teen Movies and sold in bucket loads. It became unfairly unfashionable. Great Pop is Great Pop and this is just that.

There are hints of Pop Punk at times in the Verse Rhythm Guitar, but the riffs and the solos, as well as the choruses are, if anything, more Power Pop. The album is great foot tapping fun, a real much needed chirp up for 2020.

Everything is so damn infectious and Evil Robot Nation could easily be a Time album outtake. I Don't Love Nobody is UK New Wave and Anaconda is very Go-Go's-ish. Spellbound could easily be on Fire Of Unknown Origin. 

Second Landing is an album to be enjoyed and not taken too seriously. The songs never outstay their welcome, 12 in 33 minutes. You'll be surprised at how easily you get hooked. I loved it and can't wait for more.

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You can listen to and buy the album here.

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2 a.m. Orchestra - Trading Graves

 

2 a.m. Orchestra are not what you would expect to come out of New Zealand, a country that has a reputation, somewhat unfairly for Gentle Pop. Nor are they an orchestra. They are largely a solo project from Auckland's David Kelley and this is only the fourth album in almost two decades. 

They've toured as a band and with Kelley solo, but now this is essentially a studio project with String additions from Nick Jones. There have been comparisons with ELO, which I don't see at all. This isn't even Jeff Lynne when it's raining. 

The songs are dark without ever being miserable. Choruses are incredibly catchy and at times there's a real twang. The album is also beautifully produced. At times, I'm reminded a little of a non shouty Thom Yorke, at other times, a band like Keane, although the arrangements are much more in depth than the latter. 

Earlier albums concentrate more on the Pop, that isn't lost on Trading Graves, it just feels like a more mature, perhaps more varied album. A song like End Of Summer could be Rufus Wainwright and at times Chris Isaak. 

Home is wonderful McCartney Piano Pop, whilst Wake The World enters the territory of Doves. Sweet Pea has a Roy Orbison twang .The stand out, Seeds And Skulls, is when Kelley stretches out, bordering on Rock with a chorus that reminds me of The Killer's debut.

Arrangements are tight and varied. The violin and viola are used sparingly, only when they add to a song. This is a splendid Pop Rock album, moody yet magnificent. I hope that we don't have to wait another 7 years for the next one.

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You can listen to and buy the album here. 

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mylittlebrother - Howl

 

It has been six long years since If We Never Came Down and I've been waiting anxiously for the delayed follow up and now here it is. mylittlebrother also become the latest addition to the Big Stir stable. Well the band are West Coast after all. 

The Cumbrian quartet don't disappoint, although this is a darker album and that makes the band even harder to pigeonhole. Will Harris's songs appear far more personal, almost like the song writing has been a release, an unburdening of the soul.

Although this makes the album reflective in tone, it doesn't mean that the songs are dour, far from it. Harris's vocal is plain, but incredibly effective. How do you describe a band that sounds like Lindisfarne one minute and The Beautiful South the next? 

There are hints of Country, Folk, Americana and West Coast Rock, but essentially it is Pop that holds it all together. Songs have unexpected twists. Chicago is three songs in one and The Start begins as a singer songwriter piano ballad and ends as an anthem.

Responsibility is pure pop, whilst Janey is haunting West Coast Psych Pop with a country tinge. Howl is an awesome song, great 70's Pop Rock. Goldmine even has a disco riff, it's a bit like The Eagles doing Saturday Night Fever until the chorus just throws words at you in a melody fest.

Howl isn't the normal thing you expect to hear from a UK band. The album is a triumph, but may take a little more time than usual to fully hook you. Beautifully played and arranged with unexpected twists. There are only two songs available to stream until Friday's release date, so I'll add Chicago over the weekend as that is a song that you must hear.

You can buy the album from Big Stir's site here and on Bandcamp from here or here.

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Silver Sun - Switzerland

 

There were plenty of splendid Pop Rock bands in the 90's, particularly during Brit Pop and after. Most were at the edges whilst the Jarvis / Gallagher / Albarn attention seeking made all the noise. I can think of few great UK Power Pop bands from that time. Bands may have dabbled with the odd song, but, for me, Silver Sun were the nazz. With the exception of Ash, who you suspected wanted to be pop metal, the band were the main challengers to what was going on in the States.

Those first two Silver Sun albums stand up against any Power album of the time. Only Tsar's debut comes close. Those albums produced two of my favourite singles ever, Golden Skin and I'll See You Around. There are also two inspired covers from that time. Too Much Too Little Too Late got a lot of attention and the cover of Rush's Xanadu, condensed into 4 minutes is inspired.

There have been two albums since the self titled debut and Neo Wave, one was recorded by James Broad alone, the other was by the band. We've also had The Bullets. However, Switzerland feels like the third album proper, it is certainly just as good as those opening offerings. The original band play on Earth Girls Are Easy and Original Girl, the rest is Broad solo. This wasn't the plan. After the 2017 Reunion, supporting Sleeper, a band album was planned. But eventually Broad recorded the rest alone.

It really is like Silver Sun have never been away. Massive choruses, killer riffs and solos and wall to wall melody are packed into 30 minutes. Original Girl is most like the early days, but any of these songs wouldn't be out of place on their early albums. Needle In The Ball Pit has a Chucklevision-ish chorus, but the song reminds you how great Silver Sun were at pace.

Love That Body crashes into Ash Territory and God Room is The Ramones go Power Pop. You can imagine the latter being a Theme Tune for a Kids TV Show. Chain Of Command is pure UK New Wave and Over Me At All is a killer sing along joy. 

Switzerland reminds me a lot of that first Tsar album with its hooks and pace. There is a rare coming up for air on Photograph, a slowed down wonderful song that fully demonstrates Broad's melodic strength. Switzerland is the best Power Pop album that you will hear this year, it may very well be the best album of any genre.

You can listen to the album here (plus all the other streaming sites) and buy it from everywhere. You really should!

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