Bitch Queens – ‘City of Class’ (Lux Noise Records/Spaghetty Town Records)

Bitch Queens – ‘City of Class’ (Lux Noise Records/Spaghetty Town Records)

 

Following up their excellent ‘L.O.V.E.’ album, the Bitch Queens continue their upward ascent with new album ‘City of Class.’ They continue their natural development as one of the best hard rock bands around today by incorporating various influences and packing each song with hooks and excellent music. This album needs to go on your list to purchase ASAP.

Kicking off with the title track, the band take about 40 seconds with everything bubbling under the surface on the first verse before fully unleashing itself on the listener. If you are familiar with the Bitch Queens, there are not a ton of surprises here which is okay in my book. The band continue to evolve within their sound which at times is like ‘Total 13’ era Backyard Babies. ‘Vote for Pedro’ continues the full on assault with a direct hook hitting the brain hard, and the song flying by in less than 2 minutes. Samples lead us into ‘Superboy’ with the vocal and electric guitar carried first verse leading into a commercial chorus that leads into some awesome guitar work before the next verse. The band have laced this one with several subtle changes and passages that really reward repeat listening. It’s the kind of song that makes an excellent single down the road.

‘Especially Danny’ clocks in at just over 2 minutes, with the band trimming all the fat off these songs. The chorus is contagious with an added bonus of some cool guitar cutting right into the chorus. Again, the band are not offering up huge surprises. These are rock n roll songs revved up for speed and packed with hooks. ‘Sucker for the Blues’ carries forward at twice the speed most of the bands likely would have made it with some musical similarities to acts like Rocket from the Crypt, but the vocals are pure Bitch Queens. Backing vocals throughout ‘Negative Heaven’ give the album more variety, and the bridge is one of my favorite moments on the album. I would love to see them on tour with the likes of the Wildhearts as I think their audience would also welcome these songs. ‘When Did I Die’ starts with a dirty riff before exploding to life. The chorus is straight forward and simple with the song feeling like a surge of adrenaline.

‘On and On’ follows feeling slightly subdued at the beginning leading into another catchy chorus. I mentioned ‘Total 13’ by the Backyard Babies earlier, but this song feels a bit more like a ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ song. It is not as abrasive musically and sets up a nice vocal break near the end of the song. The band lay down a great beat for ‘All My Money’ with its fast tempo ensuring it will be a fist in the air bang your head favorite live. As we get near the end, feedback gives way to ‘Never Say Never’ where the band lay on another great addictive chorus. One of my favorite elements of the Bitch Queens is they give you hard rocking songs that are designed for audience participation. It is easy to imagine the crowd’s energy as they move and sing to these songs. ‘Paso’ ends the album with a minute blast that is over way too soon. That really applies for this album as a whole. You can listen to the album on your half hour lunch break or on your way somewhere and start it all over again on your next break.

If you have never dipped your toes into the musical brilliance of the Bitch Queens, this serves as a good starting point as you will find yourself quickly singing along and fighting the urge to hit the repeat button 11 times. Let it play all the way through and then treat yourself all over again. If you are a long time fan, the band continue to slowly refine their sound with a crystal clear production that sounds awesome. I would enjoy hearing a dirtier live album in the future, but the studio versions are produced and mixed extremely well. They may sing about a ‘City of Class,’ but this is clearly a first class album.

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Author: Gerald Stansbury

 

Bitch Queens unveil first video off new album & Pre Orders

Bitch Queens unveil first video off new album & Pre Orders

The first video “City Of Class” off the upcoming Bitch Queens album of the same name is here

Three minutes of in your face punk-rock & crazy live-action. The new album will be out 27th of September on LuxNoise (CH) & Spaghetty Town Recrords (USA) and preorder starts today. Get your limited vinyl package with orange marbled vinyl, poster and pin.

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Bitch Queens Announce new album details and release date

Bitch Queens Announce new album details and release date

LuxNoise is proud to announce the next “Bitch Queens” album “City Of Class”. Will be out 27th of September on vinyl, CD & on all digital platforms. It contains 11 straight death-punk songs and shows the band from their most energetic side so far!  Coming out on LuxNoise in Europe and spaghettytown in the USA.

 

Mel, Harry, Marcel & Danny have written Ten new tracks and have also included a cover of ‘Paso (The Nini Anthem)’ by Spanish DJ Sak Noel that needs to be heard. A review on RPM will be out nearer the release but needless to say, this is one hell of a loud record.  Fans will be pleased.

