Don’t get lulled into a false sense of security with the album’s opener drifting you downstream with its picked lush notes. ‘Spirit Trouble Flash’ kicks in on intros heels with its jarring shuddering rhythm and aggressive rolling riff it’s prime time punk rock with its thuggish bass run chasing you down and it’s Fugazi style vocals. Stirring stuff.

There’s a JJ Burnell vibe about the bass attack with its walking basslines front and centre but the same can’t be aimed at the melodies and vocals as they jarr and poke you uncomfortably at times (in a good way that retains your attention).

That rhythmic jarring bass and drum combo continues through ‘Not This, Not This’ as it builds with some choppy guitars. It’s dark in the same way the Gun Club were dark or Gallon Drunk when they would slay the dark corners of London.

Playing the smoky casino bars of Reno, Nevada sometime in the last decade is where only the lucky few would have come across Spitting Image. A few small run cassette tapes or 7″ records with cryptic art and far-out distortion, or at a party, they ritually summon to any warehouse, parking lot, basement, or Great Basin lake shore they can find, you didn’t. But thanks to Slovenly Recordings, who share a hometown with the band and have sought out this record to reward those around the world who crave the finest in underground alternative rock n roll of all persuasions. It’s fair to say this is a fuckin killer record. The gargling bassline of ‘Turn Person’ as it tribal drums its way to the headfuckin chorus is addictive like musical crack.

And it’s dark, but that in a good dark in a way the kind you appreciate afterwards. Donovan Williams’ merciless tribal drumbeats drive songs like ‘Devils Bloom’ and ‘Still Thing’, but it only works in conjunction with Jack Scribner’s basslines and guitarist Julian Jacobs’ schizophrenic and out-there guitar attack.

‘Not This Not This’ is like the very early Chuck songs of Faith No More if they were more like Gun Club and early Banshees spoon-fed as children. It’s also the charm of the live feel almost demo-like qualities of the songs like ‘Broadcast’ as they flirt with jazzy edges. With the driving drums and that sharp echoing guitar it’s often a beautiful thing when a band hits the bullseye.

‘Black Box’ is a more frantic offering with its uncompromising Fuzz from start to finish. The band pick up the pace on the blistering ‘Still Thing’ which sets the tone for the next few songs as the band kicks out the jams as ‘Devils Bloom’ is a frantic dash before the interlude then for the final furlong we get the trip out of ‘In Menace Meadow’ that grows and grows like a shadow creeping up a wall over its four-plus minutes. Then to sign off the band shuffle off on the altogether mellow ‘Full Son’ altogether a handsome album of psych alternative rock. The more I play it the more the songs mature inside my head with different parts jostling to the front and grabbing my attention twisting and turning this album into a very impressive journey that I will be taking time and time again. ‘Full Sun shines.

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Author: Dom Daley

Our favourite Norweigan cock rockers Razorbats were so busy partying and celebrating they forgot to send the Promo for their new long player to their favourite UK website. Yeah, we know it’s only Rock n Roll baby but we should have been invited to the party.

This brand new album kicks off in true Razorbats style with fireworks and cheerleaders kicking high kicks whilst the band drive by in an open-top Cadillac covered in scantily clad ladies and dry ice with explosions left right and centre as they celebrate the opening track and first single we heard a while back of ‘Break Up The Band’ its bombastic – loud – cock fuckin rock o’clock baby and we love it! They love singing about Rock n’ Roll and the trappings as the twin guitars squeal and howl over the rock-solid rhythm – pure Razorbats. Big chorus’, even bigger harmonies and a sound somewhere between Twisted Sister and Turbonegro a heap of 70s glam for good measure some Cooper n T rex and just a sprinkling of Cheap Trick dancing to the best of Kiss will have you in just the right ball park.

They aren’t expanding their envelope or going techno to get new listeners they are playing to their strengths and writing solid rockers and radio-friendly hard rock none more evident than the second track ‘Only In America’ born to be played across the States. ‘Shotgun Wedding’ is a real shit kickers from the growling riff to the gang vocals on the beer soaked chorus its a winner all the way.

‘Edie’ is the slow dance retro classic stepping off the gas and cruising. Not a band to pander to gender sensitive modern times. Razorbats like to keep it simple and its leather jackets, denim jeans boy meets girl and wham bang thank you man. ‘Love Is For Suckers’ will take you back to the 80s if only you could get yer nan to sew on those beer towels to your jeans and your battle jacket still fitted you this would be one you’d turn up and wave those horns in the air like you just don’t care and swing your full head of hair like a windmill – drink it up boys ‘coz love is for suckers.

Doubleing down with ‘Scandinavian Girls’ sees Razorbats do what they do best with a filthy throbbing bass line humping away as the steady rhythm drives this sucker home. ‘Kiss Me’ is the penultimate offering on this impressive record with more big vocals and infectious chorus before the lighters go up for the whistle in the wind ballad of ‘Seventeen’ looks back on the good ole misty eyed days of yesteryear.

Once again congratulations to our favourite Oslo rockers living the dream and making music that puts a smile on your face exactly how it was meant to do. Buy It!

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Author: Dom Daley