Spaghetty Town Records / Surfin’ KI Records / Family Spree Recordings join forces to knock out some sleazy punk n roll. get an earful of this bad boy and get those pre-orders in.
What happens when members of well-known sleaze rock bands Suicide Generation, Sick Bags and Desperate Fün get together in a sweaty London warehouse out of covid lockdown boredom, they form Hard Times! A mix of sleazy, heavy and obscure rock’n’roll , put on vinyl, that despite months of delays is finally being released!
Spaghetty Town Records, along with Surfin’ Ki (Italy) and Family Spree Recordings (Spain) are excited to bring you the debut release of “Little Satan” to North America and Europe. Also available on all major streaming/download sites.
Trapped Animal Records is proud to announce the return of 90’s legends Headswim, with a reissue of their seminal psych-grunge masterpiece, ‘Flood’, on October 7th. Released on double vinyl and double CD, this deluxe re-issue will feature previously unreleased BBC sessions, studio B sides, and experiments by the band and their mad scientist friends on disc two!
To celebrate the release, Headswim’s original lineup will be performing Flood in its entirety at The Camden Underworld on Friday, October 7th. This will be the Headswim’s first performance in over two decades!
“If you’d told me 28 years ago that in 2022 Headswim would be performing the entirety of their debut LP at The Camden Underworld, I’d have eaten my hat. Pass the salt.” exclaimed Clovis Taylor.
To pre-order Flood #Reduxon three different double vinyl formats, double CD and download go to headswim.co.uk
There are also bundles available and tickets for the Underworld.
I first clapped my ears on Bob Vylan way back when a certain “Lynch your leaders” became my go to track as we worked our way through the first Covid 19 lock-down, then we got hit with “We live here” and the rest is history, I’ve watched Bob Vylan gain traction and get to the point of exploding into the general conscience, and as I type it rumours abound that this baby The Price of Life has hit the charts!!!!
Now let’s just say this in no reflects a move towards a more socially acceptable standpoint, no movement towards commerciality, and keeping it independent launched on their own Ghost Theatre Records what more could you want?
This is Brutal stuff a nihilistic expose of Tory led policies, outing the far right and the decision makers who stand in the background profiteering from the latest under the counter deal. As the LP opens you get drawn in with the “Walter Speaks” sample and then “Wicked and Bad” tears your face off social-commentary up front and centre. There’s no let up as we move into” Big Man” and “Take that” and that link between grime and punk seems more relevant than anything out there at the moment, both movements born in the underground and each movement within their individual generations ripping into that Tory led new world order, and what we have to do to survive and earn enough to live. By the time we hit “Pretty songs” your hooked and then everything moves up another gear, this is seriously good, from the punk side of things I keep being drawn back to Crass comparisons, while from the grime side I can’t help linking it to Lowkey, (check out terrorist) and some of the early Akala stuff, socially aware but not with the edge presented by this beauty. “Turn off the Radio” is fckin’ immense, this is a heavier LP than the first, at times it draws on grunge, while at other times we’re into straight out hardcore punk, while at others we link in brutal industrial, right up my street, that heavier lilt really hits you with “GDP”.
“Bait the Bear” is almost Slayer’esque how heavy is that opening riff!!! (it’s a rhetorical question, it’s heavy as fck). There really is no let up “Phone Tap(Alexa)” with a thrash drive at it’s core, just builds and builds and then we’re thrown against the wall by “Drug War” probably my favourite track on the lp, punk to the core, but the vocal lead just leaves you speechless, all too quickly we’re into last up “WHATCHAGONNADO”, again there is no let up and the lp as a whole just builds and builds finishing on a high, intense, in your face, shaking you to wake up to what’s really happening, Social commentary with an attitude born on the streets, Get this LP bought, my album of the year so far, lets get Bob Vylan to number 1 !!!!!!
Chepstow, South Wales is the place, and three-piece punk rockers Bottlekids are the band. They get set to release this six-track EP via Sbam and blow the top off this EP with a punchy drop kick melodic breakneck punk rock. The EP kicks off with ‘Already Dead’ as it thrashes out of the traps in a blur of colour along the lines of Bad Religion meets Anti Flag, it’s polished and rough at the same time courtesy of having your record produced by legend Romesh Dodangoda (who has a wealth of experience covering Bring me the Horizon, Motorhead and Funeral for a Friend. It has a tonne of energy and punches with the big boys with a great production it’s sharp and clear as a bell.
The pace is maintained through ‘Peachy’ until we reach the breakdown but it’s only a brief moment whilst we gather our breath before going back in for the kill. When the band eases back (‘This Idiocracy’) there are touches of Taking back Sunday amongst others influencing the style and sound.
