Seeing as Spaghetty Town released one of if not the best EP so far in 2021 we thought we’d bring you a few other of their releases via the medium of video and first up is The Stripp with ‘the Rising Tide’ which you can pre order Here
Next is a classic from Baltimore’s finest and out in September heres Ravagers with ‘Down That Road’.
Finally how about the brand new video from Chubby & The Gang? Coming Up Tough it is then. West London 5-piece Chubby and the Gang have detailed their much-anticipated second album – The Mutt’s Nuts out August 27th via Partisan – and shared its first single with accompanying music video. ‘Coming Up Tough‘ is part snapshot of modern London, part punk rager about government failure and the school-to-prison pipeline. It comes from frontman Charlie Manning Walker (aka Chubby Charles)’s own experience with one of his family members.
OK, so April is well underway and we pay a visit to the singles club as we’ve ad a few belters that need to be spun. Its like London busses, when you wait for ages a whole bunch turn up at once well. The Singles Club is like that.
Chubby & The Gang – ‘Lightning Don’t Strike Twice’ (Partisan Records) London punks Chubby & The Gang are back with a no-holds-barred thunder in a bottle of pub Rockin blues based punk rock. Picture a bit of slide for a prelude before a quick drum roll that’s like a fumble around the back of the disco before the two litres of bow kicks in and its onto the dance floor with your mates because the DJ is playing Sham 69. Chubbys not fucking about with his gang as they knock out an infectious couple of minutes of noise that just burrows down inside your ear and stays put. Can’t wait for the new album? This will have to do…for now. Chubby ain’t going to lose on this evidence he’s a winner and I don’t think he should ever have doubted it. We’ll run the news with the video later in the week along with links for where you can get your grubby mitts on this bad boy!
The Lancasters – ‘Scallywag’ (Fuzzy Cracklins Presents (CA)) Italian rock and rollers release a new video for the single ‘Scallywag’. ‘Scallywag’ talks about the lies that people accept as words of truth, superstitions and other inaccuracies perpetuated by the media, the internet, and other scallywags. From the video, you can hear the band have an ear for the likes of The Kinks and a bit of Dave Edmunds and even some McCartney going on here. With a decent tune the band aren’t to be confused with the Oi! band of the same name. This is a good time slice of rock and roll – enjoy it! Grab it here
Dinosaur Jr. ‘Garden’ (Jagjaruwar) A second taster of the wizardly trio’s new album, ‘Sweep It Into Space’ (co-produced by the band and the inimitable Kurt Vile), ahead of it landing in a few weeks’ time. This time out it’s ‘Garden’ getting an airing, which ranks among the finest Lou contributions to a Dinosaur Jr. record, a soaring, breezy ballad with soft guitar filigree that builds into a wholesome song that never gets out of hand and remains a heartfelt charming song and another great reason to preorder the album. Lou sings on two of the songs off the new album with ‘Garden’ being one of his strongest offerings to date. check out the video here. Excited much?
Ravagers – ‘Down The Road’ (Spaghetty Town Records) Another new track from the much anticipated long player (due September) from Baltimore’s finest. Ravagers wisely used their downtime to decamp to record in Atlanta with Tuk Smith and Dan Dixon where they used their collective skills to hone the Ravagers into the lean fighting machine that we hear today on this single.
The song has a polished edge that wasn’t present on previous offerings and maybe that’s what they needed making them more assessable to the masses. This has a great hook on the chorus and is short but oh so sweet more aggressive than ‘Nasty Night’ but its the second slice of Rock and Roll and a sidestep from the previous release which makes a mouth-watering proposition for the new album. Its littered with rock and roll diamonds glistening with every lick and pounding drum beat. Get an earful of this and get September in yer diary as Ravagers new album month.
