New garage punk blitz, “Flaunt It” along with a lyric video. This is a fan-only single. The lyric video commemorates the band’s 25th Anniversary and comes off of their upcoming album Power Trio out August 27th via Mate In Germany. Album pre-orders are available HERE!
Photo by Dustin Rabin
“Power Trio” sees Danko Jones delivering each engine-revving riff, soul-shaking stomp, and shout-it-loud hook with a sniper’s precision. It’s such a simple, self-evident title, but one loaded with significance, as it speaks to the special triangular alchemy Danko shares with his trusty bass-slinging accomplice JC and drummer Rich Knox. It also stakes out the band’s place on a storied lineage of three-piece titans Jimi Hendrix Experience, ZZ Top, Rush, Motörhead, Venom, Dinosaur Jr., and the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, to name a few.
When you choose to start a power trio, you’re not simply forming a band, you’re entering a blood pact—a tacit acknowledgement that all three members need to carry their equal share of the weight lest the whole enterprise collapse. There’s nowhere to hide in a power trio—no second guitarist to cover your mistakes, no keyboard player to smooth things over, no horn section to distract the crowd. If you fuck up, the whole band fucks up. Everybody needs to be on their A-game at all times.
“Power Trio” follows the band’s electrifying, world charting album, “A Rock Supreme” released in 2019. It also sees the band once again tapping into the production prowess of Eric Ratz, who previously amped up the bone-breaking boogie of 2017’s full-throttle rocker “Wild Cat” and 2015’s bloodlusty “Fire Music”.
Phoenix thrash legends Flotsam & Jetsam return with their fourteenth studio album Blood in the Water, and what a barnstormer it is. The band has been around a long time, they were initially formed back in 1981 under different guises before settling on the Flotsam & Jetsam moniker in 1984. There have been many line-up changes in the band over the years, the one that most metal fans will be aware of is former bassist Jason Newsted leaving to replace Cliff Burton in Metallica. F & J enjoyed moderate success in the mid to late 80s with albums such as the classics, Doomsday for the Deceiver (the only album ever to get a 6K review in Kerrang!) and No Place for Disgrace, and they went on to build up a strong following as a live act. The band never really transcended any higher unfortunately but continued to record and tour.
This latest record continues hot on the heels of their 2019 release The End of Chaos the line-up is largely unchanged apart from new bass player Bill Bodily. The sound of the band has evolved into a more prog metal sound over the years, that said, there are some moments of sheer thrash brilliance on this album. The first single and video to be released from the album Burn the Sky features some blistering riffs and astounding drumming from legendary drummer Ken K Mary (one of my all-time favourite drummers). Vocalist AK Knutson still hits those high notes with ease and the guitar duo of Steve Conley and Michael Gilbert shred insanely.
More highlights include the frenetic Brace for Impact, Too Many Lives with its Painkiller era Judas Priest feel, and the superb Grey Dragon with more insane musicianship and full-on metal lyrics about a ‘metal creature flying through the air’. You really can feel that the band has channeled all their anger, frustration, and unspent energy from the last twelve months or so that has rendered most musicians helpless and unable to do the thing they love most.
A fantastic album that shows that aggressive metal written and played well is very much alive and thrashing!
Does It Matter? of course not. Clowns are in the house with the first track off their post ‘Nature Nurture’ album.
Austrian punks DeeCRACKS have released their video game-style music video for “Don’t Throw It Away,” the latest video from the band’s new record Serious Issues. It is available now for purchase from the Pirates Press Records webstore.
Finally For Fans Of: Drive Like Jehu, Jawbox, Hot Snakes, Jawbreaker, Adolescents. Totally Slow release the first track of their third album, ‘Dead Skater’
A Bit Of What You Fancy 2 to Hit Stores 2nd July as Fans Get Behind The Quireboys to Make National Top 10!
It’s the news we’ve all been waiting for – The Quireboys’ A Bit of What You Fancy Anniversary Edition is confirmed to land on 2nd July initially with the CDs, and then Blue Vinyls 6 weeks after that.
In addition, the lead single, 7 O’Clock, is set to be released on 18th June as a double A-Side, featuring both the brand new studio version and a superb live version recorded at London’s prestigious O2 Forum, Kentish Town. A brand new video will accompany the single too.
This studio re-recording of their iconic first album will reflect the current Gypsy Rock n Roll sound of The Quireboys, and prove to be powerful, inspirational and full of all the quality of a modern-day recording.
