As we enter week god knows what of this Lockdown we thought we’d go through the gears and begin with this wonderful rendition of ‘High As Johnny Thunders’ from the awesome Chuck Prophet.
Always messing with your head Hank Von Hell is back in the room with ‘Disco’ and here’s the official video
Mala Vista – Mala Vista EP (Self Released / Dead Beat Records / No Front Teeth Records) When is a single and EP and when is an EP a mini album or a full album? Mala Vista knows how to confuse those who like categories and lists and like to departmentalise their music with this seven-track (digital) five-track seven-inch release and my pick of the month’s best EPs. Kicking off with an ‘Intro’ and then the rapid ‘Mouth Breeder’ reminding me of our very own Hip Priests in many ways. The ‘Nuclear Missile Crisis’ is another belter from this New York quartet sounding like the bastard offspring of Buzzcocks and SLF.
Originally released early last year but repressed and re-released and thank God for that otherwise we’d have missed out on ‘NY Groove’ and its rapid rock and roll breathing new life into the spirit of The Ramones. I love the feel of the record songs like ‘Criminal’ get better and better the more you spin it and the fact it certainly doesn’t have any Bob Rock big production values only adds to the record. great tunes played well and with a tonne of energy and love poured into every one of them. Keep an eye on these boys I love what I’ve heard thus far. Facebook / Bandcamp
Slash City Daggers – ‘Lose Myself On You (I’m Gonna) It’s certainly been a while but I love me some Slash City Daggers and with this tune I find I’m jonesing for some good time junk rock n roll and this has just given me my fix but what next? I want more, more, more! A wonderful late-night slice of quality from the Daggers who clearly get what it takes to absorb all the New York Dolls and trashy Rock and Roll possible but has it been almost twenty years since we last had a Daggers tune? Wow please don’t make us wait another twenty before the next one, get on with it we need some more of this right here right now. Whoo ho! baby rock and fuckin’ roll! Bandcamp
No Fix – ‘Apocalyptic Rock’ (Self Release) well kids Canada is killing again as Ontario’s No Fix wipes their nose on the sleeve of Rock and Roll with this here EP. First out the gate is the snarling ‘Get Outta Punk’ and in a similar vein, there’s no let-up on the hypnotic ‘Arm The Boys’ which sounds like they’ve found Doc Brown’s time machine and headed back to the early 80s and shown up at a Partisans show and nicked their chord book. The pick of the tunes on offer for me would be the latter offerings. ‘Vicious Cycle’ has guitar playing a simple strum n lick and the rhythm is solid, it might not be breaking new ground but who cares just enjoy the moment and pogo! ‘Big Bopper’ is more like it and they’ve saved the best til last for sure.
The Hawkins – ‘Roomer’ (The Sign Records) The first track taken from their new album sees Swedens rockers The Hawkins with a huge sounding song with a big dramatic chorus and full-on rolling guitar lick that mixes classic rock with something you might have on latter Hellacopters records. ‘Silence is a Bomb’ is due in September and looks like being as solid as their previous album. Infectious tune and it’s got handclaps as well. What’s not to like Rockers. Get those sweatbands on your wrists and turn it up let’s go!
Mononegatives – ‘Half Hour Tour Tape’ Uncompromising lo-fi punk rock. This EP is pushing the needle into the red as the tunes come thick and fast ‘5 Second Future’ is first up and a no-holds attack is their MO. Canada has a rich history of churning out fantastic underground bands and on this EP it seems that conveyor belt is still in production as ‘Lower Animals’ continues with the wall of noise but with added synth into the mix. There is more clarity on ‘Exit’ using a tonne of reverb on the guitar whilst the drums remind me of early Joy Division and if your waiting for the lyrics then forget it there aren’t any. Hit em up over at Bandcamp
The Dirty Truckers – ‘Little Mine’ (Rum Bar Records) The Boston Wrangler’s are back with a brand new penned Tom Baker single and a ‘Second Dose’ from The Dirty Truckers. The brand new single ‘LITTLE MINE’ leads off ‘Second Dose’ celebrating the recklessness & abandonment of Barroom-Heartland Rock n’ Roll delivering the spirit of the moment and kicking its arse’ into high gear. My advice would simply be TURN It UP! It’s never too early to Rock and Roll and this good time tune is outta the Georgia Satellites family songbook its got that overdriven six-string going on and a little ray of sunshine when we need it. Get on it folks have Rum BAr ever let you down? Of Course not. Bandcamp
The Dukes Of Bordello – ‘Deaf Or Gory’ (Self Release) The EP begins with the chugging riff-a-rama of ‘Think I’m Turning Psyco’ but you can follow that with an honest take on The Sonics classic ‘Strychnine’. It might be missing the sax and piano of the original but this is an altogether more stripped back and rocked out take and that’s cool, it has a great guitar solo thrown into the mix adding something new to a top tune.
‘Won’t You Make Up Your Mind’ sees the band rock out with the uptempo boogie-woogie with a cheeky tip of the hat to the mighty Quo for the solo. To round up the EP you get a live run through ‘All In The Name’ with its Motorhead like riff tearing it up without overdubs and sounding like a good quality desk bootleg keeping it real.
