Aerial Salad release new track ‘Wires’ ahead of their ‘Roi de l’herbe’ 5-track EP to be released June 27th via Venn Records on 12” vinyl and digital

Pre-order the vinyl HERE

UK tour confirmed for June!

Following on from last year’s acclaimed ‘R.O.I.’ album, Manchester’s favourite sons Aerial Salad are set to return to the fray with a brand new 5-track EP titled ‘Roi de l’herbe’, to be released June 27th on 12” vinyl and digital via Venn Records.

No longer in the same line of spirit destroying day job work, with some seriously exciting gigs on the horizon, Aerial Salad wanted to kick off the next era of the band with a short, fast and hard EP and have served up five absolute bangers that sit somewhere between 2020’s ‘Dirt Mall’ album and ‘R.O.I.’

Today, the band have previewed another cut from the forthcoming EP with new single ‘Wires’, which is, as singer and guitarist Jamie Munro explains, “an aggressive dismantling of modern work/life culture. As we head ever deeper into the digital abyss. I’d rather be on fire than have to spend my life looking at spreadsheets.

“’Wires’ is an outcry to anyone following something in life, he continues. “The most ‘punk’ movement of my youth was the grime movement. It was ALL DIY, and it absolutely dominated British culture – there’s a lot of similarities between grime / punk/ hardcore. From the fashion to the beats. So, we thought we’d do a 50-pound music video ‘on a nostalgic backdrop’. ‘Wires’ picks up from where ‘Telekon 5’ left – you can’t keep drifting from what you believe in, and you can’t be tied by matters beyond what’s really important in life.”

“The EP is like the teaser for what’s next,” summarises Jamie. “The overall hook for this EP is one of hope, that by sticking to what you believe in you can do anything.”

Catch Aerial Salad live at the following dates in 2025: 

16/05/25 PERIGUEUX – LE MOULIN DE ROUSSEAU
17/05/25 MONTAIGU – FURY DANCE
18/05/25 RENNES – TY ANNA

UK TOUR
21/06/25 NEWCASTLE – ZEROX
22/06/25 GLASGOW – THE GARAGE (ATTIC)
24/06/25 BIRMINGHAM – SUNFLOWER LOUNGE
25/06/25 LONDON – THE SOCIAL
27/06/25 MANCHESTER – SOUP
28/06/25 SHEFFIELD – CORPORATION

FESTIVALS

6/08/25-10/08/25 BOOMTOWN FESTIVAL

31/07/20-03/08/24 Y-NOT FESTIVAL

Aerial Salad are:

Jamie Munro – vocals/guitar

Mike ‘Wimbo’ Wimbleton – vocals/bass

Jake Marshall – drums

Find Aerial Salad online at:

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

Website:

Blacklist Union continue to create their own irresistible & shamanistic blend of Stone Temple PilotsGuns N’ RosesMalfunkshun, The Cult & Mother Love Bone. Following the 2024 singles ‘Horns & Halos’ & ‘Hey Mr Superstar’, new single ‘Mississippi Moonhound’, a swampy, swaggering anthem that captures the feeling of being haunted by your past while howling into the night for something more.. The debut single from the forthcoming LP ‘Slay the Dragon’, the band’s 6th studio album. Produced by Christopher Johnson (Evanescence, Hans Zimmer, Scott Weiland, Josh Todd, Bryan Adams, Phoebe Bridgers) Previous album ‘Letters from the Psych Ward’, racked up over two million streams.

Spotify –  HERE

Blacklist Union main man Tony West was raised in the Bronx on RamonesBad Brains, & the New York hardcore scene. ‘Go West young man’..Tony made his way to Los Angeles as a 19 years old, initially collaborating with guitarist Todd Youth (Murphy’s Law/Danzig) & Malfunkshun, who had been kept active by Andy Wood’s (Malfunkshun/Mother Love Bone singer) brother Kevin Wood. In 2006 Tony decided to pursue his own musical direction, and Blacklist Union were formed, the band’s debut album, ‘After the Mourning’ was released the same year. The band is currently managed by veteran industry pro Paul Crosby from the Grammy nominated, multi-platinum band Saliva. West also recorded with Saliva, and Jon E. Love (Love/Hate) back in 2014. 

