Diamond Dogs – ‘As Your Greens Turn Brown’ (Wild Kingdom Records)

Diamond Dogs – ‘As Your Greens Turn Brown’ (Wild Kingdom Records)

As my learned colleague, Craggy waxed lyrically when he reviewed ‘Honked’ the first of these Anniversary albums from Diamond Dogs, I went on a journey down the Rock and ROll highway and played every Diamond Dogs album released and the overriding thought I had was –  Damn this band was smoking hot when they got in that groove.

They were honking on the whole Faces early ’70s Stones vibe and they were killing it every time and the most important thing was they had the tunes to go with the swagger and if those five albums were my gift to the world I’d be so proud of my band and the songs we’d created. Its quite some collection and as the band aged like a good wine they changed taste but remained true to their roots and sound.

On reflection, it seems like yesterday the band were rolling into my small village and pitching up their amps in a restaurant at the rear of my local boozer on a Sunday night after having a show in the City cancelled they then proceeded to Rock the socks off the locals with a wonderful and impressive set. These sets are pressed on vinyl as well as CD and contain a plethora of bonus tracks (singles B Sides) to wrap up the tunes from that period in a perfect set.

As Your Greens Turn Brown: After the keys introduce the listener with a bit of ‘Bloodshot’ before kicking up a shitstorm in the shape of the fantastic no holds barred ‘Goodbye, Miss Jill’ even now it makes me smile a five-mile smile when the band kicks in and the harmonica starts honkin’.

The record ebbs and flows superbly with the highs being particularly high and when the band gets going man they sounded authentic and passionate.  The lulls when they’d kickback. Their blend of Hammond and Rock and Roll overdrive mixed with a few horns stabs here and there is timeless. Let the good times roll on the ballsy ‘Hardhitter’ and then they can drop a few gears as they venture off into Small Faces territory via ‘Singing With The Alleycats’ it’s easy to see how these guys got gigs with Punk rockers like the Damned or Rockers like The Cult and Nazareth when you hear the raw ‘Bite Off’ with its too fast to live riff and with that variety in mind you pick up the flavour of just how talented a songwriter Sulo is and he lives these songs and wears them on his sleeve you can’t bluff Rock and Roll this good which is why he attracted the likes of Darrel Bath and Steve Klasson into the fold.

 

The band were comfortable letting go and cutting loose as they were doing the jig is up country-tinged ‘Anywhere Tonight’ as they were doing the whole Thin Lizzy duel guitar kick-off that had songs like ‘Boogie For Tanja’ being so effortlessly good. Then when they needed to turn down the lights they could glide into ‘Yesterdays Nymph’ in one fell swoop. When Sulo took the mood down he has a wonderful tone on his voice and as far as taking on the Brits doing the whole R&B thing there’s no contest Diamond Dogs were more consistent than a lot of their contemporaries churning out albums of exceptionally high quality and this bad boy is right up there with the best of them and when your B Sides are as good as your A-Sides you know you’re onto something.

Fifteen songs of exceptional quality its like they once said Too much is never enough! Bring on the next one and I’ll get me filled up on more trips down memory lane and promise myself to play these records more often they deserve it and so do you – Buy it!

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Author: Dom Daley

The Stooges – ‘Live At Goose Lake’ (Third Man Records)

The Stooges – ‘Live At Goose Lake’ (Third Man Records)

August the 8th 1970.  The last time the original powerhouse machine that is The Stooges took to a stage. August 2020 sees it hit the shelves on record and a nice slab of heavyweight vinyl it is too without all the finer niceties of modern recordings this is straight from the desk loud as fuck! With Iggy being the last man standing I bet that wasn’t something many people would have uttered 50 years ago.

With a $15 to $20 price tag on tickets for this festival that would have had Savoy Brown, Jethro Tull, Joe Cocker, Chicago and Alice Cooper on the bill way above The mighty Stooges.  it must have been a bummer to have had to go on after this aural assault had long left the stage.  Whilst it might not be the finest soundboard mix ever you get the emotion of the band playing as both Brothers Asheton are kicking up a shitstorm of rage and intense musicianship especially on songs like ‘TV Eye’ and an inspirational performance on ‘Dirt’ but you keep being sidetracked by Alexanders bass as it takes a wobble especially through the amazing solo it might be hindsight knowing what happened but his falling apart does happen, It must have been a jaw-dropping spectacle yet little did the punters know this would be the last time this five would take the stage with Dave Alexander being fired.