Atomic Eater / Kool & The Gang Bangers – ‘Split’ (Helvetes Kitchen/No Front Teeth) It was a no brainer that this slice of Scandi Punk would come out on NFT its the perfect fit, to be fair it’s lo-fi not no-fi with some added drum machine action to accompany the swirling synths. They have a sound that’s a perfect fit for NFT Records and behind that scratching guitar that’s driving this hypnotic tune from start to finish is a really good song. As for Kool & The Gang Bangers, it’s again a lo-fi extravaganza of abrasive guitars and crash band wallop then they were gone. You know where to go for this split if not then head over to Bandcamp. It’s short but oh so sweet!
DeeCRACKS – ‘Lost In The Middle’ (Pirates Press) A most excellent song from Europes finest. Its not as rapid as I was expecting and slowing down the attack has ‘Lost In The Middle’ coming across as more Rocket From the Crypt rather than The Ramones and its a really good tune for it. Pick up the album here
Venomous Pinks – ‘Based On A True Story’ (Self Released) Tracks taken from the bands Bridge City Sessions. Arizona punk rockin trio sound fantastic like the Ramones meets L7 with a whole bunch of attitude that seems like it’s well suited to the live session arena and seeing as they have a liking for TSOL in their press kit it was a no brainer for me.
Head over to iTunesHere or SpotifyHere and save this cracker. The lead track is indeed a take on the Joan Jett track but they amp it right up and give the original a damn good run for its money.
The Automatics – ‘Shine Everlasting’ It’s an uplifting track taken from the album’ A Grand Swandive Into The Void’ The band host an impressive back catalogue of old school punk n roll with catchy powerpop hooks and ‘Shine Everlasting’ is a great example of what they can deliver. check out the video and their impressive back-catalogue over on www.theautomatics.co.uk. they’ve been around for several decades and some and were regulars back in the day at venues like The Marquee Club when it was on Wardour street
HUMAN FAILURE – ‘Barbed Wire State’ (Riot Records) Of course they’re punk as fuck – with a name like human Failure and singing about barbed wire states it’s like 82 never happened. But from the bass rumble and caustic riff its howling feedback and raw vocals is always a winner.
The bands upcoming ‘Urchin EP’ begins with a flat-out hardcore that’s done in the blink of an eye or 30 seconds, starting the EP with a bang and giving a taste of what’s to come. It then opens up to more melodic and metal flavours and ends with driving hardcore punk. Check out these Australian noise bringers Here
Jesse Malin – ‘The Way We Used To Roll’ (Wicked Cool Records) Saving the best till last here’s the new one from the inimitable Jesse Malin Available now on Wicked Cool Records Here
A laid back mid-period Stones like number sees Malin not waiting on a friend but forging ahead on his own. Some great interplay going on here with a fantastic arrangement bring on a new album we need it! ‘Time Runner’ is another with that Jesse Malin swagger going on upbeat and thoroughly enjoyable over and over again.
One of the brightest bands making a noise at the moment RMBLR are on it along with label mates Fast Eddy and Ravagers who all have new music coming out soon on the awesome Spaghetty Town Records label but before quarantine, the reprobates that are RMBLR shot this video.
(Atlanta, GA, USA) Shot right before lock down, RMBLR (pronounced Rambler) shot and recorded their latest single “Machine Gun” about a week before US shelter in place order. Shot and edited by Jarrett Barnes, with graphics by Alex Hagen (Ravagers/RMBLR), gives us a taste of their raucous live show
RMBLR features members of the Heart Attacks, Ravagers, The Barreracudas, Dinos Boys and Biters. Dare I say it, an Atlanta super group. They currently have two singles out , planning to release a 6 song EP sometime this year and hopefully tour. In the meantime enjoy “Machine Gun” , available on Bandcamp right now, and all other digital outlets May 8, 2020
Atlanta so much to answer for… Nah, ok, so it was Manchester besides what has Atlanta got to answer for? Well, it could answer for this rockin’ bastard of a compilation. championing fourteen of its favourite (adopted) sons celebrating Atlanta’s annual Down South Showdown Festival. This bad boy plays out in just about half an hours worth of top tunage. this compilation is a fuckin’ stunner simple as that. What’s more thirteen of these tracks are unreleased or have never been put on physical media before, including a new track from Dirty Fences!
shit from the off RMBLR with ‘Next Time’ get this party started. Sure you know the history of this band (if not then off you go there’s your homework) what a barnstormer of a tune makes you want to get that feather cut and rush off out to get that throat tat you promised yourself and start flippin’ off cop cars because all you care about is the Rock and Roll and this is Rock and Fuckin’ Roll! superb.
