Dirtbombs – We Have You Surrounded (In the Red) Super fuzzy sounding, emotive hooks, Mick has a slightly different singing style with opener “It's Not Fun UntilTthey See You Cry”, this new record is lots of fun and eclectic styles are all over it to with different sounding songs, and great covers like Sherlock Holmes is kind of like the ballad on this record, but I love this track, love Mick soft high pitched singing, and feel like it's a got a gentle creepy feeling to it. “Wreck my flow” is super groovy and dance-y for getting down and boogying your ass off. “Leopardman at C & A” has got power to boot, with fuzzy, sassy riffs, and jungle like drumming and doubled vocals. Fire in the Western World sucks you into its sweet sounding deluge. Pretty Princes Day, Davie Allen-ish fuzzed up sour riffs, up tempo “I Hear the Sirens” will bring down the house with immense thunderousity, and sexy, surly playful riffs. For the ultimate in fuzzy screechy noise a-la-Mick-style “Race to the Bottom” will take you there. “La Fin Du Monde” is a nice friendly melodic tune perfect for an ending, sung in French, it's a lullaby that gives you a hug, holds you tight and rocks you to peaceful dreamland. -Samia C. The Mome Raths - Vaporized My Brain I really love this, extremely entertaining and fun, bare bones sassy garage punk with guitar (Daniel Rath- male), bass (Tracey Rath-female), drums (Boss Rath), vocals - who needs more?! Very energetic, up tempo, go crazy kind of feel to these songs with Daniel and Tracey trading off singing . Samia C.
Spikey, spunky Ska/Reggae with punk undercurrents. Think Citizen Fish, Culture Shock and AOS3 but with female vocals which occasionally drift into an almost Kate Nash estuary style. Lyrics of a personal-political nature. Bright and bouncy stuff with ‘Failure to Communicate' being my particular favourite. Guaranteed to put a smile on your face, although some may find it a tad thin sounding - Bring the bass back! Ian Pickens Eddie and the Subtitles – Fuck You Eddie (Frontier Records) Running Time: 37:45 Interesting 80s SoCal curio on the label that brought you Suicidal Tendencies classic first album. The Eddie in question was an unofficial manager/booking agent/drug dealer to the fledgling SoCal scene before deciding to chance his arm with Mike Patton (no not the geek from Faith No More, the guitarist from original West Coast hardcore band Middle Class). The result in various incarnations was Eddie and the Subtitles. Fuck You Eddie is a collection of songs, including the classic sludge of ‘American Society' (as covered by L7 and Manic Hispanic), the ubiquitous Louie Louie and a few tracks from the Subtitles two full length albums. It's a mixed bag, the original version of American Society and some of the faster punk rock tracks are pretty good and compare well with most of the hardcore punk emanating from the west coast in the early 80s, but the home recordings such as WWIII are so painful as be unlistenable. Not exactly an essential album but worth checking out for historical reasons. Ian Pickens A New Day – Perfect Passion (Lockjaw Records) Running Time: 21:43 Mid paced melodic hardcore. Vibrant and packed full of youthful energy. Noodly guitar parts with lots of stop-start and vocal harmonising, at times reminding me of AFI mixed with Lost Prophets. Not sure how that comparison will go down but if it sounds like your Cup of Joe then this bunch are for you. Not really my thing but then I'm a BOF who likes 80s hardcore and stoner rock. The kids will love it. Ian Pickens Ancestors – Neptune with Fire (TeePee Records) Running Time: 38.27 Two songs, 38 and a half minutes - oh yes. Now this is the shit. Sprawling psychedelic rock, organ driven, solos in extreme (without degenerating into pointless shredding for the sake of it), vocals trimmed to a minimum. Plug in your earphones, crank up the volume and tune out to the cosmic ocean inhabited by Neptune with Fire. Beautiful gatefold sleeve artwork reminiscent of the best 70s psyche out merchants such as Amon Duul II. Neither 70s nor stoner rock in the conventional sense, but managing to sound both grounded in classic rock and yet heavy in the sense of bands like label mates Kalas and Sleep. Damn fine stuff. Ian Pickens Bill Bondsmen – Swallowed by the World (Dead Beat Records) Running Time: 24:24 For many people, hardcore passed its sell by date in '86 but Detroit's finest, Bill Bondsmen confound that view by playing blistering old school hardcore with a passion and vitriol that eludes the majority of their contemporaries. 12 songs of amped up, searing Negative Approach/Die Kreuzen style core with thought provoking lyrics dealing with the alienation and futility of our corporately sponsored existence. The musicianship is tight and economic and retains a high energy level throughout without lapsing into predictable ‘mosh' parts. Vocalist Gabby spits the words with a venom sadly lacking from many current punk and HC bands. Excellent stuff. Ian Pickens Dead Child – Attack (Quarterstick Records) Running Time: 47:35
