‘Pretty at Dawn’ is a collaboration between Golem Dance Cult and Australian singer (songwriter) Inga Liljestrom and French musician, Jean-Philippe Feiss on Cello. It has been engineered by our “modern-day Shaman” Klaus Karloff at WOW studio.
The song was born from a Bass riff and a specific ambiance, at Dawn in the bush in Australia (with the birds around). Lyrically it deals about appearances.
“Sometimes in a relationship, things are not really what they look like… You have to look hard at yourself in a mirror, which can be difficult for a Vampire, to see past the appearances”…
Massive Wagons are set to shine a spotlight on men’s mental health, teaming up once again with Andy’s Man Club for their 2026 UK tour. Launching the partnership with a stripped-back campaign moment at their Sold-Out Warrington show in nothing but their Andy’s Man Club branded Oddballs boxer shorts.Using humour, openness, and visibility to support the charity’s vital work and encourage conversations around mental health across the UK.
Andy’s Man Club representatives will be present at venues throughout the Everywhere We Go UK Tour, helping to tackle the stigma surrounding men, speaking openly about mental health. Chart-topping rockers Scarlet Rebels will also be joining Massive Wagons as main tour support. At all venues apart from Gloucester, with support for that show still to be announced.
Andy’s Man Club will be embedded into the tour experience, with their facilitators on hand at shows to talk to fans, share information, and signpost local peer-to-peer support groups. The partnership aims to encourage men to open up, attend meetings, and seek support, addressing the sobering reality that suicide remains the single biggest killer of men under the age of 45 in the UK.
Frontman Baz Mills explains why the band is committed to continuing the partnership
“Super stoked to have the wonderful Andy’s Man Club back out on the road with us this April and May. The last time we toured with the guys it worked so well, we thought, why not keep doing what works! It’s a no-brainer really. Mental health isn’t something that gets fixed overnight like a bug in a system. It’s an ongoing fight to help men and people, navigate the punishing challenges surrounding mental health.
Any opportunity we get to expose our fanbase, or new people, to the realities of men’s mental health, we’ll grab with both hands. We recently caught up with Luke from AMC, and he filled us in on the successes of the tour we did together last year. He said they saw a few hundred new men attending meetings off the back of the shows, several have gone on to become facilitators, and one has even opened their own club, just amazing! Getting the message out there and smashing the stigma around talking about mental health is the main goal, and the longer we can be involved with AMC, the better.”
Luke Tetlow-Cross from Andy’s Man Club adds:
“ANDYSMANCLUB have been working with Massive Wagons for the past two years, joining them on the Earth to Grace tour in 2024, Earth to Grace Part 2 in 2025, and their iconic Lancaster Great Hall show last September.
Across those tours we handed out over 8,500 wristbands and information cards, and we’ve seen a huge number of Massive Wagons fans attend our groups with some going on to become facilitators and help us open even more clubs across the country.
We’re thrilled to be heading back out on the road with the band for the Everywhere We Go tour this April and May. Massive thanks to Terri, the band, and the entire team for helping spread the message that #ITSOKAYTOTALK.”
Joining them on the following dates are Welsh Rockers Scarlet Rebels, whose most recent album Where The Colours Meet’ scored their second top 20 UK Album Charting record, hitting number 15 and giving them their first UK Album Chart Rock and Metal number 1.
Frontman Wayne Doyle says “We’re absolutely buzzing to be joining Massive Wagons on their latest UK tour. We’ve shared a bill with them several times and we’ve always had the best time. They’re an amazing band and genuinely lovely people…So to be able to join them on the road is a massive privilege for us, we cannot wait.”
Black Viiolet released their full-length debut only a year ago and has returned with an expansive and more realised second album. Nicole Laurenne created Black Viiolet to explore a musical world outside of the garage rocking Darts, who are also releasing a brand-new album at the same time as this one. Black Viiolet explores a jazzy, retro sound with trip-hop beats. Similar to their debut ‘After You,’ this album sounds best when the sun is setting or in the darkness of the night. This album is going to slip inside your soul.
