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Black Spiders – Rollin’ on ‘Hot Wheels’

Black Spiders – Rollin’ on ‘Hot Wheels’

BLACK SPIDERS ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM ‘CAN’T DIE, WON’T DIE’ TO BE RELEASED MAY 12TH VIA SPINEFARM

PRE-ORDER HERE:

UK TOUR ANNOUNCED FOR SEPTEMBER!

www.blackspidersband.com

Since re-assembling Avengers-style (though probably more Suicide Squad!) in 2020, Black Spiders have continued to make a loud and compelling case for heavy guitar music from the sin city streets, with three chords and the truth – revelling in the glories of the genre, its sacred lore, with a top-shelf collection of riffs, a sly dash of humour, plus an iconic logo that sits alongside the best.

It’s a cocktail fans have come to expect from the unexpected and it’s there in double-measure on the UK outfit’s latest / fourth studio album, ‘Can’t Die, Won’t Die’ – 42 minutes of back-street trouble, produced by regular studio compadre, Matt Elliss, and set for worldwide release via Spinefarm May 12th, the band’s first campaign with the label.

As a taste of things to come, a shot before the pint, lead single / video ‘Hot Wheels’ is out now; it sees the band – led into action by frontman, Pete Spiby – in a variety of scenarios and settings, at one point surviving a close encounter with a rampant shark (sort of).

“It’s a party album from top to tail, everyone a banger! As usual there is something for everyone and maybe some surprises. We went all out, balls out on this record, each track is an ear worm…”

Noted for their unswerving dedication to the music, the middle finger (or two) and the rousing rock ‘n’ roll slogan (“EAT THUNDER, SHIT LIGHTNING!”), the Spiders are the perfect low-slung machine to raise a glass or clench a tattooed fist to, and ‘Can’t Die, Won’t Die’ – 12 new tracks including ‘Destroyer’ and ‘It Is What It Is’, all measured pace and power, and ‘Driving My Rooster’, a race towards the cliff edge – is sure to add more burnt tread to their tyres.

In support of their studio albums (the most recent of which hit the No. 7 spot on the UK Independent Albums chart), plus a fistful of EPs, Black Spiders have toured with a variety of rock’s most riff-hungry sons, the likes of Volbeat, Danzig, Airbourne and Monster Magnet, and appeared at all of the UK’s leading festivals, including Download, Sonisphere and Bloodstock.

Their plan is to spend much of 2023 out on the road, and it’s a strategy that is for once, going to plan. A full UK tour has been announced for September and pre-sale tickets will be available from Planet Rock on Wednesday March 15th at 10am, with general sale commencing Friday March 17th at 10am from here: https://planetrock.tourlink.to/blackspiders

Catch Black Spiders live at the following dates on their September tour.

The Hot Damn! to support on all dates.

Fri 15 Sep – The Forum, Tunbridge Wells

Sat 16 Sep – New Cross Inn, London

Sun 17 Sep – Moonshine, Portsmouth

Mon 18 Sep – Rescue Rooms, Nottingham

Tue 19 Sep – The Warehouse, Leeds

Thu 21 Sep – Live Rooms, Chester

Fri 22 Sep – The Garage (Attic), Glasgow

Sat 23 Sep – Anarchy Brewery, Newcastle

Sun 24 Sep – The Patriot, Crumlin

Mon 25 Sep – The Junction, Plymouth

Black Spiders are also confirmed to play the following festivals with more to be added:

Friday April 7th

Uplift skate & music festival

Sunday May 28th

Call of the Wild festival

Sunday 23rd July

Maid in Stone festival

Sunday 13th August

Firestorm festival

Rachel Stamp – Brand New Toy – Brand New Video

Rachel Stamp – Brand New Toy – Brand New Video

Brit glam legends RACHEL STAMP have unveiled a ‘new’ video ahead of the reissue of their classic debut album.

pic by Nigel Crane

‘Brand New Toy’ is taken from Hymns For Strange Children, originally released in the year 2000, and now set to see the light of day on vinyl for the first time ever through Easy Action Records.