Bad Chopper – Bad Chopper (Acme Records) Running Time: 31:13 Respect is due to anyone who can step in to the shoes of an original Ramone and that's exactly what Ian Pickens
Thomas Patrick Maguire – Pissing Streams – Luv-A-Lot Records Heartfelt simple acoustic folk rock with real soulful vocals. The sound and intonation of Thomas Patrick Maguire's voice makes this quite intimate sounding, like he's playing these songs to himself alone in a cabin in the woods, in the vast wilderness with not another human around for miles. I like the quiet feeling it brings to me, and the soft and pure sound of just his acoustic guitar and his lonely boy voice filled with a little angst and sadness. The songwriting is simple but fun to listen to as he lets you in to his world of little scrapes and secret cozy stories. There's a few tracks thrown in with drums and bass for variety but mostly it's just Thomas P Maguire and his guitar. –Samia C. Lucian - Lucian (DeadLamb Records) Total Running Time: 30:35 Swedish punk RnR with hard rock/metal overtones. Obvious comparisons are going to be made with the mighty Hellacopters; and sure enough hi-octane opening track, ‘Unholy Lords of Rock', despite is cheese laden title, is a slice of pure RAWK which would easily fit on any Hellacopters/Glucifer album, even down to the noodley solos. Lucien keep up the pace until the chorus of ‘The Plowman Vs the Wind'. The repeated ‘on and on' phrase, does just that and grates, losing points for what otherwise would have been a very decent AFI style gothic punk tune (a genre which is reflected in the Misfits/AFI leaning lyrics). Thankfully its only a minor slip and the band reaffirm themselves on the brilliant ‘Gunslinger', a Judas Priest riff tinged rocker which stands out as one of the highlights of the album. Its back to the punkier stuff on ‘Firechild' with its sped up ‘Girl Can't Help it' guitar lick, the punchy ‘Nocturnally Yours' and the speed metal solo fest that is ‘Destroy The Ark'. It's on these high speed rockers that Lucien shine and with a decent chunky production behind them I think these Scandinavians could easily move up a division. Ian Pickens Rezmo – 5 Minute Demo (Self Released) Total Running Time: 5:14What seems to be the final release for the self labelled Raggedy Punks and it's a shame because this stuff is definitely a step up on their first two demos. Three blasts of raging 90s style hardcore, reminiscent of bands like Assert and Rectify. Each song is less than 2 minutes long and fuelled by ferocious blast beat drumming with intensely angry vocals. Reduced to a three piece, the riffing is still technically proficient but the overall sound is less cluttered than some of their older stuff and this definitely helps to make the songs more defined. I hope these guys reconsider splitting because on the strength of this demo I think their best is yet to come. Ian Pickens Monster Magnet – 4-Way Diablo (SPV) Total Running Time – 57:53 Monster Magnet is the aural equivalent of a tight rope walker. Finely balanced between perfection and a fatal fall from grace. Like all the best tight rope walkers they pull off the trick, every time. ‘Monolithic Baby' was s significant departure from their recognised magnum opus, ‘Powertrip', and ‘4-Way Diablo' is a similarly unique beast. This could well be MM's defining moment. A reality which might escape the listener on first hearing, but this is an album that deserves, nay demands, your attention and commitment. 4-Way Diablo may be viewed historically as Monster Magnet's ‘Exile on Main St. ' if you will. A comparison drawn not only for their exceedingly well executed cover of ‘2000 Light Years From Home' but like the Stones their alchemic ability to turn garage RnR into pure gold. The loss of guitarist Phil Caivano has resulted in a more Spartan sound which excels in understatement, never more so than on the melancholic bleakness of ‘I'm Calling You'. When Wyndorf utters the words ‘Oh please let's have another game' the Universe feels cold and dead. Its not all dark psychedelic vibes though, the frenzied ‘Wall of Fire' and biting ‘You're Alive' stride confidently out of the speakers in a glorious burst of bravado reminiscent of the Stooges in their prime. Jim Baglino reprises his role on bass and once again proves his ability to inject a contemporary element into the sound as on the Primal Scream-esque ‘Solid Gold'. If this isn't the most influential and career defining album that Monster Magnet have produced, there is something very wrong in the Multiverse. Ian Pickens Facel Vega - 4 Track Demo (Self Released) Interesting, intelligent and sincere hardcore punk which avoids the trap of backing itself into a corner of lame sub categorisation In places this reminds me of Articles of Faith, in others early Dag Nasty and yet it stands on its own. Unique