They pick up the pace on ‘The Irreplaceable Past’ with its hooky chorus and more measured verse its the pick of the tracks on offer. We are then dusted off before being thrown into the mixer with ‘Sick’ – a suitable banger to close off an impressive EP. With a great work ethic to touring and rounding off their chosen craft Bottlekids now have an EP to champion and the world is their oyster, with a fair wind behind their backs they can achieve anything. Time to Blast off!
Representing the Isle of Man, it’s only fitting that the “rock n roll, punk blues guys” (Iggy Pop) of Mad Daddy are releasing their ‘Road Racer’ EP to coincide with this year’s TT race. It’s the perfect combination; oil, sweat, hairpin bends and righteous rock n roll.
‘Road Racer’ opens, full throttle through the gears, like ‘Motorbikin’ on bad drugs. Slightly heavier than before, shades of the Chuck Norris Experiment. ‘It Ain’t Easy’ and ‘Be Bad’ tip a nod to the Stooges’ ability with primal riffs, while retaining their own identity, while ‘Here To Stay’ has the requisite “hey, hey, hey”s to get you hitting the repeat button.
No need to reinvent the wheel here, just enjoy the pared back appeal of Mad Daddy. And with a spanking new t shirt design to accompany the TT races, they’ve got my order come Bandcamp Friday in June. You know it makes sense.
Marc Valentine – ‘Mornington Avenue’ (Arcane Wires Records) Its the second track lifted from July’s album release ‘Futures Obscure’ and the second absolute banger, it has to be said, courtesy of Mr. Valentine. The single features a guest appearance from the legend that is Matt Dangerfield for extra kudos. Marc said of the record that it was semi-autobiographical, and stories and memories from youthful misadventures. It’s the perfect antidote for what’s going on in the real world with a fantastic melody and feel power-pop perfection.
A left hook on the chorus, a right hook on the melody the vocals are carried on and a KO for the breakdown. You’ll have this song in your head for days – exactly what a single should sound like. Brilliant!
Mad Brother Ward – ‘Ugly Life’ (Ruined Records) Two tracks on one side and a nice etched piece on the reverse all pressed on a nice blue wax. More than twenty-five years after releasing two widely acclaimed 7″ eps. legendary underground provocateur MAD BROTHER WARD returns with a two-fisted blast of straight-ahead punk rock. A true legend of the underground, Mad Brother Ward is currently known best for successfully stepping into the shoes of Joe Young in ANTiSEEN after Young died. This single is his first new record in almost thirty years. Lo-Fi production, its a crash and burn slab of nuclear punk rock. ‘Ugly Life’ be fucked, buckle up kids this is a blast.
‘I Just Wanna Die’ is an altogether slower more looking down the sight of a sniper’s rifle. It’s a catchy bugger that’s for sure with some neat neat neat guitar licks to fire it along. Punk as fuck! go get a copy before they’re all gone gone gone! Buy Here
Rock N Roll Manifesto – Vol Two (Rock n Roll Manifesto/NFT Records/Stamp Out Disco/ Hyperloop Records Loved the last 7″ from Rock N Roll Manifesto and love to see a four-way split especially when its new songs from bands I happen to love like this one. Sonny Fuckin Vincent ladies and Gentlemen opens up side one with a new and exclusive track entitled ‘Over A Cliff’. Of course it’s all killer. awesome guitar breaks, catchy melody, a stonking rhythm, and tempo but I knew it was going to sound great and that’s just one of the four – worth it for this one track alone) Sharing side one is The Manakins from Sweden with their tub-thumper ‘Dark Time For The City Lights’. What a killer chorus! Record of the month is here already and I’ve not even played side two yet!
Flip this over and you have London towns Miscalculations with their angular monochrome punk with the blitzkrieg that is ‘Controlling My Shadow’ leaving The Judex to close this sucker down with their unique sound of psychobilly vocals over some sharp chopping guitar chords. ‘Step Off Sucker’ is a one-take live in the studio banger with a cool as guitar break. Three out of four are unreleased and all four never on vinyl so don’t delay kids get this right Now!
Buy on Bandcamp from the USA Here / Stamp Out Disco (Australia) Here / NFT Records UK Here / Hyperloop Records UK Here
Gyasi – ‘She Don’t Care’ (Alive Records) Channeling the spirit of the good and the great of 70’s Glam from Bowie and Bolan to Mott The Hoople and T Rex Gyasi has bloody well nailed it (we’ve heard the album so…) This is another taster lifted from the long-player and another perfectly executed slab of Glam Rock that packs a punch and has such a flamboyant attitude to carry this off in 2022.