“‘Brand New Toy’ is the archetypal Rachel Stamp rocker,” states singer/bassist David Ryder Prangley. “Part of the riff is a tri-tone, aka the ‘Devil’s interval’ which, back in medieval days, was said to drive whoever heard it crazy. I kind of stole the song title from the name of a friend’s band and the lyrics are pretty regular Stamp fare for the time – sex, insanity and Jesus Christ. The video is a new mash up of various live footage taken around 1998-2000. The gigs were always a riot, as you can see…”

Fully remastered, ‘Hymns For Strange Children’ is set for release on 14 April and is available to pre-order on limited edition 12″ vinyl and expanded CD now.

The band have lined up a special album launch show on the release date at the O2 Islington Academy, London. Tickets are on sale here.

https://www.facebook.com/rachelstamppage

https://www.instagram.com/rachelstampofficial/

Iselder – ‘Cynefin’ (UKEM Recordings)

Iselder – ‘Cynefin’ (UKEM Recordings)

Here at RPM we have a love of guitar bands be it punk rock or Black Metal and everything in between. Iselder is a one-man army celebrating Welsh Black Metal. Yup Venom might have paved the way back in the early years and is still the go-to leader of the extreme metal scene but it has been through some transformations over the years since Black Metal seeped into the heavy scene via the extreme Norweigan Black Metal, pure Black Metal True Black Metal whatever you want to call this Genre, fill yer boots, be it 28 hole doc martins or a pair of goats hoofs. If you were never aware of the existence of Welsh Black Metal or that there was even a scene here in the UK for the extreme side of Metal then go check out Hellripper from Scotland or this here Iselder album. In the land of song, it is a thing and it’s getting bigger with every release.

Proving that every day is indeed a School day ‘Cynefin’ which is pronounced “ku-nev-in,” is A welsh word for “Place” ‘Haunt’ or ‘Habitat’. It all makes sense when you hit play and take in the black-and-white cover of the CD. As soon as the doomy intro of the opening track ‘The World Turns To Black’ you are immediately taken to a dark corner of the world inhabited by the lines of Dark Throne with the chiming, doomy chords that hit your ears after the musical intro has played out. Sole Member Gofid leads you on a merry dance as the song twists and turns through choppy yet familiar waters that are the more modern blackest of metals. The vocals are often so grim you could never work out what’s being put forward but, Iselder goes for a style that might be dark and low you can indeed work out what’s being sung which in my book puts them at a great advantage of reaching a wider audience and not just being a scenester and going for the bleakest darkest corner of the genre.

Previous offerings have painted quite a nationalistic portrait of Gofid and have even got him in trouble with the powers that be for his inflammatory t-shirts. Personally, I loved ‘Metel Du Gwir Cymreig’ where Gofid mixed languages but here on this new album, he’s gone to reach that wider audience with just English lyrics.

‘Ingest The Bile They Spew’ is a six-minute grinding slog of slower heaviness that twists and grinds through the verses. The thing here is that all seven songs on offer are bloody long. Not necessarily a bad thing if like ‘Dead Inside’ it shifts through those Black Metal gears like a stolen Ford GTI. The comparison to Dark Throne shouldn’t be dismissed. More down to the tone of the guitar as it pierces the speakers with that nails-down glass style. For the best example go to ‘As I Gaze Upon The Stars’ especially in the intro before it shifts speed. The track ‘Home’ leans on some monumental Tony Iommi riffage whilst ‘Moonstruck’ is an altogether faster number before the album signs off with the epic ‘End Of My Time’ with its funeral march pace in the intro it briefly builds up a head of steam then falling back into the march.

In summary, I’d say musically and as far as the song structures go Iselder has taken a step up in all-around quality it might not have that one killer song that will enable a much wider audience but it’s stepping in that direction. As far as authentication and being a one-man band it’s an absolute triumph much like one of its main inspirations Dark Throne only has two members and Hellripper is also a one-man band. I guess the next step is for Gofid to recruit a band and take these huge tunes out on the road and see where that takes Iselder.

The Mistakes find a good hill to die on.

The Mistakes find a good hill to die on.

The Mistakes ‘A Good Hill To Die On” – SUPERB NEW Video and Digital Single Taken from the forthcoming album to be released 2023 on Time & Matter Records –

Filmed on location at Knowlton Church, Dorset, December 2022. Filmed by Frank Smithland and Matthew Rayner. Stream and download at: https://hypeddit.com/u7mgts

Find much more at: https://www.themistakes.net

https://www.facebook.com/themistakesuk

https://twitter.com/themistakesuk

https://www.instagram.com/themistakes

https://themistakes.bandcamp.com/

Jeff Dahl – ‘All My Friends Are Crows’ (I Wanna Be A Hoople Records)

Jeff Dahl – ‘All My Friends Are Crows’ (I Wanna Be A Hoople Records)

It’s always a good day when I hear that Jeff Dahl is in the studio recording a new album. You start to get word that its got that raw, aggressive punk rock that we often assosciate with people like Jeff and thats always a reason to get excited.