and contemporary. There's maybe a slight element of emo about the introspective lyrics and quotes which comprise the cover art, but unlike the corporate sponsored version this sounds genuine and more in keeping with the original emo acts such as Rites of Spring and the aforementioned Dag Nasty. It's difficult to pick out a standout track; all four are of an equally high standard. Impressive and pleasing to discover a band mining this particular area of hardcore punk in 2008. Well worth checking out. Available from: Facel Vega, 9 Tern Road , Porthcawl. South Wales.UK. CF36 3TS / staterunrecords@gmail.com Ian Pickens Sucking the 70s Vol II – Back In the Saddle (Small Stone Records) Follow up to the awesome Sucking the 70s comp, which is definitely in my top 10 compilation albums of all time; can this one match its cheesy 70s rock nostalgia? The answer is yes and then some. If you ever come across a better version of The Osmonds environmental anthem ‘Crazy Horses' than Puny Humans' take on it, then I want to hear it! Clutch and Five Horse Johnson deliver an expectedly superb version of Funkadelic's ‘Red Hot Mama' and Gideon Smith and the Dixie Damned do the same with an eerie interpretation of Donovan's ‘Season of the Witch' In fact picking out individual tracks on this album is pretty much a negligible task. There isn't a bad track on here, even the Eagles covers! There's Hammond organ and cow bell aplenty, a veritable riff and solo fest, not to mention some of the best tracks to come out of the decade that forgot austerity... Rock Candy, When The Levee Breaks, Snortin' Whiskey; a passing nod to the punk and new wave eras with Dozer's crushing version of ‘Mongoloid' and Orange Goblins' fresh and unexpected cover of the Damneds' “New Rose” So, an excellent (if slightly dishonest) take on 70s rock (I'm sure ‘Born to be Wild came out in ‘69 if not before) and a worthy successor to its first born brother. Essential purchase. Ian Pickens Terror Visions - Terror Visions (FDH Records) This record is a loads of fun. The cover is smoking hot with Jay Reatard's fucked up looking mug shot - a Black Lips “Los Valientes Del Mundo Nuevo” (Vice)
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - Jukebox Explosion Rockin Mid 90's Punkers (In The Red) With an homage to the cover of Crypt's 1st Back from the Grave compilation done by Mort Todd himself who also did the original, this brand new compilation of early Jon Spencer's Blues Explosion singles on In The Red, is material originally released by In The Red back in the day, and it reminds us that this record is a root of today's punk blues garage scene - whatever that may be- cause nobody can do this style and sound this good at it like JSBE. The early Blues Explosion is some of the most raw-ist, crazy-ist bluesy-ist, stuff you'll ever hear, with classic BE songs like "Shirt Jac", "Son of Sam", "Bent", and others. I get so excited it feels like my body will blow up when I hear those crazy ass primal, guttural, bluesy, funky, hook jam parts that seem to go bezerk, thrust upon you with howls and grunts and Jon Spencer's holy bad-ass juicy sonic machete thermined-up guitar madness that stabs you repeatedly through your soul. It's blues gone wacko, beat up, bent over, smashed up, swallowed and spat out right back at you in a dirty, rhythmically regurgitated newly f*%ked up sorta way. - Samia The Lamps - The Lamps (In the Red) The Lamps in many ways sounds like a multitude of pots, pans and dishes being smashed together…but… in a good way. It's joyful chaos. It sounds like you walked in a factory and you're about to get killed any moment by dangerous machines. Their minimal sound and very primitive beat and sounds of smashing instruments with barely audible distorted vocals are seriously quite endearing and fun to listen to. I love the sound of the muffled grungy bass, it has a juicy presence that you just want to gobble up. This is extremely ultra low musical trash can rock. - Samia The Goodnight Loving – Crooked Lake (Dusty Medical Records) I guess bands in not too obvious parts of the country, like Milwaukee , are much cooler than you would think they would be. Fact is, it seems that the farther you are away from a major metropolis the better chance you have of writing good music you. The Goodnight Loving are 5 young hip lads who know how to make great music. I was immediately swallowed up by their infectious country trash twang with a lot of heart, feel good kind of songs. It's just good music, what can I say? It's like a younger, hipper version of the Violent Femmes with their predominately acoustic up tempo short ballads, well written and interesting lyrics, and I can't seem to get enough of the acoustic strumming that prevails on most of the songs. Its mellowness wrapped up in a sweet soulful happy feeling. I feel like getting a cabin in the woods and going fishing, and I am more of a city girl, so you know this has got to be good. - Samia