Territories / The Vicious Cycles – Split 7″ (Pirates Press Records) ‘Prairie Twister’ from Territories on one side is a great slice of boogie street punk. It’s a punchy tight sound with vocals not unlike those Dropkick Murphys whereas The vicious Cycles is more in line with mid-period Misfits with lots of gang vocals as ‘Problem Officer’ is rowdy like the bar band in a bike clubhouse who give it a twist with some keys before the solo and sounding like a right good time party on record. Both bands are of course from Canada and met at the Pirates Press boat shindig recently so decided to cement the friendship with this here split.
How Tragic – ‘Past Lives’ EP (Self Release) Four tracks of vibrant rock and roll with a super sharp production from the lead track ‘Deathwish’ through the punky ‘Spare ME’ comparisons to the likes of the Distillers are going to be made may be slightly more glossy in production and vocals but its got the same attitude shining through.
‘Let Me Down’ is another twist with a steady rhythm and a great song but the riot Grrrl theme comes to the fore on the final track ‘Done’ which is totally out of the L7 vibe of grinding rhythm and tempo but the guitars are loud and proud. An altogether impressive EP for sure and maybe its time for a riot grrrl resurgence and How Tragic will be at the forefront of that movement. Check em out at their Website
Obnoxious Youth – ‘Mouth Sewn Shut’ (Svart Records) Punk meet metal, metal meet punk now go and come up with something loud obnoxious but good. Ok pop pickers say hello to Obnoxious Youth from Finland and check out their unholy racket of rapid metallic punk rock. Described as six tracks of mayhem, havoc, chaos, death, destruction and savagery which pretty much nails their sound in a nutshell.
What’s not to like? Discharge, Ramones, The Misfits, Danzig, Septic Death, Celtic Frost, Black Flag, Zeke, Adrenalin OD, Slayer, Negative Approach, Venom, Motörhead and Agnostic Front are some of the influences on this beast and if that doesn’t perk your interest then maybe we should give up. If you love a bit of Midnight (We do) then you simply have to jump on board with this lot. It’s fast as fuck – loud as fuck – tight as fuck and a whole lot of pulse-raising uncompromising noise. Get on this before they all vanish. Buy Here / Facebook
Influenced by the likes of Bored! Radio Birdman, Sonic’s Rendezvous Band, The Hellacopters as well as the MC5, Stooges and Motorhead this impressive list alone was more than enough to pique my interest and have me blasting out ‘94/20’, the all new eleven tracker from Spanish garage punks Señor No.
Having never heard of Señor No before and then discovering that not only do they sing in their native Basque tongue but also that the ‘94/20’ album title refers to the fact that this year is the band’s 26 year in the business only added to the intrigue.
Thankfully ‘94/20’ more than lives up to the mystery and PR hype and in fact just like albums I’ve raved about in the past by the likes of City Saints and Trust what really sets Señor No apart is the fact that the songs are being sung in the band’s native language as it actually adds to the band’s incredible sonic melting pot. And boy what an intoxicating mix it is too. Yes, there are elements of all of the aforementioned bands that could be pulled from the tracks on offer here but for me it is the bark and sneer of singer Xabi Garre (a veteran of the local Basque rock scene) that really hammers home the band’s message. Even if I do have to refer to the English track listing on the band’s Facebook page to really get a grip of the self-styled Bukowski style street poetry the singer specialises in – this doesn’t spoil this musical rocket ride one iota. In many ways this curiously reminds me of what a Basque Tyla fronting the MC5 singing songs about the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle might sound like, and one thing’s for sure, it will definitely require more than my usual “dos cervezas por favor” level of Spanish for me to fully understand.
So, with this in mind let me introduce you to Señor No’s ‘94/20’, an album chock full of musical twists and turns and yes, more than just a hint of mystery thanks to Xabi’s vocal stylings. With the band’s mission behind the record being to re-record and reimage songs from throughout their career to date.
Kicking off with ‘La Ruta Interior’ (The Interior Route) this is perhaps the nearest Señor No comes to the sonic jams of their Detroit heroes and the guitar interplay between Jorge Colldan and Joseba Baleztena at times really does bring to mind Smith and Kramer. For me its when the band really go for the throat like on ‘Déjate’ (Leave It) that they really click and here you can clearly pick out the Motorhead influence albeit with a little Poison Idea thrown in for good measure too.
Señor No are anything but a one trick punk rock piñata though, just take one listen to ‘Perra’ (Dog) where the guitar breakdown really will have you punching the air in celebration or the kooky time signature of ‘Meando En La Niebla’ (Piss In The Fog) that gives the track a real feelgood swig from the bottle kind of swing, all driven along by bassist Fumai and drummer Fosy who put in a superb shift throughout.
Bristling with energy and sounding like the very heartbeat of Basque punk rock ‘n’ roll ‘94/20’ should have by now seen Señor No tearing up and down the highways and byways of Europe in support of the record, that day I’m sure will eventually come, but in the meantime you can order your copy via the link below. Glorious stuff!