Over the next few days and weeks, we will be spreading the word once more about this stunning album, with the aim to get the lads into the charts where they deserve to be – with the aim to make the release hit the national top 10
This is a must for all Quireboys fans worldwide and will be available on CD & Vinyl, both on limited runs, with a new modern cover and a couple of live bonus tracks on the CD – “Man on the Loose” and “Mayfair” – while the Vinyl Collector’s version will be restricted to a run of 750 copies only in Blue Vinyl.
Here’s an exclusive sneak peek at “See Ya Later” a brand new Boys video from the forthcoming limited edition “Terminal Love” vinyl-only album,which will be released by Gutterwail Records on 29 May 2021.
The video is produced by Alan Shine and features vintage Boys footage alongside footage from their visit to Japan in 2015
The album comprises rare demos and alternate mixes alongside acoustic & live recordings from the period 1978-2015 and bears the band’s classic trademark blistering guitars, hard-edged melodies, killer hooks, and layered harmonies.
It will be available in a limited edition numbered alternate covers and coloured vinyl. To pick up a copy of the album sign up to the mailing list Here and copies will go onsale online at 8pm (UK time) on Saturday 29 May on a first-come-first-served basis.
Full tracklisting:
Side One
1. See Ya Later (Steel/Dangerfield)
2. Terminal Love (Plain)
3. You Can Give It (Walker)
4. I Love Me (Steel/Dangerfield)
5. Rue Morgue (Dangerfield)
6. Walk My Dog (Dangerfield)
Side Two 1. Punk Rock Girl (Steel/Dangerfield/Plain)
2. Waiting For The Lady (Penfold/Reid)
3. Brickfield Nights (Steel/Dangerfield)
4. Jimmy Brown (Steel)
5. Flies (Plain)
6. TCP (Plain)
Warped – ‘Match Fit’ (Golden Robot Records) Hailing from Geelong Australia, Warped are a 3-piece band that have been around the traps for 30 years and are highly respected scene veterans. ‘Match Fit’ is a right banger in the garage rock mould that those Stooges knocked out many moons ago that seems to have been embraced down under. ‘Match Fit’ is a bruising grinding slice of chaotic rock and roll that’s delivered to great effect by Warped who clearly know the score when pumping out loud uncompromising rock n roll in a similar vein to the likes of Bored and Asteroid B612. Out via Golden Robot Records, available on all digital platforms.
Steve Conte – ‘Recovery Doll’ (Wicked Cool Records) New music from the super talented Conte out on May 28 on Wicked Cool Records. This is Conte’s follow up to the rockin ‘Gimme Gimme Rockaway’. It features Conte’s 11 year old son, Zia, on backing vocals, the track has Conte’s brother, John on bass and Charley Drayton (The Replacements, Keith Richards’ X-Pensive Winos, Divinyls) on drums. The b-side is a demo of ‘Rock and Rye Queen,’ a track off of his ‘Steve Conte NYC’ album. Of course, it’s quality we wouldn’t expect anything less than exceptional here. I love the groove and vibe brought to the party by Drayton who added the Roll to the Keith Richards Expensive Winos Rock. It goes without saying this is a must buy single.
Kris Rodgers And The Dirty Gems – ‘I Can Still Feel It’ (Wicked Cool Records) Portland, Maine’s Kris Rodgers and the Dirty Gems Releasing Wicked Cool Records Label Debut ‘Still Dirty’ on July 23. The first single lifted from the record is the horn-heavy rootin tootin rock and roller that shows the very talented Rodgers who has busied himself in the past performing with the likes of RPM favourites Scott Sorry, Bullet Proof Lovers, and Kurt Baker. ITs a real blast of summer sunshine and we can all get excited for the summer when we have tunes like this to blast out. ‘Still Dirty’ Album Pre-Save link: Here
Velvet Insane feat Dregen & Nicke Andersson – ‘Backstreet Liberace’ (Wild Kingdom Records) Swedish rockers Velvet Insane goes wam bam glam and turns the clock back to 1973 in the new music video for “Backstreet Liberace” and with guest appearances from Dregen and Nicke Andersson of The Hellacopters. With a big sing-a-long chorus, Sulo has really captured the mood on this one. From the low horn honk to the rampaging keys its a real feel good banger.
If this is an indication as to where the album is going then bring it on – Great stuff. the upcoming album “Rock ‘n’ Roll Glitter Suit”is out soon!