Miss Alex White & The Red Orchestra - Space & Time -( In The Red) A curious mesh of 1960's garage and psychedelia fronted by powerful melodic sensually captivating singing by Miss Alex, and more terrific melodic instrumentation throughout on guitar, bass and drums that's inventively catchy, swingy, groovy, sly, sexy and dirty sounding. Although only 4 members in total they seem to earn the right to be called an orchestra, with varying instruments like trumpet, piano, and tenor sax, giving this recording a full sound and augmenting the levels of intrigue on this mesmerizing soulful recording. Another excellent quality worth mentioning is the raw and vintage sounding production. It's a complete wondrous soundscape that has now made me ever so eager to see Miss Alex and her very talented Red Orchestra live because it sounds like a live show bursting with raw creative energy. -Samia C. Whiskey Daredevils - The Essential Whiskey Daredevils The Essential Whiskey Daredevils gives you the best of the best of down-home, corn fed fun. Silly songs, such as “Jesus Walks Beside Me” and “Bacon Martini” had me giggling but tapping my feet, none-the-less. These tunes are dripping with bluesy, rockabilly guitars, courtesy of Dave Bowling and Bobby Lanphier. Greg Miller belts out truck stop imagery while Leo P. Love keeps a steady hand on drums and Ken Miller marries percussion and strings with his bass. Nothing but fun from these Cleveland , Ohio boys! This album has left me wishing for a day of demolition derbies and beer at the county fair. – Gina Clemente The Defectors - Bruised and Satisfied I was in love with the Defectors upon hearing the first blaring organ notes. Hailing from Aarhus , Denmark , the Defectors are bringing melodic, haunting grooves to your stereo. Gravelly vocals from Mort Harder give these garage -style anthems a rougher edge than the jingly songs you may hear from the 60's. Yeah Bonde and Hell-eye keep a scary beat with drums and bass. Krist West brings the guitars while Martin Budde threads each tune with macabre sounds of farfisa organ. Songs such as Creep Crawl, Dancing Ghouls and Resurrection leave me wishing Halloween was right around the corner…while Fuck You ‘Cause You're Lookin' Good and Getting' It On had me dancing in my living room. The Final Thrill and I want Blood add a ghastly mellow touch to the CD. I was sad to learn I missed The Defectors when they came to New Jersey and New York because I'm now dying to see them. This album has me wanting more! - Gina Clemente Miss 45, from Stockholm , Sweden , first introduce themselves with their quirky song, “High Heeled Bitches”. This paves the way for the following “(Everything's More Fun) When You're High”, “I Don't Care” and “I Don't Want To Be Like That”. Even though this album is limited to a hand full of songs, you'll be left with a poppy slap in the face, courtesy of a lot of “oohs” and “woo hoo's”. Colonel M. Knoxx and Felix Vendetta serve up some serious guitars. Singer/bassist Eric Beretta sings to us about sniffing glue and makes hating girls in tall shoes sound like fun. Drummer Dan Frankenstein throws in some piano here and there, keeping things a little unique. I'm hoping the group comes out with another, longer CD soon because these boys have great potential! - Gina Clemente Celtic Frost - Monotheist (Century Media)
Unsane - Visqueen (Ipecac)
Sebadoh Live at Maxwells, Hoboken, NJ. I saw Sebadoh (Eric Gaffney - Lou Barlow - Jason Loewenstein!) at Maxwells in Hoboken, NJ on April 1st, 2007. A long time fan with interviews in Gravy with both Lou and Jason, but I had never seen the complete line-up with Eric. It was like a wave of youthful replenishing, with their show concentrating on mostly the early stuff from Sebadoh III , Bubble and Scrape, and Smash Your Head on the Punk Rock… THE GRUSOMES "Live in Hell"( Ricochet Sound) This band was one of my all time favorite bands growing up as a teen in Montreal and I was luck to witness many of their great live performances. They bust out the fiercest, liveliest, funnest , most intoxicating, partying 60’s garage you’ll ever hear. You’ll feel just like you were transplanted back to the time of those stone-age monsters we all know and love. Live in Hell features all the best songs the Gruesomes ever played and it’s all together, live and kicking on this here CD, along with some funny inbetween song banter. For those missing the live performance sounds of the Gruesomes as they were in the late 80’s and for those of you new comers who don’t know them, Live in Hell will awaken your senses and feet to the movements of the toe-tapping, ass-shaking, head bopping, limb jittering mayhem live show of the Gruesomes. Bobby Beaton’s bratty, snotty, high octane vocals will make all the girls go wild. This release was originally a tape the Gruesomes would sell at their shows and so you’ll be lucky and smart to own this in CD format. – Samia C.
