Pillbox – ‘Jimbo’s Clown Room’ (Yeah Right! Records)

Pillbox – ‘Jimbo’s Clown Room’ (Yeah Right! Records)

Pillbox’s sleaze rock classic from 1993 is on vinyl for the first time. Included in the release are demos long thought lost,   Demos remastered by Rich Jones, and this issue comes in a gatefold jacket with updated original artwork and contains new liner notes from frontman Chris Barry! and not having played this album for many years when I turned the dial I couldn’t understand why it hasn’t been played for a while with those wild Dolls meets the snottiness of Steve Jones courtesy of Ratboy on the geeta. Hacking and slashing like the best of them from the opener of ‘Get Hip’ through the rough and ready beauty of ‘Holly’ it’s a veritable masterclass in sleazy punk n roll.

 

If you’re looking for bedfellows then I’d say the likes of the Sea Hags and maybe a dash of ‘Done With Mirrors’ Aerosmith would be the kinda ballpark Pillbox rolled with but I guess New York also had The Throbs, D Gen, and NY Loose. These band soaked up their surroundings like sponges and poured the spirit into their song like ‘Sister Caroline’ and its dark and brooding vibe,  as it swirls in a cloud of cigarette smoke in a crowded after-hours speakeasy as Barry leads the band through the choppy waters to a triumphant chorus that kicks serious backside and if anything has aged wonderfully well since 93.

 

‘Jimbo’s Clown Room’ was originally released in 1993 on CD via the small NYC imprint Circumstantial, so it’s cool that Yeah Right! has seen fit to resurrect this bad boy on vinyl.

 

I love the mix on this record it really captured the uniqueness of what was happening on the east coast in the early 90s with other hopefuls like The Throbs or the majestic D Generation who were cut from the same cloth.  The big phat bass thumping along in the engine room creating a big sound but not a polished one which is what I loved about it back in the 90s and even more so now.

There is a great ebb and flow to the album and it’s a  shame they only lasted the one record with this lineup but from the cool chords on the opener ‘Get Hip’ to the clattering rush of ‘5000 Miles’ you’d be foolish to pass up owning this record. Live fast and die young like so many other bands they felt the tsunami of grunge yet remained a cool underground classic for Rock n Roll vampires who refused to accept the changing of the guard and knew there would be a resurgence for quality dirty, loud, sleazy Rock n Roll.   It’s cool to hear this record expanded with the four additional tracks that are added, two on the record and two via the Bandcamp app. Long live Pillbox and remember to socially distance when inside Jimbo’s Clown Room.

It’s a limited run so don’t snooze because you wouldn’t want to miss out on this beaut.

 

Buy Here

Author: Dom Daley

The Wildhearts – brand new single ‘Sleepaway’ with tasty video.

The Wildhearts – brand new single ‘Sleepaway’ with tasty video.

Watch the ‘Sleepaway’ video here, but be warned this is not for the faint-hearted! Based on Ginger’s love of horror and gore movies, it’s a bit… DARK

