W/e 14/02/25 - Heartworms, Honesty, Squid, Sharon Van Etten, The Woodentops

A top week, our highest scores since Oct.

Sharon Van Etten is our winner and in at #3 for the year, with Heartworms just behind her and taking the TOTW.

The ladies are storming it this year, holding the top 4 spots, Ela Minus and Brooke Combe at 1+2.

Simon was correct in his prediction – he has our 😄thanks to his best ever set of scores, eclipsing the cracking week in Sept 2022 containing Pixies and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Sam’s the unhappy camper with his third ☹️ in 6 weeks.

The Woodentops were a first listen for a few, enjoyed by most and join Metallica and Jimmy Eat World on the classics.

Andy

Heartworms - I really enjoyed this. Inventive stuff and I really got along with her vocals. I’ll even forgive the Bontempi track 7

Honesty - I didn’t really like this first time around, which made sense when I read in that Guardian piece that they were linked to Eagulls (the worst band I’ve ever seen at Reading having been dragged there by my l8 gr8 m8 Steve Dore) but there was a marked improvement on second listen and some of it, Tormentor in particular, is really quite good even if it’s not an album I’d expect to return to 6.5

Squid - Experimental, maybe too much at times as they edge towards BCNR territory but overall not too shabby 6

Sharon Van Etten - Really good stuff, reminds me a bit of Public Image, but a bit more listenable, particularly on Southern Life with its Jah Wobble bass lines. Excellent 7.5

TotW - Idiot Box by Sharon Van Etten

Woodentops - I quite liked this, even though I barely remember them from the good old days, maybe Good Thing just about rang a bell? Anyway, decent old school indie in the vein of your Lloyd Coles et al 6.5

Guy

Heartworms – interesting sound. All pretty dark and has an air of Siouxie and the Banshees to it. Enjoyable listen – 7

Honesty – Another odd one. A hint of The XX in some tracks and The KVB in others – all good. But some of the offering is a bit more out-there and like Andy I’m not convinced I’ll be back to this that often as a result – 6.8

Squid – We’ve heard a number of these type of bands and whilst I admire the innovation, there are a number of tracks that are just pretty tuneless and / or don’t really get going. It’s not disastrous though - 6

Sharon Van Etten – Sometimes you listen to an album and the variety sounds disconnected. Sometimes, it’s very welcome. This was the latter case. Eclectic mix of tunes with hints of 80s electronica in places, bits of Florence and other tracks sounding like New Order (my TOTW included) – 8

TotW – Somethin’ Ain’t Right – Sharon Van Etten

Woodentops – A glorious slice of 80s Indie. One of my favourite bands of the time. Varied, riff-laden and in places beautiful (Good Thing). Set the scene for Indie / Dance cross over and generally regarded as one of the forerunners of Balearic Beats. Top stuff. – 9.5

Simon

Heartworms: lots to like here - it's a highly impressive and accomplished debut, not least for its ability to meld a variety of styles into something that sounds so precise and coherent. Produced by Dan Carey who was also on the Squid album. 7.7

Honesty: another cracking listen which is not afraid to mix up the styles, with dark wave, shoegaze and triphop amongst others on display here - the overall feel is a dark and gothic but in a good way. Tormentor has gone straight into my 25 for '25. 8

Squid: not as abrasive as their previous albums but still on the experimental side veering towards BCNR territory - takes a while to get going but the second half is excellent, in particular Cro-Magnon Man and Showtime! which both build up a good head of steam. 7.4

Sharon Van Etten: haven't been as taken with an album on first listen since St Vincent last year - there's some New Order-ish basslines and guitar riffs, and cool, measured synths that put me in mind of John Grant at his best, along with a whole host of gorgeous melodies - the overall effect is absolutely majestic, I'll do well to hear many better albums than this in 2025. 8.5

Woodentops: this wasn't on my radar in the mid-80s and whilst I knew of it by reputation I've never listened to it - glad I have now though, catchy, shimmery indie pop which zips along nicely, didn't think it even sounded that dated. 8

TotW: so many possibilities this week (most of the Sharon Van Etten album), but it'll have to be Tormentor by Honesty.

Phil

Heartworms 6.5

The dark-as-a-dungeon goth vibe saves this from being just another indie dance record and, to be fair, the vocals are strong throughout. I especially enjoyed Smugglers adventure.

Honesty 7.5

A veritable smorgasbord of mostly electronic weirdness, some of it dancey, some more like the soundtrack to an arthouse horror movie. Has a definite Massive Attack vibe to it in places. Measure me sounds like a rave in a haunted warehouse, Tormentor is brilliant. Pity is pretty ace too.

Squid 8

The more I listen to this album the more it reminds me of These New Puritans. This is a good thing. True, it is often mannered and most of the tracks, even the short ones, are constructed like classical pieces. But when it works, which it does on the last three tracks, it’s uplifting. Squid can also do goth-horror creepy, as on Blood on the boulders. I enjoyed this a lot.