Album number bazillion and twenty lands on my doormat and as soon as the opening riff hits the ether via my CD player I’m smiling and nodding. The raw slash of that electric guitar kicks in and the steady beat crashes through as the title track is a throbbing, pumping, cutting slab of style and it has the swagger you want from a Jeff Dahl record.

As we exit one of the weirdest times known to man the tough get going and it seems a lot of writers were busing their downtime writing and recording via this wonderful internet. ‘All My Friends Are Crows’ is barking out the speakers and life just got a little calmer inside from the thundering drum rolls to that scratched riff its wearing an invisible coat of awesome like a forcefield, loving it. Essentially what you have here is ten slabs of old-school, no-bullshit punk rock n roll. From the Stooges via the Dolls and the Damned and a whole variety of others, the baton was indeed handed down to Mr Dahl who lit the fucker up and carried that burning torch with passion and a fistful of rock-solid punk rock records. After all these years that flame is still blazing. The likes of the mid-paced ‘Atomic Ant Invasion’ is more a stomping march than a casual stroll. Hold on though don’t get too comfortable because ‘We Must Destroy’ is thumping its way into the world from the gnarly guitars through the snotty lyrics it’s classic Jeff Dahl and if you’re not excited by this I’d get to the medical room and get checked for a pulse.

I love the infectious opening of ‘A Little Bird Said’ from the thumping drums it’s like Dahl is channeling the spirit and attitude of the Dead Boys into 2023 and who better than Jeff Dahl to take care of that spirit and use it great effect. The minamilstic guitar break hits the spot – why over play when all thats required is heart and soul.

With only ten songs on offer, Jeff has knuckled down and streamlined whats on offer and picked the perfect songs to maximise his kill count on this lean, mean rockin’ machine. It is all killer and no filler, there simply isn’t the time or space. Whether you dip in or just let it wash over you the energy is right up there ‘The Spider Sisters’ has plenty of attacks and just enough cowbell. Hell, wherever you dip in it’s the same result – ‘Manahampeetah’ or the sleazy ‘Let It Drool’ it is ‘Bat Shit Crazy’ how damn good this is.

The record is summed up on the penultimate cut of ‘Wild, Beautiful and Free’ ok it might not be free but it is Wild and Beautiful. I might heap the superlatives when I get excited over a record being released but sometimes when you get a record and have expectations that you try and dampen whats the poont? The days of tryign to be cool or not fussed are gone and after first play some records wipe you out. Why the fuck shouldn’t you rave over it? Dahl might have sold his soul to Lucifer for the quality on this record but the brooding slow builder that is the album closer ‘Saint Lucifer’ breaks out and speeds up with a hypnotic riff thats like being thumped repeatidly by a heavyweight before slowing down to a crawl and signing offwith a bye bye. I think both Lucifer and Jeff Dahl got good deals here.

The fact that Dahl does everything except hit the drums is brilliant he and Sam Bradley should be immensely proud of this album because, whilst I’ve loved the last few he’s done from ‘Electric Junk’, through the collaboration with “Demons” and ‘Made In Hawaii’ ‘this latest’All My Friends Are Crows’ top trumps the lot of them – The quality of the songs is noticable and if you can I strongly advise you to pick it up. Stateside you get in contact with Jeff for the CD and those over this side of the pond as soon as Ghost Highway drop the vinyl copies get stuck right in and pick up what will no doubt be one of 2023s best albums and you can take that to the bank as not so much an opinion but a fact! Buy It!

Buy direct from Jeff Here

Ghost Highway Store

Author: Dom Daley

Jeff dosn’t want to sell these CDs in Canada, Australia, Japan or Europe. The reason is that all of these places will cost over $15 just for postage (He’s sending from Hawaii) so you’re looking at a $26 CD, which is just too damn expensive and really, don’t order it unless you can’t live without it and you’re rich or something.