The title track oozes out of the speakers and creates a feeling of sliding off Main Street into a dark alley with a couple of dim lights over a door where a small crowd has gathered. There is a cinematic feel as you go through the door and descend an old flight of stairs. As you enter, you see the band on a small stage playing a sultry song with the crowd hanging on each word that is sung. I have always thought Laurenne’s vocals work perfectly with horns, and the sax and trumpet here sound amazing. ‘One’ feels like it has been lifted from the 70’s with a great beat, and the horns again work perfectly, giving the song a great musical hook. Laurenne knocks out the vocals with a bit of a trip hop fee,l like she has been doing it for years. For those who just know her from a couple of her other bands, The Darts and The Love Me Nots. Her work as Black Viiolet will be quite the change for you. The spotlight shifts across the small stage to the bass for the start of ‘Take Me (Or Leave Me).’ The chorus brings in a Middle Eastern touch, and I love the drum work through the song. The groove in this song does not let go.
Jazzy ‘Gimme Your Love’ finds you at the bar getting your gin and tonic. The stage is closer. You can feel the heat from the stage lights as the vocals pick up some extra volume now, and the horns are right in your ear. You spot an open chair in the middle of the room and make your way there as the song ends. ‘Not Too Bad’ opens softly before the band surges forward. There is a friction between the verses and chorus that mixes beautifully, and the piano solo complements the song perfectly. Laurenne has performed ‘Why Don’t You Do Right’ all around the world and has finally included it on the album. There is a power to the song where you can see the smoke in the room clearing away from the piano and Laurenne giving way to her vocals. ‘Bye’ begins, and you see the couple arguing in the corner. The lady leaves, and the guy quickly finishes his drink, while stumbling back to the bar. You think of lost love and empathise with both as you finish your own drink.
The slinky groove of ‘Got Me Down’ finds you ordering your next drink. The interplay between the vocals and the band are divine. I love the vocal hook in the song, and, like earlier, the refrain from the horns is extremely catchy too. ‘Don’t Fade’ showcases the power of love through the best moments and the agony of being apart. There is an extra bit of pop in the drums to emphasise the vocals. The buzz from the drinks has brought a warmth to your soul as you know the time to leave is getting close. The soulful ‘No Fool Like Me’ again showcases the chemistry between all involved in the band. The backing vocals here take the song to another level as they are mixed deeper in the mix. Laurenne’s vocals build in power and determination as she sings to convince herself and not anyone else.
Last call at the bar is happening, and the band have launched into the jazz rocker (am I inventing a genre?) ‘Just Met.’ The vocal interplay on the stage keeps you in your chair a bit longer. This is the kind of night where you know you caught lightning in a bottle by witnessing an incredible band delivering a peak performance. As you start to think nothing could be better, the band launches into their final song of the night, a torch song called ’Whiskey Eyes.’ Laurenne’s vocals begin the song, and the entire club falls silent. She plays the piano and sings in the central spotlight while the lights slowly return to the whole stage. For me, this is my favourite Black Viiolet song we have received yet. Her vocals are beautiful and leap out of the speakers. With that, the house lights release their brightness, and the jukebox begins playing our bonus track ‘One’ with Blag Dahlia making it a duet with Laurenne. It’s a great end to a great night.
Nicole Laurenne has provided two great albums to begin 2026 with totally different feels. The garage rock of the Darts provides one outlet, while this jazzy soul album provides your soundtrack for the twilight and midnight hours. Black Viiolet continues to flesh out their sonic palette with an album I cannot wait to spin on the record player.
6 am on a Sunday morning, why on earth am I awake? Well, I’m off to London to see the brilliant Home Front all the way from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, so I can’t really moan about having to travel now, can I?
I’ve been a fan of Home Front for less than 12 months so to say that they have left an impression on me since hearing last years album of the year “Watch It Die” would be an understatement, it was a album that I never thought I needed in my life, the mix of 80’s New Wave with elements of Punk and Oi just instantly grabbed me and there’s barely been a day since the release date that I haven’t listened to them.
A few months ago, I saw the advertisement for tour dates, spotted the one UK date in London, and without hesitation booked the ticket, hotel and travel. Yep, that’s how excited I was for this one! Would my expectations be met? Would the trip be worth it? Well, the answer was a resounding yes!
I get to the venue and realise this is going to be an intimate affair. The Lexington is a 200-capacity venue in the upstairs of a pub, so this was a warm one to say the least. I meet up with a friend whom I’m meeting for the first time, so unfortunately, after we share a drink and have a chit chat, we miss the support. We make our way into the venue, and it’s a struggle to move; the venue is rammed. We then find a spot and wait patiently for headliners Home Front, this small run of dates is to promote the before mentioned album “Watch It Die” as the band emerges they rip straight into lead single “Light Sleeper” which has the first of many big singalongs of the evening “We’re Born Alone, We Die Alone” the crowd screams back at frontman Graeme McKinnon who is grinning from ear to ear as is the entire audience. His energy is infectious throughout and doesn’t let up for a moment; he owns that stage. Keyboardist and percussionist Clint Frazier is also like a madman, not standing still for one second; it’s hard to take your eyes off the two of them.