In a day when bands play albums in their entirety and sell out venues, the Stooges were doing it in 1970.  By the time you get to the title track that huge throbbing hypnotic bassline but the reality is its a mess, and you can see why Iggy might have been pissed, seeing as there were a reported 200K in attendance and it must have been mindblowing hearing this as Mackay’s saxophone is causing hypertension on what I would say is one of the finest song ever penned, by anyone, anywhere at any time it’s a royale maelstrom of noise here, a beautiful noise by the way and with Mr. Pop barking out the words over the top the PA sounds like it’s about to ignite at any minute. as the sax and guitar duke it out even if the tape goes a bit wobbly which is such a shame it sounded magnificent.

 

Its believed that this performance was almost the cause of a full-on riot and hundreds charged the stage and began dismantling it after the Stooges left the stage it’s not hard to see how that could be on this performance and having the plug pulled on your set only enhances The Stooges legend anyway.  Thanks to Jack White and his label for making this release possible as it’s believed that MR Pop isn’t enamored but hey its been worth the wait and even MR Pop would have to agree that for a document in musical history this needed to be preserved and something he could and should be immensely proud to be a part of.

If the Funhouse complete is way out of your price range and you love that record and the band then this is a no brainer and well worth the price of admission in anyone’s book. Awesome.

Buy ‘Live At Goose Lake’ Here

Author: Dom Daley

 

Levellers – ‘Peace’ (On The Fiddle Recordings)

Levellers – ‘Peace’ (On The Fiddle Recordings)

In the wake of Coronavirus many albums being released are cited as “an album of the times” or “the soundtrack to lockdown”, yet most were written and recorded before lockdown was even a thing. It seems some musicians are just clued in to the right frequency for the times. One such band is Brighton folk heroes the Levellers.

Now, Levellers have been releasing “an album of the times” since their first album ‘A Weapon Called The Word’ was released on an unsuspecting world in 1990. Taking their name from the political movement, the band have always been outspoken with their left-wing political views and voicing change with their lyrics and in interviews.

They outgrew their humble, crusty beginnings, headlined Glastonbury in 1994 and even bothered the charts a few years later with the likes of ‘Just The One’ and ‘What A Beautiful Day’. The mid nineties saw the band go it alone, becoming independent with their own self-contained headquarters called The Metway. There they have their offices, where they run the fan club, it houses a rehearsal space and recording studio. And they continue to be self-sufficient to this day with their On The Fiddle record label.

 

While ‘Peace’ is their first new studio album in 8 years, the band has not been sitting on their laurels. 2008’s ‘We The Collective’ saw the band re-imagine an album of their songs acoustically, with an orchestra at Abbey Road. They continue to tour extensively and host their own Beautiful Days Festival. The recent deluxe vinyl reissues of their discography have kept fans content in the lead up to album number 11.

And album number 11 is a throwback to what the band does best. Produced by long time collaborator Sean Lakeman, ‘Peace’ sees the band in fine form, delivering the perfect mix of Celtic, guitar-driven anthems and folk-tinged balladry.

3 singles have whetted the fans appetites over the past months in lockdown. Opener and first single ‘Food Roof Family’ is an energised burst of noise, with driving bass and frantic fiddle and the same thought provoking lyricism that captures the same vibe as their early recordings. An instant anthem. With its retro keyboard refrain ‘Generation Fear’ sees a different, edgy direction. Still bold, brazen and relevant in 2020, it will surely become a future live favourite, guaranteed to get your inner crusty bouncing. ‘Calling Out’ sees guitarist Simon Friend take to the mic for a raspy tale of escaping the rat race. All 3 have their own merits but are very much Levellers in sound and feel.