Blacklist Union has earned a reputation for their explosive live shows. Last November, they stormed the West Coast with punk legends Dead Boys, followed by a December tour with former Saliva frontman Josey Scott, hitting Tennessee, Colorado, & California with their trademark intensity. West says, ‘Our music will transport you from the gritty streets of the Bronx to the wild energy of Los Angeles..’

Welcome to the Wild Wild West…

Blacklist Union LIVE –
Cruefest Hollywood @ the Whisky A Go-Go – 8901 W Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood Los Angeles – July 12th, 2025
Bar Sinister -1652 N Cherokee Ave, Los Angeles –  September 13th, 2025
Social Media/Online

https://www.instagram.com/blacklistunionofficial

https://www.facebook.com/BlacklistUnionRocks

https://blacklistunion.bandcamp.com

Seattle rockers The Drowns’ debut album ‘View From the Bottom’ gets the proper reissue it deeply deserves. In case you missed this first time round, Pirates Press have done the decent thing and given it a new lease of life and energy, and hopefully taken it further round this spinning rock than previously.

There is a gritty attitude in these songs that’s bursting with energy coming across like a youthful Handsome Dick meets Mike Ness on the vocals with a working class rock n roll feel bursting out of your speakers. The album sounds better than ever, thanks to the expert re-mastering job courtesy of legendary Seattle producer Jack Endino (Nirvana, Soundgarden, Murder City Devils…just to name a few)!

The Drowns have spent the last 7 years doing it their way, with a sound that’s part Rancid in places with the same kinda energy that they have with a dream in your heart and determination in your feet to carry you around the globe and back hoping that something resonates with an audience and within these tracks there is easily enough great songs bursting with passion and honesty Like ‘Time Slips’ which has that x factor in its melody that collides with those rough distorted guitars and they all marry with a gang vocal chorus that is made to endure.

This new version features all new art, with a minimalist, black on black spot-matte jacket with a metallic red foil-stamped pitchfork paying homage to the original album cover photo, this looks a little classier if I’m honest. Following the original album closer “Darkness” is an encore of a bonus track: a cover of ‘Satyagraha’ by 7Seconds. always good to mix up these re-releases and a new lick of paint and bonus tracks, it’s for everyone, old and new. Oh, and I hope Bobby’s doing ok after going back on the gear. I got on board with their excellent ‘Lunatics’, so this is great to see with a new makeover for 2025. Get on punk rockers, you won’t regret it.

View From the Bottom by The Drowns is available for pre-order via the Pirates Press Records

Author: Dom Daley

Right here’s the deal, Kirk Brandon has revisited Spear Of Destiny albums before with very favourable results, so why not continue that trend with a couple more and retitle them ‘Janus’ and re-record them with choice B Sides and left off the originals. What 2025 delivers is a modern sounding bells and whistles full bodied audio assault on plenty of Staple Spear Of Destiny classics and if you’d never heard of the band and their music with ‘Janus’ as your only reference you’d be fuckin delighted with a sonic modern sounding all killer no filler double album. To be fair, the lineup helps when they’re this bloody good, as well as adding their feel and take on these tracks.

There you go in a nutshell, if you are new to Brandon and his music, then work your way backwards with this bastard. Cast your mind back to the late 80s and ‘Outland’ in 87 followed by ‘The Price You Pay’ in 88 throw the running list in the air and start again in 2025, sure the songs have stood the test of time well and aged like affine wine as has Brandons vocals to be fair. The Distinctive style is intact, but a mature well well-rounded delivery is harnessed, and the sound of the band and production is excellent, and whilst a project of this nature could potentially fall flat, this most certainly doesn’t.

Two years in the making Brandon has alluded to the reasons why and why now. He went on to explain now was the time to deliver what he’d originally imagined the records to sound like and hes justifiably proud of how the project has turned out and so he sould be.

Not being a stranger to revisiting old music, this one has some proper bangers given a facelift and the sound is full blooded and much richer, take ‘Soldier Soldier’ for example, which has had the missing last verse put back in but to be fair hearing these songs like this for the first time in a long time has been a real pleasure.

Also, the CD version includes 6 bonus tracks. So raise a glass to Kirk and a special mention for Steve Allen Jones, Phil Martini, Craig Adams and Adrian Portas, and Clive Osborne deserve credit for their part in bringing these songs back to life. Quite simply, buy it!