DEMON'S CLAWS - Satan's Little Pet Pig (In The Red) These 5 scruffy French boys from Montreal, smashing and crashing out the ruddiest, soulfulest, bluesyest, twangy country tinged raw rock’n’roll ditties you’ll ever hear. The rhythms are thumping, stomping and riveting while the vocals are sweet feeling, earnest and searching, delivery a soulful mood, never ending, incredible and exciting. This record also has a nice variety and mixture of tempos between songs. Energetic like it’s live. Recorded loud, clear, not muddy, but powerful. It’s mastered by Jay Reatard, giving it a rich and not typical sound. On stage these guys are wild and manic, amps fall over, instruments unplug and break, people fall down, and the audience screams in excitement, confusion and fear like on a rollercoaster and this record has the sam sensation as that only better, and you can play it over and over again which I know you’ll want to do because it gives you a happy feel good feeling that you just won’t want to go away. Reducers SF - Raise Your Hackles (TKO Records, www.tkorecords.com) G.G. Allin & ANTiSEEN – ‘Murder Junkies’ (TKO Records) Various – ‘Anti-Disco Leagu Vol 1’ (Templescombe Records) Suns of Thunder – ‘Last of the High Rollers (What The Deuce Records)
Check out these dapper Toronto rock sophisticates, this CD really knocks your socks off – no joke!!! Opening with “The Ride” and its infectious riffs, fuzzy heavy bass, guitar noodling and screaming guitar techniques, you’ll feel rejuvenated in this ocean of 70’s rock hooks with a 21st century sophistication. The vocals are fabulous with gutsy girl back-up and lead singer soulful rendering. The rock blast party continues on with “Manifesto” and its upbeat dance-ableness, lethal guitar soloing, amazing anthemic appeal, and just continues for the whole length of this cd, with the more slower stoner rock of “Perils of Snap Decisions”, and the total rock fury of “All Points Return”. Their song structure is mind-blowing, and prolific, with real crafty and flowing changes throughout, and their range in song writing is a multi-faceted labyrinth of possibility, when their softer more psychedelic and ethereal rock side comes through on songs like “The Butler Routine” and “Noise Submitted to Order”, and the brooding, sludgy, and epic “Queen St. vs Park Ave.” They just simply ARE my new favorite band!!! http://www.dearlybeloved.ca/ Be Your Own Pet – Full length on XL Recordings Brutal, fierce and beautiful! You’ll go crazy! This full length from this amazing 4-some from Nashville is addicting and friendly and wacky and fast and hard and rockin’ and sweet like a red cherry lollipop. It’s totally punk, and unpredictable, deconstructed in a no-wave sense. Jemina’s voice is unforgettable and the guys (Jonas, Nathan, and Jamin) know how to rock the shit out of you. Unique quality all over the place, just an onslaught of youthful creativity, fresh and uplifting. Every song is a song-writing gem, and the songs flow perfectly into each-other making this CD just natural like breathing, and jumping and thrashing about. I love ALL of it but some of my absolute fave songs are BOG, WILDCAT, FILL MY PILL, FUUUUUUN, and LOVE YOUR SHOTGUN…but all are awesome and this band should be worshipped for an eternity. http://www.beyourownpetmusic.com/ Samia C. The Dead Pets – “The Revenge of the Village Idiots” and “Too Little Too Late” Fast and furious ska punk-core from the UK. These guys are as entertaining and creative as their names are. Great energy, full raspy tough guy vocals from Sweeney Todd, splintering guitar riffs by Stivy and Devastating Dave, brazen trumpet and saxophone blows from Stash and Sponge-Bob, steady hard bass by Stew Disgrace, and smash it up drums courtesy of Clinkard. This is not the kind of music I normally listen to but I definitely like and recommend it cause it just plain rocks my ass off! I might just exercise to this later.
Check out this alluring dark post punk with a 80's quality yet modern day sophistication and maturity. I hear real interesting song changes and choruses and a myriad of sublte parts intermingling. It seems totally urban sounding like desolate city streets in urgent turmoil. This rocks! Please have listen, you'll see what I'm talking about! http://www.myspace.com/romance Samia C. Nazi Dogs - Chase The Man (TKO Records,www.tkorecords.com) Deliciously fucked up sounding punk which on first listen I thought I would hate but which has incredibly grown on me. Messy, trashy garage style punk rock n roll. 8 originals and covers of the Suicide Kings, Pagans and Devo (Mongoloid - what else?). 11 songs in 29 minutes kinda sums it up really.