Next up, we have the brutal “Young Offender” This song could easily be the soundtrack to an apocalypse. It’s great to hear these songs live with a bit more ferocity, and the band replicates the studio recordings down to a tee. We get a number of quality tunes from full length debut album ‘Games Of Power’ with ‘Real Eyes’, ‘Born Killer’, and ‘New Face Of Death’ all keeping the pace going nicely. Sandwiched in between, we get my personal favourite, of mine ‘For The Children (Fuck All)’, which produces another mass singalong during the ridiculously catchy chorus, that one keeps the punks happy.
The middle of the set the band show off their melancholy side with songs The Cure, New Order etc would be proud of ‘Eulogy’, ‘The Vanishing’ ‘Between The Waves’ and all extremely reflecting songs that hit hard emotionally none more than the stunning ‘Overtime’ with the lyrics “Hurts a little less over time” which I’m sure can resonate with everyone in the room.
Graeme then says it’s time for the final song of the set, and the keyboard intro to the band’s anthem ‘Nation’ kicks in and the crowd go wild, “Hear us all screaming at a nation, a nation that doesn’t hear a word we say” which couldn’t be more relevant in the world right now.
We get asked if we want to hear more, and the crowd answers with a resounding yes. Well, they’ve played the vast majority of the two main albums, so what else is there? Well what better than paying homage to the Godfathers of street punk/Oi the mighty Cock SParrer, one of my favourite bands of all time with not one but two brilliant cover versions both from the legendary Shock Troops album, first there’s a slow drum beat in the guitar kicks in and it’s ’Out on an Island’ which I will admit the hairs on the back of my neck stood up, an emotional moment right there after that there’s time for one more SParrer classic and it’s ’We’re Coming Back’ which gets a ridiculous reaction and the loudest singalong of the evening, what a superb gig this has been. Hopefully, this will spark more UK dates later in the year, and if so, I certainly will be coming back!!!
Dead Pioneers, the Indigenous fronted band from Denver, thump back into action this week with one of their most enraged, powerful and important pieces of work yet. As the upsurge of the far right and white supremacists continues to rise and come out of hiding, Dead Pioneers are ready to fight back with new single ‘Nazi Teeth’, the first track to be lifted from their forthcoming third album, further details to follow…
“While unfortunate that it needs to be done, we’ll never shy away from calling out the elephant in the room,” states frontman Gregg Deal. “Although we didn’t expect this elephant to be the revival of fascists on Amerikkkan soil. Maybe we should have. Frustrated and angry, ready and willing to fight, it’s not lost on us that the need to write a song like this or say these words out loud is grim, ironic, and disconcerting. Nevertheless, here we are, and we’re here to do it.”
The single features a fiery vocal collaboration from Stephanie Bryne of Colorado feminist punk band Cheap Perfume, reconnecting with their fantastic 2016 song ‘It’s Okay To Punch Nazis’. Stephanie’s voice breaks through the song, doubling down on confronting white supremacists throughout the world.
“We are witnessing in real time the violent and horrifying overextension of this administration, while many of our brothers and sisters have been suffering at the hands of white supremacy and colonialism for generations,” says Stephanie. “Nazi teeth is a call to action to hold the line with your friends, family, and community. Keeping Nazis down keeps us all free.”
“The United States of Amerikkka is in disarray, and ‘Nazi Teeth’ is not just our answer to what we’re seeing and experiencing in the streets of the so-called land of the free, but a call to action, fighting the continuing manifestation of forces our grandparents and great grandparents fought some 81-plus years ago,” continues Gregg. “It should be obvious, but for some people it seems this needs spelling out: Fuck Nazis, Fuck Fascism, Fuck ICE, Fuck Pedos, and Fuck Trump and his administration. If violence is the only language they speak, it’s okay to punch Nazi teeth.”
Dead Pioneers have never been afraid to use their art as a vehicle to express their beliefs and anger at the current political landscape in America. Over two albums – their self-titled debut in 2023 and ‘PO$T AMERICAN’ from last year, the band have concocted a unique blend of spoken word and hypnotic post-punk, mixed with the fury and anger of real punk rock.
