Floridian Freeloaders like to rock. Make no mistake in that their twin-guitar attack is 70s centric and a celebration of who they are and what it is that made them pick up instruments and rock the fuck out!
They do things old school and have an old school touring schedule that’s had them frequenting the roadhouses, truck stops and Waffle Houses of the South. They’ve earned their stripes and have done it the hard way they pride themselves on their irresistible attraction (allegedly), and can’t pass a woman sitting alone at the bar without trying their luck…(so their biog says)
Sadly, all bullshit. Freeloader is four old-timers from the Boston music scene who have recombined in endless band permutations. Nat Freedberg is the singer, songwriter and guitarist. Jim Janota is the drummer (Nat and Jim played together in the Upper Crust), Charles Hansen is the lead guitar player, and Jim Haggerty plays bass. Damn, they had me sold.
Freedberg released a solo album last February called ‘Better Late Than Never’. It shows how prolific he is and with this coming out hot on its heels he is overflowing with tunes. But this Freeloader is more “Rock” with capital R Nat felt he needed a vehicle for these harder tunes so hence we have this band and this record.
There are two covers on the record, ‘Rag Doll’ A Four Seasons number, and Billy Preston’s funk classic “Will It Go Round In Circles,” which the band took and Rocked the shit out of. That leaves eight originals… Nat only had seven. So its believed he wrote ‘Ten Songs Make an Album’ the day before it was due to be recorded.
Of the Ten songs, its strictly in Bon era DC territory with a clean overdriven guitar played loudly with a melodic tone its sharp and very clean distortion if you know what I mean there’s no way you could say this was swampy muddy sounding rock and roll that’s for sure.
‘Nobody Gives A Fuck’ is melodic in a Thin Lizzy ballpark as it stomps through the verse towards the chorus it’s timeless in a PAt Todd kinda way and I like that. Man, ‘Rag Doll’ sounds good they’ve really taken ownership of this one and given it a real bad boy boogie. It might have the worst title on the record (hell the worst title I’ve seen all year but) ‘Chick A Boom Boom’ has a great riff and the solo would make Angus blush. the only tune I’m not so sure of is the Scottishness of ‘The Highland Fling’ its almost piraty and the lyrics aren’t for me.
Thank God for ‘Round In Circles’ and we’re back on track with a neat groove the band are rocking again which only leaves the Jags or Cars kinda skank on ‘Ten Songs Make An Album’. Now where is the party because I’ve got the tunes. Bloody Freeloaders.
Man the opening track on this EP had me longing for some Role Models and Replacements because that’s exactly where Mono In Stereo are pitching this EP.
Hell, it’s on Rum Bar Records so it was going to be a no brainer for me and from the first play I couldn’t not be into this. It’s ragged – honest – anthemic without being cheesy and wholesome without being sappy its got grit and dirt under its fingernails it’s wearing its Replacements patch on its chest next to its Mellencamp one as the keys swirl and the distorted guitar chords ring out over the steady beat this is a winner in every which way. The only fault I have is its not a full-length album and only half of one.
‘Different Kind Of Man’ is anthemic but not cheesy as the band sound loose enough to have enjoyed a few pre-recording beers to celebrate such am impressive few tunes. Damn, they know it, Rum Bar knows it and I know it and if you have any sense you’ll be getting hold of this. ‘Not Your Fault’ has a great melody but its not any single part but the sum of all its parts that makes this record so listenable.
‘Fores’ amps it up and lets in its inner punk rock with neat gang vocals and a fiery tempo part misfits part Gaslight Anthem if there such a thing. (there is now) To take this home the title track brings up the rear and just puts a big exclamation make on proceedings Records like this should come with a health warning – This Rock and Roll will put a serious strain on your smile and fist pumping the air can be dangerous. Open another beer and turn it up!
‘Dead End City’ was originally released back in 2001 by Stardumb Records. While you can still pick up vinyl repressings in Europe, this long out of print album from Italian stallions The Peawees is finally available on CD for the US market on Rum Bar Records.
The Peawees have been playing low slung rock ‘n’ roll for over two decades now and last year’s ‘Moving Target’, their 5th long player, proves they have aged disgracefully and are in fact, a band at the height of their powers, melding vintage Elvis Costello melodies with 50’s rock ‘n’ roll vibes and dirty, punk rock goodness.
‘Dead End City’ originally came out at a time when the airwaves were choc a bloc with a different kind of punk. The pop/punk of Sum 41 and Blink 182 were mainstream, yet it was the Scandinavian bands that were ruling the stereos of those in the know, right? Albums by the likes of Backyard Babies, The Hellacopters and The Hives are the ones that stick in my memory from 2001. There were plenty of other great albums that were very much under the radar, such as this little gem of an album.