A 28 date UK tour will commence on Wednesday 28th April 2025 and conclude on Sunday 1st June 2025 to support the release, including the now infamous Westworld Weekend in Wolverhampton UK, Kirk Brandon’s fan club weekender now in it’s 21st year!

Buy Here

Author: Dom Daley

“TOTAL FILTH!!!!!”

That’s what the spoken introduction to ‘Gash Wagon’, which lacerates your speaker cones at the midway point of ‘Sunshine, Lollipops, & Rainbows’, the latest release from rock legends, The Dwarve,s is…. total and utter filth.

There are no spoilers here at RPM, but hearing this dialogue for the first time was enough to have our head honcho, Dom Dale,y snotting his breakfast porridge out of his nose, and if it had been 1977, I dare say he would have smashed up his stereo in outrage too.

This is the motherfuckin’ Dwarves, though, brothers and sisters and a fourteen-track slice of their kind of sleazy life is just what Record Store Day 2025 needs if you ask me (the price of the bloody thing here in the UK aside that is). Yup, as a special treat for all of us vinyl nerds, Blag Dahlia and co have decided to finally unleash these previously never-before-released tracks, recorded live in the studio in Seattle, Summer 1989. This is, by the band’s own admission, the missing link between the Dwarves classic 1990 Sub Pop release ‘Blood, Guts & Pussy’ and 1988’s ‘Toolin’ For a Warm Teabag’ which had been released on Nasty Gash Records.

Think of ‘Sunshine, Lollipops, & Rainbows’ then as a seedy glimpse behind the band’s heavily soiled cross boners backdrop curtain, as eleven of the original ‘Blood, Guts & Pussy’ tracks get a down and dirty, live in the studio, mauling. Highlights for me still include ‘Fuck You Up And Get High’, ‘Astro Boy’ (the tragic backstory behind which guitarist HeWhoCannotBeNamed once shared with me and brought a whole new meaning to the song) as well as their wonderful reinterpretation of ‘Surfin’ Bird’, here reworked/renamed/repurposed within the truly awesome ‘Motherfucker’.

Just like their debut Sub Pop album there’s no fucking around here – it’s fourteen songs in the same number of minutes and only ‘Back Seat of My Car’ and ‘Drug Store’ are missing from that album’s thirteen tracks. However, in their place we get ‘Eat You To Survive’, ‘She’s Dead’ and ‘Fuckhead/Shout’, the latter being similar to ‘Motherfucker’ albeit here the song morphs into The Isley Brothers classic before seemingly the tape runs out and we can all catch our breath once again.

Sex, drugs and rock n roll is what The Dwarves were all about back in 1989, and probably still are to this very day. They are the band the PMRC (remember those fuckers?) would have loved to have cancelled back then but they effectively did that to themselves in 1993 when choosing to fake the death of HeWhoCannotBeNamed ahead of the release of their ‘Sugarfix’ record and subsequently imploded after Sub Pop didn’t see the funny side of it and promptly dropped the band.

‘Sunshine, Lollipops & Rainbows’ is the missing gem from the dawn of that Sub Pop era, and it finally sees the light of day on April 12th 2025 as part of Record Store Day. It’s released as a full colour picture disc, in a full colour gatefold sleeve, complete with a full colour inner bag containing dozens of photographs from the infamous ‘Blood, Guts & Pussy’ cover shoot and live photographs of the band from Seattle around 1989/90.

Just make sure to take your own brown paper bag to the record store in which to carry the total filth back home in.

Buy Here

Author: Johnny Hayward

For more information on ‘Sunshine, Lollipops & Rainbows’ or tour dates, visit https://thedwarves.com  

or follow them on social media at;

https://www.facebook.com/TheDwarves#

https://www.instagram.com/thedwarves#

https://twitter.com/@thedwarvesband

In the quarter of a century that the Teenage Cancer Trust has been putting on concerts at the Royal Albert Hall, over 300 bands have played over 132 shows, helping raise over £ 34 million for the charity. Cancer is something that unfortunately will pretty much affect all our lives in some way during our time on this planet and even though tonight I’m ultimately here to see Frank Carter fronting the Sex Pistols it’s why I also don’t mind breaking my ceiling limit for a gig ticket to in turn maybe help someone through their battle with this horrible group of diseases.