Dead Pioneers are confirmed to play their first EU and UK headline tour, starting later this month.
Support for all UK shows comes from Yakkie, featuring Janey Starling formerly of Dream Nails.
Dead Pioneers emerged as a dynamic extension of vocalist Gregg Deal’s performance art, seamlessly blending music with critical cultural commentary. Rooted in the same themes of identity and resistance that define his visual work, the band’s sound acts as a powerful platform for addressing the complexities of Indigenous experience. Deal harnesses the raw energy of post-punk and alternative influences to challenge prevailing narratives, using lyrics that provoke thought and evoke emotion. Just as his performance art confronts the legacies of colonization and systemic marginalization, Dead Pioneers – completed by Josh Rivera and Abe Brennan on guitars, bassist Lee Tesche (Algiers) and drummer Shane Zweygardt – engages audiences in a visceral dialogue about survival, resilience, and reclamation of voice. This musical endeavour not only amplifies his artistic vision but also creates a space for collective expression and solidarity, inviting listeners to reflect on the intersections of culture, history, and identity in a contemporary context. Through Dead Pioneers, Deal continues to assert that art, in all its forms, can be a powerful vehicle for activism and change.
See Dead Pioneers at the following dates in the UK and EU.
London Proto Next Wave exponents Dealing With Damage are set to return with their third album, scheduled for release February 27th via Sunderland based Serial Bowl Records. Titled ‘The London Particular’, the album is named after the original phrase used to describe what came to be known as ‘pea souper fogs’ as far back as 1820.
“This was because of all the particles in the air,” explains singer/guitarist Ed Wenn. “So hence The London Particular. It describes a dangerous smog, and it sounds like a newspaper title, so we thought it was a good vehicle for our take on the fog of shit that’s going on in the world at the moment with the added nod to our hometown where the album was written, rehearsed and recorded.”
But first, some background.
In the autumn of 2023, DWD had been without a bass player for a few months and they were fast running out of promising leads. There were no gigs, rehearsals or recordings to be had so Ed filled the gap by writing a ton of new songs and putting together demos, ready to work on when a new bass player was found. In the absence of any other band activity working on those demos became an all-consuming passion into which he invested a lot of time and energy. The aim was to come up with material that didn’t sound like DWD and wouldn’t result in just another version of the last album. This intention was reinforced from the outset with the new songs sketched out with a bass part, onto which were layered Sonic Youth-inspired guitar in tunings that we’d not used before, followed by vocals influenced by Jon Foxx and the 1979 school of arty, synth flavoured, post-punk. The results were exciting and the material for the next album felt like it was coming together really well, even if there wasn’t actually a band in place to start work on it.
Finally, in November 2024, bassist Owen Cox was recruited into the DWD ranks and – with a mixture of relief and no small amount of excitement – rehearsals & studio time were booked. 20 minutes into the first rehearsal though two things became glaringly obvious. Firstly, Owen was the perfect fit: brimming with energy, talent and ideas and with a playing style that immediately took DWD to a very different place. Secondly, those demos from the summer and autumn had to go. The inspiration and the intention to move on could be retained, but DWD was suddenly a very different band with a significantly expanded sonic horizons and it demanded different material.
“The London Particular” – a product of the nation’s capital – was written in Kentish Town and recorded over 4 sessions from November 2023 to November 2024 at Perry Vale studio with Pat Collier (RIP) and Jess Cochran and One Cat studio with Jon Clayton. Final overdubs and edits were done by Ed and Andy and home and the whole thing was pulled together in a magical mixing session by long-time collaborator, Roop Coulson at The Mix Dungeon in Star Lane.
Two vinyl EPs were released in 2024 while DWD went from strength to strength as a live act; playing as often as schedules allowed. The new energy was infectious and resulted in another long-time collaborator, Steve Cox, joining the band full time on keyboards to flesh out the sound and bring another perspective to the writing process. The final piece fell into place in the spring of 2025, when the band signed on the dotted line with Serial Bowl Records and plans were hatched to bring the new songs into the world.
*Direct Influences*: Sonic Youth, Alternative TV, Graham Nash, John Foxx’s Metamatic, Joni Mitchell’s Hissing Of Summer Lawns, Wipers, early Cure and 60s Garage. Not a DC post-hardcore band in sight.