Friend appears for lead vocals on several occasions, as he has done in the past. The emotive ‘Four Boys Lost’ is a sea shanty recalling the tragic tale of sailors lost at sea. ‘The Men Who Would Be King’ is raucous, punk fuelled noise-mongery, and for the first time he duets with singer Mark Chadwick on the marvellous ‘Albion and Phoenix’. The latter references the bands beginnings, Albion being a hill in Brighton and The Phoenix is the squat they used to hang out at. Full of choppy riffs and melodious fiddle, the juxtaposition of Chadwick and Friend’s vocals work perfectly on a song of reflection and sentimentality.

Elsewhere, the likes of Chadwick’s ‘Born That Way’ with its Clash-lite riff and fiddle refrain, along with Friend’s upbeat stomper ‘Our New Day’ show the more commercial mid-nineties Levellers along with the more poignant traditional laments of ‘Ghost In The Water’ and album closer ‘Our Future’.

 

 

Choc-a-bloc with their trademark observational lyricism and Celtic punk vibes, ‘Peace’ preaches a message of hope, which is nothing new for this band, but in these trying times the message seems just as relevant, if not more so than it was in the early nineties. They may be older, wiser and not the angry young punks they once were, but the Levellers still have something to say and in the current political and social climate, ‘Peace’ could well be the perfect soundtrack to our times.

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Buy ‘Peace’ Here

Author: Ben Hughes

 

 

 

 

 

GREG ANTISTA & THE LONELY STREETS ARE SET TO PERFORM AS PART OF AN ALL-STAR PUNK LIVESTREAM CONCERT CELEBRATING STEVE SOTO’S BIRTHDAY

GREG ANTISTA & THE LONELY STREETS ARE SET TO PERFORM AS PART OF AN ALL-STAR PUNK LIVESTREAM CONCERT CELEBRATING STEVE SOTO’S BIRTHDAY

BENEFIT CONCERT MARKS THE FIRST BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION SINCE THE DEATH OF SOTO, A FOUNDING MEMBER OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA’S AGENT ORANGE AND ADOLESCENTS, IN 2018

ALSO CONFIRMED: Performances of Soto songs by members of Adolescents, 
Bad Cop/Bad Cop, CH3, Death by Stereo, Left Alone, Manic Hispanic, Punk Rock Karaoke, Swingin’ Utters, and more

Worldwide livestream begins at 5:00 PM PST on Saturday, August 22;
Tickets & livestream: https://stevesototributeconcert.veeps.com

The concert event will actually feature an equal mix of live performances and additional pre-recorded footage. Comedian Joe Sib, a former bandmate of Soto’s in 22 Jacks, will be the live on-air host.

In order to access the livestream, viewers will be required to make a donation to National Independent Talent Organization (NITO), a non-profit organization created in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis. NITO exists for the purpose of supporting local musicians and helping to keep live music venues operational. After production costs for the event, 100% of the proceeds will go to NITO.

Also scheduled to perform at this Southern California punk rock extravaganza are members of Adolescents, Bad Cop/Bad Cop, CH3, Death by Stereo, Left Alone, Manic Hispanic, Punk Rock Karaoke, Swingin’ Utters, and other surprise guests.

This will be the first concert celebrating Soto’s birthday. Soto (August 23, 1963 – June 27, 2018) was a multi-talented instrumentalist and founding member of the long-running SoCal punk bands Agent Orange (1979) and Adolescents (1980). During his lifelong career in rock ‘n’ roll, he was also a member of Legal Weapon, Joyride, Manic Hispanic, and the punk supergroup 22 Jacks. Soto fronted his own band, Steve Soto and the Twisted Hearts, and he also became a member of Punk Rock Karaoke. Soto died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 54 from natural causes.

Greg Antista, who released the well-received Shake, Stomp and Stumble album with his band The Lonely Streets in 2019, was a lifelong friend of Soto’s. In 1979, the two met in shop class at Troy High School in their native Fullerton, CA. “I had never thought about playing an instrument until punk rock exploded at my high school” Antista recalls. “I had members of Adolescents, Agent Orange, and Social Distortion as my schoolmates and they were all playing backyard parties and their first local club gigs. Being that close to the bands and music made many of us pick up guitars.” In 1990, Antista, Soto, and Adolescents drummer Sandy Hanson joined forces in Joyride, a pop-punk band that released two albums on Dr. Dream Records.