City Saints – ‘Evil Conduct’ feat Han (Sunny Bastards Records) Oi Oi! A trio of tracks from another Swedish entry it’s like Eurovision but with decent tunes this weekend. City Saints pay tribute on this EP to Evil Conduct. With 3 tracks. One original and two covers it’s loud and proud (as you’d expect) The band mixes up rock and roll and some proper punk rock. It’s pretty much perfect Oi! and ‘Home Sweet Home’ (no not the Motley Crue tune) is respectfully delivered and justice is served by City Saints it also features Han from Evil Conduct. Facebook
Poison Boys – ‘Can’t Get You Out Of My Mind’ The third single from our upcoming second full length, “Don’t You Turn on Me,” out Summer 2021.
This is the anthemic Rock and Roll from these Chicago punk rock n rollers. It’s for everyone who’s ever had a missed connection and couldn’t shake the feeling that it could have gone better. Its a thumping tune and an indication of whats to come when this album drops its time to get excited kids – the world needs more bands as good as Poison Boys. A catchy hit brought to you by rock n roll punks the Poison Boys.
You Filthy Dog – ‘Dreamboats Annonymous’ Solo project from Liam Hill is like a welcome ray of power pop sunshine and from the opening salvo of ‘Face The Wave’ your attention is immediately grabbed. An excellent constructed tune that ebbs and flows wonderfully. With a hint of Wildhearts and a chorus that’s more Ash and that indie kid pop melodic goodness. ‘Loved’ is another melodic chunk of loveliness that’s pure summer sunshine.
The mood drops and becomes more sullen and dreamy on ‘Bitter Days’, halfway through it gets decidedly louder with a crescendo of goodness to go with the grandness it envokes – great stuff! Variety, beauty, melody everything you want when being introduced to a new band. A top EP to be fair and well worth checking out Here
SHLUG – ‘The Scent Of Roy Keane‘ (Disobedient Records) What a lovely noise this is from that thumping bass line to the qwerky chorus its a thrash, bang, wallop, and all in the best possible way for this Cardiff lot. The curious title is explained away by vocalist Ellis Acton-Dyer: “Written in a point of adolescence, ‘The Scent Of Roy Keane‘ tackles masculinity along with the question – what really turns a boy into a man? Is it through protein shakes? Or is it by pissing all over the seat? Either way, you decide. Just get the conversation going.” Another introduction to a new exciting band who makes a wonderful noise – check it out! Here
GOB PATROL – ‘Bad Vibes’ (Riot Records)inspired by bands such as Black Flag, GBH, and The Germs, Gob Patrol stay true to the genre it’s like a step back in time but its delivered with aplomb, and who doesn’t love the gurgling bass and a vocal spat out in true Dwayne Peters fashion. Gob Patrol knows what they’re about and delivers for anybody looking for a slice of retro punk 82 style. Facebook
8LP DISTORTION: LIVE BOX RELEASED JULY 16th ON DEMON
On July 16th 2021, Demon Music Group will conclude their year-long celebration of legendary musician Bob Mould with the fourth and final vinyl box in their ongoing Distortion series, Distortion: Live. The 8LP set includes live recordings from Mould’s solo career and his band Sugar.
Meanwhile, today Mould also announces his “Distortion and Blue Hearts!” tour starting September 16th 2021, in Boston at Paradise. The tour is in two parts. For the first three weeks, Bob will be joined by Jason Narducy on bass and drummer Jon Wurster. Beginning October 15th in Bloomington, IL, Mould will perform “Solo Distortion” electric shows.
The Distortion: Live box follows October 2020’s 8LP Distortion: 1989-1995 vinyl set, which took in Mould’s early solo outings as well as his records with the much-beloved Sugar, January 2021’s 9LP Distortion: 1996-2007 box set continuing through the next steps in Mould’s solo career and his outings as LoudBomb and Blowoff, April 2021’s 7LP Distortion 2008-2019 covering DistrictLine to Sunshine Rock, and the 24 CD Distortion: 1989-2019 box, which covers the entirety of his post-Hüsker Dü output (excluding last year’s Blue Hearts LP).
Mould’s live shows will span his entire 40+ year career, including songs from the Distortion collection and from his landmark band Hüsker Dü, as well as songs from the explosive and critically acclaimed Blue Hearts — about which Rolling Stone’s 4 out of 5 star review raved, “feels like a lost Hüsker Dü album with Mould howling invective over his buzzsawing guitar.”
Bob writes: “It’s been a year and a half away from the stage. I’ve missed the noise, the sweat, and seeing your smiling faces. I’m fully vaccinated, and I hope you are too, because this Fall will be a punk rock party with the band — and the solo shows will be loud and proud as well. It’s time to make up lost time, reconnect, and celebrate together with live music!”
