The Wildhearts – ¡Chutzpah! 10th Anniversary Remastered (Round Records)

The Wildhearts – ¡Chutzpah! 10th Anniversary Remastered (Round Records)

What a time to be a Wildhearts fan. The new album ‘Renaissance Men’ recently out then we are treated to a remastered White Album and ‘Live In The Studio’ and to top it all off ‘Chutzpah! Complete with extras’.

It’s hard to believe that Chutzpah! Was released 10 years ago, wow where has the time gone?

Well, what you get here is this newly remastered version including the Chutzpah Jnr! A release which originally was just sold at Wildhearts concerts so the tracklisting on this new version is 18 songs with both albums combined.

The album kicks off with the short blast of punk rock energy that is ¡Chutzpah! Jnr which draws the listener straight in.

Right on its heels is the frantic “The Jackson Whites” with its sledgehammer of a riff that makes you want to jump up and down and as per usual we have that awesome ear candy of a chorus that only Ginger can wright.

Up next is this reviewers personal fav track off the album titled ‘You Are Proof That Not All Women Are Insane’ with it’s “whoa whoa” chanted backing vocal chorus and the great lyric “ok, so her music and movies are bland these days it’s enough to get a 9 out of 10” which is something we can all relate too.

Another highlight is the Scott Sorry sung ‘The Only One’ which slightly slows the pace down but still has the crunching guitars.

‘You Took The Sunshine From New York’ is a song with a gorgeous melody and great storytelling lyrics.

‘Some Days Just Fucking Suck’ which was originally on Chutzpah Jnr! Is a great song with a deep lyrical meaning which brings to the listener’s attention the everyday hardship of people who suffer from mental illness but also has the positive meaning in the chorus that is “don’t try suicide everything will be alright”

‘People Who Died’ is a song originally done by the Jim Carroll band and here The Wildhearts take the song and bring fresh energy to it with their version and yet again we are treated to the raspy lead vocals of Mr, Scott Sorry.

The album finishes with the title track ‘Chutzpah’ which is another slab of relentless riffing with its shouty fast-paced bridge and then slows down for a great chorus and is a perfect end to this great album.

If having Chutzpah! And Chutzpah Jnr! On the same disc isn’t enough, this version also comes with the added disc of demos which is always interesting to hear and also another disc of unseen footage captured from the Scott Sorry years which adds up to tremendous value for money.

Buy Chutzpah Here

Author: Gareth Hotshot Hooper

The Venus Fly Trap – Mars (Glass Modern)

The Venus Fly Trap – Mars (Glass Modern)

Get your corpse paint on paint your nails and hope that that’s a fog filling up the room and not your house on fire.

I’m reliably informed that The Venus Fly Trap which has had a new lease of life from the late ’80s were born from ATTRITION, ISAWS, RELIGIOUS OVERDOSE, WHERES LISSE? & TEMPEST.  Hatched in the mid-’80s it wasn’t for a few years that this album was originally released mixing electronic with a dark Goth mood sort of Depeche Mode with guitars or the Sisters with that snappy Alesis drum machine snare sound.  Songs like ‘(I Get) Flowers’ are total ’80s Goth and its a sound that hasn’t really dated that well.  There are some decent melodies here like the aforementioned tune and I like the riff but was never a bit fan of that Soft Cell snare.

They try to create the mood with ‘Morphine’ but having that low-fi guitar fuzz that sounds like its barely in tune is a throwback to bands like Joy Division.  I wouldn’t mind betting vocalist Alex was a fan of Ian Curtis and the way the band would construct their songs. The time really shows through on this reissue although I do like that bass line on ‘Ruby Red’ coming across as Dave Vanian fronting the Sisters its a good tune and the arrangement is great regardless of what decade it is.

Is that a Roland Jupiter I hear tweaking and whirling away on ‘Desolation Railway’ what a fantastic lyric and title. I guess what comes around goes around and it would seem about time fo ran 80’s synth / Goth crossover reunion where the Mode meets Eldrich meets pop meets the modern age kinda thing – how glorious would that be?  With today’s technical advances in sound, this record would sound absolutely huge and songs like this would fill cathedrals.