Led by singer/guitarist Hervé Peroncini, The Peawees bash out an irresistible combination of garage rock, rhythm & blues and punk rock that is as timeless as the influences they wear on their leather jacket clad sleeves.
Opener ‘Road To Rock ‘n’ Roll’ is a wall of guitars and urgent beats, with a chorus that brings to mind RPM faves The Loyalties, in part due to the vocal similarities to Tom Spencer. In fact, this album pre-dates the Loyalties, coming out a year after The Yo-Yo’s disbanded and a few years before The Loyalties got going.
Lead single ‘Cause You Don’t Know Me’ is a mighty fine anthemic blast of rock ‘n’ roll fun, you will swear down you have heard before. I was that convinced, I was on the net quick sharpish to check! Hervé’s gruff vocals cut through the distortion to deliver an instant chorus that will stick long after the final notes have faded. Brilliant stuff.
With pop-tastic melodies on the likes of ‘No Reaction’ and ‘Ready To Go’, handclaps and cool as you like solos that nod their heads to Chuck Berry (‘In My Heart Tonight’) and to spaghetti westerns (‘I’m Not Right’), the tunes on ‘Dead End City’ cannot fail to ignite the rock ‘n’ roll in your soul one way or another, guaranteeing your return for repeated listens.
While a choice, run through of CCR’s ‘Proud Mary’ closed the original album, now an additional 3 tracks including the old doo wop classic ‘Run Around Sue’ and the super-fantastic rocker ‘Don’t Give A Fuck’ only adds to the high energy fun of a band that gloriously melds vintage, guitar-driven garage rock goodness with the pop sensibilities of new wave, to create a masterful album that will sit proudly between The Hellacopters and Social Distortion on your shelf.
Always nice to get a Monday morning off to a good start well it won’t get any better than this slab of punk rock from Norway. Wet Dreams indeed get these bad boys on your radar asap.
Wow is it really 30 years? Seems like a great time to watch this great song and video again and hope the reissue delivers some great bonus material. ‘Love Junk’
Finally with a new song up on Bandcamp but no video we thought it only fair to show this bad boy which guarantees to kiss any Monday morning right between the eyes take it home boys and turn up the speakers because its Watts with enough Kiss references to satisfy Gene and his payola machine. take it away gents
Muck and the Mires will make you want to Twist and Shout and Blitzkrieg Bop. No one does it better than Muck and the Mires, we swear by it! Also on the bill in London are RPM favourites The Speedways. Get there early and dance like you’ve never danced before.
Indonesian Junk return with a new EP of three originals and one cover. They hail from Wisconsin here in the United States and have put out a couple albums as well as past singles, a live album and an EP. This EP is not a bad place to get started if you want to get a taste of the band. Drawing inspiration from the likes of the Heartbreakers and those early bands from New York back on the 70’s with a healthy dollop of powerpop hooks, Indonesian Junk carves out their own identity to sound fresh and inspiring.
Lead track ‘When I Find You’ roars out of the speaker and finds Daniel James crooning over a cool guitar riff, and he then lays down a killer solo for good measure. This is straight forward rock designed to clear your head and celebrate life for a few minutes… assuming you are not the one he is going to beat up when he finds you. I’m always surprised more bands don’t cover early KISS songs with the excellent cover of ‘C’mon and Love Me’ sounding like they were the ones who wrote it with the attitude spilling out of James’ vocals throughout the song. Mike Mattner pounds the drums into submission, and Johnny Cyanide (bass) provides some excellent backing vocals. As the song fades out, the riff for ‘Detroit Rock City’ bubbles up for a moment and leaves me wishing the band had gone ahead and covered it too.
‘I Could Die’ opens with some nice work by Mattner to set up a midtempo song that features a slow subtle guitar riff. Unfortunately, this song lets the momentum of the first two tracks slip, and I have caught my mind wandering on this song each time I have played the EP. I think I would connect with it more in the context of an album’s worth of material. The band grab my attention back every time with the big swaggering riff and beat of ‘See the Light.’ My favorite song on the EP, this one channels all that is great with sleazy sounding rock and roll with James serving as a conduit for the likes of Thunders, Berry, and even some McCoy.
Indonesian Junk will hopefully get exposed to some new fans with this one as the EP represents a really cost effective way to start your collection if you are not already a fan. While it is not perfect, it does represent their sound really well overall with the band specializing in primal, punky, hook filled rock and roll, which their record label (Rum Bar) seem to have some innate ability to find and deliver to us.