As with the previously released box sets in the Distortion collection, each album has been mastered by Jeff Lipton and Maria Rice at Peerless Mastering in Boston and is presented with brand new artwork designed by illustrator Simon Marchner and pressed on 140g clear vinyl with unique splatter effects. This box set includes 4 live albums: Live At The Cabaret Metro, 1989; the Sugar album The Joke Is Always On Us, Sometimes; LiveDog98(first time on vinyl), and Live at ATP 2008 (first time on vinyl). In addition, the set includes a 28-page companion booklet featuring liner notes by journalist Keith Cameron; contributions from Bully’s Alicia Bognanno; rare photographs and memorabilia, and a bonus LP Distortion Plus: Live, which features live rarities including B-Sides and stand-out tracks from the Circle of Friends concert film.
The 8LP Distortion: Live boxset is released July 16th, 2021, via Demon Music Group. The 24CD Distortion: 1989-2019, 8LP Distortion: 1989-1995, 9LP Distortion: 1996-2007, 7LP Distortion 2008-2019 boxsets and Distortion: The Best of 1989-2019 2LP, 2CD and 4CD compilations are all available now.
RELEASED 25TH JUNE (PEACEVILLE) / PRE-ORDERS AVAILABLE NOW
As John Peel once said of The Fall, “Always different, always the same,” so too one could say the same of Darkthrone. Things change, times change, people change, and yet even when sounding fresh and new and delivering just five tracks in 45 minutes on their 19th album, ‘Eternal Hails’, the Norwegian black metal legends remain defiantly and eternally Darkthrone.
Since forming in 1986 as Black Death in Kolboton, Norway, Darkthrone have been masters of their art. Dropping the death metal of 1991’s ‘Soulside Journey’ debut album in favour of a more primitive, black metal sound on the following year’s ‘A Blaze In The Northern Sky’, they helped define black metal in the ‘90s through albums like 1993’s ‘Under A Funeral Moon’ and its follow-up ‘Transilvanian Hunger’. Truly, though, Darkthrone remain unique, even in their own canon.
On ‘Eternal Hails’, the longer, doomier songs reflect drummer Fenriz’s love of doom, taking their time to make their point. For Fenriz, what he and co-conspirator Nocturno Culto have concocted stretches back even further than discovering black metal, to the sounds of the ‘70s and the more freewheeling sounds of bands playing with more expansive themes. This didn’t just make the songs longer, it made them an entirely different beast from the ground up.
“When I was a kid growing up with metal I kept looking for bands with long songs. Black Sabbath had many, and Celtic Frost’s ‘Dawn Of Meggido’ had a long song, so I put that on in the record store and discovered another dimension of metal. Candlemass’ ‘Epicus Doomicus Metallicus’ had only long songs, so I think I bought that without even listening, and it was one of my best buys ever – an eternal inspiration for my entire career..”
“For us it has become a bit logical, hard to explain, but you get to build up for a different kind of listening,” says Nocturno Culto. “A three-minute song is nothing we think of at the moment. We like it this way. For now.”
Even a change of studio hasn’t really changed anything in Darkthrone’s DNA. Having recorded all albums since 2004 using their own Necrohell II studio – a portable 8-track recorder housed in an old bomb shelter, itself a replacement for the original Necrohell 4-track used for Transilvanian Hunger and Panzerfaust, until it became “too necro” and broke – for Eternal Hails the band went to Chaka Khan Studio in Oslo for the first time.
Though the material was almost all finished ahead of the session, something the new studio and new way of working did allow for on Eternal Hails, was the opportunity to experiment with ideas on the hoof.
In a world changing too fast for anything to stick, Darkthrone are both able to stay fresh, but also reassuringly reliable. And no matter where they record, what they do or what gear the use to do it – Fenriz actually ended up using a drum kit belonging to Carmine Appice when he was in Rod Stewart’s band this time around – this, it seems, will never and can never change.
As Fenriz himself puts it, “No matter what happens we will still sound like us, it seems!”
Eternal Hails will be released on Peaceville on 25 June on the following formats with PRE-ORDERS AVAILABLE NOW HERE
Ltd edition deluxe box set containing – Exclusive purple coloured heavyweight vinyl / CD in alternate digisleeve format / cassette tape / 12 page booklet containing a biography surrounding the creation of the album & studio experience / 10″ art print of David Hardy’s Pluto & Charon painting / handwritten letter print from Fenriz
When it comes to world class power pop, Italy is leading the way at the moment. And, with their new album, Radio Days are proving major competition against Giuda and Faz Waltz. While their previous releases are all good, ‘Rave On!’ is their strongest set of tunes. Or, should I say “TUNES!”. With bells on.
