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Civic / These New South Whales – The Crofters Rights, Bristol 11.12.23

Civic / These New South Whales – The Crofters Rights, Bristol 11.12.23

The last time I was in The Crofters (The Croft as it was then called) was to witness a typically off-the-hinge night when the Dwarves were in town and oversold the venue by about 500% and the only way they could leave was to trash the equipment and crowd surf out the back of the audience. Tonight I’m happy to report is not full of the same madness well, when I say happy what I meant was a little disappointed it wasn’t jam-packed like sardines into this compact back room that still looks like a converted squash court but when you are in its all about the music and first up tonight were fellow Australians These New South Whales (when I say fellow I mean like the headliners, I’m not Australian) but I do hail from the original South Wales across the bridge. Anyway, I digress. My only experience with these young upstarts was my travelling companion sending me a link to watch their Comedy Central mockumentary.

To say from the moment they kicked off their no-nonsense punk rock I was hooked would be an understatement they reminded me of a punked-up Cabbage with fire in their bellies and a pocket full of very listenable tunes. Don’t ask me to name any of the songs because I’d be fucked if I know them yet but I can assure you I will as soon as the records arrive at RPM HQ so impressed was I they were duly ordered upon my return. A tight as fuck and a super solid rhythm section with a thumping drum beat and fulsome bass throb the melodies weren’t your usual shouty punk fair instead the singer actually sang the melodies and with a stinging guitar they have certainly got the chops to head up the pecking order of Australian invasion bands. they’re not afraid to mix it up either with more indie sound melodies but don’t be fooled these guys have got one hell of a bite. Really impressed and will certainly be hearing more of these Whales. Excellent start to the evening.

Right, it’s time for Civic who I managed to miss when they had a brief visit earlier this year and back in 2019 when they ventured over here. With a mightily impressive album under their belts in 2023 Civic are currently challenging for the top spot and quite how they’re playing venues (all be it cool) like The Crofters when The Chats and Amyl are selling out venues 10 times the size of this place is a debate for another time. Civic don’t fuck about, their no-nonsense to muscle proto-punk is an absolute joy. Sounding like a melting pot of the Saints having a dust up with Radio Birdman tunes whilst riffing off the dead boys decaying bones at their brutal best, wishing they were The Stooges but on steroids is about where I pitch Civic at this current time. Starting the set with the minimum of fuss ‘Selling, Sucking, Blackmail, Bribes’ quickly followed by a stunning version of ‘New Vietnam’ felt like being stood on the track as an Amtrak special ploughed you into oblivion. Life-affirming punk rock at its finest. Tight as drum these fuckers make one hell of a beautiful din. It’s fast, it’s frantic but boy is it good. Seeing as they had a new album to promote (not the reissue of New Vietnam) I’m on about ‘Taken By Force’, they only managed a few tunes off it instead digging back into ‘Future Forcast’ but a fist-pumping ‘Blood Rushes’ and ‘Taken By Force’ almost devastating the venue such was its raw power.

Hell, they were barely on stage for forty-five minutes but that was all it took to prove that punk rock n roll is in good hands or, at least down under it is. rude health I think is the correct term. It was after all a school night but to be fair ‘Radiant Eye’ got a wicked little pit going all it was missing was the horn section but that’s ok its a thumping tune anyway and a few tracks later we were done.

Civic will take some beating and the next time they hit these shores it should be in much bigger venues but if they’re happy to play these small shows then bring it on I’m all in wherever. Less than a dozen songs in less than an hour is just about right on the money and for £12 entry I’ll attend these life-affirming rock n roll shows every single time.

All hail Civic they deserve a bigger reception next time, My new favourite band from Down Under. Stiff Richards next please, thanks.

Author: Dom Daley

It’s A Revolution – The Podcast – Episode 11

It’s A Revolution – The Podcast – Episode 11

It’s episode 11 of the RPM Online podcast and this episode begins with a tribute to the legends that are Shane McGowan and Geordie Walker who both passed on recently. As well as new tracks from the likes of Black Bombers, MDC, and Family Battenberg we play classics from the likes of Dead Kennedys and Frank Black. This Episode also features tracks from Ultrabomb who are touring with Bar Stool Preachers and both have albums released in 2023.