Ifyou like the sound of glue sniffing punks playing Dead Boys through practise amps - this is for you.The Easy Rider piss take cover art is fantastic. Simultaneously both sublime and ridiculous. Check 'em out - no review can really do this justice. (Conan Troutman) 46 Short - Truth Denied (TKO Records, www.tkorecords.com) Total Running Time: 34:52
Old school Cali style HC punk. Short, catchy and dripping with attitude. More than a passing nod to early Poison Idea on some of the riffing with elements of pre Rollins Black Flag/Golden Shower of Hits era Circle Jerks on some tracks. Social/Political lyrics but with a personal slant. Stand out tracks; the incredibly infectious 'Damned Nation' and the feral 'Pornography'. Good to hear 80s style HC done with this sort of commitment - its sounds 'old style' but with a freshness and energy that keeps itbouncing along. I'm finding it impossible not to think of 'Suburbia' whenlistening to this album - it just brings back the feelings I had when Ifirst got into this stuff back in the mid 80s. Recomended. (Conan Troutman)
Organ - Volume of Hate (Meltdown Records, www.meltdown-records.co.uk Total Running Time: 34:55 8 tracks of peace and love, delicate and mellow. Yeah right, with a title like 'Volume of Hate'? This is blisteringly ferocious Southern Sludge. Relentlous and unforgiving. Crowbar, Eye Hate God, Black Sabbath and Down - obvious reference points and guarenteed to appeal to fans of those bands.Occasional moments of melody break up the grind such as the Pantera-esqueintro to 'Unmeasured' but this is one hell of a HEAVY album, alternating between slow, doom laden grind and double bass drum driven thrash occasionally touching on classic 80s style Death Metal. Excellent stuff. Lyrically the band lean to liberal baiting and a highly pro military stance which might upset those leaning to the left but I have a feeling that's exactly what the band intended. Fans of extreme metal will love them.
(Conan Troutman) Be Your Own Pet –“Damn Damn Leash” single XL Recordings Deconstructive punk rock from Nashville, with surprises around every corner. Not typical of anything, just a new fountain of youthful creativity and raw unpredictable fun. Singer Jemina’s voice is pretty amazing sounding, sweet yet playful, loud, obnoxious and crackly at the best moments. Lyrics to the songs like “Spill” are just absurd and funny, and “Damn Damn Leash” is like a fist fight and “Electric Shake” is an epic progressive monster. I love it and can’t wait for their full length coming out soon. You will love this! She Wants Revenge – Flawless Records/Geffen When I first heard this I was really excited. It transports me to a different time, back to my teenage years of discovery, sounding like the dark alternative bands I liked then, New Order, Sisters of Mercy, Bauhaus…. A darkly orphic mood prevails on this pulsing beat of 80’s sounding gothic rock. And it’s just two guys, Adam on bass, keyboard, percussion and programming, and Justin on vocals, and guitar. I was immediately sucked into their sound, hypnotized, loving Justin’s deep and warm rich voice and lust soaked witty lyrics and grooving to the ominous and fully layered sound of synthesizers, precise drum beats, fat juicy bass lines with injections and interludes of glassy fluid lustrous edgy guitar. The opening song “Red Flags and Long Nights” sets a somber and urgent mood, with it’s long simple intro and then your hit by Justin’s heavy voice and you escape into this mysterious and secret dim world and it’s refreshing.
Outstanding 3rd album from one of the UK's best live acts and one of the best punk bandsof the last 10 years. Getting Serious is something of a departure from the first two Deadline RFTC's Speedo has described the Zeros as an 'Honest but fierce rock 'n' roll attack' and that sums it up nicely. 11 tracks of Thunders/Dead Boys style punk rock with catchy choruses and solos make this an easy album to enjoy.Add in a few nods to the Stones,Pistols and Ramones and you have all the necessary ingredients for a solid collection of Rock 'n' Roll anthems. Lyrics are difficult to pin down without a lyric sheet although the vocalsare pretty clear in a snarly Iggy way. Standout tracks are the raw opening track 'Flophouse', the less than subtle reworking of 'Stepping Stone' that is 'Film Noir Love' and the blistering organ driven 'Don't Tell Me (More Than I wanna Know)'. A thouroughly listenable album that gets better each time you listen. If straight ahead no bullshit
Rock 'n'Roll is your bag then do your ears a favour and check out the Jukebox Zeros'. A recomended slice of Philly. Conan Troutman
The Boils - From the Bleachers (TKO Records) Unsane - Blood Run (Relapse Records) Annihilation Time - II (Manic Ride Records) William Elliot Whitmore - Latitudes (Southern Records) The Hatepinks – 'Plastic Bag Ambitions' - TKO Records Sassy french garage punk rock’n’roll with a minimalist 80’s edge. All songs are sung in english but for the heck of it are written in french in the insert! In fact, they’ve given you the choice to also refer to them with their French name Hate le Pink! Also, here are the most hilarious song titles I’ve read in a long time, like “I am a Divorce” and “Microwave Drugs”. The music is totally infectious and the songs short, 13 songs in just 16.28 minutes, so you’ll for sure be playing this cd over and over again. I just love that french-english accent, don’t you? Real foot stompers and waist twisters in “Tupperware Love” and “I Piss in your Swimming Pools”. Feel the deadly manic thrusts of “Plastic Bag Ambitions” and “Broken and Kaputt” and then sink into the garage groove of “Razor Lips”, “Fashion is Crime” and “Kissing Cops with my Ass”. If you know what’s good for you you’ll run out and get this now!!! Samia FM Bats – 'Everybody Out…Shark in the Water' – TKO Records If you are akin to like pseudo intellectual emo-noise rock with a very whiney, mopey disonent sound then this is the band for you. With ex-members of Le Shock this should interest music enthusiasts alone, although FM Bats definitely stand apart in their own genre, which is more or less a blend of 80’s and 90's minimalist alternative bands ranging from The Fall to Chokebore. These songs are not happy but are at times like an old tin of rusty nails scraping and cutting and poking your insides till you’re bloody…”Sinking Ships of Adult Lips” and “There’s only one Captain on the Ship” sounds very Fall like and are the most musical with a wonderful sounding melody that makes me happy because it reminds me of something that I can’t remember and brings me back to some happy moment in my youth that I can’t quite pinpoint…but a comforting feeling nonetheless. Samia