This video was shot at the legendary Berlin punk club, ‘Wild at Heart’ on the first night of the tour. Burlesque troupe The Velvet Creepers joined the band on stage that night. The track is taken from their second album ‘Taste For Evil’ released on Hound Gawd! Records and was reviewed Here During the global lockdown the band released an excellent live album recorded on their recent European Tour check out the review and link to buy it Here
Post-riot grrrl quartet How Tragic is fronted by singer, songwriter, and guitarist Paige Campbell. She writes poetic and playful punk songs, teeming with cathartic hooks, buzz saw guitars, pummeling drums, and rubbery basslines
As a vocalist, Paige is emotionally dynamic; her range encompasses chilling-but-sensual phrasing, raspy and impassioned singing, gruff punk rock shouting, and powerhouse belting. Her lyrics are from the heart, and brim with clever turns of phrases, kitschy horror-punk imagery, and brazen sensitivity. The Brooklyn-based quartet’s tunes would fit comfortably on a Spotify playlist alongside artists such as L7, Lunachicks, Hole, The Distillers, The Gits, The Misfits, and The Descendents.
How Tragic’s debut EP, ‘Past Lives’, features four tight and tuneful tracks Paige co-produced alongside producer, engineer, and mixer Matt Chiaravelle (Courtney Love, Debbie Harry, Warren Zevon) at Flux Studios and Mercy Sound Studios. ‘Past Lives’ was mastered by Grammy-nominated mastering engineer Joe Lambert. How Tragic are currently writing new material as a band, and will be releasing new music in the near future. Instagram / Website
LITTLE CAESAR release their lyric video for ‘Straight Shooter’, taken from their latest album release, ‘Eight’.
Straight Shooter is a raucous Rocker bestowing the frustrations of the lack of integrity and the search for honesty in an ever-increasingly slimy world. In this time where certain countries leaders’ egos are being put ahead of people’s health and welfare, taking an honest, direct and loud stance is needed more than ever!.
When an album begins with a howl of feedback the levels of anticipation are heightened. Wring your hands with expectations and suppress you impending hypertension. Woosh! we’re off, Dirty Cheetah is in the house with their dirty noisy punk rock played with reckless abandon. Its big sloppy riffs crash bang wallop on those drums and shouty chanty vocals. ‘Addicted’ hell yeah! but it only gets better as ‘Dr. Jerkoff’ rattles out of the speakers like The Briefs riffin’ on The Stitches riffin’ on Devo.
Spread out over ten juicy tracks with twisted lyrics and no doubt a tongue firmly implanted in one’s cheek. It speeds along nicely with tracks like ‘Got Caught’ leaping out above the rest with its Ramones riff n rhythm but if you’re looking for an album to see you through the boredom of pandemics and lockdowns then this is it. Turn it up leap around break stuff and who doesn’t like the slash riffs like ‘Dioxide’? Not me kiddies I love it!
If an album cover ever summed up what hides beneath the sleeve then it’s this one. Smoking, Swinging whilst the house burns probably caused by the individual depicted. ‘After You’ sounds like classic Dead Boys if I’m being honest with added guitar lick. Its got a hint of Black Halos in the verse and that’s always gonna win me over. pushing the running time to just under four minutes almost makes this one punk prog but fear not we’re back to the classic two minutes on ‘Psycho-Pat’ with its Agnostic Front like gang vocals.
The album signs off with a hint of Motorhead riffage on ‘I Need It’ and I do. An album that gets lit up from the get-go and keeps on burning throughout and the more you play it the better it gets. Go order it and order that baseball bat whilst you’re at it you will want to practice your swing.
Buy ‘Never Too Late’ Here
US Label Website / Bandcamp for US Label Facebook for US Label
UK Webstore / UK Facebook UK Label Discogs
Author: Dom Daley
Billie Joe Armstrong does the best cover of his lockdown by tipping his hat to the one and only legend that was Stiv Bators by taking on the excellent ‘Not That Way Anymore’. already having 100,000 plays on youtube how cool would it be if only 10% of the kids watching looked up Stiv and liked what they heard. Originally released on Bomp Records back in ’79 its classic power-pop from the Master Bator.
The barnstorming Dukes are back with a full on ballistic bang and the release of a new 4 track EP “Deaf or Gory” !! “Think I’m Turning Psycho” is pure snot nosed rebellious Rock ‘n’ Roll with its middle finger pointing firmly in the air. Lemmy would approve!!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NKQipbsLeE&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR1PdSJh8ipLEKsX7XZ1yU4zKfxltfobBJdPt_T8CzECA5viTJd5ADMD-Yc
‘Backstabbers’ and the B-side ’Crawling Back to You’ (Tom Petty) were released digitally and as a limited 7” on Little Steven’s Wicked Cool Records.
‘Backstabbers’ is the first song from Jesse’s upcoming new album ‘Lust for Love’, planned for early 2021. Recorded during the ’Sunset’ Kids’ session, the song is produced by Lucinda Williams and Tom Overby. Of the song Malin says: “the story is pretty much coming of age, getting out of your small town, and coming into the city searching for something new.”
Recent Comments