How about some Action Rock from the re-issued and first time on vinyl for the A-Bombs on Beluga Records which only leaves Wine Lips on our playlist.

In the coming episodes, we have a bunch of new songs played on episode 12 which is already recorded and coming next week before we have a couple of special interviews we’re cooking up over the festive period with some of our favourite artists as well as the writing team for RPM who are getting together to reveal their favourite releases of 2023 as well as some of the best live shows they witnessed this past year.

Dirt Box Disco/Split Dogs – Jacs, Aberdare – 10th December 2023

Dirt Box Disco/Split Dogs – Jacs, Aberdare – 10<sup>th</sup> December 2023

“Hooray Hooray it’s Dirtbox day.”

It feels like a mighty long time since I had that melody line spinning around in my head in the run-up to a Welsh Dirt Box Disco gig, and correct me if I’m wrong, but this must be the first time the streamlined version of the band has ever played a show in the valleys.

So, with this in mind nothing was going to stop me from making the trip up to Aberdare to catch the band’s return to a Welsh stage, not the torrential rain, and given that the gig has a 2 pm start, not even my nephew’s ninth birthday celebrations. The latter does mean I’m about an hour late getting to the venue (my apologies to openers Jaws Of Life who I missed as a result), but leaving just as the birthday cake sugar rush starts to kick in also means I am fully in the mood for a party, and thankfully Split Dogs are on hand to provide the soundtrack. 

This is my fourth time of seeing Split Dogs this year and each time it’s been with a different line-up, this time around it’s my first time catching them with new bassist Suez, and the next time I catch them they’ll have a new drummer as this afternoon is also one of the band’s last shows with current drummer Rich. Not that any of this seems to phase singer Harry and guitarist Mil in the slightest, and it’s their belief in the dozen or so songs the band have behind them to date that burns brightest, and the moment these tunes explode on stage is a joy to behold, yet again. The likes of ‘Prison Bitch’, ‘Feeder’ or ‘Punch Drunk’ live (or on CD) just leave you breathless, and in ‘Tear Down The House’ the guys might just have written the natural successor to ‘Sunday Morning Nightmare’ by Sham 69. A Sunday afternoon nightmare (of a gig) though, this most certainly was not.  

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I predict big things for Split Dogs in 2024.

These days there are not many things that can get me to do the Showaddywaddy swagger dance but the sounds of ‘Under The Moon Of Love’ blasting out of the PA as Dirt Box Disco take to the stage is enough for me to don my imaginary crapes and drapes and “waddle” my way to the front of the stage with a huge grin on my face, and it’s not just me either, as everyone around me is doing the same (smiling that is, not waddling) just as Spunk Volcano leads his gang of misfits into the opening a cappella of  ‘I Just Want To Be A Girl’ and off we go on a rollercoaster ride of a set packed full of punk rock bangers at every twist and turn. 

With the exception of two new tracks (these being the title track and the Finbarr Saunders approved ‘Up The Dirtbox’) drawn from the band’s 2023 record ‘Rokapokalips’ and ‘Unstoppable’ from their 2020 album ‘TV Sex Show’ the rest of this afternoon’s hour-long soirée focusses on the band’s first three albums and debut EP, and who can blame the lads when they have the likes of ‘Peepshow’, ‘Burning’, ‘Standing In The Queue’ and ‘My Girlfriends Bestfriends Sister’ just waiting to be screamed along to. What makes it even more perfect though is the fact that there’s a young lad in the crowd (wearing an ace battle jacket complete with a Twisted Sister back patch) singing along to these songs like they were written yesterday not a decade or so ago when he would have still been a baby.

It’s proper sunshine indoors stuff when ‘I Don’t Wanna Go Out With You’ gets us finishing off whatever is left of our voices, and not even a misjudged stage dive by one over excited punter during ‘Let’s Get Wasted!’ can’t spoil the atmosphere as ‘My Life Is Shit’ calls last orders on this most glorious of matinee shows.