This guy deserves to break through and become a superstar from those platform boots alone never mind his exquisite taste in tunes. Stream the shit out of this and get a hold of that long-player when it comes out. Its a banger with twelve more Rockers to boot!
Stepmother – Stepmother EP (Legless Records) Wow, Hang on a minute, Australia is churning out Garage and punk rock by the bucket load and Stepmother from Melbourne are the latest to grab our attention. This three-track banger of an EP is proto-punk mana from the Gods. ‘Fade Away’ is the introduction before we get our breath taken away with the brilliant ‘Take Our BReath Away’ as it races towards the guitar break and shakes its shit all over our speakers.
A power trio to sit up and take notice of. This is a primal slab of Rock n Roll with a groove and plenty of boogie to let it all hang out to now its fair to say that on another round-up this would be record of the month – No doubt about it.
The Boppers – ‘Motorbikin’ (Wild Kingdom Records) Yeah you read that right. Chris Spedding’s Motorbikin’ gets a slick release from the Boppers. Lifted from their upcoming album ‘White Lightning’. When the band performed as secret guests at The Hellacopters’ release party, the success was instant. Hear “Motorbikin’” and pre-order the album here: https://orcd.co/motorbikin
Automatics – ‘Cold Steel Serenade’ – with a galic leaning The Automatic release this their new single ‘Cold Steel Serenade’ and to be fair it does exactly what it says on the tin. It’s a late-night lament with rousing guitar breaks and big chorus’.
Mean Jeans – ‘Hits From The Bog’ (Fat Wreck Chords) Heading out with Australian punks The Chats Mean Jeans drop a new digital release. Hits from the Bog features three unreleased tracks from their debut FAT release, ‘Tight New Dimension‘ . Head to your preferred digital platforms to hear it now!
“We just unearthed some recordings that got lost in the bog somewhere along the way. Listening back, I have to wonder what we were smoking at the time, cuz there’s definitely some saxophone, a single jazz chord, and we’ve betrayed the ‘4 chords per song’ rule. Still, I think they’ll appeal to anyone feeling possessed by junk food and/or slime.” this is a fair assessment from the band. Sounds like it’s going to be an absolute blast on this tour Its sunshine pop-punk leaning heavily on the likes of Da Ramones (obviously) with an eye on what Evan Dando achieved. It’s goofy and inoffensive and live? It’ll be a blast Go get some!
The Venomous Pinks – ‘Apothecary Ailment’ ( SBÄM Records) second single from their upcoming album “Vita Mors” – out June 3, 2022 on SBÄM Records: https://shop.sbam.rocks Pre-save it here: https://bfan.link/vita-mors
Simon Juliff – ‘Stars’ (Dog Meat Records) The first new Dog Meat release in over a quarter of a century is the new single “Stars”, taken from the forthcoming album of the same name, from reticent Melbourne pop-rock singer/songwriter Simon Juliff. Juliff, who was singer/guitarist/songwriter for Melbourne band The Roys in the ‘00s, was a friend of many of the ‘90s Melbourne bands on Dog Meat and nearly a Dog Meat signing with his first band The Evil Dead. Bonkers how these twists of fate happen. Happy recording for himself it’s taken until now to release some tunes and well worth the wait it is too. A great teaser for what’s to come on the album later this year. Facebook
Jaguero – Worst Weekend Ever (Epidemic Records) Five-track EP from Italian punks Jaguero kicks off with a really rounded production that fills the air with a warmth that I wasn’t really expecting. Influences from some of the big American pop-punkers and Alt smash acts to the Nirvana like ‘Negative, Awesome!’ and the excellent mash-up that is ‘Get Along’.
With a range of influences yet making a cohesive end product will see Jaguero do well when they can find their niche impressive EP to be getting on with.
The Courettes are hot hot hot! at the moment and rightly so. Heading over to the UK in June for an extensive tour this 10″ record brings together a whole bunch of B sides and outtakes. Striking whilst the iron is hot is a good thing and this duo are knocking out quality records and drawing these together in one convenient place is a bargain. They ask that you play this record loudly and through shite speakers but that’s not an exclusive request because it’s also available on CD as well.
You know the drill with this pair, they’re retro in a wall of sound way and bang up to date current as well. It’s not just a cobbled-together compilation because there are non-album B sides, and three tracks that have added instrumentation on them it also has the Japanese-only split ‘So What’ available right here, right now.