Also please note that a deluxe vinyl version will is being made in Spain on Ghost Highway

Only Fools And Corpses – ‘Pissant’ (Self Release)

Only Fools And Corpses – ‘Pissant’ (Self Release)

South Wales noise merchants dish up a refined slimline seven smashers. South Wales is a hotbed of talent at the moment belching up bands left right and centre who are getting out there and delivering their tunes to audiences far and wide. Letting the music do their talking this three piece are hard at the coal face chiselling away their corner of the music scene. Working hard, playing shows refining your craft and dishing up the best songs you can muster is the MO and on this debut release it would appear to be paying dividends.

Kicking off with ‘Syls II’ with its jarring abrasive guitars not a million miles from Fugazi dragging Thrapy? along for the ride, it’s a rallying call where vocalist and guitar player Cameron McIntyre is barking his words into the void for anyone and everyone to hear.

‘Prince Plays At Funerals has one foot on the Idles monitor wedge whilst the other harks back to a time when Nirvana would push back boundaries in the mainstream making it possible for young men to fuck with our ears and people to enjoy that thumping bass that is cold angles poking away at your ears before driving into your head with the sharp guitars and drum assault because this is an assault – make no mistake. It’s not easy listening but once you dial in it’s pretty damn good stuff. The St Pierre Snake Invasion were and are dishing this stuff up across the border in Bristol and the popularity of Idles and their post-punk juggernaut have made post-punk and indy cross over a mainstream concern and the masses are now fair game. With old school alt-punk like Fugazi has to be an influence on the sound created here. It’s great to see and hear bands getting “it” and turning in great records that deserve to be heard far and wide.

The single ‘Swede’ is a great advert for whats coming. It’s not anew sound but boy is it a good one. But there is more going on here with some decent lyrics and great rhythms to go with the rage and passion on display. ‘Greenhouse’ being a great example of that chaos and roaring attitude making for a banging tune. ‘Cwffin Of Flowers’ has that dark melody that the Manics sailed close to when they were deep into the Holy Bible but not with this much rage to go with that darkness. That rumbling bass is excellent and it rings out loud and proud.

Signing off this excellent album is the slower, brooding ‘Malaise’ rising and chest beating before calming down and taking a breath. A fine collection of tunes on a fine platter of post-punk to rival its peers wherever they may be. Only Fools And Corpses by this time next year might not be millionaires but they’ll be out there in the dirt making music and taking names and dishing up some memorable performances on the strength of this very impressive debut offering – get on boys bach its a banger! Nothing vulgar about this Pissant.

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Author: Dom Daley

Starcrazy – ‘Another Day Another Squalor’ (Self Released)

Starcrazy – ‘Another Day Another Squalor’ (Self Released)

Not content with producing some of the best punk rock music in the world right now, Australia has now seemingly set its sights on taking over the hard rock world once more. With Airbourne finally discovering what the top of the mountain really looks like by headlining the Saturday night of this year’s Steelhouse Festival and the Van Halen influenced Deraps (their drummer is Australian) taking up an early slot at Stonedead its now Starcrazy who get a major PR push here in Blighty, and it really is time to sit up and listen to what these guys have to offer, because when it comes to all things Starcrazy it’s something very interesting indeed.

Citing Janes Addiction, Hanoi Rocks and Van Halen as their influences the four piece band formed in late 2019 in Sydney’s Inner West music scene and to date have the self-released ‘Played For Suckers’ EP on vinyl and CD under their (studded) belts. The six track follow up ‘Another Day Another Squalor’ is set to be released on March 10th (via the Bandcamp link below) taking the ““Retro glam with a hint of RUSH” influence that Alice Cooper (yup that Alice Cooper) identified in the band early doors and turning up the dial marked POWERPOP.

‘Galaxy O Luv’ complete with its Slade styled titling opens the EP in the style Da Coop had already picked up on with just the merest hint of ole black eyes himself creeping into the musical mid-section.  It’s when ‘The Big Time’ thunders in on a late ‘80s Rachel Bolan bassline and “devilish” (listen and you’ll get what I mean) backing vocals join in that I actually sit up and truly listen. It’s worth mentioning that the low budget promo video that accompanies this track is a creative joy to behold too. Although don’t watch it after a heavy night out.

