The Darts ‘I Like You But Not Like That’ (Alternative Tentacles)

The Darts ‘I Like You But Not Like That’ (Alternative Tentacles)

The Darts simply don’t live in this world. Their world is this magical place where the nuggets of the 60’s took over the world in every way, shape, and form. Walls are seemingly made of red velvet, and gold accents adorn everything. When you get closer though, you start to see and feel the grit. On their third album, the Darts further their garage rocking sound with some new shades and colors that at times have me thinking of Bratmobile and, at other times, have me thinking back to Nicole Laurenne (vocals, organ) and Christina Nunez’ (bass, vocals) old band the Love Me Nots. If you have enjoyed the Darts so far, this album is a must buy, and, if you don’t know the Darts, start your education here. Rikki Styxx continues to pound the drums while Meliza Jackson makes her studio debut on guitar with both of them also providing backing vocals.

‘Breakup Makeup’ starts things with a frantic beat and Nicole’s vocals getting plenty of room in the mix in the verses. The vocal pattern in the chorus and music remind me of ‘Time Warp’ from ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ if it had been played by the Dwarves. The shouted backing vocals recall the bands that all seemed to be signed to Estrus Records back in the day. The pogo beat of ‘My Way’ demonstrates another of Laurenne’s vocal strengths as she sounds like she has been doing this since she came into the world. This at times has an almost hip hop feel through the verses with Jackson’s guitar cutting through the mix perfectly as Nunez and Styxx are perfectly in unison together. The band slow the tempo with the groovy mid paced ‘Don’t Hold My Hand’ sounding like it should have been a hit from 50 plus years ago, except it brings in some additional noise and power. The backing vocals under the fuzz come straight from the school of the Ronettes. This is superb, timeless songwriting by all involved.

With the title track inspired by a back and forth with a person who messaged the band more than a time or two, the rhythm section lays down a beat that still catches me off guard with every listen.  The music takes on a suitable creepiness feel with the spoken word type vocals adding even more texture to the album.  The chorus features a mix of seductive and disgusted vocals which really creates a cool back and forth. This would be the scene where this person gets thrown back out of the Darts world because he simply couldn’t handle it. A riff by Jackson opens up ‘Break Your Mind’ which actually reminds me of the Love Me Nots’ debut from back in the day. The organ sounds great here as it overlays with the rhythm section.  Something that should be noted is you cannot sit still when this album is playing. Even as I sit typing, my feet are moving with the beat, and I keep wanting to air guitar the riff here. Wrapping up the first half of the album is the slower ‘Love You to Death’ where Nunez’ bass is from another dimension. The beginning of the song actually makes me think of grunge legends Green River. The drums carry some additional power in the mix, and the vocal effects create a very different sound.  Coming in at close to 5 minutes, this is an epic in the world of the Darts.

Side 2 finds the band continuing their sonic mastery. ‘New Boy’ gets us back to bouncing off the world with the organ and guitar cutting back and forth over the rhythm section. They waste no time here as they plant an infectious chorus in our heads. The guitar and organ each get their own moments to shine before they throw the chorus at us again for good measure. ‘Thin Line’ starts with Styxx laying down the gauntlet as the band barrels through a nuggets rocker with another sticky chorus that demands replays. The break for the organ here works perfectly. Turning down the dark street you know you should have avoided brings us to the cool ‘Phantom.’ I love Laurenne’s vocals here as her voice sits just under the top of the mix. It rises in the mix at the chorus but so does everything else which just makes it even more powerful. In an album of favorites, this one currently holds the title for me. It has a groove that stirs the soul and makes us feel alive.

The defiant ‘I Ain’t Crying’ punches us in the face with the beat threatening to explode right out of the speakers. Nunez’ bass adds a lot of oomph here with the breakdown in the song giving everyone a second to shine even further. ‘Japan’ opens up with a classic nod to the Far East in terms of the beat, and this song simply needs to be on the radio at maximum volume. In that world of the Darts I mentioned, this is the kind of radio they get every day instead of the manufactured crap we get peddled at us on a daily basis that has no heart and soul. This chorus might as well be an immediate transfer to your long-term memory. Closing the album with ‘Where’s the Rain,’ the band follow a similar pattern to the first half with a slower number that rumbles through the speaker, but this song has an entirely separate feel  in every other way.