Their brand of pop smart melodies wrapped up in a Rock and Roll sound was perfectly described as not playing Rock and Roll because they are Rock and Roll, if you know – you know! At times you have to concentrate hard on the record because you think it is a four-piece and some making that wall of sound and not just two musicians, it’s got that warm Fuzz on the guitar and a shimmering smokey mix over the top of the whole sound. Surely it’s only a matter of time before everyone gets down with The Courettes and their music maybe one DJ who knows their music will get smart or a Jools Holland to champion this pair and whoosh! away they’ll fly. ‘Tough Like That’ is a bruiser with it’s punchy riff and then the cool smoldering ‘Talking About My Baby’ before it just takes off for the chorus before switching vocals and dropping back into that cool smolder.
Try them – buy this 10″ you won’t regret it they write and perform wonderful music that let you leave all your real-world woes at the door because for the next half an hour your gonna dream and pretend you’re onto the best-kept secret in music – The Fabulous Courettes Schh! or everyone will cotton on. Bop shawaddy bop baby! Eight tracks to tide us over. Perfecto!
Now the dust has settled on another wallet-busting RSD, it’s time to assess the picks of the pops and if you weren’t lucky enough to pick one up there are some floating around the internet from shops that unbelievably didn’t sell their allocated copies. Limited to 2500 copies.
During the period leading up to 2004’s ‘Really Really Happy’, The Muffs had been keeping a busy schedule of live performances as well as working through an ever-increasing list of songwriting demos from singer/guitarist Kim Shattuck a process explained on the inner sleeve notes by fellow bandmate Ronnie Barnett. Once this bunch of tunes was narrowed down, the band set to recording them for the album. Appearing as bonus material on the upcoming, expanded 2-CD/Digital reissue of ‘Really Really Happy’, ‘New Improved Kim Shattuck Demos’ represents the only vinyl appearance of these 16 tracks, composed and performed entirely by Kim.
The 16-track, black vinyl LP is fully endorsed by Kim’s friends, family, and bandmates. It also contains a personal note to Kim from bandmate Ronnie Barnett. The world lost Kim to ALS in 2019, ‘New Improved Kim Shattuck Demos’ shows the enigmatic singer, songwriter, and performer in her true creative element. While The Muffs turned this material into their classic fifth album, it all began with Kim.” To get beyond the loss of such talent is like finding the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow that you were always told was a myth. One of the must pick up items these will all go. So until the CD is released this will more than do.
The pick of the pops would have to be a vibrant run through ‘The Story Of Me’ and a banging take on the melodramatic ‘A Little Luxury’ with the raw edge of a demo but it loses none of the drama and with hindsight, I hope she found her Luxury.
Sure it’s missing the final polish and gleams that a fully finished and mastered record has but it’s those rough edges and rawness that hold up these fantastic tunes and if it was possible to love them a little more then it’s job done.
It’ll be interesting to see what the CD is like as it features twenty-two tracks (all of these demos, and a further six that will be released on a 7″ hand stamped single). The explanation on the inner sleeve is a beautiful thing and quite how this took almost twenty years to emerge is another miracle. Much like some of the other RSD releases Bleeding Hearts is the one that springs to mind, an absolute belter of a release and why I’m not down on RSD (not yet) but having these gems to listen to long after the studio finished recordings come out is what loving music is all about and why people are so passionate about it. If you can buy it!
Long EP or short album you decide. For my sixpence on The Drowns blistering slab of Rock and Roll is this. ‘Live Like Yer Dyin’ just about does exactly what it says on the tin and has a healthy dose of Rock and Roll along the lines of label mates and stalwarts The Harrington Saints. their cut from the same blue-collar roots rock n roll. With a wonderful disposition and outlook of positivity and whatever doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger. It’s a blast straight out of the traps.
The title track is less Rockin in one respect but more upbeat in other respects as it touches on the Galic vibe with shades of SLF and maybe Dropkick Murphys feel with a great walking bass line throughout get your martins on and go for it.
‘The Working Dead’ is a happy-go-lucky thumper with PMA running through its core. It’s comfortable and familiar for sure but it also comes across as fresh and full of excitement.
This is the real deal. If you want some punk rock but a band that also adds some Rock n Roll and isn’t afraid to rock out (‘She’s The Knife’) then this is a band you should get behind, Possibly my favourite track on the album for those Malcolm young rhythm riffs and DC stabs (no pun intended) it’s a top tune full of energy.
Six tracks just isn’t enough I’m sorry but I want more and I love the vibe on the acoustic ‘Look What We’ve Become’ – resisting breaking it out after the opening verse is great. More Gaslight Anthem meets Downtown Struts for sure but that’s another string to the bow. Then to wind things down with the final cut of ‘Tokyo Red Alert’ which pulls several styles together with a social Distortion meets Green Day kinda thing that really works with a country jig vibe on the melody. Just buy the record and go play it – it’ll make perfect sense and you can thank me laters.
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