Forget Whamageddon or whatever they call it, the Dirt Box Disco Armageddon is not about avoiding great music, it’s about celebrating it. I swear the guys could have played for 3 hours this afternoon and not a single person would have complained, not in the slightest. It’s just a shame they didn’t find time to slot in ‘I Don’t Want Anything For Christmas’, as I think deep cut gem would have been the real icing on the cake of one the most feelgood gigs I’ve ever been to.

Remember folks, Dirt Box Disco is for life, not just Rebellion, so get out there and support them in 2024, and let’s make every day a Dirtbox day.

Author: Johnny Hayward

J Mascis – ‘Set Me Down’ video

J Mascis – ‘Set Me Down’ video

FROM NEW ALBUM 
WHAT DO WE DO NOW
OUT FEB 2nd ON SUB POP

PRE-ORDER

musical virtuoso J Mascis releases ‘Set Me Down’, the beguiling and electrifying new single from his forthcoming album What Do We Do Now which will be released worldwide via Sub Pop Records on February 2nd. 

Recorded at his studio Bisquiteen in Western Massachusetts, What Do We Do Now is J’s first solo album that features full drum and electric leads, although the rhythm parts are still all acoustic. It features a host of guest musicians including including Western Mass local Ken Mauri of The B-52s on keys and Ontario-based polymath Matthew “Doc” Dunn on steel guitar.

‘Set Me Down’ follows on from the record’s lead single, ‘Can’t Believe We’re Here‘, which features appearances from J and a few of his friends and foes. The video was edited by Adam Bale at Ballad Pictures.


J has scheduled two solo headline shows for 2024 in Australia, which coincidentally happens during a run with his other band, Dinosaur Jr. The dates include Sydney’s Liberty Hall on Tuesday, February 20th, and in Brisbane at The Triffid on Saturday, February 24th. Additional solo dates will be announced soon.
 
Mascis is currently on the road with Dinosaur Jr., who are touring to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their sixth studio album, Where You Been.

What Do We Do Now is the fifth solo studio LP recorded by J Mascis since 1996. This is obviously not a very aggressive release schedule, but when you figure in the live albums, guest spots, and records done with his various other bands (Dinosaur Jr., The Fog, Heavy Blanket, Witch, Sweet Apple, and so on), well, to paraphrase Lou Reed, “J’s week beats your year.”

What Do We Do Now began to come together during the waning days of the pandemic. Utilizing his own Bisquiteen Studio, J started working on writing a series of tunes on acoustic with a different dynamic than the stuff he creates for Dino. “When I’m writing for the band,” he says, “I’m always trying to think of doing things Lou and Murph would fit into. For myself, I’m thinking more about what I can do with just an acoustic guitar, even for the leads. Of course, this time, I added full drums and electric leads, although the rhythm parts are still all acoustic. Usually, I try to do the solo stuff more simply so I can play it by myself, but I really wanted to add the drums. Once that started, everything else just fell into place. So it ended up sounding a lot more like a band record. I dunno why I did that exactly, but it’s just what happened.”

Two guest musicians are playing this time out; Western Mass local Ken Mauri (of The B-52s) plays piano on several tracks. Since J himself has some experience with keys, when asked why he needed a hired gun, he says, “Ken is great, and he plays all the keys. I tried playing some keyboards on the first Fog album, but I’m really only comfortable playing the white notes, so it’s kind of limiting. [laughs] Nowadays, I could just turn the pitch on a mini Mellotron to play different sounds, but black keys just seem hard. For whatever reason, I just like banging on the white ones. Seems like it’s harder to figure out how to stretch your fingers around the other ones.”
 