Antista’s bandmates in the Lonely Streets also shared close ties to Soto. In 1981-1982, guitarist Frank Agnew played with Soto in the Los Angeles band Legal Weapon, appearing together on the group’s Death of Innocence album. In the 1990s and 2000s, Lonely Streets bassist Warren Renfrow performed alongside Soto in the bands Manic Hispanic and 22 Jacks. The Lonely Streets’ lineup is completed by drummer Jorge E. Disguster, who while never having played in a band with Soto, has nevertheless shared many stages with the musician.

Greg Antista & the Lonely Streets:
Website: gregantistaandthelonelystreets.com
Facebook: gregantistaandthelonelystreets
Twitter: @greg_antista
Instagram: @gregantistaandthelonelystreets

Scumbag Millionaire – ‘Poor and Infamous’ (Suburban Records)

Scumbag Millionaire – ‘Poor and Infamous’ (Suburban Records)

If Godzilla was Swedish he’d be playing hard, fast and nasty rock & roll in a band just like Scumbag Millionaire. He may even grow a moustache and change his name to Max.

Now you’ve got the picture, let me introduce you to “Poor and Infamous”, the second long-player from these four Gothenburg gutter deviants. The record that’ll get you safely through the rest of this Covid craziness.

From full-throttle opener, “Demi-God” to sleazoid closer “One For The Road”, “Poor and Infamous” is an ass-kicking classic. Think early ‘copters (obvs), think classic Motorhead and you’re almost halfway there. Where ever there is !?!

Lead single “Ain’t No Doubt” is everything The Backyard Babies used to be, totally Total 13 and a bang on dyed in the wool classic. Check out the video.

“You Had It Coming” gets a little Mick Taylor-era Stones groove on, while “Chasing Dawn” pummels you in the ears into submission.

The distorted bass intro to“Put A Price On My Soul” is pure Boss DS1 magic courtesy of the legendary Sunlight Studio.  Tomas Skogsberg’s production is spot on, the man is the Phil Spector of the garage punk metal universe.

“Desperado” is a monster. A face-fucking distorted onslaught.

“Subterranean Twist” reminds me of the early Scumbag singles (check out US compilation “Fast Track Big Pack” if you missed them).

“Highway Blues” calls on those super sexy bass tones again. Not as full on as its “Poor and Infamous” bed fellows but it’s a tune that BYB would kill for.

“Trouble City” is pure Motorhead magic and “Dead Man’s Hand” ain’t no slacker either.

Rounding things off with the aforementioned Sea Hags-tastic “One For The Road”, “Poor and Infamous” is simply the bollocks.

Pre-order the album Here on limited transparent magenta vinyl, regular black vinyl or on ye-olde traditional CD.

 

While you’re at it grab the US comp “Fast Track Big Pack” along with debut album “Speed”. You won’t regret it. Guaranteed !!!

 

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Author: Frazer Munro

Diamond Dogs – Honked (All Over Again)’ (Wild Kingdom Records)

Diamond Dogs – Honked (All Over Again)’ (Wild Kingdom Records)

Sweden’s much-loved and well-travelled charismatic rock ‘n’ rollers Diamond Dogs have returned to the scene and they are bringing re-releases of their first 5 albums with them. Released through the Wild Kingdom record label, these 5 LPs cover the first 10 years of their existence, which began in 1993 with the album Honked.

Honked set the scene for the coming years for the Dogs. Headed by the singer/songwriter Sulo, the band would at various points involve musicians from a worldwide spectrum of spectacular and influential bands. Honked was big news in Sweden, and it pushed their boundaries far beyond Scandinavia, with single ‘Blue Eyes Shouldn’t Be Cryin’’ making its way onto MTV rotation, back when the M meant Music and not Money. It would see them tour all over the world with some of the biggest household names.

The album now has been repackaged as Honked (All Over Again) and includes three additional tracks in Lucille (Richard’s, not Kenny’s), Sweet Sister Sunrise and Big Bayou (originally by Swampwater and then covered extensively). Many years following its original release, Honked is still brimming with that delightful charm that has always been instilled in the Dogs’ music. Raunchy and swaggering, the Dogs’ music is unapologetically 70s inspired rock ‘n’ roll, rolling in a sweet mix of the Faces and the Stones. The song writing and the energy captured in the production ensure that it still stands up now.