 The Wildhearts release a brand new single ‘Sleepaway‘, the third single taken from the album 21st Century Love Songs, out September 3rd, 2021 via Graphite Records.
“Sleepaway is a song of hope, of fighting for improvement in ourselves. Locating the area of unhappiness and striving to fix it for a better quality of life. Physically, mentally, emotionally, positive changes can be made. It’s not too late…” exclaims Ginger Wildheart.
To purchase/stream Sleepaway go to: https://ffm.to/sleepaway 
With The Wildhearts classic lineup of Ginger, CJ, Ritchie and Danny still holding strong this creatively brilliant band who helped change the landscape of British rock through the 90’s are showing no sign of slowing down.
21st Century Love Songs is the follow up to Renaissance Men, their highest charting album since 1994’s P.H.U.Q, which debuted at number 11
To pre-order and pre save 21st Century Love Songs go to: https://ffm.to/21stcenturylovesongs
To celebrate the release of  21st Century Love Songs’ The Wildhearts play a 17 date UK tour. The tour will start in Cardiff on Friday 3rd September and concludes in Southampton on Saturday 25th September. Special guests on these dates at various venues include Those Damn Crows for nine of the shows, Raging Speedhorn, The Middlenight Men, Beach Riot, James And The Coldgun and Waco.
Their incendiary live performances over the last few years have seen the band’s popularity hit new heights as The Wildhearts continue to cement their reputation and legacy as one of the best bands the UK has ever produced. 
Live 2021 dates in full 
Festivals
August
13 Fri Bloodstock
Headline Tour 
September 
3 Fri Tramshed (Huggard Rocks), Cardiff
5 Sun Phoenix, Exeter 1
6 Mon Cheese & Grain, Frome
8 Wed Academy 2, Manchester 1, 3
9 Thu Electric Ballroom, London 1, 3
10 Fri Waterfront, Norwich 1, 4
11 Sat Chalk, Brighton 1, 4
12 Sun Madding Crowd, Bournemouth 1,
15 Wed KKs Steel Mill, Wolverhampton 1, 5
16 Thu Guildhall, Gloucester 5
17 Fri Boiler Shop, Newcastle 2, 5
18 Sat Stylus, Leeds 1, 3
20 Mon Mac Arts, Galashiels
21 Tue Tolbooth, Stirling
22 Wed The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen
24 Fri Foundry, Sheffield 1, 6
25 Sat Engine Rooms, Southampton 1, 6
October
1 Fri Great British Alternative Festival, Skegness
2 Sat MK11, Milton Keynes
15 Fri Roadmender, Northampton
16 Sat Cornwall Rocks, Cornwall
17  Sun The Fleece, Bristol
November 
4    Thu       Hard Rock Hell, Great Yarmouth
5 Fri MMH Radio 10 Year Birthday Bash, Birmingham
11 Thu Hedworth Hall, South Shields
12 Fri Monsterfest,  Inverness
December
9    Thu Tivoli, Buckley
10  Fri Brewery Arts, Kendal
11  Sat Georgian Theatre, Stockton
12  Sun Rock City, Nottingham
To purchase tickets please go to: https://bnds.us/yysup1
September special guests 
Those Damn Crows 1 
Raging Speedhorn 2
The Middlenight Men 3
Beach Riot 4 
James And The Coldgun 5
Waco 6 

Grand Collapse – Empty Plinths (Epidemic Records)

Grand Collapse – Empty Plinths (Epidemic Records)

The latest release from Bristol noise mongers Grand Collapse is an important one. The anger being expressed here is a direct response to the Black Lives Matters protests in their home city last summer, where the statue of the 17th century slave trader Edward Colston ended up in the harbour after protesters pushed it in. The album was written at a time where civil unrest around the world was extremely high. The eleven tracks on the album are all short, sharp shocks to the system (the entire album clocks in at just over twenty-six minutes), with a message to the world that discrimination of any kind can no longer be tolerated.

The production from Lewis Johns is crystal clear and the musicianship is superb. Drummer Glenn Tew plays an absolute blinder. The cover art is excellent with depictions of martyrdom of eras that have long outstayed their welcome. The band’s sound harks back to the nineties hardcore (think Scratch the Surface era Sick of It All and you won’t be far away). It’s not an easy listen by any means, but it’s an essential one.

The band are back out there touring very shortly, I for one will be checking them out. You should do the same!

Buy Here

Author: Kenny Kendrick

Kris Rodgers & The Dirty Gems – Still Dirty’ (Wicked Cool Records)

Kris Rodgers & The Dirty Gems – Still Dirty’ (Wicked Cool Records)

Known as “rock n’ roll’s secret weapon”, band leader and frontman Kris ‘Fingers’ Rodgers has been a recording & touring sideman in top touring garage rock and power pop acts like The Connection, Scott Sorry, The New Trocaderos, Bullet Proof Lovers, and Kurt Baker Band for years but hes also more than that he’s a fully fledged solo artist or rather moved his stool out front, centre and headed up his own beat combo the Dirty Gems.