‘I Got A Love’ is the perfect opener, infectious from the off. This is how you write a great pop song. I’ve been listening to this album for a few weeks, but I never tire of this song, it’s full of energy and sunshine. ‘Lose Control’ gets the head nodding along, their closest compatriots here are The (mighty) Speedways.
‘Walk Alone’ is a slower scarf-waver of a tune, with pleasingly Ringo style drums. When people talk about “honing your craft”, this is what they mean. It’s a beautiful song. ‘Running Around’ is like your favourite obscure 70s classic; you’ve heard it done before, but rarely done so well. And ‘Til The End Of The Night’ is…I’m running out of superlatives. Gorgeous, that’s accurate. Macca would be proud.
‘What Is Life?’ is exactly what this upcoming summer ordered. Bright, optimistic and joyful. The perfect accompaniment to a little more freedom to see our friends again. ‘Meltdown’ is a slight left-turn, catchy like a long lost theme tune. ‘No One To Blame’ riffs it up like Eureka Machines on a sugar high, ‘When I’m With You’ reminds me of a cross between Slade and Badfinger; they know their stuff. ‘Between The Lines’ is a relaxed, classy way to end an album.
Seriously, there are some great bands out there doing this style of music at the moment, but it’s highly unlikely that anyone will release a better power pop album this year. Their peers had better watch out; Radio Days are the finished article now.
Having just completed Doug Brod’s excellent ‘They Just Seem A Little Weird’ book, this third album for Rum Bar Records from Boston based rockers Watts couldn’t have dropped in my review stack at any more appropriate moment.
Why?
Well just like Brod’s book took me back to the magical days of discovering the likes of Cheap Trick, Starz, Aerosmith and KISS for the first time and making me go all gooey eyed in the process, this all new ten tracker celebrates that same glorious era of musical creativity whilst giving it an adrenalin booster shot just right for the 2020s.
‘Loud & Fast’ kicks things off in fine style conjuring up a kind of Blackhearts meets Motorhead vibe with vocalist/guitarist Dan Kopko’s instantly recognisable gravelly roar front and centre hammering home the song’s huge hook. ‘Queens’ is where the band’s underlying KISS influence really does get turned up to eleven, and it’s better than anything the New York glam veterans have written in the last four decades, plus it’s delivered with a Judas Priest lyrical nod that has me grinning from ear to ear every time I hear it. This is how I want MY rock ‘n’ roll that’s for sure.
The other great thing about Watts is that three of the four members can sing lead, so when bassist Tim McCoy takes the microphone for ‘Breaking Glass’ this leaves Kopko to deliver some soaring Lizzy-esque duel harmony guitar with his counterpart John Blout, plus when drummer John Lynch delivers ‘The Night The Lights Went Down’ his cleaner vocal delivery lends this Black Crowesy roots rocker a more power-poppy sheen and band in the process offers up a potential breakthrough radio hit.
Elsewhere ‘Shady’ would not sound out of place on a post-Bowie intervention Mott The Hoople album, whilst ‘Heavy Metal Kids’ has an instant “in his prime” (as in prior to 1985) Bryan Adams charm to it, that if this world has any justice to it will see it being sung in karaoke bars worldwide for decades to come, and I really do not mean that as a put down. Then there’s the incredible ‘Shocking Pink’, a song Blout/Kopko (who write seven of the ten tunes here) surely must have written whilst listening to Jellyfish, albeit here the glorious vocal hooks are all played out by a band who really are hooked on a Heartbreakers (Tom Petty version) trip rather than Supertramp and Wings.
And talking of breaking hearts, the sleazy Thunders/Dolls vibe of ‘Seventeen’ is a hellraising, fag in the corner of the mouth kind of rocker driven along by some brass stabs that will have you straight up and stomping your creepers, and if you’re looking for the perfect morning after soundtrack to counter that then ‘When the Party Ends’ is just what the doctor ordered for your hangover from hell (even if to my ears at least it’s got a bit of Stereophonics thing going on). Which just leaves the only track on here that has been previously available, the prophetic and Cars-like ‘All Done With Rock & Roll’, which kind of takes us full circle, ensuring as the final chords chime out you just have to press play again.
The world needs ‘Shady Rock & Rollers’ like Watts right now, and believe me when I say you need this record in your life. It’s out now via Rum Bar Records and really is essential listening!!!!!
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