 

‘Catalyst’ is like a dark Goth ‘House Of The Rising Sun’ from the mind of Nick Cave.  It’s not that I dislike it at all because I don’t and there are some good songs on offer but the cliches of the time that haven’t stood the test of time and they weigh heavily. Maybe played loudly I’d like ‘How The Mighty’ because I love The Mission and like the Mish, ‘Violins & Violence’ is trying new things and that’s cool and we all like the Kennedy mystery and this is better than Saxons ‘Dallas 1 PM’ for covering that topic.

 

Maybe this would have been better left and be one of those albums you stumble across and hail as a long lost treasure or maybe I wide of the mark and it’s just me.  Yeah, that’ll be it.  It’s just me.

 

Bandcamp

Author: Dom Daley

Happy Birthday Bun E Carlos

Happy Birthday Bun E Carlos

On this day in 1951 Bun E. Carlos (drummer for Cheap Trick) is born Brad Carlson in Rockford, Illinois.  Bun E was the band’s chief setlister and archivist, and kept recordings of all the band’s shows, some of which have been released under the title ‘Bun E’s Bootlegs’.

Bun E’s band Cheap Trick released their debut album way back in ’77 But it wasn’t until  ‘In Color’ the bands sophomore release that things really took off.  The first place to go crazy for cheap Trick was Japan where they always had a huge mutual love and respect namely their iconic ‘Cheap Trick at Budokan’.

they managed to break into the US Top 10 in 1979 with ‘I Want You to Want Me’ and over a decade later they managed to take ‘The Flame’ to the number one spot in ’88.

Cheap Trick has always had a rabid following but their general popularity has always been a bit up and down over the decades but being able to boast sales in excess of 20 million albums is no mean feat. The band has toured the world many many times, playing over 5,000 shows. Even though Bun E has been replaced for almost a decade after initially needing time off after back surgery he was replaced by Nielsons Son Daxx. His contribution is huge and that archive must be something to behold to this day.  Carlos had to sue his former bandmates several years ago and things got messy as he was countersued and so it began.  However, in 2016 the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York on April 8, and the band was introduced and Zander, Nielsen, Petersson, and Carlos all in attendance;  performed ‘I Want You to Want Me’, ‘Dream Police’, ‘Surrender’ and ‘Ain’t That a Shame’ so not all bad.  Happy Birthday Bun E!

The Erotics – The Song Remains Deranged (Self Release)

The Erotics – The Song Remains Deranged (Self Release)

Now Lemmy’s gone whos gonna move in next door and kill yer lawn?  After the Nuclear Holocaust, there are only cockroaches crawling the globe, there will be a bar somewhere in shitville and there will be a band playing and that band will be The Erotics!  “Can’t be killed by conventional weapons” their unwavering commitment to sleazy rock n roll is admirable and Mike Trash is persistent (you have to give him that for sure) and a formidable force with easily their strongest set of tunes to date along with the Prophets Of Addiction these guys have been flying the flag for sleazy down and dirty punk n roll stateside for as long as I can remember and they do it so well.

So there are cliches.  Yup, shock horror they’re everywhere from the dirty riff to the paradiddles to the solo’s they’ve been done a million times over and some but when they’re being done by 100% committed lifers they resonate and there is an authenticity about it when Trash sings about ‘Dirty Little Secrets’ or ‘Stopdroproll’ he means it and I get that and I admire him for it.   It’s in the delivery when they hit the drums with conviction and the riff is hit and not just played without a care in the world there is a difference and these boys hit every note like it’s their last.  The lyrics sometimes veer into comedy but so what! Its entertainment, its theatre it’s FUN! and you have to agree that Trash and his gang are having fun – it’s convincing and it’s carefree and to hell with the critics and the cliches – Bring em on!

‘Nice Things’ should have accompanying horns honking over the top making it bigger – bolder more out there. So there are no horns who gives a fuck we can’t have nice things apparently. ‘Aint Talking To You’ is punk n roll in its purest form with a big dirty riff – turn it up mofos its what the band wants.

Hell there’s even time for you to get your lighters out as ‘Best Song’ is as smooth as Brett Michaels head under that bandana and sew on hair. But these cats aren’t leaving on a slowie no sir they get their groove on for one last hoorah! as ‘Pretty Little Bomb’ tips the cowboy hat to all those ladies who might be listening.  So there you go grab a lug full of the Erotics – they’ve never sounded so on it.