Born and raised a half-hour from the band’s home base of Portland, Maine, Kris Rodgers already had one full-length album and several EPs with The Dirty Gems under his belt before beginning work on ‘Still Dirty’ in 2019 (pre pandemic right). Recording commenced in bassist Ryan Halliburton’s basement, known as The Wreck Room. Along with guitarist Tom Hall and drummer Craig Sala, the four longtime bandmates tracked the bulk of the album right there. Drums and vocals for the nine original songs were re-recorded at two additional studios in Maine, and the energetic cover of Elton John’s “Take Me To The Pilot” was cut live in a pro studio environment.

Unlike previous releases where Rodgers wrote the original material himself, a more collaborative aproach was taken for this record I guess to show its a unit, a band in every sense of the word.

Having already been given the acolade of Stevie Van Zandt’s number one Coolest Song of the year.the time had come to add a little more history. Starting this tour off in funky town, with the vocoder and funky bass with added dueling jazzy solos Kris sings like hes wearing a cheshire cat smile on his face and this little ray of easy coast sunshine is up and running.  The songs keep coming and the smile gets wider as the party has started and the songs keep coming, ‘I Can Still Feel It’ rattles its two left feet into the more laid back ‘Can’t Give It’ with its cool shuffle on the backbeat of course its great musicianship and theres breathing space for all the players.

They can Rock out on ‘Don’t Look Back’ and they can kick back on the dreamy ‘Across The Galaxy’ sure its got middle of the road American Radio mainlined but why not? The Elton cover is a no brainer for this band as they effortlessly nail it.  But wait another change of pace with the peacock strut of ‘I’m Your Man’ – jees they get smooth for the jazzy shuffle of ‘Tortuga’ – nice!

Signing off this record theres the baladlike piano intro of ‘See You Later’.  Its not for everyone and people might raise an eyebrow as to how its found its way onto RPM Online but we don’t give a damn about all that genre jazz we like to champion great musicians and whist this record is a ray of sunshine the nex trelease could easily be a slice of down n dirty garage rock n roll thats the beauty of this business and talen like Rodgers and his Dirty Gems.  Fire up the BBQ and invite the famiy over and someone hit repeat and bring on the sunshine.

Buy Here

Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter

Author: Dom Daley

Sami Yaffa – ‘The Innermost Journey To Your Outermost Mind’ (Livewire/Cargo Records)

Sami Yaffa – ‘The Innermost Journey To Your Outermost Mind’ (Livewire/Cargo Records)

Well, here’s an unexpected contender for the album of the year lists. Legendary Hanoi Rocks bassist Sami Yaffa wrote a bunch of songs in his tenure with the New York Dolls and the Michael Monroe band, but a lot of these ideas didn’t quite fit the rock n’ roll shaped hole for those bands. Drawing on his multi-cultural musical influences, Sami has spent the last few years creating his first solo album with the help of his childhood friend and drummer Janne Haavisto. The bulk of the album was co-written with fellow Monroes compadre Rich Jones, who lends guitar duties, along with Timo Kaltio (Cheap and Nasty), Christian Martucci (Stone Sour) and Rane Raitsikka (Smack).

Drawing on his love of The Clash and The Rolling Stones, Sami’s aim was to create a diverse album that draws on the versatility of those bands, yet still beats with the punk rock heart of a talent who has played with the likes of Joan Jett, Demolition 23, Jetboy, Smack, Johnny Thunders…need I go on?

‘The Innermost Journey To Your Outermost Mind’ is a groove heavy album in many ways. With sonically seductive bass, urgent beats and low slung riffage, first single ‘The Last Time’ was an energetic taster for the album a few months back. With an instant, killer chorus it is the sort of song that imbeds itself in the brain and certainly demands your full attention. It’s a good taster of what this album delivers, but there is so much more and a few curveballs to boot.

Of the more, let’s say, signature rock n’ roll on offer, ‘Fortunate One’ sounds like classic 90’s-era Iggy Pop, and the anthemic pogo-inciting ‘Selling Me Shit’ and ‘Germinator’ knock heads with The Monroes, coming on like UK Subs meets Duff McKagan’s Loaded. All are littered with bursts of sax and crazy harmonica solos, adding much to the cool factor. It doesn’t mention in the press release who actually plays on what, but we all know a singer who plays a mean sax and harmonica, don’t we?