The Darts return with a concept album? While not a concept album, there is a theme that runs through the record, with the first half something to play during the trick or treat portion of Halloween and the flipside giving way to the after-hours. On their 6th album, not counting their best of, the Darts have delivered an excellent record full of swagger, hooks, and songs. Joining Nicole Laurenne (vocals/ organ/ keyboards) on this album are Lindsay Scarey (bass, backing vocals), former and once again Dart Rikki Styxx (drums, backing vocals), and Rebecca Davidson (guitar).
First single ‘Midnight Creep’ kicks off the record with a haunting music box melody, giving way to a garage-rocking start. The mix gives a nice bit of space between the instruments, with the song setting the tone for the album. One of my favourites from the album follows with ‘Zombies on the Metro’, reminding me of some long commutes to work back in the day. The song has a great groove with a catchy chorus that sits right in the middle of the mix. There seems to be a bit more farfisa and piano on this album, but it is not at the expense of the other instruments. The Darts do a great job mixing up their tempos across an album. They crank it up a bit with ‘Blood Runs Cold’, which features great dynamics between the pre-chorus and the chorus. Laurenne presents a cool Farfisa solo before the band rips through the end of the song.
Groovy ‘Vampires in Love’ keeps the party going with a chorus seemingly pulled out of an old B-movie with a killer soundtrack. ‘Dream Ghost’ utilises the pre-chorus to slow the song way down before unleashing the chorus. Laurenne utilises a softer voice throughout the verses and then adds some attitude during the choruses. The band channels an old Marilyn Monroe musical style approach and sends it through an Addams Family filter to come up with the wonderful ‘Every Night is Halloween.’ This leads us to ‘Apocalypse’, the second single from the album. It is a balance of rage with smooth verses that should be a constant in the live setting. It could have fit on a Love Me Nots album back in the day.
‘Devil Made Me Do It’ follows with a catchy riff by Davidson. Laurenne works on some different vocal inflexions to elevate the song. Watson and Scarey do a great job keeping the groove going. An extended musical intro ushers in the slower, haunting ‘Darkness.’ Scarey’s bass provides the lightning start to ‘Up In My Soul’ where the Darts become a hard-rocking blur of greatness. The band have done a great job sequencing the record to maximise dynamics and flow.
As we make our way to the final quarter of the album, ‘Haunt Me’ provides a showcase for Laurenne’s vocals, where she incorporates a dreamier approach to the chorus that remains firmly in the Darts camp and not her Black Violet project. ‘Shadow’ was my instant favourite the first time I played the album. The organ and keyboards through this one immediately captured me and have not let go. Combined with the killer guitar riff, the song moves into pure perfection. It’s early days still, but this might be my favourite Darts song ever. That leaves a tall shadow for album closer ‘Late Drive,’ but the band deliver by utilising an approach where the song takes a slow winding groove that builds to its conclusion.
The Darts have been masterful in creating a musical canvas that allows a lot of latitude within what could be a restricted musical approach. They always sound like the Darts, and this might be my favourite album they have released so far. Like the upcoming Los Frankies album, this will also be an album I am talking about at the end of the year when I try to rank my top albums of the year.
Those lovely people at Cherry Red Records have put together a rather swanky reissue of the 1988 Mantas LP, ‘Winds of Change’. We all know Jeff ‘Mantas’ Dunn as the guitarist in black metal pioneers Venom. ‘Winds of Change‘ was released when Mantas had left Venom, and he almost left the music business completely.
We all know the influence that Venom had on the speed/thrash metal genre. The band were cited by Metallica, Slayer, etc., and their influential power helped form the Norwegian black metal movement in the ‘90s.
‘Winds of Change’ is as far away from the Venom sound as you can imagine. What we have here is an AOR album with parptastic keyboards, melodic vocals, and God-awful electronic drums. Opening track Let it Rock gallops along and sounds like something from a low-budget ‘80s kung fu film soundtrack. The album really hasn’t aged well, I mean, there’s some decent musicianship on display and vocalist Pete Harrison belts the (dodgy) lyrics out admirably, but it’s all a bit cringe.
Tracks like ‘Deceiver’ sound like what many metal bands did in the mid to late ‘80s; they jumped on the melodic bandwagon and softened their sound. Saxon are a classic example of this. However, it just sounds contrived and forced. ‘King of the Ring’ has a decent enough shout-along chorus, but those bloody electronic drums are so overpowering. The mix is muddy and really affects the listening experience.