Mauri has no such qualms and plays all the keys very damn well. He sounds especially great on ‘I Can’t Find You,’ where he is Jack Nitzsche to J’s Neil Young, creating one of the album’s loveliest tunes. The other guest musician, Matthew “Doc” Dunn, is also prominent on this track. Dunn’s steel guitar manages to both widen and soften the musical edges of the music, giving it a full classicist profile. Dunn is an Ontario-based polymath who J met through Matt Valentine. After J played on Doc’s great 2022 Sub Pop single, ‘Your Feel,’ he figured it was time for payback. Both Dunn and Mauri add beautifully to the songs here, helping to transform them from acoustic sketches into full-blown post-core power ballads.

What Do We Do Now is the finest set of solo tunes J has yet penned, and the way they’re presented is just about perfect. Asked if he would be touring to support the album, J says he’ll be doing some weekend dates, but he probably won’t be putting a band together. And I’m sure these songs will sound great solo and acoustic, but the arrangements on this album are truly great and put a cool, different spin on Mascis’ instantly recognizable approach to making music.

So, what do we do now? Not sure. But apparently, what J does is to make one of his most killer records ever. Hats off to him.

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Black Bombers – ‘Vive La Revolution’ (Easy Action Records)

Black Bombers – ‘Vive La Revolution’ (Easy Action Records)

Some chump pipes up every few years with the “rock n roll is dead” nonsense. As usual, you have to know where to look. And we at RPM have been championing Black Bombers for some time now. With their latest upcoming album ‘Vive La Revolution’, they have potentially one of the best albums of 2024.

With the added sonic muscle of Steve Crittall on guitar, ‘No Pity’ is righteously furious. The band are energised and focused, the mid-song breakdown is perfectly timed. ‘Everything Is Ruined’ comes across like a feral Buzzcocks, I keep hitting ‘play’ on this one. ‘Pretty Boy’ nails a primitive, hypnotic riff, and ‘Loose Lips’ is a snappy two minutes that shows their poppier side.

‘Last Bite’ is epic, and ‘Good Times Gone’ shows their contemporaries how to do it, there’s no shortage of great tunes here. The Bombers take the garage rock blueprint and inject some excitement and enthusiasm into it. You could even imagine Birchy smiling. Almost.

‘What Do You See?’ proves they can do something more delicate without losing their identity, before ‘The Price’ ramps things up again. ‘Sometimes’ is the last original Bombers tune, and no slouch, before they batter one of my favourite Bowie tunes. Yes, ‘Boys Keep Swinging’ emerges bruised and glorious, sounds like Steve enjoyed letting rip.

I’ve preordered, obviously. Alan, Darren, Dave and Steve should be rightfully proud of this, their best release yet. If you get the chance, go see them a.s.a.p. Vive la révolution!

Buy Here

Author: Martin Chamarette

Smalltown Tigers announce tour date for 2024

Smalltown Tigers announce tour date for 2024

Fast-rising Italian punks SMALLTOWN TIGERS have announced a new album and UK tour.

The girls from Rimini have had a had a successful year-and-a-bit with two tours with The Damned and a bunch of well-received summer shows, and start 2024 with the long-awaited follow-up to 2020’s Five Things debut mini-album.

The 10-track Crush On You, produced once again by Stiv Cantarelli and Robi Villa – alias blues-punk duo JD Hangover – and mastered by Detroit garage-punk professor Jim Diamond, is set for release on 9 February through Area Pirata.

Sat 10 Feb – Prince Albert, Brighton
Sun 11 Feb – Lady Luck, Canterbury
Wed 14 Feb – Twenty-One, Southend-on-Sea
Thurs 15 Feb – Bird’s Nest, Deptford, London
Fri 16 Feb – Spinning Top, Stockport
Sat 17 Feb – The Hive, Rotherham
Sun 18 Feb –The Vaults, York (matinee 3pm)

As previously announced, the Tigers will also be playing the three Stone Valley Festivals in Hertfordshire (24-26 May), Notts (21-23 June) and Durham (9-11 Aug).

Suzi Moon goes ’99 Miles to Pasadena’

Suzi Moon goes ’99 Miles to Pasadena’
“99 Miles to Pasadena” is the fifth video to be released from singles off Dumb & in Love, following the title track, “Family Memories,” “California,” and “Any Other Way.”