Anyway, once through the doors tonight my immediate take on the event and venue is they are both very impressive indeed, everyone from the door staff to the people collecting money for the charity are all happy to have a spot of playful banter and I’m in and out of the merch section (t-shirts ranging between £20-£30) with a handful of booty in double quick time. Given that this event sold out pretty much on the day the tickets were released, we managed to pick up a couple last minute, in the second-tier boxes, and I must say that the service afforded at this level is not too dissimilar to that at a Riu hotel, exceptional.

Everything runs like clockwork at these events too, and as such, bang on 7:30 after a brief introduction from a duo of Absolute Radio DJs I get to sample The Molotovs for the very first time. Not to be confused with the band of the same name singed to Fierce Panda back in the noughties, this lot are formed around the brother/sister duo of Mathew on guitar and vocals and Issey Carts on bass and specialise in the type of spikey late ‘70s mod revival choons that made The Jam household names. By the amount of Molotovs shirts visible here tonight they’ve certainly made a big impression in a relatively short space of time, and with debut single ‘More More More’ only hitting the shelves this week, it’s extraordinary to see some fans already mouthing every word to the likes of  ‘Johnny Don’t Be Scared’ (I’m not, ouch) and ‘Today’s Gonna Be Our Day’ which bookend their short, sharp set. There’s even time to give Bowie’s ‘Suffragette City’ a mod makeover, much to my travelling companion’s chagrin (Mrs H is something of a Bowie purist), but it fits right in with the band’s own material, so kudos to them for making the song their own. Expect to see The Molotovs everywhere during the rest of 2025.

“I didn’t think they’d put that up,” laughs Kid Kapichi frontman Jack Wilson as he seems genuinely surprised that the band’s ‘kissing’ Putin/Trump backdrop is glaring out from the huge video screen hung up directly in front of the Albert Hall’s monumental grand organ. The Hastings four piece are certainly not afraid to wear their politics on their sleeves, and out on the road promoting their eclectic third album ‘There Goes The Neighbourhood’ they are right at the forefront of a movement of young UK bands eager to speak their minds when it comes to subjects like Brexit, racism and austerity. The guys waste no time kicking up a racket either, ploughing straight into the likes of ‘Artillery’, ‘Can EU Hear Me’ and ‘Rob The Supermarket’, along with the tune that first introduced me to the band, ‘New England’. Sadly, there’s no Bob Vylan on hand to guest on the mid-section tonight, but Dumb Bhoys Fishing Club add their own twist to proceedings in fine fashion. Kid Kapichi are one of those great British bands that straddle genres and defy being labelled with a genre, one minute they are heavy as Black Sabbath, the next the chorus has you singing your head off like you are watching Blur and it’s all topped off with a frontman who comes from the Terry Hall school of cool too. I’ve waited a long time to see Kid Kapichi live and the lads certainly did not disappoint. I just need to witness them in a headline capacity now.

Talking of which, before we get to our headliners tonight there’s a reminder of the great work that the Teenage Cancer Trust does for young people around the UK via a short film looking at their fantastic work, with some of the patients featured in the film then joining the Absolute Radio DJs on stage for a gigantic selfie with the Albert Hall audience this simply reinforces why, outside of the music itself, many are here tonight, to make this event a total sell out.

A friend of mine commented recently that there could possibly be more people in the Albert Hall when you go to see Sex Pistols with Frank Carter than saw the Sex Pistols back in the whole of 1976/77, and you know what, he’s probably not far off the mark. So for all the “there’s no Pistols without Johnny,” and “I saw them back in ’77” (yeah right) rhetoric that seems to make social media such a toxic and divisive place these days, when you look at the demographic of tonight’s crowd, for every one of those keyboard warriors there’s an army of younger people who weren’t just not born when ‘Never Mind The Bollocks’ was released, but also not born when ‘Orchestra Of Wolves’ was released, just waiting to snap up a ticket for tonight’s headliners in their place.  The mix of young and old is something that is certainly not lost on Frank Carter as he enters the mosh pit for the first time tonight, the frontman urging the crowd to create the largest circle pit the Albert Hall has ever seen (I’d guess its possibly the first its ever seen too) during a mid-set ‘Silly Thing’, whilst making sure the audience leave just enough room for his “ego” (his words, not mine) at the very eye of the storm.   