With enough singles to keep any jukebox fully stocked with the latest and greatest RPM brings you a mixed bunch of Rock n Roll, Punk, Garage, and God knows what for your dereliction this month. As we move into November and the Christmas shopping there are more than a few stocking fillers on display here for the discernable hipster to shave off the beard put some socks on and get into some real rock and roll before it’s too late and your old and wondering what you’ve done with your life. So read – watch and listen the 45 RPM roundup is in session…
Scumbag Millionaire -Under The Spell (Suburban Records)
Gothenburg scumbags release the third single of the most excellent album ‘Speed’ (Reviewed Here) As it thunders along this is as good as fucked up rock and fucking roll gets. It sounds huge! and the seven inch also has non-album track ‘Get Out’ on the flip side of this slab of orange wax. Get involved folks these boys are blowing up and offering a thrilling mix of garage rock n roll and punk attitude and making some of the best music this year.
So Beluga in Sweden knows a thing or two about putting out fine Garage Rock n Roll singles and The Hijackers just joined the family with a high energy slab of sleazy garage rock and roll. Having been a part of the scene back in the 80’s its only taken the band some thirty-two years between releases that’s either some writers block or Axl Rose style recording process, either way, it’s here and Beluga has it and by the sounds of it, it’s well worth the wait. The lead track ‘I Don’t Like You’ is like the Hives sludging it out with the Mc5’s and the guitar solo is howling feedback that Brian James would be proud of. Cramming four tracks on to this seven inch makes it a record worth owning and real value for money. ‘Day and Night’ is a real toe-tapper with its feet firmly planted in the late 60’s as they really have this down to a fine art. Side two is off like a rocket as ‘My Little Girl’ is barely in tune but that doesn’t matter because this is flying by the seat of its pants hi-energy rock and roll and we totally endorse that. Let’s hope its not another thirty years for the next release
The Briefs – Kids Laugh At You (Taken By Surprise Records)
It’s the Briefs and after their show-stopping performance at this year’s Rebellion festival, This was always going to get a rave review from RPM because we love the likes of The Briefs. The lead track is off like a hurricane as it devastates with its pace and melody. sure you know what to expect and you aren’t about to be disappointed either because Nix and the gang deliver again and again and its a most welcome entrant into the singles club love the Damned-esk breakdown and then the chanting gang vocals that take this home. the Briefs are back kids and their laughing as well. the B Side of ‘She’s The Rat’ is another top-notch belter go on fill yer boots and click the link Buy Here
Demons – Was Here…(Ghost Highway Records)
Demons have sure been busy these past few months what with their new mini album with punk rock legend Jeff Dahl (RPM review shortly) and this here single on Ghost Highway Records. This chunk of good old Rock and Roll is just about hitting the bullseye of our heart as ‘Street Corner Of No Return’ is the lead track that just oozes class, it’s no frills yob rock with a bruising tempo and sing along chorus that you and your gang can join in on as the organ lends the harmony a helping hand. The B Side is a more laid back rocker in the shape of ‘Satellite Town’ by the end you’ll be singing along and dropping the needle back at the start to go back for some more and the solo just burns! Great single.
He’s got a Fezzbox and he’s not afraid to use it. Like the bastard sibling of Jon Spenser, These four tracks deliver a sonic fuzzed out slab of Garage rock and roll. You know what you’re going to get the second the music kicks in its a needle in the red and plenty of swing on those drum licks. The heat gets turned up as the EP plays out. I love ‘Ladyland Batswingers’ whatever that means or wherever it is I want in. It’s getting hot in here and as the solo wails on ‘You Do Not Belong’ its like a trip on the tongue of someone else as the melody and sha-la-las shouldn’t fit but they bloody well do. after you’ve shaken off the tinnitus the police sirens howl as the tempo raises through the roof ‘Rhesus Christ’ kicks over the speakers and sets fire to the console as they leave the room. quality!
Can they ever make a bad song? Nah didn’t think so either. After releasing a brand new album they left these two songs off the LP to release as a single quite why they’d leave these two off God only knows. With ‘Dog Collar’ coming on like the bastard child of a Clash song its a slab of coll as fuck punk rock and what every office party should have on at the Christmas do whilst you’re spiking the punch. But they saved the best til last as the B side ‘Talk To Us’ is a stone cold could only be The Parkinsons classic. From the laid-back gang vocals on the chorus and the funky rhythm that jars your head while the organ tickles your fancy if you don’t like this then as Alfonso says “You ain’t got no soul” and the best bongo playing since T Rex! Buy it Now!