Dirty Fences is a breath of power pop fresh air with ‘M.O.N.E.Y’ Whilst BBQT has got their foot on the monitor wedge as they blast through ‘Savage’ woohoo! like Blondie fronting the runaways on 45rpm. Then things get punky with Sick Bags and the early ’70s Dolls influenced ‘If You Can’t Join Em (Beat Em Up)’ with some mighty fine lyrics that had me smiling and that Riff- the undertones want it back when you’ve finished beating it to death. Pine & Tolliver get a little freaky with the keys on “Somethin’ More” sounding like they Od’d on Lou Read.
Fixed Faces ‘The Call’ is a slow burner then when they get going and the Riff kicks in sounds like a late night getting kicked out of Max’s and hitting CBGB’s on the wrong night mixing Toilet Boys with a lethal dose of Jayne County is some serious Rock and Roll for anyone and luckily it fits right in on this compilation. MAMA rock out with a slice of Thin Lizzy in a pair of creepers with a feather boa draped over the mic stand as they go for the ‘Sugar Burn’ another great tune it would be remiss of me to gloss over any of the bands on here.
Flip it and Austins Trouble Boys barge in with ‘Ricky’ in tow and if things hadn’t turned ugly before then once these punks rock up it might just be the match that lit the fire. If Donos Boys are asking if we’re ready or not then obviously we’re ready willing and able as they do their best Ramones whilst pogoing. RPM always has time for Ravagers and their muscular punk rock n roll. ‘#They Live’ has the gang bv’s we love and turn in a bruiser.
We loved the Criminal Kids when we had their album to review and ‘Run For The Police’ proves they have more to offer and that rollicking barroom piano is working a treat as they kick up a shit storm and turn in the highlight of the album along with RMBLR. Only leaving The Uppers to rock out with ‘Bulldozer’ and a new band on the RPM radar is a welcome addition as I’m sure it won’t be their last coverage if they have more to offer that’s half as good as this rocker and I love the breakdown.
Bad Sons won us over when we had one of their singles hit the 45 RPM round up so we were excited to hear what ‘Hammers’ was going to sound like and it didn’t disappoint at all with their aggressive slice of punk n roll. Which only left Cheap Tissue to sign off this absolute belter of a compilation. ‘Up My Sleeve’ isn’t a quiet goodnight but lights flashing and horn honkin’ rev of the engine and like the getaway car in a robbery this is the wheels spinning swift exit middle finger out the window you would expect. Do not tell me you love rock and fuckin’ roll and pass this by. I can only apologise for not getting to this sooner it will be to my eternal shame that I wasn’t on the button with this review but it’s better late than never besides like all good things come to those who wait or he who rocks last rocks longest or something like that. Just flippin’ buy it!
Canada does it again I don’t know what they’re putting in the water up there but fuck me sideways they’ve got the rock and roll happening all over the country at the moment no doubt about it and Isolation Party join the, Um, Party!
Post punk power pop with melody and enough Buzzcock vibe going on to reel you in Isolation Party are more than that. Songs like the happy go lucky ‘Fine Lines’ remind me of the trashy elements of The Replacements. there isn’t much polish going around but the tunes are really hitting the spot.