Duos seem to be the flavour of the month, with Evil Beaver and Jucifer kicking up a lot of interest in the
Now this I have been looking forward to hearing for quite a while now. And it doesn’t disappoint. Sleazy, high energy rock and roll which successfully fuses the cock rock rifferama of 80s metal acts like LA Guns and Motley Crue with the energy and attitude of punk bands like the Dead Boys and the Plasmatics. ‘Broken Heart, Broken Bones’ sounds uncannily like Electric Frankenstein – not surprising given guitarist Johnny Sonics stints as stand in bass player for the Electroid ones, while ‘Ironhead’ sounds has elements of AC/DC’S ‘Bad Boy Boogie’ about it. If that’s the kind of rock and Roll that floats your boat then you need to buy this album. Pure Punk Rock n Roll without the pretensions. Highly recommended. Conan Troutman Regular readers will know that I will always try and offer as positive review as I possibly can. After all if a band has taken the time to write and record a record, it seems churlish to simply dismiss them with negative comments. But I’ll be honest I’m struggling with this one. Despite giving it several plays, this album simply isn’t growing on me in any way. The songs are lethargic and uninspiring, and the guy’s voice just puts me to sleep. This is garage with a very ‘alt’ rock overtone and it just doesn’t do anything for me. Sorry guys. Conan Troutman Ever wondered what would happen if Joan Jett had joined a Thrash Metal band back in the mid 80s? Well wonder no more. This is a solid, well played album which grabbed my attention on the high octane opener ‘Primer’ and kept it all the way through to the almost Death Metal closing track ‘Bullshit’, complete with a nice dose of double bass drumming by the lone man in the band Denis Brown. It’s really the girls’ show though, with strong musicianship backing up catchy riffs and, incredibly, three really strong vocalists in the form of Pam, Amy and Abby. It’s enough to make you cry. Particularly strong vocally is ‘Under the Knife’, a chirpy little ditty about terminal illness. The song has all the hallmarks of a typical classic 80s metal track with a totally infectious chorus. There’s even a nice touch of ‘You Make Me Wish I Was Deaf’ is the title of the albums opener, but I’m happy to say that Classical Ass most definitely don’t have that effect. Surf infused garage punk rock, which almost shuns the obligatory Dick Dale influence and instead extends a few nods to the Dead Kennedys, Electric Six and maybe even Naked Raygun & Angry Samoans along the way, ‘The Trish and Amy Show’ probably best exhibiting this hotchpotch of eclectic influences. The songs bounce along at a fairly fast pace, and with almost all of them clocking in at under two minutes it’s impossible to lose interest. There’s even a few perky little surf instrumentals to rub your rhubarb. Like it. Conan Troutman
Hmm, after speaking to a couple of other diehard deathpunk fans, it’s fairly obvious that this album could either break Turbonegro on the world stage or lose them fans in truckloads. Party Animals is a highly polished affair which sees the band broaden the rock leanings they displayed on 2003’s ‘Scandinavian Leather’. The progression from the Poison Idea/ Black Flag style HC of ‘Ass Cobra’ to this more glam rock tinged offering is obvious. From the ‘We Will Rock You’ style intro, through the heavily Kiss influenced ‘Blow Me like the Wind’ to the Faces/Bowiesque ‘Hot Stuff/Hot Shit’, it’s this dichotomy that will decide the future success of the band. For a generation of kids that didn’t grow up listening to Van Halen and Kiss this must be truly refreshing amongst the miserable self absorption of ‘alt’ music and the superficial, status obsessed Rap artists. However fans of the uncompromising deathpunk of earlier Trbongr may find it just a little too refined. Black Sabbath’s ‘War Pigs’/ Queen’s ‘We Will Rock You’ gets a suitably Trbngr reworking on the obvious live crowd pleaser ‘City of Satan’ but the song gets elevated beyond simple cock rock chicanery with the addition of the sweeping orchestral sounds of the Norwegian Radio Orchestra. Pure, unadulterated, OTT genius. The strength of Trbngr lies in their ability to touch on these reference points without sounding as if they are directly stealing anything from their influences (even when they are). It’s definitely their most accessible album to date but even they can’t resist a little bit of subversion; check out ‘If You See Kaye (Tell Her I L-O-V-E Her). What do you mean you don’t get it? I like this album and I definitely recommend it if you love 70s/80s style glam rock, but if you’re expecting another ‘Apocalypse Dudes’, you may be disappointed. That said, if you REALLY do appreciate Trbngr then you won’t be expecting another ‘Apocalypse Dudes’ anyway. Conan Troutman
Ian Pickins Oh the irony! Take the concept of an Oi parody band, write a whole bunch of songs that mock the limited lyrical lexicon of most Herberts, then just to rub salt in the wounds put some of the best Oi music ever played behind it. For anyone with half a brain, a sense of humour and a fondness for the Cockney Rejects, Business and the 4 Skins, this is one of the best records you will ever hear. Covering all the usual topics – the footie, drinking, fighting, ‘birds’, coppers, mates going to jail – with tongue firmly in cheek and to top it all having the balls to put a song called ‘Still Fighting Thatcher’ on your album is pure genius. This album brings a smile to my face every time I play it. Can you ask for more?