Look, if I’m totally honest I miss John Lydon fronting the Pistols just as much as the next person, but for the band to function here in 2025 Paul Cook, Steve Jones and Glen Matlock needed a shot of something different to make them smile and enjoy their Pistols legacy once more, and in Frank Carter they have found their man. From opener ‘Holidays In The Sun’ through to the euphoric show closing ‘Anarchy In The UK’, the bloke doesn’t stand still for a second, he might be dressed like he’s up on a charge and just off to court, but the ear to ear grin on his face when he spits out the lyrics to the likes of deeper ‘Bollocks’ cuts like ‘Seventeen’ and ‘New York’ along with single B-sides ‘Satellite’ and ‘No Fun’ speaks volumes about his love of the band he’s honoured to now be a part of.

‘Pretty Vacant’ sees Carter take his first of many trips into the audience (like he’s always done in all the bands he’s fronted) whilst his crowd walking/standing technique during a ferocious ‘Bodies’ (“this is my favourite song” he declares) is up there with an in his prime Iggy Pop, make no mistake. Which rather conveniently brings me back to ‘No Fun’ and the band introductions segment where each member of the band got their chance to shine, and Steve Jones chooses to play out a series of feedback Morse code notes, laughing his head off in the process. That’s the spirit within the Sex Pistols right now, and it’s rather wonderful to witness it. Then, via a tale of admiration for the guitarist, Carter coaxes Jonesy into admitting that this is his first time inside the Albert Hall, and he’s headlining the place in front of over 5,000 people. Who said you can’t still be winning at things in life even when you are almost seventy years of age, eh?

If I could have had a version of ‘Submission’ added to the set list too it would have rounded off a perfect night, and whereas I was perhaps looking at this gig as drawing a line under all matters Sex Pistols it’s got me looking at some of their other shows now too.

All in all then tonight was another fantastic success for everyone involved, it even made the nightmare detour laden road trip back to Wales seem worthwhile. Motorways? Who needs them eh?  God save the Sex Pistols and God save the Teenage Cancer Trust.

Author: Johnny Hayward

SUZI MOON TO RELEASE DISCOGRAPHY ALBUM FROM TURBULENT HEARTS
COLORED VINYL 2xLP VIA PIRATES PRESS RECORDS RE-MASTERED BY MASS GIORGINI
CLICK HERE TO PRE-ORDER

Washington, DC – March 21, 2025 – Fan-favorite punk rock ’n roller Suzi Moon is giving longtime fans – and new ones – a real treat with the double LP collection of her previous band, Turbulent Hearts: All Outavailable NOW for pre-order via Pirates Press Records, her longtime label, with a release date of May 23rd. The video for the lead single “Crazy Girl” has been re-released, and is available now on streaming platforms.

In the rough and tumble world of rock & roll, there are many kinds of artists, and many kinds of fans. However, it takes a special kind of dedication to truly be considered a lifer; putting in the years, miles, blood, sweat, and tears of living and breathing for chasing your musical vision. Undeniably, Suzi Moon is a rock & roll lifer, and this new double LP collection of the recorded output of her band Turbulent Hearts is an essential chapter in the story of that life!

Aided and abetted by the rhythm section of bassist Mark Johnson and drummer Jay SkowronekSuzi blazes her path as a songwriter and performer with the confidence of a self-made superstar. Suzi reflects fondly on the band and the time period they were together. “This was such a prolific songwriting period for me.” says Suzi. “I really found my voice with this band, and I could have never done the Suzi Moon band if I hadn’t done my time with the Turbulent Hearts.”

It is tempting to listen to these songs and pick out the trajectory that would lead Suzi to become a breakout solo act – and indeed, there is plenty of that to listen for – but perhaps these songs are best enjoyed as they were written: immediate, urgent, and in the moment…just like all the best rock & roll! “We started playing local shows. We said yes to every show we got offered. We were just happy to get onstage and play together. It wasn’t about getting famous or changing the world…it was about playing as fast and ferociously as possible, on a fun show with our friends’ bands.”