There are a few bonus tracks, including a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Green Manalishi’. The package is well put together with extensive liner notes and some great pictures. If you’re looking for Black Metal, then maybe Mantas of 1988 isn’t for you. If its somethingsofter, more melodic and to complete a set, then jump in.
Posthumous albums are always a touchy subject. Especially when the artist had true, legendary status. Brian James certainly fits this category; a one-off who kick started The Damned and influenced innumerable guitarists. There’s nothing I can say that hasn’t been said many times before. He had his moments, no doubt, but when I interviewed him a few years ago, he was generous with his time and happy to talk about any subject. His shadow looms large in my record collection, from The Damned, through The Lords, The Racketeers and his many solo albums.
These seven songs are the final ones he worked on. Let’s be clear, while they’ve been mixed, they are very rough and ready recordings. That should come as no surprise, but it needs stating. Some songs sound like the finished product, others are experimental/embryonic. That said, each one is undeniably ‘Brian’, so, if you “want some action?”, let’s jump in…
Joined by his regular comrades Malcolm Mortimer, Austen Gayton, Dave O’Brien and Alan Clayton, ‘In The Blood’ is the song that would fit in best on ‘The Guitar That Dripped Blood’. The familiar, knife-sharp guitar and Brian’s casual drawl is back like an old friend. ‘Soho’ is a bare-bones riff, “less is more”, but still captivating.
‘Giallo Yellow’ is experimental meets chaotic, a hypnotic mess. The Italian ‘Giallo’ novels are apparently an influence on the album, the cover art by longtime collaborator Graham Humphreys echoing the distinctive, yellow book covers. ‘So Sad, Sonny’, with its funky piano, is reminiscent of the Blockheads at times, adding some groove to the mix.
The version of ‘Dance With Me’ is pleasingly different to the original. Piano led, with touches of guitar, ex Mo-Dettes singer Ramona Wilkins-Carlier gives it a smoky, ‘Parisienne’ feel and a touch of class. ‘Ida Strong’ is another experimental groove, the farfisa keyboard sound keeping a primal feel, and ‘Happy Families/Zombie Song’ is practically free jazz, complete with duck quacks and Bo Diddley drums. Don’t say I didn’t warn you! The CD contains four extra songs, including ‘Living Doll’, which I haven’t had the chance to hear yet.
Inevitably bittersweet, it is nonetheless a treat to hear Brian’s unique sound one more time.
Time travel exists. Don’t ask me how it works, but I definitely have proof. I am going to urge you to check out the proof as well. Apparently, the event happened down under in Sydney, and the four-piece band Large Mirage found themselves transported from San Francisco back in the late 60’s to Australia in the 2020’s. A fortuitous rabbit hole one night on YouTube made me aware of Large Mirage. This second EP by the band stuck with me immediately, as I found myself wishing I could play multiple songs at the same time. The band takes a Nuggets approach to their music and is not afraid to put some pop filled choruses in them when needed.
‘Miss Okay’ kicks off the EP and was also the first song I heard by the band. The song reminds me of what was coming out of the garage nuggets from San Francisco way back in the day. The verses have very melodic, fuzzy pop vocals which give way to an even more harmony-filled chorus. The guitars have some bite to them as well. I can almost picture the Monkees watching them play back in the day, heck, maybe that is how they got transported to modern day. ‘Happy Now’ might be my favorite song from the,m as the song has more heaviness to it. The guitar riff could be lifted from the likes of Black Sabbath or Alice Cooper if it were cut out of the song and surrounded by some heavier drums. The chorus remains as catchy as the first song, but does so in a darker way.
Midway through the EP, ‘Wings of Time’ provides another catchy guitar riff with a hypnotic vocal. The guitar solo feels enormous and gets plenty of space in the song. When Rhino Records was releasing their Nuggets box sets (some of the greatest sets ever), I would expect to hear songs like this. That said, these songs sound fresh and vital today. The band then turn in a short acoustic ballad with ‘I Don’t Love Love.’ Everything turns technicolor while the song plays; I am pretty sure I just saw some dandelions sprout out of some really bright green grass when this song was playing. The band closes out the EP with a nearly five-minute rocker that delivers some epic passages and catchy vocals. The guitar solo rips through the speakers with all five songs leaving listeners wanting more.
Large Mirage delivers the goods, and I still maintain they are proof of time travel. The sound may come from many decades ago, but they feel current and essential today. I can see this band continuing to grow, and they won’t be a secret for long, especially when word is they are also an excellent live band. Tune in and crank this up!
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