They keep up the trashy power pop noise going on ‘Mr Telephone’ as it hurtles along sounding like when Dando recorded ‘Lick’ but with more melody. The songs are short and oh so sweet with plenty of snot mixing it with New Yorkers Wyldlife and Baltimore’s Ravagers Isolation Party are the real deal. The Briefs and The Stitches must have a bearing on Isolation Party’s record collection because they dance to the same beats on tracks like the frantic ‘Pointing fingers’ and how can you not love ‘Sleeves’? for all its trashy drug talk and bittersweet melodies.
Throughout the ten tracks, the band weaves a really enjoyable tapestry of twisted melodies and its very listenable and fairly instant as well. I guess if you have even a mild interest in any of the bands that I’ve referenced then you really should check out Isolation Party because they’ve definitely got the chops and this album is really consistent and most definitely doesn’t fade away and right up to the last chorus of ‘These Things’ I know I’m going to hit repeat and go right back to the beginning and play it all over again. Great album!
With the sun turning Shit Island a lighter shade of brown due to a lack of rainfall on Englands not so Green and pleasant land it was only Rock and Roll that could save us and in marched Hey Honcho & The Aftermaths with their absolute banger ‘Chico Purito!’ In a nutshell it’s everything that is great about wild and reckless garage punk others Might call it Action Rock. Hey Honcho are the newly crowned kings of Spain and boy can they wield those guitars. They make a real pretty noise let me guarantee you that and we love that off the hook shit here at RPM. Click on the links and let some sunshine into your lives and say hello to the boys and tell em RPM sent you. Now July just got a little bit hotter!
On the live front, Leigh took a trip no not like that he went to Birmingham to catch Lenny Kravitz raise vibrations at the NEC and rated Lenny as a guy who still has the chops and on his way back he caught Richie Kotzen rock the Thekla in Bristol for another highlight on the live front.
Other notable releases were those belonging to dragSTER who released a new long player via Louder Than war label entitled ‘Anti Everything’ which saw fi and the boys unleash their most brutal offering yet. they seemed focussed and really up for it on this release and certainly one of July’s better albums.
Twin Flame Radio is perhaps better known as Bam (he of the Dogs D’Amour and Wildhearts) and Share Ross (Vixen) released their debut album and what a little bobby dazzler this one was and took us by surprise especially Bams voice which wouldn’t look out of place alongside a youthful Ian Hunter or perhaps Robin Zander as Bam belted out a bevy of beauties taking half the vocal duties a real 70’s glam rock vibe happening here.
There was one massive release as far as a lot of the team RPM were banking on that was released (just in time for Rebellion) for Bar Stool Preachers and that was the follow up to ‘Blatant Propaganda’ debut the much anticipated follow up ‘Grazie Governo‘. Not that there was any doubt but it lived up to all expectations and Nev Brooks commented that it was the high point of the year let alone Month which is some accolade. To be fair Nev had this to say about BSP,”So where do I start, how about next year the Bar Stool Preachers exploding to the next level, playing to ever-growing crowds these guys are the real deal and destined for ever bigger things, they have the potential to worm their way into every household” (in the nicest possible way that is)
July being a pretty lean month compared to some others – this album really impressed with the quality and passion put into the songs it’s there for all to hear.
Other impressive releases go to the Italian punk rock n rollers Idol Lips who put out ‘Street Value’ on the ever impressive Wanda Records label. There was however an impressive bag of singles that landed on the RPM turntable notably More Kicks with their impressive power pop melodies and seven-inch debut ‘Its A Drag’ and of course it wouldn’t be right if we didn’t mention The Hip Priests and their split with Scandinavians Scumbag Millionaire. There was also noticeable singles from across the pond by some of our favourites in Wyldlife who put out ‘C’mon Christine’ and their pals in Ravagers who released the awesome ‘Drowning In Blood’. To be fair that’s not a bad month, is it?
Sadly July also said goodbye to Alan Longmuir who was the bass player in the Bay City Rollers Alan died after a short illness but his legacy lives on as girls and boys of a certain age won’t ever forget the tartan and the awesome haircuts. Rest In Peace Alan.
Recent Comments