But it’s when Sami thinks outside the box that things get really exciting for me. His diverse influences come to the fore on the likes of ‘Rotten Roots’ and ‘You Give Me Fever’. With a hypnotic bassline that grooves an almighty aural path, the former sees Sami deliver a heavy Finnish drawl over a contemporary reggae roots song that mixes up the sounds of Gorillaz, The Clash and The Levellers with great success. The latter takes things down and visits Toots and The Maytals territory for a low down, dub heavy party, the ultimate pressure drop.

Elsewhere, ‘Look Ahead’ is an upbeat gypsy drinking anthem that sees Sami explore his Mad Jauna days. With an Urban Voodoo Machine/The King Blues feel, this is the perfect sound of the underground. The reggae groove and bursts of trumpet give bohemian vibes and full-on gypsy outlaw charm. ‘I Can’t Stand It’ has a bluesy, Jack White guitar riff and raspy, 40-a-day vocals that bring to mind Tom Waits.

Of course, you can’t have an album from an ex-Hanoi member without a bit of Johnny Thunders-esque balladry, and ‘Down At St Joes’ is full of sentiment, retrospection and heartfelt goodness. But album closer, ‘Cancel The End Of The World’ is an epic 6 minute plus epilogue. I never thought I would be referencing Hanoi Rocks and Pink Floyd in the same song, but that’s the vibe I get from this sentimental journey, so go figure. It ends things on a high.

 

‘The Innermost Journey To Your Outermost Mind’ fits perfectly alongside the discography of a musician who has held down the bottom end on some of my favourite albums and was part of a classic band who have influenced several more of my favourite bands through the years.

The debut long player from Sami Yaffa offers a few surprises and a contemporary twist on rock n’ roll as we know it. Seriously, a case of ‘always the bridesmaid, never the bride’ has now been vanquished, as the bass player steps out from the shadows of his past bands, takes to the microphone and delivers one of the most outstanding albums of the year.

Buy Here

Author: Ben Hughes

 

 

 

Joey Cape – ‘A Good Year To Forget’ (Fat Wreck Chords)

Joey Cape – ‘A Good Year To Forget’ (Fat Wreck Chords)

Fat Wreck Chords and singer-songwriter Joey Cape, frontman of iconic punk band Lagwagon has had a lockdown more eventful than most.   A reflective album that was written during a year that saw him lose his father, separate from his wife of 20 years, contract COVID, and move back in with his parents as a result of a livelihood lost, ‘A Good Year To Forget’ is a warm and beautiful record make no mistake about it. What a challenging 12 months for any human let alone being able to unravel it all inside your head and get it down on tape in songs that make sense.

Leading the collection is ‘It Could Be Real,’ a song written from the perspective of a disenchanted single person—a person who has experienced the highs and lows of multiple failed relationships. A song that sets the tone of the record and encapsulates everything that’s excellent about this record.  Cape channels his best Neil Young and Ron Sexsmith and a beautiful yet heartbreaking story unfolds but is intended to be light and tongue-in-cheek.

 

The time Joey Cape spent with his parents over the past year didn’t just allow him to reconnect with them; it also afforded him time to write songs. Because recording studios were shutting down everywhere due to COVID, Cape got creative and turned the “cabana-type thing” he was living in into a home recording studio. “I just decided that if I was going to make a record like this, I should make it in full isolation,” he says. “I have a Murphy bed, so every morning I’d push up the bed, pull out the studio stuff, have some coffee or tea, get out my little chair and off I went.” Despite Cape’s isolation while writing ‘A Good Year To Forget’  His fans will hear much more than just a voice, guitar and bass on this record. Indeed, he ended up playing a lot of instruments when recording the album, including electric and lap steel guitars, piano, mandolin and drums. A real solo album to be fair.

‘A Good Year To Forget’  Finds the positive in the negatives to become a record of pure triumphant beauty and that’s on a serious level.  I was interested to hear the record but as the songs were unfolding and I listened to the lyrics and the emotion in the vocals tied into the excellent arrangments I fell in love with what I was hearing and it really did reach out to me.

