Don and Bobby (and The Pooches!)

At a Darren Hanlon gig what seems like aeons ago, a couple of friends* recommended Don Lennon's music to me. I made the usual mental note which was promptly misfiled in my brain so I never found my fingers typing his name into a search engine. Wind on a few years and another friend recommended Lennon's first group, The Umpteens, to me. This time I took the hint and discovered just what a fool I'd been for not listening to his music sooner:

"Party All The Time" is somnambulant soul pop for the Chickfactor generation. A heavenly, late-night studio match-up of Jens Lekman at his peak with the Timmion Records house band at their most suavely recumbent. Unbeatable, really.

On the subject of Finland's cherished Timmion label, have you heard Bobby Oroza's "This Love" on its Stylart offshoot? If at any point in the last couple of months you had bumped into me on Argyle Street, there's a fair chance that I would have bored you senseless with my unquantifiable love for its warm, gently impassioned charms. If Bobby never makes another great record, he will forever be a giant in Not Unloved's eyes for "This Love" alone.

The picture sleeve version appears to be long gone and, as expected, is already getting pricey on discogs but the repress in the generic sleeve is still available for a sensible price if you look hard enough (I got mine from Jazzman). Get on it!

* - these friends now make up half of The Pooches who recorded a lovely version of Don Lennon's "Songs" for a charity tape:

Mope Grooves, The Fireworks & Omar S feat. Nite Jewel

Mope Grooves "Z" (from "Joy", See My Friends)



Portland, Oregon (USA) has a produced a bewildering list of dandy groups over the years. To that list I'd cheerfully add Mope Grooves. Their recent "Joy" LP boasts a whole heap of things that would've turned my head at any point in the last 25 years: scrappy songs beamed from lost Television Personalities rehearsal tapes, jangling guitars that duck and dive as if play fighting and the odd crayon scribble of noise. This is music made by the kids who drew cheeky cartoons in the margins of their science books. Maximum possible joy!

The Fireworks "Dream About You All Day" (Shelflife, USA/Opposite Number, UK)

Not Unloved has always felt big love for The Fireworks, going back to their first 7".

Not Unloved has always felt big love for Beth Arzy, going back to her first 7" with Aberdeen in those fondly remembered Sarah Records days.

Not Unloved feels big love for Beth Arzy fronting The Fireworks.

Not Unloved couldn't love "Dream All Day" any more if it tried.

Omar S feat. Nite Jewel "Confess To U" (FXHE)

In October 2016 Not Unloved danced self-consciously even when no-one was looking to Omar S and Nite Jewel's first collaboration, "Nite Train". The assumption at the time was that this was a one-off deal. There was much rejoicing, therefore, when news of a second release from the pair appeared in February. "Confess To U" is the most annoying record to play being a one-sided 12" affair with 2 concentric grooves - a vocal mix and a Hamtramck remix - on the playing side which play from the inside out. Argh! All of that's forgotten, however, when the summertime vocal hooks kick-in. It's the sound of summer 1989 and should, by rights, be booming obnoxiously from the tape decks of Ford Escort cabriolets the nation over.