The Diamond Dogs have always delivered this music in the best way possible – with honesty and charisma. If you like the Black Crowes or the Quireboys, and for some cruel reason the Diamond Dogs passed you by, diving into these 5 re-releases should set you straight. And there’s no better place to start than right at the beginning with Honked.

Buy Honked Here

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Author: Craggy Collyde

 

Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard – ‘The Non Stop EP’ ( Communion Records)

Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard – ‘The Non Stop EP’ ( Communion Records)

I was quite excited to go and see Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard live in my home town back in April but then the world decided to go tits up and the show never took place.  There is however a bill poster at the venue that I plan to liberate when all these baddie germs finally fuck off.

Now, after being tipped off by friend and colleague Mr. H Bomb Hayward that there was a new band in town and they played Rock and Roll and weren’t afraid to wear double denim. Then hearing the first couple of tunes I and seeing them strut their stuff on TV I was rather looking forward to the live experience having already paid upfront for my album pre-sale and finally mid pandemic it duly arrived.

Now, first things first.  When the packet was left on the doorstep by my friendly Royal Mail person he duly backed off.  Now, was this a sign? was he just pandemic virus fearful and following guidelines? or who knows, maybe, he knew what was lurking inside the 12″ x 12″ cardboard mailbox. I have to say dai yawn diolch, Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard, for daring to run with such a confident album cover.  I just hope it was done with a straight face and there was no giggling taking place.  Boy, its a statement album cover if ever there was one I’ll give you that.  Like Jaggers crotch with the zipper or Lords Of The New Church and their ‘Like A Virgin’ picture sleeve, this bad boy is right up there.

Anyway enough shenanigans what are the fucking tunes like? I mean, they could have gone with a Dwarves cover or a pose of Ian Botham proportions but if they didn’t have the chops to back it up they were going to look a little daft mun as they say around these parts.

Fear not my Rock and Roll comrades for as soon ‘Double Denim Hop’ is counted in the confidence of the sleeve is instantly matched with a ’70s Bolan Boogie-woogie, glam rock stomper, to rival any of the pretenders to the retro crown. For on this evidence alone, Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard (so good they named them thrice) have it sewn up as they stomp and Rock right out the door and back again. The dueling solos and the chorus is so spot on its one of those earworms you simply can’t shake out of your head for days. What an opener.

This ten-track behemoth has got it all.  They are like a little band of magpies as they nick a riff from over there off that Kinks record and they were clearly paying attention to the Bolan Boogie.  I’d wager they have more than a passing hankering for a small faces record or two. To be fair for the first few tracks they just Take Care Of Business and kick out the jams.

They even entertain with the slight interlude of audio widescreen panoramic views entitled ‘Theme From Early Morning’.   Before chilling out with the acoustic ‘Long Day/Free Day’ with its simple arrangement and sparse vocal that grows and grows but never goes too far.

They head off into “we’ve joined a cult” tune with the breezy ‘John Lennon Is My Jesus Christ’ as they tip their hat to the people who clearly inspired them to pick up their instruments and play. Penultimately they head off into a sixty second Fleetwood Mac noodle but sound like they lost interest as well. This only leaves the ‘Sugarloaf Mountain Crucify Me’ when they set a foot into Neil Young territory, briefly, Which is cool even if it does take almost four minutes to raise its pulse.

In the main, this is a breath of fresh air, the sound of a band enjoying making music and playing with passion, heart and a cheeky grin.  Just get a copy and turn it up mun – Right up!