Ian Pickins
Estee Louder - ‘ Pacey punk rock with male/female trade off vocals which I always find a bit hit and miss. There’s a definite Black Flag vibe going on in some of the songs and a fair slab of Garage, maybe a tinge of the Hangmen too? But dang these guys are hard to get a handle on, which I guess is a good thing, but at the same time it doesn’t really grab me immediately. That said ‘Get Yours’ and ‘Teenage Mullet’ kinda got my groove on and the Salt n Pepa ‘Push It’ piss take in ‘Train Wreck’ raised a smile so maybe this is a grower. Ian Pickins &n |
Dirty Revolution
80s style thrash metal from Slint's David Pajo and co. Elements of Anthrax and Metallica on the chugging rifferama and OTT vocals with more traditional style metal solos. Choppy opening track ‘Sweet Chariot' pretty much captures the spirit of the album, however the indie roots of the protagonists can't help but shine through with a distinctly off kilter style on some of the songs particularly the QOTSA leaning ‘Wasp Riot'. The song titles and lyrics are suitably horror based but at times it sounds almost like a parody of the genre rather than a celebration. That said the outstanding musicianship and exceedingly good tunes save the day
Bad Chopper's head honcho CJ Ward aka CJ Ramone did when he replaced Dee Dee (RIP) in 1989. So big expectations for this 3 piece (completed by guitarist Brian Costanza and Out Cold vocalist Mark Sheehan on drums), and they certainly deliver. 12 tracks of mid paced, catchy punk rock with the inevitable Ramones influence and hooks aplenty. Guest lead guitar spots from Walter Lure and produced by famed Ramones knob twiddler Daniel Rey ensure that the quality is kept to a premium. An absolutely essential album for fans of punk rock done properly. 
must have collectors item, and the music is a terror-filled blend of electronic synth punk and 80's newwave. The awesome synth outer-wordly sounds and beats are totally piercing in their sinfully joyous demented angst of a scary world gone shit. "Medicating Dreams" my favorite song on the 1st side has earie wind sounds and a electrifying dance beat and Jay's signature emotional outpouring of screamo vocals. Side 2 is mesmerizing with Master Wait and She Looks pretty in Red. If you love Jay Reatard, get this. If you love 80's new wave, get this. If you love electro synth punk, own this now!!!!! -Samia
From the wild and crazy opening in Mexican Spanish, you get the feeling that the creative exuberance of this psychedelic ride is going to blow you clear out the cosmos. The energy of this live record, performed in Tijuana at a mariachi club, transcends beyond any live recording you've heard. Wild debauchery and Mexican sweat permeates your membranes and the songs are laced with crispy fuzz drizzling in a tornado of brotherly love and comradery. The Black Lips entice and excite with every single one of their greatest musical gems, like “Boomerang”, “Fairy Stories”, “Stranger”, “Juvenile”, “Not a Problem” and “Hippie, Hippie, Hoorah”, performing at maximum capacity, with tidbits of in between song drunken crowd and band banter and trumpets abound in a kaleidoscope of happy feelings and swirly prisms. This is probably the greatest live record of all time, if not my favorite at least. -Samia 
was entertainment alone, and instrument changes and rotations, continuous throughout the show; Jason and Eric switch on drums and guitars, while Lou and Jason switch on Bass and guitar…If they are playing in your town, go see them, to witness this historic event, to revel in true indie punk rock originality as it should be for always and never be forgotten. – Samia C.
The Gruesomes “Cave In”
Dearly Beloved
Romance
Turbonegro