These 12 songs, especially on the wistful “The Poetry Of Our Mistakes” and the forlorn-yet-somehow-uplifting “Saturday Night Fever.” Don’t really do anything other than tell their stories but in such an empathetic way it’s hard not to get lost in the emotion of the complete record. ‘Come Home’, a song inspired directly by the words his mother had spoken on the phone, is a beautifully melancholic, folky tune

 

If you think you had a bad pandemic then spare a second for Joey his has been a real shit sandwich but hopefully, this can act as some cathartic experience and he can heal through his songs I know music can soothe the savage beast in us all and this beautiful record can inspire and help heal.  Take a trip with Joey Cape it might not be what you expect but these beautiful songs need to be heard.

 

Buy Here

Author: Dom Daley

 

Iron Lizards – Hungry For Action’ (The Sign Records)

Iron Lizards – Hungry For Action’ (The Sign Records)

There is a lot to be angry with in the world today, particularly the last 14 months, 2 weeks, and 6 days…… But hey! Who’s counting? Although, saying that, sometimes the things that you really want might actually be there if you just reach out and grab them (no this isn’t pyramided selling). Do you want Raw Power? You got it! Do you want something Young, Loud & Snotty? You got it! Do you need something raging with the strength of a bag of amphetimin to keep you up with Lemmy on a weekend binge? You got that too! If Iron Lizards are ‘Hungry For Action’, all I can say is that it must be a pandemic in itself as I too have picked the metallic reptile’s insatiable appetite.

The record kicks off with lead single ‘It’s About Time’; I don’t know what the speed limit is in France but the pace of the tracklisting is relentless and I am here for every breakneck second of it! The seamless, relentless, and hi-octane from song to song with powerful garage punk laced riffs, the pneumatic rhythm section, all combined with the vocal delivery of James William Oesterburg giving a sermon on the mount. This rock’n’roll Jim, but not as we know it.
Four songs in we’re finally given the chance to catch our collective breath in the form of the incendiary breakdown towards the end of the ironically titled ‘no escape’. Effortlessly guiding us into the next track ‘obey/annihilate’; the band really displays its chops here in the form of their songwriting sensibilities, showing the fire and intensity of previous material but with an overall more grandiose setting and effects. From this, we’re lead even further down the genre rabbit hole with ‘death ride’, Cramped to the rafters with Lux Interior swagger.
‘Confusion blues’ takes us back on the straight and narrow of speed laced Punk’n’Roll, barely giving the punters a chance to recoup their cognitive thoughts of a world that doesn’t beat to the drum of Iron Lizard’s brutal yet beautiful onslaught.
You may have gathered whilst reading that I’m quite fond of this record, do yourselves, your friends, and your family a favour; buy this record, keep your eye on potential tour dates, and basically spend your time and money on this band. They definitely deserve it.
Buy Here
Connect with Iron Lizards: Facebook / Instagram
Author: Dan Kasm

Singles Club – When September Ends

Singles Club – When September Ends

RICKY RAT-  “She Feels Like a Good Thing” b/w “Born in Detroit  (I-94 Recordings) Ricky has teamed up with his Rat Pack members Laura Mendoza (bass) and Joe Leone (drums) for 2 new studio tracks.  The “A” side is a brand new original and the “B” side is a cover of the classic “Born in Detroit” (The Rockets). The amazing Jimmie Bones guests on piano on this barnstormer.   A good time slice of Rock and Roll sees Ricky do what he does best just cruising down this Rock and Roll freeway kicking up the dust with some punk rock n roll with a catchy chorus and gang vocals that sound like one of those memorable nights out.

The B side is worth the money for this 45 alone.  Ripping it up with some cool as fuck piano licks to give the feel good kick this bit o boogie woogie needs.  Class!

Preorders are available at I-94Recordings.com (they will ship out August 20th).

 

Delusions Of Grandeur –  EP (Savage Magic Records) is the result of a bunch of mates from two different countries, recording songs remotely, to help kill the boredom of Lockdown 1.0.

It is not a band, there will be no gigs. It is a one off, 4 track 7” of songs that would have otherwise been left to rot on Austin’s hard drive if Mel hadn’t suggested that they should try recording them and see what happened.