Buy ‘The Non-Stop Ep’ Here

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Author: Dom Daley

Stacy Crowne – ‘We Sound Electric’ (Savage Magic Records)

Stacy Crowne – ‘We Sound Electric’ (Savage Magic Records)

I’m not a massive believer in fate or why things happen but I was asked to give a record a listen and possibly review it.  The dilemma I had was it was originally released late 2019 but hey the world has been on stop for some months anyway sure I’ll listen.  Then when I was putting together the pictures and links for this review I got a message from a label and asked if I’d ever heard a band named Stacy Crowne.  Now here’s where it gets spooky up until a few weeks ago I hadn’t but they did a split with a band I love (Christmas as it goes) and I reviewed the single last month and was really impressed with the sounds coming outta Stacy Crowne and then things snowballed The singer got in touch I played the record and then the label got in touch over something else entirely and bang as I type I have one of those boxes pop up whilst I’m spinning the record on my laptop its only Stacy Fucking Crowne! now that might just be a coincidence but we all know the evil powers of Rock and Roll and how they work so it might well be a sign and horns up for the band because I took it as the rock and Roll Gods telling me to turn the fucker up and band out my review and let everybody know how damn good this slice of Hard Rockin’ action is!

Strap yourself in kid this might get bumpy! From the opening ring of the overdrive, this is most definitely in the same ballpark as the scene back a couple of decades that had Gluecifer and The D4 ruling the roost along with Hellacopters and a hint of Supersuckers and Turbonegro.  If anything this is understated which is a shame (I missed it when it was released)  because opener ‘Oblivion’ sets the tone but by no means is the standout track maybe its the loosener opening couple of shots to accompany the big one and you have to build up to that nobody dives straight in or you’ll crash and burn but its got all the vital ingredients to Rock and Fuckin’ Roll but ‘White Lies’ adds the tambourine which is nice as the band cruise through the gears with a song not a million miles from Captain Poon and Biff Malibu its loud got a cool hook and plenty of punch but remains cool as without a bead of sweat on their brow nor a hair out of place this is good no I mean Good!

There’s always time for a bit of Boogie along the lines of Backstreet Girls ‘Tightrope’ with a really tight chorus with layered BV’s almost power-pop wearing big boys leather gloves and mirror shades if you know what I mean? and the keys added really lift it.  Great track.

When they just want to rock out they do so with consummate ease (‘Some Equals None’) they add some neat bass runs on ‘Get Loaded Now!’ Basically if you ever hankered after a record that has loud guitars but not for the sake of it loud and ever wanted riffs and plenty of crash bang wallop then ‘We Are Electric’ is an album you have to hear. The title track or ‘We Are The Rest’ delivers in spades and throw in some of that dirty rock that bands like American HEartbreak or The Four Horsemen touched upon but also delivered great records.

 

If I had to pick a standout track then it would have to be ‘Lovebite’ sure it sings from that classic Gluecifer hymnsheet but damn it’s a good song with gang vocals and laid back verses it’s quality and some splendid guitar playing, especially on the breakdown. It only leaves the power ballad of ‘Too Easy’ to cruise off into the sunset.  Only joking its not a token power ballad but it is like one of the Hellacopters road movie tunes, a little more laid back than the others maybe, and with some dueling guitars noodling for good measure its been a blast.

I’m only gutted I didn’t pick this up late last year but hey we can’t be on top of everything and I’m glad I’ve had the pleasure of playing it over and over now.  I won’t be making that mistake again.  Just buy it.

Buy ‘We Sound Electric’ Here or Here 

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Author: Dom Daley

Fontaines D.C. – ‘A Hero’s Death’ (Partisan Records)

Fontaines D.C. – ‘A Hero’s Death’ (Partisan Records)

Fontaine’s opener merely walks out of the traps.  It hasn’t got its proverbial chest puffed up it just strides confidently with ‘I don’t belong’ coming across like a band weened on the reissues of Joy Division but hooked on melodies from Mozza but with that delightful Dublin lilt.  The track never breaks sweat but neither does it want you to look away either.

In a world where bands don’t have to conform or look like they’re in a gang and often look as far removed from being in a band of uncompromising post-punk noisemakers that you could possibly imagine.  Fontaines D.C are like that and I doubt they give a single flying fuck what you or I think as to what a band should look like in 2020.  In a world where Idles and Sleaford Mods can seemingly walk on water and breakthrough into the mainstream then there’s always room for another and Fontaines might well be that band. this sophomore release rides the coattails of the debut in double quick time in case the streaming generation might forget who you are with the click of a mouse.

It’s not until  ‘Televised Mind’ do they get out of that strut walk I mentioned and you can finally take a breath and maybe move if you want.  It builds very much along the lines of a joy division with the guts being wrung out of the guitars effects.