These songs have never sounded better. Legendary punk producer Mass Giorgini, who worked with Moon on all of her Pirates releases, stepped up to the plate once again to polish these songs & make them sound like a cohesive unit for this vinyl re-release. Even for those who had the original records, this is the definitive statement from the band. “Turbulent Hearts is a massive part of my story,” sums up Suzi. “I am thankful and excited to be working with my family at Pirates Press Records to finally unleash this collection of 20 songs that mean so much to me.”

Suzi Moon’s Turbulent Hearts: All Out is available from Pirates Press Records on 2×12” Smoke Vinyl: sides 1 & 2 on Milky Clear Vinyl with Black Smoke, side 3 & 4 on Blood Red with Black Smoke. It will be available everywhere fine records are sold May 23rd, 2025!

After starting off as a young teenager, Suzi spent years touring in the Long Beach punk band Civet (alongside her older sister Liza Graves) before stepping up to the center stage mic with Turbulent Hearts in 2014. She’d been writing her own songs since the age of 13, and she was ready.

The band made their mark in the mid- to late-2010s, and after they parted ways, Suzi moved on to the garage psych combo LA Machina and ultimately, recording under her own name. Across the four sides of Turbulent Hearts: All Out, the band’s entire recorded output – 4 EPs and change over the course of 7 years – is collected in one place for the first time for fans old and new to enjoy.

For more information on Suzi Moon:

https://suzimoon.com

https://www.instagram.com/thesuzimoon

https://www.facebook.com/SuziMoon

https://suzimoon.bandcamp.com

Isn’t it a treat when you discover a “new” band via online friends? Especially when they really tick your boxes. So, may I introduce you to punk pop duo, Human Toys? They seem to have quite a following here in France. I mentioned them to my bandmate Mickey, who already knew their stuff, typically a man of good taste.

If you get your kicks from short, snappy Ramones-style pop tunes, then look no further. Poupée, on vocals and theremin and Jon Von on guitar and vocals bring you 13 new songs that grab your attention as they fly by. 2025 seems to be the year of great, short albums, but, as ever, it’s quality over quantity/time. You just know that Dee Dee would approve of ‘Devil’s Night’ and ‘Emma Peel Explosion’. There’s no time to think before ‘Generation Shit’ takes off, not unlike Cyanide Pills, and throughout the theremin does what Pete Shelley did so well, adding simple, addictive melodies.

Another similarity to, say, ‘Rocket To Russia’, is that if you love one song, you’ll love them all. It’s been done to death, but it’s not easy to write short, catchy songs, and the Toys really have nailed it. In fact, there’s no chaff on this or their debut, ‘Spin To Win’, so I felt compelled to buy ‘At The Poor Cow’ on vinyl (no CD available). As it’s from the EU, I’m not clobbered with 14€ customs tax! Rant over.

‘Breakin’ The Law’ isn’t the Judas Priest song (sorry Mr Hayward), and whether it’s ‘Go, Go, Alco’ or ‘Human Zoo’, your feet will be itching to get bopping. It’s not big, it’s not clever, and it’s all the better for it. It’s pure fun with great tunes, and there is a hint of The Rezillos here and there. I don’t know if there’s bass when they play live, but there’s plenty on the record, allowing the likes of ‘I’m Sick Of You’ to have the required clout. If Spotify is good for anything, you can listen to it and then order the album. What are you waiting for?

Buy Here

Author: Martin Chamarette

Sarf of the river punk rock n rollers The Phobics are back with a brand new collection of tunes that was released at the fag end of 2024 but we must have been still ou partying to notice this slip through the HQ cracks so its time to rectify and testify.

With the false sense of security that a very pleasant piano melody will lull you into its the rasping punk rock n roll that ushers the piano out of the window and moves the bastard kids of The Ramones and Heartbreakers into the room to fuck up your day or more to the point usher in the wonderful soundtrack to the rest of your week and turn every day into the weekend.

these Deptford chaps might well have been round the sun a few times but they’ve been paying attention to the good and the greats of some of the finest rock n rollas of the past five decades from the finer points of the Dolls to Da Bruthers and across the pond via The Joneses these cats have got the cream and they’re willing to share it with anyone whos prepared to offer up their time in return for some top tunes.