Australia is of course renowned for its hard rock bands, but what happens when you merge the straight into the amps guitar sound of that scene with the spirit of the early 90s US alt-rock explosion? Well take a listen to ‘The Open Sea’ and all will soon be revealed. Oh, and go check out fellow Sydney band of yore The Screaming Tribesmen, whose t-shirt Starcrazy frontman Marcus Fraser is wearing in the song’s video. I think you may be pleasantly surprised.

It’s when we get to ‘Egging Me On’ and ‘Hysterical’ that the EP really excels though. The former a 1 minute 42 second barnstormer that actually has a lot of synergies with the UK’s Mother Vulture, and then there’s the latter, this is when the (bad) penny drops in my musical memory banks and I’m screaming “this sounds like Celebrity Skin (the cult US band not the song)” at the stereo. Anyone who’s ever heard their one and only album ‘Good Clean Fun’ will hopefully now be clicking on the video link below…because this tune really is good clean fun written very much in the spirit of 70s Bowie (albeit it’s not a shameless steal like Gyasi).

‘Monday Morning (Prayer For Tony)’ which brings the EP to a close doffs its cap to early Guns N’ Roses with some Slash-like six string action courtesy of the wonderfully monikered Odin Wolf, and let’s not forget the Jack action rhythm section of bassist Jack Barratt and drummer Jack Farmer who also put in a HUGE shift across the whole EP.

Starcrazy produce hard rock music of the highest quality and thankfully being from Australia they aren’t influenced in the slightest by the sterile arena rock that we’ve been spoon here in the UK this past 5 years or so.  Finally I can get excited about a new hard rock band, and (the aforementioned Mother Vulture aside) that’s something I haven’t been able to say in quite some time. Joyous stuff!

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Author: Johnny Hayward

THERAPY? ANNOUNCE ALBUM ‘HARD COLD FIRE’ – SET FOR RELEASE 5TH MAY 2023 VIA MARSHALL RECORDS

THERAPY? ANNOUNCE ALBUM ‘HARD COLD FIRE’ – <strong>SET FOR RELEASE 5TH MAY 2023 VIA MARSHALL RECORDS</strong>

UK IN-STORE DATES REVEALED FOR MAY 2023

TICKETS – HERE

PRE-ORDER / PRE-SAVE – HERE

Northern Irish rock outfit, THERAPY? announce their colossal new studio album ‘Hard Cold Fire’, a spiralling, hypnotic melange of grunge-rock and towering melody that sees the trio steadfast and reinvigorated. ‘Hard Cold Fire’ is set for release 5th May 2023 via Marshall Records.

Accompanying the announcement, the band also shares their first offering in the form the riotous new single ‘Joy,’ and details on a run of intimate UK in-store dates coinciding with the album’s release. Fans can find more information for in-store tickets HERE, pre-order limited edition bundles of ‘Hard Cold Fire’ and pre-save HERE.

Resilience and survival have become vital watchwords for Therapy?. Enduring over three decades as the musical, cultural and social landscapes have shifted around them, the trio have forged and retained a powerful and lasting connection with a dedicated fan base around the world, doing so by putting their emphasis on the music, solidifying a hard-won reputation as forward-thinking writers and a fierce live proposition in the process.

As Therapy?’s fourth decade finally gets underway in earnest, sixteenth album ‘Hard Cold Fire’, written and pre-produced during an unprecedented time for music, is hefty, compact, and accessible, a distillation of everything that has made them what they are – hewn from County Antrim basalt, still possessed of their stoicism, but casting a renewed focus on catharsis and healing.

“One thing we did decide when we were eventually able to rehearse, was that we didn’t want to make a lockdown record,” says vocalist and guitarist Andy Cairns,“because people have been through enough.

“When we began to rehearse the songs, we realised there was an empathetic quality to them. We wanted to make something that was a bit more relatable, and less standoffish and claustrophobic – which we have a history of, and it stands in places – but we wanted to make something more approachable and open.”

“We wanted this album to be one that felt good to play live, almost a release after this period of stasis, but then also not dwelling on the whole situation – we’re moving forward, and we wanted that energy to be there,” adds bassist Michael McKeegan.

The serrated, chugging riffage, churning low-end and propulsive rhythms that are hallmarks of the band’s sound are all present and correct, but met with a new-found sense of resolution and release, as most readily displayed on the one-two punch of their first single, ‘Joy’.

“Well, ‘Joy’ started with a term from ‘Waiting for Godot’, by Samuel Beckett,” confesses Cairns“this wonderful line: ‘habit is a great deadener’. I just love that word, ‘dead-en-er’. It’s an amazing word. People get themselves into these habits, and the next thing you know, their life is over and they’ve only lived in a very small circle of experience, often through choice, which is scary.”

CONNECT WITH THERAPY?

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THE HIP PRIESTS NEW SINGLE ‘JUST TO GET BY’

THE HIP PRIESTS NEW SINGLE ‘JUST TO GET BY’

PRE-ORDER THE ALBUM HERE:

The Hip Priests. Zero fucks n’ less success since 2006. The most prolific band you haven’t heard of. High energy sweaty sermons of misanthropy, disillusion (self) loathing and despair. Get ready to have your ears torn clean off.

After 16 years some bands would be taking it easy but in spite of a global pandemic, there was no let-up in The Hip Priests determination and activity. Their fifth, and by far their best full-length album – ‘Roden House Blues’ – was written, rehearsed, and recorded during this period and will be released May 5th, 2023, via The Sign Records.

Rehearsed, recorded and mixed between the numerous U.K lockdowns in Roden House, one of Nottingham’s former lace factories where the Priests have their own space, and which spawned the album title. This is no Mississippi Blues but perhaps it makes more sense than you think: Howling laments, loss, self-reflection and revelation – alongside some recurring Priests lyrical themes: negativity, nihilism, rage and revolution. After 2019’s ‘Stand for Nothing’ the band were unsure whether they’d do another album – However, global lockdown inadvertently led to a renewed passion and realisation that, like Jagger said, ‘’what can a poor boy do’ – especially when feeling more lost in a world that increasingly resembles a dumpster fire. A few dozen demos were scrutinised of which, through a stricter than ever group consensus, 14 were recorded but then honed down, razor sharp, into the tightest collection of 11 low-fat, lean and mean banging tunes that could fit into 30 minutes.

This week we get to feel another white-hot blast straight from the album’s furnace in new single ‘Just To Get By’, which finds the band in rare reflective form.

“Every day can be a struggle and happiness really is an inside job. None of us are perfect. Every day we’re pitted against each other and ourselves by a world that increasingly looks like a dumpster fire that wants to incinerate us. What can we do to just get by?

Perhaps just trying to improve, rise above and be a better person is an act of revenge nowadays. A number one single in an alternate universe with a guitar riff of such hook and beauty it was surely dropped from the Rock heavens.  

We don’t JUST do Nihilism, Negativity, Rage and Revolution you know…”

This month also sees The Hip Priests team up with Northern Ireland’s The Dangerfields for an Irish tour. Having known each other for years and toured together back in 2010, when the bands paths crossed again last year, the idea of finally sorting that long talked about Irish tour was set in stone. And so The Hip Priests first time in Ireland kicks off in Derry on Weds 22nd March followed by four other shows all across the country.


Come along for an evening (or in Dublin’s case, afternoon) of face-ripping, ball-crushing, ass-immolating rock ‘n’ roll played by a bunch of doozies far too old to know any better!
There will be loud guitars and rock poses, bad words and everything!

‘Roden House Blues’ is released May 5th via The Sign Records and available to pre-order HERE:

FIND THE HIP PRIESTS ONLINE AT:

WEBSITE /FACEBOOK / BANDCAMP / TWITTER / INSTAGRAM

CATCH THE HIP PRIESTS LIVE AT THE FOLLOWING DATES:

March

Ireland (With The Dangerfields)

Wednesday 22nd Bennigans, Derry

Thursday 23rd Cellar Bar, Galway

Friday 24th Fred Zeppelin’s, Cork

Saturday 25th Hop House, Bangor

Sunday 26th Wild Duck, Dublin

April

Germany (With Lucifer Star Machine)

Thursday 27th Sonic Ballroom, Cologne

Friday 28th Freakshow, Essen

Saturday 29th Zollkantine, Bremen

Sunday 30th Indra Musikclub, Hamburg

May

UK (With Bitch Queens)

Thursday 25th The Pipeline, Brighton

Friday 26th Hope And Anchor, London

Saturday 27th Nice And Sleazy, Morecambe

Sunday 28th Old Angel, Notts

June

UK (With Zeke)

Tuesday 20th Exchange, Bristol

Wednesday 21st Parish, Huddersfield

Thursday 22nd New Cross Inn, London

September

UK

Thursday 28th Trillians, Newcastle

Friday 29th Bannermans, Edinburgh

Saturday 30th Waterloo, Blackpool

Levellers Collective – ‘Together All The Way’ (On The Fiddle)

Levellers Collective – ‘Together All The Way’ (On The Fiddle)

Following on from their 2018 release ‘We The Collective’, The Levellers have again teamed up with Hannah Miller and Ollie Austin from The Moulettes to reimagine songs from their 35-year career in a more stripped back, acoustic way.