Sharon van Etten 7

Apparently Sharon van Etten was keen with this album to step back from being the main focus and just be the singer in the band. And she absolutely succeeds, especially on tracks like Southern life (what must it be like). Ironically though, the best track – I want you here – is the one that most resembles SVE the solo performer.

TOTW – Squid – Well met (fingers through the fence)

Classic

Woodentops 7

One of the many post-punk bands I never got round to listening to properly at the time, though I did like what I heard. Love train sounds like skiffle! So does Hear me James. There are echoes of Teardrop Explodes too in places. Great drumming as well. A band that probably deserves rediscovery.

Mark

Heartworms - talented lady no doubt and there's some nice moody gothtronica here, maybe gets a little overblown / overwrought for my liking though - 6.5

Honesty - couldn't pin this one down, bit of trip hop, dark Tricky influence, but too much in the way of ominous foreboding synths that don't go anywhere - 6

Squid - some nice pastoral folky moments aside, this was just a little too discordant for me and I didn't warm to the unconventional song structures. For me, Yard Act do this kind of thing better - 6

Sharon Van Etten - probably my favourite album of the year so far, beautiful voice and epic soaring Arcade Fire / New Order influenced tunes - 8.5

TOTW - Idiot Box by Sharon Van Etten

Justin

Heartworms - good bit of dark goth. Not what I would listen to generally these days but got a few spins this week. 6.8

Honesty - I really like this type of dub electronica. Lots of plays. 7.2

Squid - another challenging listen. These type of bands are really one song at a time rather than an album in one go. Will probably dip in and out of it in the future. 6.8

Sharon Van Etten - just thought this was boring 3

TOTW Tormentor - Honesty

Woodentops - sorry this limp, lightweight indie is just not for me 4

Erol

Heartworms - dark indie dance with a gothic edge. A great listen. One to watch out for. 8

Honesty - a real mish mash, with some decent dance based dub style tunes. Pity that many of them never really take off. 6.5

Squid - I couldn’t get to grips with this. The vocals are scratchy and there were some very odd musical arrangements which I found jarring. 5

Sharon Van Etten - this is cool and laid back with some occasionally soaring sounds. I wasn’t as taken with this as some of you but still, it’s a strong album. 7.3

Woodentops - this was too light and fluffy for me. I was expecting more substance or at least some jingle jangle. Sorry, Guy. 5

TOTW - Warplane, Heartworms

Jim

Heartworms 7.5

Like the term gothtronica! Quality synth backed indie, akin to Metric when less dark. Mad Catch and Smugglers my favs.

Honesty 7

An unusual mash-up for sure, plenty to like all the way through. Imagine I would have enjoyed this after a heavy clubnight.

Squid 6.5

Another of the jazzy arty offerings that veers from a 5 to an 8 and back again. Suspect a few more listens and I would have appreciated this more, but ran out of time this week

Sharon Van Etten 7.5

For some reason I had her down as MOR power ballad 80s rock. Loved the first 35 mins, agree with all the previously mentioned ‘reminds of’ plus I’ll add some Liz Lawrence cool. Shame it lost a momentum in the last 2 lengthy tracks . Handful of TOTW contenders.

TOTW: SVE’s I Can’t Imagine

Woodentops 8

A band I too was aware of but never listened to. Top quality indie, that had the 80s Sunday night at the Maj sound, and clearly influenced many that followed.

Annette

Heartworms: 7.5

Honesty: 7

Squid: 6 5

Sharon Van Etten: 7 5

TOTW: Heartworms- Mad catch

Classic: 6

Adam

Heartworms

Rocky gothic tuneage. Consider my HeartWarmed towards this outfit. - 7

Honesty

Cool, grungy guitars and vocals. Want to see these. 7

Squid

Interesting punky outfit, but goes a wandering off in a few places 6

Sharon Van Etten

Some upbeat tempo tunes to go alongside Etten’s excellent vocals 7

TOTW - Heartworms - Jacked

Woodentops - classic Guy band - jingle and jangle out in full force on this one. 7

Matt

Heartworms - 7.9

Honesty - 7

Squid - 6.5

Sharon van Etten - 6

Totw - Warplane, Heartworms

Sam

Finally …. Heartworms : great voice , needs a bit more cohesion but it’s a decent debut . 7.2

Honesty : needs a lot more cohesion , but good in parts : 6

Squid : Christ ! I’ve just bought a ticket to see them with Phil . This veered in to free jazz at times . Disjointed , unpleasant . Very rarely did they find a rhythm. 3

Sharon Van Etten : fabulous voice , needs to be a bit more rocky but it’s still good . 7.3

TOTW : Jacked by Heartworms

Woodentops : Jingle jangle all the way ! They reminded me of the Housemartins . Pretty good tho a little light for me : 7