The mix of loud guitars with the phat lower end is not created by accident it’s a well-constructed beast by people who do know better and ‘Hang 10’ has the Thunders ring on the guitars as they get rinsed. It’s got melody and a swagger that runs through this album like a stick of Deptford rock. Tracks like ‘Dreamworld’ have that Jones crunch on the guitar and the Peter Perrett meets Pete Shelley daydreamin’ vocals. Before we reach the midway point the band crank it up with the delightful romp of ‘Sick And Tired Of The 21st Century’ where they hit the nail right on the head. It should replace the hokey Cokey on New Year’s eve as we all link arms and sing along.

It’s not all Crash Bang Wallop mind, ‘I Want You’ starts off with a nice picky guitar intro before going Crash Bang Wallop. To be fair when The Phobics do give it some Crash bang and a helping of Wallop they do it with style and panache and make it sound fresh and vibrant. ‘Brand New Jag’ has a swagger and leans on some fine cliches and the rhythm section gives it plenty of swing whilst the guitar rips it right up with some fine wah for good measure.

Oh shit get the piano we threw outta the window ‘News From The Sun’ needs it for the intro. What The Phobics do is write bloody good tunes, a load of melody and a sunny disposition that sounds like this band of brothers are having a great time knocking out punk rock n roll on their own terms. It’s timeless when it’s done well and this lot does just that. Hell they even leave the biggest earworm til last as they out Adicts the Adicts with ‘My Best Friend Has Died’ expect Tom to wear a cape and throw out magic tricks at their next show. If you want a fix of Punk rockin power poppin rock n roll then look no further because The Phobics have got us covered. Buy It!

Buy Here

Author: Dom Daley

Tyla has soundtracked about 37 of my 51 years here on Earth. For me, it all started with ‘In the Dynamite Jet Saloon’ by the Dogs D’amour. The first time I heard them was a life-changing experience where the band resonated deep in my soul through their songs and music. I still vividly remember the moment. Over the years, Tyla has continued to create a catalogue of songs that I can tie to specific moments in my life. I am not sure what the total number of releases between the bands and his solo work currently is. I might need to do a count after writing this review since it will take a while and may require a calculator. Over the past few years, Tyla has continued to strike gold for me with the Balladmongrels and the latest version of Dogs D’amour where he has incorporated some new elements in the likes of ‘Tree Bridge Cross,’ magical acoustic moments like ‘Ghosts,’ and bluesy diamonds like ‘Serpents Kiss.’ After 40 plus years of writing and performing, the perceived expectation is often musical artists cannot continue to develop and expand. With Tyla, there has always been an ability to blend the familiar with some new tricks. I think back to the acoustic brilliance of his first self-release ‘Nocturnal Nomad’ which is another of my all time favorite albums. Why have I dragged on and on about all this? ‘Gilding the Lily’ showcases new twists into Tyla’s sound but also recalls magical moments from his musical past.

Tyla has described this as a ‘guitar album,’ and there is definitely an abundance of lead guitar across these 18 songs with Jamie Turnbull providing plenty of opportunities to break out an air guitar in a way that I have not done since the likes of the ‘Girl Behind the Glass’ and ‘Rollover.’ Ironically, the album starts off with one of a couple of songs that have not totally grabbed me in ‘Baptism of Fire.’ It has grown on me with each listen, but there is some vocal repetition that can distract from what is going on musically. There is great piano work in the song, and it does start the album off with a rocking feel. ‘Cadillac Man’ is another upbeat rocker with some excellent lead guitar weaved through the song. As the lead single from the album, it is an inspired choice. This is prime material that would be just as home back on ‘Errol Flynn’ as it is here and still sounds fresh. The backing vocals are excellent as well. Next up is another of my favourites in ‘Glory Days.’ This is an acoustic rocker that recalls ‘Nocturnal Nomad’ or ‘In Life In Love In Dreams.’ The strings provide great depth to the song, especially the violin that breaks up that first chorus from the second verse. Tyla’s vocals here are outstanding. The electric guitar provides great accents to the song and provides some brief tasteful air guitar moments as well.