Brad Marino – Four Track Attack (Beluga Records)
FOUR TRACK ATTACK is the debut solo release from veteran rocker Brad Marino, best known as the singer/songwriter/guitarist for The CONNECTION. Brad has to be credited for been named as “Coolest Song in the World” on Sirius XM’s Little Steven’s Underground Garage on more than the once. On its own, that merits a huge amount of Kudos in my book Well taking time away from The Connection Brad had decided to really show off by playing everything on his new EP and singing. the first couple are solid power pop then Brad turns up the tempo and starts cooking some cool licks on the six string. ‘On The Brink’ rips and just oozes rock n roll. the final track ‘Special Friend’ was written especially for this project by New Trocaderos’ songwriter, Michael Chaney. Check out Brad and then check out his band you won’t be dissapointed.
St.Jimi Sebastian Cricket Club –I Still Get The Calls (Beluga Records)
The first single out of three from St. Jimi Sebastian Cricket Club and Beluga Records. I Still Get the Calls and the b-side A Smile Within is recorded and mixed at Vibe Studios Manchester (the Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, Badly Drawn boy etc) and mastered by Pete Maher, London (U2, Jack White, The Rolling Stones etc ).
A bit of a slow burner especially the B Side but ‘I Still Get The Calls’ has something of a nod to 80’s Britpop With a good old sing-a-long on the chorus this is good stuff. Good old storytelling rock n roll.
Tommy And The Rockets / Bikini Wipeouts (Kotj Records & Rocktopus Tea Party Records)
“Split The Waves” sees Tommy And The Rockets and Bikini Wipeouts knock out Two songs each, one original and one cover. Tommy And The Rockets did a cover of “Summer Means Fun” by The Fantastic Baggies, and Bikini Wipeouts did a cover of “Hawaii” by Brian Wilson and as winter comes rushing in why not pour one last cocktail and get the grass skirts out for one last party hey why not hold a party and play some tunes and why not play this slice of pop n roll .
How these Northern Europeans aren’t really from more tropical shores God only knows and Los Bikini Wipeouts aren’t too shabby either. Give it blast if you want to know what summer sounds like.
Quite simply Watts kick ass that should be all I really need to say on this one. I tip the hat once again to Rum Bar for flying the flag of good honest rock and roll music and its bands like Watts that are like moths to a flame as they converge on the label and then they feed off each other ‘Queens’ is a no-nonsense rocker with a solid beat and great full production to drive the song on. this single is backed by the balsy ‘The Night The Lights Went Down’ which is from the same gene pool as Bon era DC and that’s always going to be a good thing Right? Right! The good news doesn’t end there because there’s a long player coming early next year again on Rum Bar records these guys just keep giving.
V8 Wankers – the Last Rock ‘N’ Rollah (Ghost Highway Records)
It got one big biker boot firmly stuck in the Four Horsemen camp and the other on the monitor wedge. This bad boy has some bottleneck and is fairly generic in style and the flip side sees the band turn in a fairly honest take on the classic ‘Travellin’ Band’ they speed it up (of course they do) and thus loses some of the spark and lacking in some muscle which would have made this more of a bruising cover.
Puppy & The Handjob – I Eat Abortions (Slovenly Records)
of course, they do. They also play catchy punk rock that’s recorded in the blink of an eye and on a budget. It’s fair to say these cats aren’t from the Bob Rock school of big sound and they’ve never taken a leaf out of Def Leppard’s book (thankfully). So they do have a melody and a guitar solo but you should look away now if you don’t appreciate a wicked solo played from the heart (yeah right) good tune though to be fair. Spread out over five songs it gets a bit tired after a while must be that Arizona heat.
I love The Ramones and so does The Dirtiest and why wouldn’t they – why wouldn’t anybody. The Dirtiest play buzzsaw punk rock and roll just like Johnny and Joey used to and I love it. The first tune is like the second and funnily enough the third is much like the second and the first but the fourth is like the first second and third. 1-2-3-4 hey ho, let’s go.
Jake Starr & The Delicious Fullness (Ghost Highway Records)
Former Adam West frontman releases this spooky three-track single through Ghost Highway in Spain with its wicked cover artwork and blood red wax how could we not cover this bad boy. With three stomping rock and roll tracks ‘A Ghoul Like You’ is outstanding with that spoooooky keyboard rattling round behind the curtains and some great scooby doo effects we give this a howling thumbs up. The horns on ‘Torso Song’ are fantastic and playing these would go down a storm with the likes of the Urban Voodoo Machine and their blues bop n stroll – honkingly good single.
Following on from their last EP, More To Life, which got attention from the likes of Kerrang! Radio, Pure Grain Audio, and Alt Corner. after eighteen months in the long grass, EIGHT DAYS are back with new members. The newly invigorated quartet have released their new single, Stray, in October; they plan to tour as well so keep an eye on their pages to find out when and where.
Floridian Freeloaders like to rock. Make no mistake in that their twin-guitar attack is 70s centric and a celebration of who they are and what it is that made them pick up instruments and rock the fuck out!
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