Blah blah Hip Priests, blah blah Bitch Queens. It doesn’t sound particularly like either but it’s fast, bangin’ and has loads of guitar solos!  That’s a pretty succinct press release and right on the money to be fair.  Obviously, Mel’s vocals would point to the Bitch Queens comparison but the solos are pure hear n aid bliss wig out for guitarists especially on ‘Drinking My Life Away’.  One for the collectors of these bands involved but that would be doing these tunes a disservice because they are proper bangers and that’s why you should buy this record. Respect the Rock!  

PRE-ORDERS shipping from USA! <—click here
PRE-ORDERS shipping from UK! <—click here

 

Chuck Norris Experiment – ‘This Will Leave A Mark’ (Transubstans Records / Ghost Highway Recordings)  is taken from the upcoming album with the same name, which will be released on September 17.   The single is released on all streaming services and download platforms! Spotify / YouTube

A clean sharp stab of high octane Action Rock from Sweden’s finest most uncompromising rockers giving fans and newcomers a nice little taster of what’s to come from Chuck and the gang.

 

Confused – ‘I Want A Beer’ (Confused Records)  Get the WD 40 ready for those double bass pedals and heads down wait for the starting gun and Go!  Hardcore as fuck Confused go for it.   M.O.D., Agnostic Front, D.R.I.paved the way for this to come crashing the party.  Brutal. RIOT PRE-SAVE URL:  www.tinyurl.com/getriot
Website / Facebook

 

 

Brian McCarty & the Jen-U-Wine Faux Diamond Band “Hamtramck Jukebox” b/w “A Place in the Sun” (I-94 Recordings) Brand new single from Brian McCarty.  The “A’ side pays tribute to Lili Karwowksi and her bar Lili’s 21 which was the hangout/hometown bar for the gang back in the day.

He was the vocalist and founding member of Detroit’s glam punk Trash Brats (1987-2002) and has been consistently putting out solo releases for the last 20+ years. A wonderfully sunny rocker with a tip of the hat to Detroit rockers whilst the flip side is a bright and breezy tip of the hat to Stevie Wonder with a rocking version of the song “A Place in the Sun”.   A blast from start to finish and a real ray of sunshine and hope in difficult times.  check it out! Here

 

 

FRVITS ‘Stupid Era’ (Slovenly Recordings)  A banging six tracks spread over a 7″ EP is VFM if ever I saw it.  This debut EP from Montreal’s first and only Dot Matrix Rock’n’Roll Band FRVITS. It’s thunderous hardcore space punk (or so they say).  It is ferocious to be fair, Fronted by Shit Vicious on a radioactive vox, and featuring Wind of Change (associate of PRIORS & DUCHESS SAYS), Krispy Karl, Alexander Ortiz, and Blag Dahlia/Jesus (DWARVES) with a vocal appearance on the penultimate track “Abortion Hoops.” This one is tough, fun, and as abstract as a frvit salad served in a urinal. Head fucked!

Buy Here

 

 

 

Kris Rodgers and the Dirty Gems – Take Me To The Pilot’  (Wicked Cool Records) Kris Rodgers & The Dirty Gems’ upcoming album, Still Dirty, which was released in July on Wicked Cool Records.

THE Q-TIPS – ‘There Are Those Who Drill Violently!’ EP (Slovenly Records) Prepare your ears and numb your minds, puny humans. The Kids of the Drill Hole, known officially as Munich’s THE Q-TIPS, are here to scrub your auditory canals, getting rid of the grime and re-contaminating ‘em with their 2nd EP “There Are Those Who Drill Violently.” For their Slovenly debut, sequencer Ms. Juliette and programmer Mr. Brotzeit kick four cuts of crunchy and negative synth-punk screamers hysterically down your hear-holes. The sincerity of tracks llike “Full of Hate” and “Shut Your Face” is as real as you are stupid, but the humor never gets lost in translation.