Author: Dom Daley

 

Website

Pat Todd & The Rank Outsiders – The Past Came Calling (Hound Gawd Records)

Pat Todd & The Rank Outsiders – The Past Came Calling (Hound Gawd Records)

Pat Todd And The Rank Outsiders don’t make bad records.  Might as well get that out there from the start. So, ‘Past Came Calling’ is no exception then and I spose before I’d dropped the needle I knew this but that’s not going to make much sense to anyone as far as a review goes – I knew it was going to be choc-o-bloc with top tunes that followed the time honoured tradition of Rock and Rollers.  Dan Baird, Jason and the Scorchers, Dr. Feelgood and Rockpile to namedrop a few fellow participants in the fine art of Rock and Roll. Pat and his Rank outsiders do like to kick up a shitstorm that’s a given but there is more to them than just Rockin’ out.

From the opening drum roll of ‘If Only I Could  Fly Backwards In Time’ right through its rollicking verses and chorus to the cool as guitar lick that takes us back to the verse this is a quality opener that shows real intent.  Recorded loud to be played loud as all good time Rock and Roll should be at its unkempt best.  ‘The Ballad Of Crystal Valladares’ ain’t no Ballad though folks its a bad assed Rocker, built around a rolling guitar lick and some country-tinged melody played, it’s like the soundtrack to a getaway drive by.  There’s no flash sound tricks or auto-tune going on here it’s just the sound of a kick-ass band cutting it up in a sweaty studio knowing that with every song they capture a little bit more magic than the last take.

The recording sounds like Mellencamp when he turned up the Les Paul Jr on ‘Whenever We Wanted’.  With songs like ‘Run’ which sounds like they’ve been here before such is the comfortable nature of Todd’s songwriting, it’s classic in its arrangement and one of the best songs on the record.

Todd’s cowpunk roots come to the fore on ‘Down In Old Boerne’ with its acoustic guitar and honkin’ mouth organ. ‘The Ring The Bottle And The Gun’ is pure cowpunk as we position the hay bails as we pour the moonshine ready for the yea – haws!

With fourteen songs on offer and never a let up in the quality on offer its a no brainer if you’re considering picking up a copy of this record its impossible to be disappointed you go from the gob iron of ‘Had A Bad Night’ to the smooth laid back rhythm and blues of ‘any Other Way’ straight into the acoustic jam of ‘Idle Time’ whatever style Todd chooses to write in it’s of the highest order Now if The Supersuckers wrote an album this strong – people would be salivating over it.

‘Just Between You and Me’ is the sign off in the style of Ronnie Wood doing Dylan and it just dawned on me I’ve not mentioned How good Todd’s vocals are throughout -Oh I just have.  Pick it up –  do yourself a favour and whack up the volume you can thank me later.  ‘The Past Came Calling’ is very much in the moment but I wouldn’t sit on it just go pick it up.

Buy ‘The Past Came Calling’ Here

Turbonecro/The Hip Priests/Bloody Head – The Chameleon, Nottingham – 2nd June 2019

Turbonecro/The Hip Priests/Bloody Head – The Chameleon, Nottingham – 2nd June 2019

It’s officially summer here in the UK so what better way to celebrate a wet and muggy Sunday afternoon than to head off in the direction of Nottingham for a matinee show that promises to be something very special indeed. The Chameleon in the city center is, of course, the ideal venue for a rare visit to the UK from Turbonecro with the venue packed to the rafters and already doubling up as a sauna long before a single note is even played.

With local hardcore broken blues outfit Bloody Head filling the upstairs gig room with the head-splitting sonic assaults, they like to call songs things can only get more claustrophobic as the doom sludge button is duly turned up to 11. Hypnotic yet at times psychotic their singer is one of those frontmen who really has no boundaries and a half hour spent in the company of Bloody Head leaves me feeling how I imagine Anthony Joshua must be feeling this afternoon, bruised and very battered indeed.

With Vain’s ‘Secrets’ blasting out of the PA the all new supercharged version of The Hip Priests is chomping at the bit ready show the locals exactly why they aren’t going to be UK’s best kept punk rock secret (ouch) for very much longer. There’s barely room to sweat down the front as the Priests kick straight into ‘Motherfucker Superior’ and the whole place goes suitably nuts. I hear through the RPM grapevine that a similar thing happened the day before during the band’s Camden Rocks slot and with rave reviews across the board for the band’s fourth album ‘Stand For Nothing’, packed out gigs and the continued growth of the band’s Spasm Gang membership, maybe just maybe the band’s seemingly endless battle with the general apathy of the UK might just about to be coming to an end.

Of this afternoon’s setlist every track is an A Grade classic, from the old faves of ‘Zero Fucks Given’ and ‘Sonic Reproducer’ to newer cuts like ‘Welcome to Shit Island’ (complete with a hilarious version of the English national anthem intro), ‘Deja F.U.’ and ‘Cheers To Me’ it’s impossible not to get all emotional just like Priest stalwart Lee Love and crack a smile or two at just how fucking amazing his band is sounding right now.

Forget Dom declaring the Hip Priests are a tsunami of noise, they are a motherfucking tornado of energy and we the hapless punters are being sucked up into the (brown) eye of their musical storm.  ‘Stand For Nothing’ is not only one of the best albums you will hear anywhere this year The Hip Priests are also one of the best live bands out there right now too. So if you’ve not heard or seen either of them you know what you have to do. Right?

With the current version of Turbonegro getting some pretty harsh (in my honest opinion) reviews from some factions of their fanbase who perhaps would prefer to see the band go back to their pre-Tony Sylvester sound at all costs, I can’t help but wonder “where the hell they all were today?” I’m amazed that the Midlands division of the blue denim brigade aren’t queuing rank and file around the block at the prospect of finally seeing Turbonecro playing live in the UK, perhaps there was a more important patch swap on or something?

All joking aside for those of us keen enough to drive 3 hours each way to sample some pre-Apocalyptic Rock in the company of Vegard H (guitar) Carlos C (drums), Harri F (vocals) and Bingo C (bass) it really is a chance to witness the roots of Turbonegro, and go back to a time when they simply wanted to be the most obnoxious band in Oslo, long before the sailor hats came along.

Bathed in feedback opener ‘Hush, Earthling’ and early single ‘Route Zero’ are both loose feeling white noise blasts that have Harri stalking the front few rows glaring them down with his stone-cold stare. It’s the short sharp shocks of ‘Clenched Teeth’ and ‘Librium Love’ from ‘Hot Cars’ where the hardcore roots of TRBNGR shine brightest though and I’m mindful just how much of a massive impact these guys made on the likes of bands like Christmas who carry on the Death Punk tradition to this day – albeit with their own subtle twist to the formula.

Blasting through (I think) 17 songs in just over half an hour the likes of ‘Timebomb’ and a straight to the point version of ‘I Got Erection’ whizz by in a sweaty blur whilst I’m pretty sure set closer ‘Prima Moffe’ also manages to segue into an overdriven segment of ‘Get It On’ at some point too.

Heading out into the late afternoon sunshine (see I told you it was summer here in the UK) and a few pounds lighter thanks to my punk rock sweat bath I really hope that this debut visit by Turbonecro to the UK doesn’t prove to be their only visit because whilst their mission statement might read No denim, No glam, No sailor, No fun they most certainly are whole lot of the latter and 24 hours on my ears are still ringing away almost to reinforce that point.

 

Author: Johnny Hayward

 

The Boys release brand new video for ‘Keep Quiet’

The Boys release brand new video for ‘Keep Quiet’

To celebrate the fifth anniversary of the release of The Boys critically acclaimed 2014 album, ‘Punk Rock Menopause’, the band has released a new promo video for album track ‘Keep Quiet’. 
 
The video was recorded during the band’s September 2018 Italian tour. Unfortunately guitarist Honest John Plain was unable to make the video shoot due to ill health.
 
Casino Steel comments, “It was filmed and directed by Lester Greenowski at the Ligera Club in Milan. Many thanks to Lester and the enthusiastic crowd who made this possible. We had a great time!”
 
Matt Dangerfield agrees and adds, “This is now the sixth track from ‘Punk Rock Menopause’ to be immortalised in video, which I think demonstrates just how strong the album is.”
The band’s five-year distribution deal with Wolverine Records for ‘Punk Rock Menopause’ expires later this month, which means that from now on it will be available to stream/download from Revolution Records. Spotify
The band will be playing a series of live dates in Scandinavia in June & September:
Sat 22 June – Odal Rock Festival
Thurs 12 Sept – Gothenburg
Fri 13 Sept – tbc
Sat 14 Sept – Hova
Fri  20 Sept – tbc
Sat 21 Sept – Trondheim

Dangers Of Love – Dangers Of Love (STILL UNBEATABLE RECORDS)

Dangers Of Love – Dangers Of Love (STILL UNBEATABLE RECORDS)

Formed of members from GREAT CYNICS and APOLOGIES, I HAVE NONE, DANGERS OF LOVE take a head-on approach to maximum punk rock ‘n’ roll. Produced themselves at Musicland Studios in London, their debut EP is a self-titled six-track group of hits.
Lyrically themed on personal loss, self-appreciation and living in a world of people who bullshit for a living, the songs offer hope and escape from an existence where you can seemingly never get it right.

 

Dangers Of Love have released their self-titled debut EP was recorded by drummer Joe Watson at Musicland Studios in Haggerston, London. The ‘Dangers Of Love’ EP Kicks off with the sprightly ‘Holsten Pils Blues’ and a rather fine Punk n Roll tune it is too.  A catchy chorus and thumping drum beat this is a fine introduction to the band.  There is a bit of Beach Slang and Downtown Struts happening here and a healthy dose of Replacements to boot which is never going to be a bad thing around RPm HQ.

‘Why Would You Run’ is snotty in a foot-stomping Clash sort of way and to be fair a really good song. Things kick back slightly on ‘Dangers Of Love’ which is loose yet catchy and raw yet comforting.  I love the guitar solo for its understated Teenage Fanclub stylings as if the Fannies were to cover the Heartbreakers if that makes sense?

The only shame is this is only a six track release it would have been interesting to hear if they could have kept this up for ten or twelve songs.  there is even a nod to loud guitared Britpop on ‘Aries’ more so the melody and delivery of the vocals than anything else and to finish off with the great riff that is ‘She’s Coming Over’ again the spirit of Strummer is there in the delivery which should be applauded – it is round here.  what a mightily fine bunch of tunes this is and you’d be making a smart move if you were to check it out and invest in improving your collection with Dangers Of Love in it.

Buy DOL Here

Author: Dom Daley

Low Cut Connie – York, The Fulford Arms – 31st May 2019

Low Cut Connie – York, The Fulford Arms – 31st May 2019

Low Cut Connie might be a new name to you; they are a fairly new name to me too. It was just last year they popped up on my rock ‘n’ roll radar after I was recommended their 2017 album ‘Dirty Pictures (Part 1)’.

If I mention the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis, Elton John and Billy Joel for starters, then you might get where this Philadelphia based rock ‘n’ roll outfit is coming from. Led by the piano-bashing Adam Weiner, Low Cut Connie has 5 albums under their collective belts and tour the world extensively. Check out the YouTube footage, it doesn’t lie. This is the sort of band that excels in hot and sweaty clubs, pubs and juke joints. This is the sort of band that I would travel far and wide to see, I can just tell they are going to be worth the admission price and more.

The Fulford Arms is pretty busy tonight and the temperature is rising as the band take to the stage and ready themselves. Singer Adam Weiner is last to take his place by his road-weathered piano, as he is busy hugging and shaking hands with as many people as he can, as he makes his way through the audience to the stage. Dressed in black, with a rather fetching gold and black short jacket, he looks like a cross between Steve Carell, Liberace and a matador.

He immediately beckons to the sound guy, in an effort to turn the lights up on the crowd so he can see every one of his (soon to be) adoring fans. Before they have even played a note, the atmosphere is electric and I can already feel that this could be one of the best gigs of the year.

No messing about, he sits at his piano, which is positioned side on to the crowd for maximum interaction, and the band are straight into ‘All These Kids Are Way Too High’ the opening track of ‘Dirty Pictures (Part 2)’. Low Cut Connie 2019 has a few new faces, and while key members Adam and guitarist Will remain, the new band are a tight unit that seems like they have been jamming the clubs together for years. But its Adam’s show from the off. When he’s not tinkling the ivories, he stands on his stool, he clambers on top of the piano, using it like a climbing frame, an extension of his art.

I couldn’t tell you the name of the players other than backing singer and chief tambourine girl Abi (we met her after the show). The pink haired singer appears to be having the time of her life, smiling her ass off and dancing to the, quite frankly, very danceable tunes.

It’s not long before Adam is stripped down to a white vest and braces, his black hair stuck to his head, drenched in sweat. How his guitar player manages a whole set in a leather jacket is beyond me…must be an American thing!

The countrified ‘Big Thighs. NJ’ sees the singer perched atop his piano, legs crossed, as his guitar player rips out tasty slide guitar over a catchy, hickey melody. A highlight of the night for sure. The following ‘Angela’ sees him balancing on his stool like some crazy ass crane.

Song after song flows as the heat rises. This is high energy, pure and unadulterated rock ‘n’ roll. Adam knows how to work a crowd in a way only years of paying your dues in clubs can teach you. Sure, I get the obvious Elton John and Jerry Lee Lewis comparisons, but for me, I imagine this is what it would have been like to experience Bruce Springsteen working the clubs back in the ’70s. There is something authentic and wholesome about a Low Cut Connie live show. It’s not just the songs, the singer has a way of drawing you in like he is doing a personal performance just for you. There is no going through the motions, he means it. This is blood, sweat, and tears, a full-on performance from a band who play 150 plus shows a year. They work hard, they play hard and it shows.

It helps that they have the songs to match the performance too. ‘Dirty Water’ incites crowd chorus shout-a-longs, and the following ‘Revolution Rock ‘n’ Roll’ is the over-cool radio hit that should have been.

Their cover of Alex Chilton’s ‘Hey! Little Child’ is perfect for this atmosphere. Extended and jammed out, this lost ’70s pop ditty is taken up a level, with its high energy marching beat. The band makes it their own. The upbeat ‘Oh Suzanne’ follows it’s a great tune, fair play. The whole band are loving it and smiling as they play their hearts out for us.

Adam Weiner and his band didn’t just visit The Fulford Arms to play some songs tonight, they came to put on a rock ‘n’ roll show and entertain us. I don’t think anyone here went home disappointed, we sure got out money’s worth and I think this band made some new friends.

Wowing crowds across continents, Low Cut Connie could well be the best American bar band since Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band. Miss them and you miss out.

 

Author: Ben Hughes

Rainy Days & Mondays

Rainy Days & Mondays

Well, British Summertime is in full swing.  Cold Wet Miserable one minute, sunny the next. but hey, Worry not let RPM introduce you to a few new videos that will blow away any blues first up are these nutballs hailing from Switzerland with their Garage noise better known as The Jackets with ‘Loser Lullaby’

 

Next up we turn the plane around and head East to Canada to be precise and your in-flight entertainment is courtesy of this new video from Autogramm who tell us all about ‘The Cool Kids’. “Cool Kids Radio” was originally written by C.C. in Berlin with Rich Jones (Michael Monroe, Loyalties, YoYo’s, Ginger Wildheart etc.) Hey just check this bad boy out and then if you happen to be in the area why not catch them live here –

July 19 @ Yoko, Hamburg DE

July 20 @ VEB, Lübeck DE

July 23 @ Kap Tormentoso, Stuttgart DE

July 24 @ Geschichtswerkstatt Altes Volksbad, Mannheim DE

July 26 @ Charlatan Café, Gent BE

July 27 @ The Pipeline, Brighton UK

July 28 @ The Lexington, London UK

Aug 1 @ Zwille, Leipzig DE

Aug 2 @ Wild At Heart, Berlin DE

Aug 3 @ Chemiefabrik, Dresden DE

Aug 4 @ Kult 41, Bonn DE

Website Bandcamp Facebook Instagram Twitter Spotify

Finally, one taken from the recently reviewed album ‘The Down South Spaghetty Accident (reviewed Here) RMBLR is their name and ‘Next Time’ is the track so until next time take it away RMBLR  and remember kids play fair and Stay Sick!

Seeing as four is the new three we thought we’d throw this Rock and Roll hand grenade into the mix and add some Rainy Days & Mondays extra time.  Hot off the press Wet Dreams drop brand new video for ‘Boogie’ check it out here