The title track slows things down for another stellar vocal performance. Musically, it would not be out of place on ‘The Life and Times of a Ballad Monger’ or ‘A Graveyard of Empty Bottles.’ The mix allows each instrument space to breathe and paint the musical canvas. We return to more rockers with ‘Gunfight’ opening with a lot of electric guitar and musically akin a little bit to the ‘Bloody Hellfire’ album. It is noisy and hopefully has an opportunity to shine in the live setting. Writing this, it dawns on me that this one and ‘Baptism of Fire’ might have been swapped if I did the sequencing. ‘Killerstown’ showcases another excellent vocal on a midtempo rocker that again recalls the likes of ‘The Life and Times of a Ballad Monger’ album.

The first epic type number is next in ‘Don’t Ever Stop Loving Me’ which starts acoustically and builds in power. The electric guitar here takes the song to another level. I sound like a broken record, but Tyla’s vocals on this album are some of the best he has ever put on tape (or digital). ‘Mickey Roses’ reminds me a bit of the previously mentioned ‘Serpents Kiss’ from ‘Jack O Byte Bluesy Volume 1.’ This is another favourite from the album and inspires some air guitar work to go with my very poor singalong, which doesn’t worry I do where no one can hear me. Closing out the first half of the album with the one other song on the album that has not completely clicked with me ‘I Really Love You.’ It is an upbeat acoustic number that, for me, suffers a bit because of the repetition in the lyrics. It also falls victim to the songs that come before it and what follow it on the second half of the album.

Kickstarting the back half of the album, Tyla delivers an epic that when I first heard it reminded me of his classic ‘The Town’ with an electric feel. ‘Human After All’ is a showstopper of only electric guitar and vocals where the guitar notes and Tyla’s vocals intertwine with one another perfectly. How do you follow up a masterpiece? Cue excellent rocker ‘It’s a Shame’ that provides another singalong tune which hits me a little harder at the moment because of my Dad’s health. Raise a glass to those that you have lost in your life. ‘In Plain Sight’ slows things down a bit but also provides plenty of glorious noise. If you want a past comparison, this is one that recalls side B of the ‘Libertine’ album where something like ‘What If’ rose and fell in musical intensity. The difference here is the added tasteful guitar solo and nuances across the song, which is the longest on here by a hair.

‘Religion Kills’ follows and is our second longest on the album. The drum work is outstanding and really helps create a hard rocking epic song. There are some distorted vocals added at the beginning to give the song a different feel. Tyla’s vocals here slay. The guitar is upfront in the mix as well to create an urgency in the song’s feel. If I had to find a comparison, I might go with a full band and studio version of something from the ‘Mightier than the Sword’ albums. After two epic songs, Tyla delivers another excellent midtempo song with some brilliant lyrics in ‘The Special One.’ There are not many choruses that work something like ‘egocentric narcissist preoccupied with power’ into its hook, but this one does masterfully. ‘Do Anything’ is a slow bluesy rocker that showcases more excellent guitarwork and vocals.

Our final songs of the album begin with Tyla whistling over the music to start ‘River of Death.’ It bears repeating again that Tyla’s vocals on this album are incredible. This is another song that hits me deeply for personal reasons, and it hits harder and harder on me with each listen. Our last epic on the album is ‘Written in Heavy Blood’ and provides lots of opportunities for the air guitar to get a workout. The song has a great groove and vocal hook to it. Acoustic closer ‘Love Will Find You One Day’ works perfectly in its tight 90 second length to bring the album to an end.

I am sure one of the ‘complaints’ about the album will be its length at 18 songs in just over an hour. It is a lot to process over the first 5-10 listens, but I would not eliminate anything here. The two songs that didn’t initially connect with me have each continued to grow with every listen. I hate to think how many songs Tyla has written at this point and love that he continues to find new ways to innovate what he does and add new wrinkles. If you are a fan of his work, I think you will love this album. If you have never heard him, this serves as a really good starting point, and I don’t think I could say that about too many artists 40 years into their career. The first quarter of the year has seen a few dynamite releases already, and this one is another that will be challenging for my album of the year. ‘Glory Days’ are the here and now.

‘Gilding the Lily’ is officially released March 14, 2025.

Buy Here or direct from Tyla – https://www.tylasarttavern.shop

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Author: Gerald Stansbury