Buy Here

 

 

 

Indonesian Junk – ‘She Stands There’ (Rum Bar Records) Inspired choice of cover for a single. Didn’t see this one coming as the kings of sloppy loud dead boys glam-punk crowd Indonesian Junk do justice to the mighty Degeneration legacy by knocking out a blisteringly good take on this banger.
If you have to ask who Dgen were then their work here is done. Killer band does killer cover who’d have thunk it? Hooray to the Junkos you’ve done good here and we tip our hat to you guys tipping the hat to those guys.  Good times!
Ryan Hamilton – ‘Permanent Holiday’ (Wicked Cool Records)  ‘Permanent Holiday’ is the 8th track from Ryan’s 1221 project, where every 12th of the month, a new track is released, culminating in a full-length album at the end of the year.  This one is like a huge ray of sunshine the feel-good hit of the summer. A song about escapism and this never-ending pandemic or a hopeful future where the new normal rocks.  This might just be the tonic for that time.

KOMBI KILLERS – ‘ScuMo’  (Riot Records) oi oi heads down and lace up those docs. Brisbane’s old-school punk rockers KOMBI KILLERS have released their new single ‘ScuMo’ through Riot Records, and it is available on all digital platforms! blink and it’s done. no compromise and boot boy punk.  Not for the faint-hearted.

The Erotics – ‘Ride It To Death!’ EP (Vile Vinyl Records)

The Erotics – ‘Ride It To Death!’ EP (Vile Vinyl Records)

This music reviewing lark is easy when the media you get sent for review is as consistently badass as the output from Albany ne’er-do-wells, The Erotics. I’ve been throwing the longhorns in the band’s direction for the majority of its 20+ years of decibel debauchery and, happily, it seems like there is little chance of this runaway musical muscle car slowing down any time soon.

 

With infamous producer Don Fury (Agnostic Front, Madball, Sick Of It All) once again at the controls of an Erotics release, ‘Ride It To Death!’ is a five-track extended player that pushes every button required by fans of the band’s back catalogue whilst also managing, somehow, to up the aural ante. Just like the rat rod that graces the band photography on this new EP, this is a straightforward rock ‘n’ roll framework embellished with all manner of crypt-cool accessories, thereby fashioning something unique and dastardly desirable. That, my friends, is The Erotics.

 

Opening track, ‘When The Wolves Are Howlin’, is a pure Eighties throwback that circles around a surprisingly melodic riff before transforming into a typical fang-in-cheek Erotics horror-drenched stormer that is guaranteed to appear on the soundtrack to a lycanthropic B-movie before the sun rises. You won’t be surprised to read that second track, ‘Scream Like A Demon’, doesn’t stray far from the wrong side of the tracks; infectious, biting guitar work strutting around a typically dark, despicable theme.

 

The EP’s title track is a full-throttle, high-octane, scuzzed-up workout that is part classic KISS, part classic Aerosmith, by way of Death Race 2000. This is akin to prime Eighties stadium rock… if the stadium was created by John Carpenter circa ‘Escape From New York’. It’s the EP’s fourth track, though, that might just be the standout cut. ‘Bless Your Heart’ is a swaggering rock ‘n’ roller that echoes The Dogs D’Amour at their raucous best; Mike Trash (who is in fine voice throughout this whole EP) channelling Tyla and in doing so fronting one of the band’s finest tunes of recent times. That said, there isn’t the slightest whiff of a weak track on this five-tracker; closer ‘Can I Sit Next To You Girl’ another hook-smeared exercise in effortless, retro-fuelled sleaze rock ‘n’ roll that is as wicked as it is darkly life-affirming. Yes, we need bands like The Erotics – some people haven’t realised it yet (fuck me, they’ve had enough time!), but as long as us cool kids have then this spinning rock doesn’t seem like such a bad place to be stuck on.

 

One complaint – five tracks just aren’t enough! In this form I want a fifteen track Erotics record – keep everything crossed for the near future. Summing up, the only people who claim to love rock ‘n’ roll yet don’t like The Erotics would have to be either allergic to truly cool bands or someone with an agenda – like a reviewer who developed a grudge against the band for pathetic reasons at some shitty festival, and, let’s be honest, who cares about their opinions anyway? Long live The Erotics!

Buy It Here

Facebook

Author: Gaz Tidey