 

Easy Like Sunday Morning – Bitch Queens Playlist

Easy Like Sunday Morning – Bitch Queens Playlist

When we were recently asked if we would share a playlist on Spotify for a band who are friends of ours I said sure without really knowing what Spotify is all about and whilst I’d much rather people buy the records or CD’s I understand that the face of music is changing quickly in this digital super fiber world we now live in so rather than be a dinosaur and close ourselves off we have to grit our teeth and jump into the middle of the superhighway and embrace this streaming world or get left behind.

 

I know the artists get a shitty deal and that should change but if people are at least playing decent tunes by decent bands they might not otherwise hear then it can’t all be bad.  We would like to state right here right now that if you do hear any bands you like then please support the artists by picking up the album a song is played from or a shirt or go see a show of theirs if they pass through your town.

 

Starting with Basel’s Bitch Queens and their playlist of High Energy Rock and Roll check it out at the link

 

In case you don’t know who Bitch Queens are here check this out –

Bitch Queens drop brand new video R – Rated

Bitch Queens drop brand new video R – Rated

Basel reprobates Bitch Queens release a new video for ‘R Rated’ taken from the album ‘L.O.V.E.’ Filmed whilst on their USA tour last year its taken from their awesome long player. the boys from Basel don’t just play dumb punk or glam rock n roll they put those elements into a pot along with a whole heap of other influences and tip them upside down and turn them into something quite beautiful as their albums testify. The video gives a snapshot of what the band are about on stage as they tear the shit out of wherever it is they play.  Watch it love it and check em out!

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The Hip Priests – ‘Stand For Nothing’ (God’s Candy/Ghost Highway/Speedowax/Digital Warfare)

The Hip Priests – ‘Stand For Nothing’ (God’s Candy/Ghost Highway/Speedowax/Digital Warfare)

It’s been 5 long years since The Hip Priests’ last studio album, but as some wise old sage once said “good things to those who hate”.

During that time events have certainly seen the UK become a more divisive place to live and as such ‘Stand For Nothing’ has never felt like a more perfectly timed record. It’s one the band said they’d never release but now felt compelled to, plus it’s also one that contains not a single song about the old in out … a true first in Priests terms.

But wait just a minute, because I’m getting ahead of myself here and forgetting you just might be someone discovering The Hip Priests for the very first time, sat there all comfy on your toilet (I mean where else would you read about the Hip Priests?) thinking that in those intervening 5 years the band’s core trio of bassist Lee Love, guitarist Austin Rocket and vocalist Nathan Von Cruz must have been hidden away on some tropical island paradise recording a masterpiece in studio fuckery with Muff Flange. Well, you’d of course be very wrong indeed, because during the past 5 years what The Hip Priests have actually been doing is working their arses off by relentlessly touring (with the likes of Zeke, The Dwarves and The Bitch Queens) whilst releasing a bazillion independently funded and released limited edition 7” singles. Whilst in the process of doing all this they also managed to lose 2 drummers (before arriving at current sticksman D.P. Bomber), decided to turbocharge their sound via the addition of a second guitarist (via the enigmatic Silent Mike – who has subsequently moved on to pastures new), and then came within a hair’s breadth of finally getting themselves signed to a major label. Something that would ultimately come to nothing when the A&R guy signing them was “let go” by the label.

Phew! That potted history reads like a draft film script doesn’t it, but this boys and girls is the harsh reality of being in a proper rock ‘n’ roll band, one that is driven to succeed at all costs.

So, after all that does ‘Stand For Nothing’ live up to my heady expectations as the record to propel them into 2019 as the number one independent rock band on the UK scene?

Well, it takes exactly one line of the album’s blistering opener ‘Welcome To Shit Island’ to answer this conundrum as Nathan Von Cruz venomously spits out “Small minds, dumb pricks – drop a bomb on this isle of shit” and I can immediately feel myself grinning from ear to ear whilst punching the air with absolute joy. YES! Someone is finally not afraid to speak the truth and there really is no time like right now (excuse the pun) to celebrate it. In fact, all joking aside if ever there was a sign that The Hip Priests were evolving into a much bigger and angrier sounding beast than ever before it was that 10 minute epic (which curiously doesn’t make the final track listing here) that well and truly pissed the line in the sand regarding the band’s musical ambitions.

The expansion of sound that was so evident during the horn-driven ‘No Time (Like Right Now)’ is thankfully driven headlong into this album too and the aforementioned addition of a second guitarist gives tracks like the stunning ‘Losers Of The Faith’ (which I must admit is my favourite track here) and the glorious one-finger piano-driven ‘Stand For Nothing’ an additional melodic edge, something that just might have been missing from previous Priests’ records where the band chose to simply bulldozer you into aural ecstasy.

Fear not though fellow Spasm Gangbangers because that old school Priests sound is still very much here in abundance during tracks like the caustic ‘Social Hand Grenade’, and the thundering album closer ‘Rock N Roll Leper’ plus let’s not forget the already firmly established live favourite ‘Cheers To Me’. It’s just that this time around I’m finding myself going back to the likes of the pounding ‘Deja F.U.’ and the dare I say it the “gothic sounding” ‘How Do You Get Off?’ (is that a hint of Farfisa I here in there lads?) time and time again as The Hip Priests truly spread their musical wings…sonically speaking of course.

What also really stands out on this record are the lyrics, and on the vinyl only track ‘U Okay Hun’ we get to rejoice in Lee Love’s lightning fast take on the world of the vacuous self-centred fucks that litter social media, a track which is without doubt one of his finest moments yet, and he’s written quite a few of those that’s for sure.

At the start of this review I stated that ‘Stand For Nothing’ contained no tracks about sex, which will be a total shock to any Priests fan’s moral system I know, but for those of you hankering for the ‘Saints Of Excess’ of old there’s still ‘Last Train Wrecks’ to look forward to, a glorious tale of self-destruction that comes complete with an intro from Happy Tom and actually revolves around some of the very people who will no doubt be rushing to buy their copy of this album when it goes on pre-sale on Feb 4th via the various labels involved and linked below.

Look, in ‘Stand For Nothing’ The Hip Priests have written one of, if not THE most important garage punk albums of 2019. Buy it now (via the links below) and help the band save Shit Island from forever falling into the sea of musical mediocrity.  Essential!

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Author: Johnny Hayward

Twelve days of Christmas – A look back at 2018 with RPM – September

Twelve days of Christmas – A look back at 2018 with RPM – September

“Wake Me Up When September Ends”

September 

After a frantic couple of months and some rather pleasant sunshine over shit island, September couldn’t possibly keep up the pace set by the previous summer months, could it? Fuckin’ right it could. There was the trip to Steel City to catch up with HRH Sleaze for several intrepid RPM scribes as the whiff of Hard Rock Hairspray filled the air and the crush in the gents for the mirror was more of a worry than in the ladies but a few old favourites were treading the boards and rocking the house over the weekend that was too good a temptation for some. I have it on good authority that LA Guns yeah the LA Guns with Phil Lewis in not the other LA Guns without Mr. Lewis anyway people who need to know just know and this line up still have the chops that’s for sure. Jetboy were also on the bill and were a draw for quite a few and they didn’t dissapoint either turning in a great set. Brit sleaze punks The Black Bullets had a rapturous reception after a fantastic performance on the acoustic stage and also killed it electric a band that are really getting into their stride and 2019 looks interesting for the band who have an album ready to go at some point.

As we freewheel downhill to meet the tour that had a load of grown men thinking about their mothers-in-law so as not to get some wood. It was the prospect of The Hip Priests touring with Bitch Queens and the nefarious yobs better known as Deathtraps that was doing it for most but they picked up some other seedy punks along the way in the shape of those Rotten Foxes. Camden Black Heart played host to this cluster fuck of garage punk and by all accounts from some who were there, it was spectacular. I managed to catch the Bristol show and have to admit it was every bit as spectacular and Bitch Queens pushed the Hip Priests all the way and it was just the evening out I hoped it would be.

Other live shows circling the UK in September were recorded on RPM the first being a rather splendid show from Eureka Machines @ The Fulford Arms in York that Ben attended in support of their latest record. Another of the must see shows of the year it would seem The North of England was definately being spoilt for great live shows in 2018.

To be fair Eureka Machines have the songs and always deliver in spades and RPM was delighted to bring a report on it Here. There was also a celebration going on in Yorkshire as Urban Voodoo Machine celebrated their 15 shots in Leeds and Ben attended that for RPM as well.

On the recorded front September was an Action Rock bonanza with long players hitting the shelves from the likes of RPM favourites Nashville Pussy with ‘Pleased To Eat You’, Supesuckers rocked up with ‘Suck It’ whilst one of our favourite albums of the year featured Fraser and his band Deathtraps who told us all we’ve ‘Gotta Get Some’ we don’t know what they Gotta Get but whatever it is I hope they find some because it sound interesting. It found its way into many a CD player around RPM and rightly so for all its Garage/Action Rock goodness. In fact, it would be a dereliction of duty if I didn’t advise you to Go Get Some too. Right that’s September done and dusted next up October…

 

Twelve days of Christmas – A look back at 2018 with RPM – February

Twelve days of Christmas – A look back at 2018 with RPM – February

February 2018

Foulmouthed Filthy February or something like that.

February began with a road trip to see a band who for me has been my go-to pilgrimage in North Wales for The Gathering weekend for the last quarter of a century (almost). A weekend celebrating the music of Mike Peters & The Alarm reached a high point on the Saturday night as a Four-hour performance rounded off an impressive weekend. I’ve enjoyed going for almost quarter of a century where special guests have included Billy Duffy, Craig Adams, Steve Diggle, Pete Wylie, Dave sharp, Ian McNabb, Eddie McDonald and a whole bunch of other musicians I’ve forgotten and I’ve managed to attend without missing a single year.

I must admit the thought of such a marathon performance on a Saturday night filled me with dread can any fans watch for four hours? The answer is a resounding yes! It flew by and was one of the best Saturday night shows I’ve ever seen Peters perform especially when he was joined on stage by Craig Adams for the final hour (that still doesn’t sound right – the final hour). Roll on February 2019 when I can do it all again.

 

Staying on the live front, Other RPM scribes went to some far-flung countries to catch their Rock n Roll with Craggy taking in an excellent show from Fertile Hump live at Kabinet Muz, in Brno. but a large gathering of writers took in a show or two when the Damned went around the UK this time with the added excitement of Paul Gray back in the fold for the first time in decades which was rather nice.  Seeing the Damned with a new album in tow and playing sold out shows all across the UK in decent sized venues was awesome and it has to be said so were the band.  Gray seemed to give them a right shot in the arm just in time for this stint of dates was easily the highlight of February. But with the recent news of our Brother Scott Sorry battling a serious illness the Rock and Roll community rallied and a series of benefit shows were arranged to raise funds for Scott at such a difficult time what with the American Health system being what it is  The likes of Role Models, Main Grains and  The Empty Page rocked out at The Parish to rave reviews whilst Wakefield Warehouse saw the Professionals, the Wildhearts, Massive Wagons and Sonic Boom Six take care of business and send Positive vibes across the ocean as well as money raised at these spectacular shows.

Before Feb was done The UK also saw the return of Bullets And Octane and Ben attended a memorable show in York that proved that Gene Louis had lost none of the fire he had inside his beating heart when he first toured the UK.

 

As for recordings to hit the shelves, historically early in the year, things open slowly in the music business and January being about new resolutions before finally seeing new releases hit the shelves, so, Feb saw an avalanche of really big hitters for RPM writers.  We had the release of Imperial State Electric’s Live album ‘Anywhere Loud’ as well as some garage awesomeness from the likes of the Cavemen and The Bellrays getting round to release records. 

Several writers were also impressed by the latest Buffalo Tom long player ‘Quiet And Peace’ with Craggy picking it as one of his albums of the year. February belonged to a few foul-mouthed releases, the first came in the shape of Jonesey with their self titled long player with its down n dirty sleazy punk rock n roll and song titles and lyrics that would make a sailor blush no doubt about that. But one of the years highlights hit us like a sledgehammer between the eyes has to be Motherfuckin’ Motherfuckers with ‘MFFFMF’ (I think that’s the correct amount of F’s) inspired by Supershit 666 and the idea of some friends from the most splendid Bitch Queens and Oz and Lee from the mighty Hip Priests recording a mini album packed full of songs that were written in the shortest of times. I’ll let Lee Love tell you, good people, what happened, ” Ah the dumb Lee Love story. Well, me ‘n’ Oz went To Basel for a few days to hang out with our mates from Bitch Queens and we ended up getting pissed (as you do) and I was winding them up saying I could write and get em to record a mini album in a day. So we went into the Queens studio the next day and played through everything once maybe twice and hey presto it was done”.  Creating that Copters supershit 666 vibe.

To be fair this pack of loons rose to the occasion and absolutely knocked it out of the park in fact they didn’t just knock it out of the park they followed out tied it to the back of their pick up truck dragged it around the wood then kicked any life left in it out then did it all again for shits and giggles.  An absolute giant of punk rock n fuckin roll – make no mistake about that! Motherfuckin’ Motherfucker should and one day will rightfully be seen as a classic of its genre.

 

Also, The motherfuckin’ Dwarves were taking back the night in February as well and a jolly fine record that was.  Maybe it should be renamed Fuckin’ foulmouthed February from now on.  What a month. Outstanding stuff.

 

That was the week that was

That was the week that was

Another week rolls by and we head towards Christmas but there are no mince pies or sherry being overindulged round here when there are records to review and Shows to see and last week was no exception as RPM brought you a diverse bunch on the live front as well as on the death decks.

 

Sadly the last seven days saw another rock n roller pass on to the next life and we said goodbye to Peter Blast.  I had the pleasure of reviewing several of his albums and spoke to him in the last twelve months.  On behalf of everyone here at RPM I’d like to offer our condolences to his family and friends and raise a glass to his memory.

 

We also brought you an interview with Phil Privilege from the  awesome kings of power punk n pop Cyanide Pills with an amazing trail of singles and albums as part of their repertoire Phil told us they were on the way to deliver the next long player as well as answer a few of our questions about the band, Catch up with it here

 

We also had some pretty diverse live reviews from the likes of hard rockin’ Junkyard , Cowboy Junkies and a doubleheader from He Who Cannot Be Named and the Awesome Hip Priests. But our bread and butter has to be our album reviews and with Black Friday RSD releases in thin supply some of our favourite labels did manage to put out some quality must have records in the shape of MC5. UK Subs ‘Sub Mission’ got its first pressing on record  and we again scoured the four corners of the globe to bring you the likes of Civic from Australia, X Darlings from Switzerland, Paris’ Youth Avoiders and Californias Smash Fashion to name a few.

As for the coming week, we continue with Bens California Dreaming road trip where he visits some pretty amazing places as he skips across the USA. we also caught a few amazing live shows and bring you some fantastic records by some well-known people as well as some of the finest new performers current kicking up a storm on record players and concert halls around the planet. Remember to stick with RPM for all your alternative news and reviews. As Lux used to say “Stay Sick” www.rpmonline.co.uk its a rock n roll revolution!

 

 

 

X-Darlings – ‘Dead Toy Capital Of the World’ (Lux Noise Records)

X-Darlings – ‘Dead Toy Capital Of the World’ (Lux Noise Records)

Out of all the many excellent underground bands I’ve encountered internationally whilst writing for various music websites over the past decade or so, one of my absolute favourites has to be Bitch Queens from Switzerland. They just have that little something extra special about them (coupled with some truly excellent songs) and 10” dildo mic stands aside plus perhaps a few lucky breaks, who knows, they could perhaps transcend their current underground cult following and break through into the mainstream and be huge.

The band’s drummer Harry Darling must already sense this because here with X-Darlings he’s teamed up with Isabella Eder (from powerpop quartet Delilahs) to release a debut album that bears all the hallmarks of a true stadium rock contender. Think Ginger Wildheart’s Hey! Hello! jamming with an in their prime Backyard Babies with just a smidgeon of Muse’s pomp and ceremony added for maximum (special) effect and you certainly won’t be a bazillion B-Movie influenced miles away from what X-Darlings are all about.

Released earlier this month via Lux-Noise Records on LP and digital download ‘Dead Toy Capital Of the World’ contains 9 songs that skip surreptitiously into your psyche prompting the same kind of post-apocalyptic thoughts that bands like Grave Pleasures do in your frightmares, albeit here the X-Darlings give proceedings a slightly lighter pop undercurrent.

Take opener ‘Are You Talking To Me’ for example, this baby conjures up images of Travis Bickle fronting an electro version of The Cramps and believe me it sounds every bit as fantastic as it looks in print. Elsewhere ‘Particle Collison’ manages to twist one of Dregen’s most memorable riffs into a twisting dark pop waltz complete with gloriously camp hand claps that punctuate the verses with a hint of Bitch Queens magic, whilst in album closer ‘Brand New Day’ that aforementioned sense of epic grandeur that has Muse headlining stadiums all around the world is nailed to total perfection.

I must admit that when Dom sent this one over to me to review, he kind of gave me the impression that this was an out and out glam record, but nothing really could be further from the truth on the throbbing ‘In Transit’ a track which actually sounds like the soundtrack to an imaginary electro spaghetti western. Fear not though glam fans because you will love tracks like ‘There For You’ and ‘Snap Out Of It’ and you’d be quite within your rights to simply scream the choruses into your hairbrush like you did back in the day plus with the curiously monikered ‘Laxative’ X-Darlings thankfully prove they are anything but shit at the glam punk game.

‘Dead Toy Capital Of the World’ then is a mighty fine solo/side-project from Harry Darling, it’s a fascinating look behind the scenes into some the more melodic influences of his day job band, and whilst it took me a few plays to get fully into it, I do think that all the best albums in my record collection have always tended to be like that.

It’s one to get on the X-mas list that’s for sure and it’s an interesting precursor to the all-new Bitch Queens album which is due in early 2019

 

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Author: Johnny Hayward.