Although currently settled in Washington, DC, Suzi is a California native through and through, and she wrote “99 Miles to Pasadena” while running laps around the city’s legendary venue The Rose Bowl, which shows up in the video.

As for the video itself, it was animated by Tommy Keeling, and viewers of a certain age will instantly recognize the loving nods to the classic cartoons of Hanna-Barbera…particularly the comic book band with “long tails and ears for hats.”

“Josie & The Pussycats is my ultimate fave!” enthuses Suzi. “Tommy made my Archie dreams come true!!!!”

Viewers will find it impossible not to share Suzi’s boundless enthusiasm while watching this undeniably fun video for this catchy, poppy rock ’n roll song “baked in the California sunshine.”

After the incredible response to her first two EPs on Pirates Press Records, the anticipation for the release of the much-anticipated full-length by Suzi Moon reached a fever pitch, and the finished product did not disappoint! Originally from Southern California, but relocated to Washington DC, Moon and her band put together an incredible debut album that is well worth the wait! Recorded and produced by Davey Warsop (Sharp/Shock, Suedehead) they are an eclectic set of catchy as f*** songs that the band immediately took on the road, where they were received by wild crowds worldwide.

Dumb & In Luv was actually written and mostly recorded before the release of her EPs – but she wanted to spend more time working on it to be able to present a cohesive collection of songs. When asked about the album, Moon says “These songs are a bit warmer and power-pop than my previous releases. They’ve been baked in the California sunshine, like the song ‘99 Miles To Pasadena,’ which I wrote while running laps around the Rose Bowl. I picked songs that fit together nicely but also offer a lot of variation, so you’re getting more of a full ride with this album than you did with the EPs!”

She continues, “The ten tracks on Dumb & In Luv represent growth and the human condition. Themes of love, loss, heartache, hope, and celebration are all ones that I have written about before and will certainly revisit again and again. My first EP, Call The Shots, had a straightforward punk ’n roll sound, my second EP, Animal, was a bit more melodic, and Dumb & In Luv is really a mix of those two styles, seeped in the influence of all those great California bands that influenced me while I was growing up, like Social Distortion, Rancid, Green Day, and Sugarcult.”

With a stellar rock & roll pedigree, reaching back to when Moon started touring at the young age of 15, she has established herself as a ferocious punk truth teller with both a distinctive personal style and a fiercely untamed stage presence.

Suzi Moon’s effortless channeling of classic ’77 punk rock spirit with a modern twist continues to evolve and grow. The response to her first two releases was fantastic, though not surprising – with support from Little Steven’s Underground Garage and the likes of Iggy Pop singing her praises on the BBC!

Her fanbase has grown immensely over the past few years, and the release of her LP has been one of the biggest things propelling her forward.

Suzi’s electrifying live show is not to be missed, and has made her a favorite at festivals like Xtreme Fest, Rebellion, Punk Rock Bowling, and Punk in the Park (just to name a few), gigs with legendary acts like The Damned, and tours with the likes of Agent Orange, The Briefs, Ravagers, and more! We can’t wait to see what the future will bring for the unstoppable force that is Suzi Moon!.

For more information on Suzi Moon:

https://suzimoon.com/

https://www.facebook.com/SuziMoon/

https://www.instagram.com/thesuzimoon/

https://suzimoon.bandcamp.com/

The Wonder Stuff / Nigel Clark – Shepherds Bush Empire 09.12.23

The Wonder Stuff / Nigel Clark – Shepherds Bush Empire 09.12.23

As 2023 draws to a close it seems right that I find myself somewhere waiting for The Wonder Stuff to rock up and rock out with some anniversary shenanigans or other and tonight it just so happens to be a celebration for their fourth album ‘Construction For The Modern Idiot’. Now, where the fuck did those decades go? Thirty years and counting and one thing is some of us are still here (always a good thing) and again Milo seems to be in great spirits and the Milo of the past few years is a refreshing youngish man and it was commented how nice it is to be nice and Milo looks like he’s having a ball a disposition he’s had for quite a few tours now and we like it.