Swirling Hawkwind effects signal ‘A Lucid Dream’ is taking hold. With some frantic drumming holding this number together this could be best described as space rock for the Covid generation as it ebbs and flows. Last year, Fontaines D.C. released their debut album Dogrel to widespread acclaim, garnering a legion of fans worldwide along the way. They toured behind it relentlessly. In another time, this would be nothing but a success story: A young band delivering on the hype rather than being swallowed by it. They should have been riding high; it should have been nothing but a triumphant year. But to hear the band speak of it, the whirlwind experience almost destroyed them. 

 

‘A Hero’s Death’. It’s an album that has its moments of frantic, claustrophobic songs that gasp for air often challenging the listener in challenging times.  At times there are songs full of charm like ‘You Said’ which is simple song as is the lite and beautifully simple ‘Oh Such A Spring’

 

‘A Hero’s Death,’ ‘I Was Not Born,’ and ‘Televised Mind’  all predate ‘Dogrel’ so if you liked that then there’s a fair chance this is going to ring your bell as well. They’ve not gone and done a Radiohead and cut their commercial throat deliberately here because they haven’t.  Fontaines D.C. know what the do and what they’re good at and hammer it home and using those principles they’ll never go out of fashion nor turn in a bad record like Idles they aren’t always an easy listen and that’s good because different tunes will leap on you when you least expect them to and those records have longevity and I like that dip in and dip out but you know they’re there. ‘Difficult angular sharp sounds for difficult times possibly the perfect chaotic record for the chaotic times we live in. At times challenging and others soothing and just nice.

Buy Here

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Author: Dom Daley

Black Sabbath – Vinyl Deluxe Edition of their iconic album ‘Paranoid’

Black Sabbath – Vinyl Deluxe Edition of their iconic album ‘Paranoid’

BLACK SABBATH CELEBRATE THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THEIR ICONIC ALBUM ‘PARANOID’

VINYL DELUXE EDITION OUT OCTOBER 9th VIA BMG

Five-LP Collection Includes Original Album Plus Rare Quad Mix

Along With The Vinyl Debut Of Two 1970 Concerts

 

Also Available As A 4CD Set

 

PRE-ORDER THE ‘PARANOID: SUPER DELUXE EDITION’ HERE

Widely regarded as innovators of the musical genre which came to be known as Heavy Metal, legendary Birmingham-bred Black Sabbath celebrate the 50th anniversary in 2020 of their multi-million selling album Paranoid with a 5-LP/4CD edition released on October 9th, featuring the vinyl debut of two 1970 concerts.

PARANOID:  SUPER DELUXE EDITION includes the original album, in addition to a rare 1974 Quad Mix of the album folded down to stereo, plus two concerts from 1970, from Montreux and Brussels, that are pressed on vinyl for the first time. The five-LP set comes with a hardbound book with extensive liner notes featuring interviews with all four band members, rare photos, and memorabilia, a poster, as well as a replica of the tour book sold during the Paranoid tour.

After the success of the band’s self-titled debut in early 1970, Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward returned that fall with Paranoid. The record became the band’s first album to top the U.K. charts and has sold more than 4 million copies in the U.S. alone. Today, songs like “War Pigs,” “Planet Caravan,” “Iron Man,” and of course, “Paranoid,” continue to inspire a new generation of musicians around the world.

PARANOID: SUPER DELUXE EDITION first two LPs feature the original album plus a Quadraphonic Mix of the album. Originally released on vinyl and 8-track cartridge in 1974, but subsequently long out of print, the Quad Mix has now been made available as a fold-down to stereo mix on vinyl for this set.

The collection’s final three LPs mark the official vinyl debut of two 1970 live performances. The first was recorded on August 31 in Montreux, Switzerland shortly before the release of Paranoid. It captures the band, already a tight musical unit, thundering through new songs like “Hand Of Doom” and “Iron Man” while mixing in “N.I.B.” and “Behind The Wall Of Sleep” from their debut album. The second concert was recorded a few months later in Brussels during the band’s performance for Belgian television. Unofficial versions of this classic show have circulated in the past, but they’ve never sounded this good.

Pre-order the ‘Paranoid: Super Deluxe Edition’ HERE: