CR Dicks – Dick Moves (Black Gladiator / Slovenly)

CR Dicks – Dick Moves (Black Gladiator / Slovenly)

Andy Caffrey is the man behind CR Dicks and thats good enough for me, That and being on Slovenly is an endorsement in itself.  I haven’t got a clue about the name either and its probably best not to ask.

What does the record sound like I hear you howling at the screen? Well, its a fucked up fuzzy slice of walking on the Wildside it’s got hip hop fuzzed-out blues distortion of some description (‘What Kind’) the vocals are howled through a tunnel by the sound of it as are the sporadic and chaotic backing vocals and there’s crazy sax honkin (played by none other than Pete Balestrieri, ex-VIOLENT FEMMES) and some slick and sick funky bass slapping its way through these choppy waters. It just works and you need to trust me on this.  Turn it up then when it gets uncomfortable turn it up a little more – that’s the fella. 

 

‘Tweaker Of The House’ is something Beck was able to write many moons ago but not as street and dangerous sounding as this. Imagine a noisy garage-punk – hip-hop hybrid with just enough dirty Beastie Boys meets Jon Spenser. Sounds interesting, right? of course, it’s intimidating but “Dick Moves” isn’t sweetness and light it’s not Coldplay nor safe like Noels High Flying Birds this is cutting edge and music to fuck you up. It’s demented  ‘Therythmethod’ will fuck you up if the volume is right. It’s not helped much when the lo-fi of ‘Red Moped’ enters the fray with its Suicide-lite drum machine beats and hushed vocals but wait it’s destroyed when ‘Skate To Die’ explodes through the speakers all thrashing distorted guitars and fucked up vocals burst through the speakers. 

Its probably for the best that ‘Black Girlfriend’ is the final track such is the sonic assault taking place but for the next three minutes you’re taken on a garage rock road trip of the finest kind.  What a scorcher to end up on its discord juddering rhythm is the perfect way to sign off.  I guess we’ll see Andy in about another ten years when he’s got enough for another journey through the darker side of Rock and Roll for us, but we’ll all sign up for the trip thought right? Fuckin’ right we will! my bag is already packed for the ride.

 

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Slovenly Recordings

Author: Dom Daley

 

 

 

Sum 41 – Order In Decline (Hopeless Records)

Sum 41 – Order In Decline (Hopeless Records)

Let me start this by painting a little image in your head.

The year is 2004. I’ve just finished school for the summer and I can’t wait to waste the rainy days indoors blasting Kerrang TV. I’ll always remember seeing the music videos for Fat Lip and In Too Deep way way back in the day, they made quite an impression on this edgy little 10-year-old.

 

It was about a year later when I managed to get the albums All Killer No Filler, Half Hour of Power and Does This Look Infected? (I say get because I had to rely on my old man buying me CD’s, No sales clerk is gonna sell an 11-year-old an album with the opening track “Grab the Devil by the Horns and **** Him up the *** … Oh the curse of parental advisory, I do not miss it.) I can’t remember how many times I had played tracks like Still Waiting, Makes no Difference and Summer but I’m sure the repeat button on my walkman hated me.

 

Sum 41 are still kicking after all these years however with Order in Decline, their most recent work. We’re greeted with the opening track Turning Away. It’s not how I expected the album to start, put it that way. Catchy riffs and sequences are present, the chorus and the guitar solo (which is killer by the way) add a bit more energy to it but it still feels a bit lackluster as an opening track.

 

Two of the more stand-out tracks for me have to be Out for Blood and A Death In The Family. Both of these songs are borrowing from the style of the 2004 album Chuck. Not to mention these songs are pretty heavy for a punk band, with double bass beats and riffs that go hard. Around the midsection of the album is where we start to get some of the more groove-oriented tracks such as Heads will Roll and 45 (A Matter of Time). Already in five or so tracks Sum 41 are really showing that they’re not afraid to branch out into a number or different styles and subgenres, showcasing how they’ve developed as musicians over the years. Albeit with the departure of Stevo 32 some years back.

 

After a brief slow down in tempo and mood with the song Never there, we’re thrust straight back into the groove-fueled Eat You Alive, and then another personal favourite from this record The People Vs… This track is an absolute beast of punk riffs and drumming, Deryck’s vocals really shine on this track due to the grimey punk aesthetic. The final track on the album Catching fire also feels a bit lackluster. I’m not gonna lie it sounds like pop music, but I’m sure there’s something there for every sort of fan, albeit new or old.

 

All in all this record showcases much of the band’s diversity and how they’ve developed their musical style over the years. There’s something here in this record for everyone, whether you’re a fast-tempo high energy punk fanatic, a groove-heavy rock and roller, or even someone who enjoys the slower types of songs. You’ll be able to find something to enjoy in this album. I do think the track listing feels a little confused, however, Personally I’d have moved some of the songs around just so the album flows a bit better, instead of the more random nature of styles bouncing back and forth as you get deeper into the record. Some might argue that the order of songs are there as “Palate Cleansers” but It’s a bit too much for me personally. As an older fan of Sum 41, I did enjoy the record in whole. It’s great to see a band I grew up with still kicking and still producing great tracks.

Buy Order In Decline Here

Author: Adam Hatherway

Ramones ‘Its Alive’ to get Rhino Anniversary Treatment

Ramones ‘Its Alive’ to get Rhino Anniversary Treatment

The 40th-anniversary of the Ramones’ first live album, ‘It’s Alive’, will be marked on Sept. 20 with the release of a six-disc version containing three unreleased concert recordings from the same tour.  The benchmark for all live albums ‘Its Alive’ was always going to follow previous Ramones albums with the book style Rhino treatment and welcome it is too.

A previously unreleased version of “Blitzkrieg Bop,” included in the four-CD/two-LP package, which is presented in a hardcover book. You can listen to the track here.

‘It’s Alive: 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition’ includes all four concerts that were professionally recorded during the Ramones’ U.K. tour in December 1977. Three of them make their debut on this set: Top Rank at Birmingham on Dec. 28, Victoria Hall in Stoke-On-Trent from Dec. 29, Friars at Aylesbury, from Dec. 30 and the Rainbow Theatre in London on Dec. 31.

The new edition will be limited to a run of 8,000 copies and will also be made available via digital and streaming services. This also marks the first time ‘It’s Alive’ has been available on vinyl in the U.S.

Pretty Vicious – ‘Beauty Of Youth’ (Big Machine Records/John Varvatos Records)

Pretty Vicious – ‘Beauty Of Youth’ (Big Machine Records/John Varvatos Records)

You would have had to have been living under a pretty big rock these past five years or so not to have heard the name Pretty Vicious mentioned in music circles. The Merthyr four-piece were hailed as the “next Oasis” by many websites/magazines and inked a silly money major label deal after what was literally just a handful of gigs.

Whilst a few of my close mates experienced that early buzz first-hand and rejoiced in seeing a local band once again looking set to make it big I deliberately stayed away purely because with a band as young as Pretty Vicious (they were all in their mid-teens when signing their initial deal) it all felt a touch too voyeuristic, and you only have to look at what subsequently happened to The Strypes to see how badly it can all go for a young band if they don’t shift the units their label wants them to.

So here we are in 2019 and now devoid of that original record deal with Virgin /EMI Pretty Vicious currently find themselves doing low key interviews to promote ‘Beauty Of Youth’ minus their singer as he has had to step away from the spotlight due to a personal tragedy that almost cost him his sanity. Their long-awaited debut is now being released through Big Machine Records a label based in Nashville that normally specialises in Country music so with all this going on this just suddenly felt like the right point in time for me to fully experience what Pretty Vicious are all about.

Granted it’s not exactly my first time hearing the band as I did dip my toe in the water with some of their early singles and whilst they were okay they didn’t exactly blow me away either, so what ‘Beauty of Youth’ is is my first chance to sit down and fully immerse myself in the band’s sound, a sound that has now had 5 whole years to develop and mature.

Well, the “next Oasis” label afforded Pretty Vicious early doors I can certainly pick up on during opener ‘These Four Walls’ and there’s more than one occasion during the album’s dozen tracks that I get the sense that the pressure must have really been on the young lads to write arena-filling tunes at all costs. ‘No One Understands’ for example certainly has that early Stereophonics Valleys lad bowl (as in strut) about it, whilst album closer ‘Little Molly’ is the anthemic lighters (or should I say phones) in the air tune that all albums of this ilk see as mandatory. BUT and this is a huge BUT its when Pretty Vicious break out of musical trappings of what is expected of them that they truly shine, in particular, singer Brad Griffiths who sounds not unlike a curious hybrid of Axl Rose and 70s Ozzy Osbourne during tracks like ‘Are You Entertained?’ and the brilliant ‘Someone Like You’. Indie music this most definitely is not folks, and the production from Dan Austin (You Me At Six, Twin Atlantic, Pulled Apart By Horses) certainly helps the boys push the attitude (and guitars) to the fore.

Elsewhere ‘Something Worthwhile’ kind of reminds me of 90s rockers Cast albeit with a turbo booster shoved up their arses, ‘Move’ has an almost Gary Holton goes grunge feel to it and the back to back pairing of ‘Force Of Nature’ (Oasis drum fill in the intro aside) and ‘Lost In Lust’ could very easily be Smashing Pumpkins at their very peak.

With all that is going on musically in the dozen songs that make up ‘Beauty Of Youth’ the future should really be looking bright for Pretty Vicious, but with Brad side-lined and dealing with his personal demons I applaud his bandmates for sticking by him as there is no way success should come before a mate’s own wellbeing. “It’s just a game” after all, as Brad sings during ‘Playing With Guns’. I just hope he gets himself sorted and that the band can then fully capitalise on this absolute stonker of a debut album. In their own time though as they still have the real beauty of youth very much on their side.

Buy ‘Beauty Of Youth’ Here

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Earth Vs The Wildhearts to get vinyl re release

Earth Vs The Wildhearts to get vinyl re release

The critically acclaimed debut album from The Wildhearts is back in print for the first time in 26 years. Pre-order – released on 13/09/2019

Re-Released in all its glory on 180gm vinyl Earth vs  sees classic albums back on vinyl to complement the Round Record releases of the more recent Wildhearts albums.

Originally released in 1993, “Earth vs The Wildhearts” is the critically acclaimed full-length debut album from The Wildhearts, fronted by the inimitable Ginger, and featuring the singles ‘TV Tan’, ‘Suckerpunch’ & ‘Greetings From Shitsville’. Hailed as Kerrang! magazine’s Album Of The Year in 1993, it was originally issued on LP, cassette and CD, with the vinyl edition soon becoming a much sought after collector’s item following its deletion. Now, for the first time in 26 years, the album is being reissued and will be available on heavyweight black vinyl.

Pre Order Here

Jack Oblivion & The Dream Killers – Lost Weekend (Beluga Records / Ghost Highway Records)

Jack Oblivion & The Dream Killers – Lost Weekend (Beluga Records / Ghost Highway Records)

Jack “Oblivian” Yarber was an absolute unknown to my ears I’m not afraid to admit even if he is on solo album number seven!.

Finding time doesn’t seem to be a problem for the prolific Yarber as the list of bands Yarber has been a member of over the years is Huge and a review all of its own but he has spent time with Johnny Vomit & the Dry Heaves (a high school punk project that also featured future Squirrel Nut Zipper Jimbo Mathus), ‘80s new-wavers the End, ’68 Comeback, Knaughty Knights, and Tav Falco’s Panther Burns. Two of Yarber’s former bands — the Compulsive Gamblers and the Oblivians — have seen their reputation and following swell in the decade since their demise, especially the Oblivians, whose international fan base borders on rabid. Due largely to his stint in these bands, both partnerships with Greg Cartwright, now of the Reigning Sound, Yarber has been an acknowledged influence on artists such as the White Stripes, the Hives and Jay Reatard. and breath.  Don’t worry I’d only heard of the last three bands as well.

So what do they sound like you ask? Well, its got a melting pot kinda vibe about it but all within the confines of playing some tasty Garage Rock and Roll and some swampy blues thrown in for good measure. The first track is an instrumental bluesy workout that has plenty of guitar choppin’ but in the time-honored tradition of Thunders opening with ‘Pipeline’, it’s not the longest song in the world and helps the listener get comfortable before heading deep into the record.

‘Scarla’ is a stomping bluesy bit of slide driven Rock and Roll with the merest whiff of Psychedelia on those vocals but its a toe-tapper. ‘La Charra’ is brooding but I keep waiting for the drums to kick in over the honking horns but it doesn’t and before you know it the songs moved on.  That’s another point here the songs are pretty short which is why they’ve managed to cram in Sixteen songs. Maybe treat the instrumentals as more like musical interludes while you go get anouther beer from the cooler.  ‘Girl On The Beach’ has a little bit of Reggae going on and does remind me of Jaya the Cat in a weird sort of way.

The recording sounds a little lo-fi but that’s sympathetic to the style the band is bustin’ out ‘Stick To Me’ is like they’re channeling their inner Keith Richards which is never a bad thing right? Right.  That Lo-Fi vibe is never more evident than on ‘Dream Killer’ with its drum machine buzzing by. Things get snotty on ‘Boy In A Bubble’ whilst it sounds like they’re leaning on Wilco Johnson on ‘Funky Blue’.

I love the folkiness of ‘Bank, Gun, Jail’ its like Dylan never happened. Possibly saving the best til last as ‘Loose Diamond’ is Chuck Prophet leading the Urban Voodoo Machine through a slow smoke filled daydream a very decent tune indeed.  I think if some of the chaff was cut away off this record Jack would be sitting on an excellent garage blues album that’s not saying its not a very good record but it might help focus the listener’s attention better or is it just me?  Either way, go check out this cool slab of wax and drift away to something entirely different.

Author: Dom Daley

Beluga Records Here

Ghost Highway Here

Bored – Take It Out On You (Bang Records)

Bored – Take It Out On You (Bang Records)

‘Take It Out On You’ is 1990 Bored! E.P. Which has now, On this release been expanded by adding a bombastic and brutal take on ‘Iron Man’  to complete these sessions from that year; it features Tim Hemensley on both Bass and Vocals. Australias best exponents of loud over the top Rock and Roll!

Its dark – mysterious – dirty;  Detroit dripping Australian Rock and Roll at its absolute finest.  Perfectly marrying that Stooges fuzzed-out – Fucked up reckless Rock and Roll with some of Australia’s finest like Birdman and a clear understanding of punk rock and at the sharp end of the Grunge explosion along with the likes of Mudhoney they get all that Detroit influence.

From the opening ‘Conquest’ you certainly get the impression of a band who’ve left the tape rolling inside a studio with no windows or air-con and a band who are just playing harder and harder.

It’s a killer collection of full of wild riffage and attitude soaked vocals. ‘Mr 10 Percent’ is everything you wan tit to be.  Purposeful, angry yet just being under control and even when the solo takes off it never sounds like they’ve lost control.

‘Sweet Charity’ is pure ‘Funtime’ era Stooges with its stretched out jam vibe and seven minutes of sonic excellence as it assaults your senses on several fronts.  Its a heaving angry jam and played loud is a Godsend of Garage punk Rock. the title track, however, has a handle on a more rock n Roll Misfits kinda vibe rather than being just punks they take the Garage Rock route.

There isn’t a huge body of work behind the band but there is a history of quality and Bang Releasing this on the back of 2016 ‘Piggyback’ compilation is a pretty decent place for you to start if you’re new to Bored!

Side two of this album starts off with my favourite track on offer here ‘Final solution’ has a huge throbbing bass chug and sort of mashes up some Jon Spenser Blues Explosion with some of that Detroit Action Rock n Roll and absolutely own it.  I love the chorus and the laid back tempo and groove of the song is exceptional. ‘Motherfuckin’ Motherfucker’ is like Iggy fronting Motorhead and as far as attitude goes what are you expecting considering the song’s title?  All killer and no filler is about the best place to start.

‘Iron Man’ is heavier (if that’s possible) imagine if Sabbath were a punk band weened on VU and the MC5 rather than UK psychedelia. It does, however, sound like a whole world of fun and I’d imagine more than a couple of stubbies were downed in the making of this racket and when the tempo changes someone is certainly channeling their inner Kramer meets Iommi and that’s always a cool place to be.

If you like loud guitars and songs with a great sound in the Garage Punk hard rockin’ style than fill yer boots you’ll love this bad boy.

To be fair to BANG! Records they have pushed the boat out as far as Bored! goes and have plenty on offer over on their web site.  BORED! “Get off my wah-wah and suck this!”, BORED! “Piggyback”, 2LP, BORED! “Negative waves”, LP-CD, BORED! “Junk”, LP, BORED! “Scuzz”, 2LP, TIGER BY THE TAIL, S/T, LP-CD (Featuring Dave Thomas on vocals and guitar)and to complete the set ‘Take It Out On You’ is here. Buy it
Bang! Records Here

Author: Dom Daley

Local Drags – Shits Looking Up! (It’s Alive Records / Stardumb Records)

Local Drags – Shits Looking Up! (It’s Alive Records / Stardumb Records)

We love Rock and Roll here at RPM and because you’re reading this I guess its fair to assume you love a bit of Rock and Roll as well. Keep reading fellow Rockers because  by the sounds of it we’re in good company on the evidence of this long-player.  Local Drag clearly loves Rock and Roll as well because they ooze the stuff.

From the opening chords of ‘Can’t Probably Wait’ I have that feeling that I’m listening to greatness and this is a record I’m going to fall head over heels in love with.  Its dirty power pop with some added Replacements and American indie rock (Husker Du)  thrown in for good measure  (I don’t reference those giants lightly either).  The chorus of ‘Pot Holes’ is subtle; maybe understated but fuck me man its killer and I love the harmonic riff and solo on the fade-out, it’s simple but so so effective.  Then to follow it up with some bubblegum riff-a-rama of ‘500 Hours Free’ which has a touch of The Posies with its loud guitar pop crashing through it is excellent and I can’t Ignore the Boys-inspired chord progression.

‘Double Bird’ has some Westerberg at the core of its DNA and that’s always a good thing. Simple acoustic strumming with great double-tracking vocals simple yet so effective.  To follow that with the runaway train of ‘Trash Bones’ with its bluster and melodic crash-bang-wallop this is proving to be a record that’s covered all bases and one I’m gonna be investing a lot of time in over the coming weeks maybe months.  Damn, they even have a tune about beer! fuck it I’m in.

‘Water Wings’ kicks up a shit storm of loud power pop and the penultimate track ‘Metal Gear Winter’ is like Classic Teenage Fanclub and their self-titled album closer ‘Local Drag’ is one of the best songs on an already outstanding record.  Lets not fanny about here I can throw a dozen superlatives about the songs on this record when I could sum all that waffle up by telling you to just get it! Don’t mess about wondering if you should take a chance get an ear full of anything off this record and you’ll be convinced that you’ve made the right choice.  Carry on loving music by buying Local Drags and Shit is definitely looking Up!

Starburst Records 

Author: Dom Daley

Jordan Jones – S/T (Beluga Records/ Spaghetty Town Records)

Jordan Jones – S/T (Beluga Records/ Spaghetty Town Records)

Wow,  Every now and then a record comes and absolutely knocks you off your feet from the first listen to the last refrain of the guitar on the last track of the album. Well, Jordan Jones did that to me from the first minute I dropped the needle and the acoustic guitar sounded the battle call for ‘I Wrote You A Song For Me’.

An absolutely blistering ray of sunshine of an album that just screams summertime and plonks a big fat smile across my chops as I drift away lost in the music.

 

Sure,  its nothing more than ten songs with varying tempos played with traditional instruments in a power-pop Rock and Roll style.  Its got swirling organs – acoustic guitars,  overdriven clanging electric guitars and a sweet vocal not a million miles from the late great Marc Bolans tone.  When you sprinkle in some magic dust and glamtastic harmonies – for me, you’re onto a sure-fire winner and this self-titled ray of Californian sunshine is quite simply fucking Brilliant!

‘My Somebody’ plugs straight into a slab of power pop Posies style but with a heart and soul belonging to Ronnie Lane and some of his Faces style of writing tunes that subtle yet awesome melody.  From the swirling organ to the instrumental breaks that lie behind the slightly distorted riffs – Damn this is good.

Without jumping ahead let’s not ignore the opener that grabbed my attention before the first bar had finished. ‘I Wrote You A Song For Me’ is some street fighting riffs on the old acoustic guitar. A melody so sharp you can hang your hat on it – followed by an almighty arrangement. You might think I’m getting a tad carried away here but this album really is twelve inches of sunshine and great songs.

‘Understood’ is carefree trash ‘n’ roll as it just throws its arms in the air and rocks out as a good power pop song should. Well, one that’s got a dash of The Boys-style punk rock pumping round its heart. ‘No Makeup’ deffo has a hint of The Faces about it as we tread down the familiar pattern of Girls – love – loss – heartache – breakups –  you know the kind of stuff Rock and Roll has always been about – nothing too heavy here.

I couldn’t pick a favourite that would be unkind to the other track but ‘Rumour Girl’ comes pretty close to the top.  Plenty of energy great harmonies and arrangement.  ‘Waiting’ is a slower more peaceful meander like a Teenage Fanclub song with a real 70s edge to the melody. If you don’t like ‘Be My Baby’ then I’d seriously check your pulse it’s like The Exploding Hearts never went away and a fantastic rocker with jangly guitars mixed in for good measure.

Just to back up my gushing praise of this record it seems to get stronger and stronger and unlike many album front-ending the best tunes this one is easing you in gently so your heart doesn’t skip a beat by the time you reach the simple yet so effective acoustic twelve-string pickings of ‘Do You Want To Hang Out’ with its super harmonica break – it’s as simple as that –  storytelling in the same vein as say a Kevin Jr or a Nikki Sudden its just plain and simple and comes across as effortless and hits the spot so so well. The album ends with the gentle ‘Oh My Heavenz’ yup a song with a glam rock Z on the end.  Jordan Jones has released one of the finest debut solo albums of the year.  This guy should be a superstar it comes across as effortless to Jordan but I’m sure it isn’t.  Don’t think about it just buy this record!

Buy Jordan Jones Here (USA)

Europe Buy Here

The Volcanics – ‘Black Door’ (Citadel/Ghost Highway Recordings)

The Volcanics – ‘Black Door’ (Citadel/Ghost Highway Recordings)

Every once in a while an album comes along that almost completely flies under your radar but the tunes on offer stop you in your tracks and kick you straight between the legs like some musical steel toe capped boot.

‘Black Door’ the all-new eleven tracker from Australian five-piece The Volcanics is just such a record. Boasting a Jim Diamond mix job this record cuts, like a fucking knife, the tunes are that sharp. The songwriting adding a fantastic pop twist to the already well-worn garage rock/punk rock formula that sees oh so many bands falling at the final hurdle when it comes to having that extra edge to make them stand apart.

Perhaps The Volcanics secret ingredient is the huge presence of vocalist Johnny Phatouros who shines throughout, and where some singers might just put their foot on the monitor and scream out belters like ‘Talk’  and the album’s title track, Johnny throws in off-kilter vocal hooks that at first seem at odds with the band’s throbbing backbeat, however once they sink in you cannot help but marvel at just how simple and effective his approach is. In many ways, he is like the band’s Pelle Almqvist or their Skye Vaughan-Jayne.

Talking of Skye for a moment the immediate buzz I got when listening to ‘Black Door’ for the first time was this could very easily have been the follow up to The Chelsea Smiles awesome ‘Thirty Six Hours Later’ album from 2006, and if you are familiar with that classic, you’ll know that we don’t make comparisons to that work of absolute punk rock genius that often here at RPM towers. So, if that’s sparked your interest then ‘Changes On My Mind’ is the tune I suggest you listen to first (via the Bandcamp link below) and trust me when I say “have a cold beer in hand when you press play” and “just let the music do the rest.”

With influences as wide-reaching as You Am I and AC/DC The Volcanics actually remind me more of Radio Birdman and Midnight Oil, albeit with (thanks to the aforementioned Diamond mix) a sound that manages to hammer home the intensity of the band whilst retaining the clarity of the melodies, the latter being the essential difference and why tracks like ‘2000 Years Ago’ and ‘You Don’t Even Know The Song’ work so bloody well.

To be honest I’m a little bit gutted that I’m only just discovering The Volcanics now. five albums into their career. Still better late than never eh, and when the first tracks I get to hear by them are as fucking fantastic as those on ‘Black Door’ then the real positive about this situation is I’ve now got four more Volcanics albums to look forward to catching up on.

Look I can’t recommend The Volcanics highly enough, they are chock full of positivity in an age of the negativity and I challenge you right here and now to go listen to ‘Black Door’ and not get the same buzz I did the first time of listening.

Album of the year material? You betcha.

Author: Johnny Hayward

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