Anyway, a Late substitution for this evening in the Empire is Dodgy frontman with a wonderful full head of hair and a lovely smile and a fistful of happy-go-lucky songs that are befitting of a man from the midlands with such an engaging smile (must be something in the air round that way). Armed with an acoustic guitar and a few tales he did a sterling job of warming up the quickly filling Empire with some classic Dodgy like ‘Staying Out For The Summer’, ‘In A Room’, ‘Grassman’ and ‘Good Enough’. His voice sounded strong but in a flash, his job was done.

Just before nine the house lights go off and the band move purposefully to their starting blocks and ‘Construction’ begins. The magnificent ‘Change Every Light Bulb’ is the sound of the charge as every track off the much’ underrated ‘Construction For The Modern Idiot’ unfolds and as good as it is to always hear ‘On The Ropes’ or the brutal ‘I Wish Them All Dead’ its also a joy to hear ‘Storm Drain’ or ‘Hush’ in all their glory and boy did they sound good. By the time we reach ‘Sing The Absurd’ it’s a realisation that we’re almost done for the entire album. The introductions are short and sweet and we’re left with a few well-placed B sides like ‘Burger Standing’ and ‘I Think I Must Have Something Really Useful To Say’ before Milo takes the band off for a sneaky smoke and then some more of a best of set. However, if you ask me you’d need another two-plus hours to whip through the remaining “Best Of” set so the second portion begins with a sprightly ‘Ooh She Said’ and a rapid bounce-a-thon ‘No For The 13th Time’ it was like the old days with everybody warmed up it’s like the decades hadn’t passed and to be quite frank there will be a lot of people who might have some regrets come the morning but living for the moment this is like the eight-legged grooves are certainly on manoeuvres. ‘Mission Drive’ is followed by ‘Caught In My Shadow’ and then ‘Size Of A Cow’ wraps up the ‘Never Loved Elvis’ tracks and everyone is beaming (including Milo)

Erika who once again looks splendid in her golden gown moves her bow to signify its ‘Golden Green’ time as ‘Hup’ makes an appearance. Some of the usual suspects are then wheeled out closing the second set with a faultless ‘Give Give Give Me More More More’.

For a final encore and much deserved I might add Milo announces that this is definitely the last fuckin time we will get to hear ‘Dizzy’ but he said that last week. ‘Unbearable’ only leaves a magnificent ‘Ten Trenches Deep’ and we are now definitely done. Sadly no time for ‘Good Night Though’ which would have been the cherry on the icing on the cake for me but that can happen next time, right Milo? A triumphant return to the Empire and a magnificent set that paid respects to a much-underrated album that is ‘Construction For The Modern Idiot’ I only wish is we could do this all again in the not-too-distant future. Tonight the Wonder Stuff were once again dishing out the Wonderful Stuff. I know it’s only rock n roll but boy do I like it. Have I said it was magnificent? Well, it was.

Author: Dom Daley

Two For Tuesday – The Boatsmen & Autogramm

Two For Tuesday – The Boatsmen & Autogramm

pre-orders for Sweden’s The Boatsmen.  Action rock from shirtless Swedish Sailors!  Available in Europe from Ghost Highway Recordings and everywhere else from Spaghetty Town Records.

The video for the track “Born Losers”. sees Autogramm’s tongue-in-cheek brand of video making, “Born Losers” was shot and directed by Tyler McLeod on location at Sasquatch Mountain Resort in British Columbia. The video features a sasquatch, an epic backflip on skis, Kokanee beer and a banana on a shrimp platter. “Born Losers” is a song about being an outsider and finding your place in the world. The encouraging refrain of the song tells the listener, “We’re all born losers until someone lets us win, we’re all just outsiders until somebody lets us in.” The music video reinforces this narrative by portraying a story of acceptance among friends in a hilariously silly plot. Their new album ‘Music That Humans Can Play’ is available now from Stomp Records in North America and Beluga Records in Europe.