Since that celebrated album, the ever-busy Brighton band have released a studio album (Peace), a live in the studio lockdown album (The Lockdown Sessions) and kept the band on the road with a string of live dates, festival appearances, as well as curating their own ‘Beautiful Days’ festival.

The band are currently taking the show on the road with an 18 date UK tour showcasing these new versions as well as more classics from their discography. This album also features the first official recordings of new member Dan Donelly on guitar.

Recorded live at the Levellers own Metway Studio in Brighton, and captured beautifully by producer Sean Lakeman, ‘Together All The Way’ takes a more folky approach to some classic Levellers favourites, adds their recent single ‘Down By The River ‘O’’, written by longtime collaborator Rev Hammer, and adds two brand new songs titled ‘Man O War’ and ‘Sitting In The Social’.

Anyone who has seen a Levellers acoustic show can testify that their foot-stomping, festival friendly anthems transfer well into laid back, acoustic goodness, and this album captures that vibe perfectly.

Opener ‘The Game’, from their classic ‘Levelling The Land’ album, is probably the most distinctive in terms of approach. A deconstructed version that couldn’t be further from the anthemic live favourite. Where the original relied on an urgency created by frantic fiddles, rock guitars and a rousing chorus that came on like a call to arms, this version creates a different atmosphere altogether, relying more on chilled beats, strings and melody. The fiddles are still there, understated, and more as an accompaniment to Mark Chadwick’s ever-powerful voice, the haunting backing vocals adding dramatic effect.

Next, the upbeat ‘Down By The River ‘O’’ is more in tune with classic Levellers and very similar to their take on ‘The Devil Went Down To Georgia’. A foot-stomping, fiddle frenzy ensues with a glorious melody guaranteed to make you swing your pint of cider as you sing-along. This captures the live feel of a Levellers show perfectly.

‘The Cholera Well’ is taken right down to almost a dub version, the instruments stripped right back yet Chadwick’s fiery vocals still maintain the passion and fire that is prevalent in the original.

The title track ‘Together All The Way’ doesn’t stray too far from the path, but the acoustic guitars, pumping bass line and that glorious fiddle refrain make this classic Levellers song sound…classic again. Even the absence of that cool harmonica riff isn’t really missed.

‘Wake The World’ and ‘Wheels’ both come from that period when the band lost their way a bit in the early 2000’s and both benefit from the new arrangements, but I wouldn’t call either of them highlights.

With Chadwick’s vocals replacing Simon Friend’s gruff delivery and stabbing strings replacing his dampened guitar riff, ‘Battle Of The Beanfield’ could not sound any different. But with mournful cello and fiddle sweeps, it still has that urgency and still carries the same stark message from all those years ago. This is an album highlight.

The two new songs sandwich a sweet reworking of the classic ‘Sell Out’. The reflective ‘Man O War’ with its beautiful vocal harmonies, Blackbird-like picked acoustic guitars and Celtic vibes, is a song you could say is stereotypical of a band in the twilight years of their career, but that doesn’t mean it’s not good.

The same goes for album closer and fellow newbie ‘Sitting In The Social’. A powerful, rousing tune very similar in feel to ‘Subvert’ with tribal beats, handclaps and gang vocal harmonies. The stripped-back approach works well with this new song and the dramatic delivery makes it a killer closer for the album. Tenpole Tudor and Dexy’s are not two names I ever thought of referencing in respect to The Levellers but, there you go, I said it.

There is a good ebb and flow to this album. Breathing new life into old tunes and mixing up new ideas that show, while they may well have mellowed with age, they can still knock out a protest song or two and let’s face it, the Levellers social commentary is as relevant today as it was back during the 90’s.

A perfect companion to ‘We The Collective’ and a testament to the fact that whatever the production and arrangement, the Levellers have a fine set of tunes in their arsenal.

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Author: Ben Hughes