No runts in this litter, no weak links… This is a high-quality album that takes doses of the Nuggets era and yanks them forward with bits and pieces from what has come before to create another great album in the discography of the Darts. This world should belong to them. We would all be better off if it did. Check back in December to see just how I rate this one, but it stands tall as an album of the year contender for me.

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Author: Gerald Stansbury

 

 

 

 

The Rods – ‘Brotherhood Of Metal’ (Steamhammer/SPV)

The Rods – ‘Brotherhood Of Metal’ (Steamhammer/SPV)

Ahh The Rods, now there’s a band name that instantly gets the musical memory banks whirring. To my teenage self way back in 1981 the band’s awesome self-titled debut on Arista was an instant hit on my turntable, and I admit I only went to see Iron Maiden on their Beast On The Road tour to check out the support band.

Yup the New York trio were a veritable whirlwind of great tunes and rock ‘n’ roll attitude long before rock music fractured into multiple genres and forced stereotypes, The Rods were unclassifiable in my eyes as they simply played great hard rocking guitar music just like say Starz, The Godz or The Boyzz in fact all they were missing was a Z to end their name.

It was only when they signed for Music For Nations here in the UK and then pledged an allegiance to all things metal that my interest started to wane and their mid-80s LPs simply didn’t excite me in the same way that their younger contemporaries records did. A planned UK headline tour with Metallica and Exciter in support  which was ultimately cancelled was pretty much the last I heard of the band until 2010 when through the power of Uber Rock and Myspace I suddenly found myself talking with the band’s singer/guitarist David ‘Rock’ Feinstein about their then just about to be released reunion CD ‘Vengeance’.

Fast forward eight years from that album’s eventual release and here I am in possession of the band’s all new eleven track album ‘Brotherhood Of Metal’ (the vinyl adding a twelfth track in the shape of a reworked version of ‘Crank It Up’ originally featured on the aforementioned Arista album plus of course covered by legendary supergroup Super$hit 666), and whilst I normally stay well clear of metal albums these days getting to grips with this one was actually a most welcome surprise.

Okay granted it’s not exactly the sound of my ‘80s first love but it is the same line up of Feinstein, drummer Carl Cannedy and bassist Garry Bordonaro and whilst Dave may be singing slightly lower than he did back then what The Rods do here they do with the utmost of integrity. Even when the record opens with the title track and it’s just piano and Feinstein declaring his love for all things metal it’s somehow not got me reaching for the skip button, and I’m glad I stuck with it too because what follows is the kind of metal record that has seen Judas Priest filling arenas with for decades. Yes, there’s a hint of Manowar in here too, but thank Odin the likes of ‘Hell On Earth’ and ‘Tonight We Rode’ remind me of their early (as in the best) days, and you also can’t really do a Rods review without mentioning Feinstein’s cousin Ronnie James Dio, although I’m purely mentioning him here because the riff to ‘Louder Than Loud’ sounds so much like primetime Dio I have to check that my MP3 player hasn’t suddenly gone on shuffle by mistake.

It’s the powerhouse drumming of Carl Cannedy that introduces both the epic ‘Evil In Me’ and the autobiographical ‘1982’ and here the band once again capture that metallic stomp of Priest, likewise ‘The Devil Made Me Do it’ and the staggeringly brilliant ‘Eveybody’s Rockin’’ could very easily fit in on ‘Screaming For Vengeance’ or Defenders Of The Faith’ such is the high standard of the metal on offer here.

‘Brotherhood Of Metal’ then is the sound of The Rods doing what they love, and as Cannedy himself states what you get here is “no ballads, and nothing your mom will be humming”.

 

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Author: Johnny Hayward

Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes – ‘End Of Suffering’ (International Death Cult)

Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes – ‘End Of Suffering’ (International Death Cult)

“It is impossible to achieve the aim without suffering” – John G Bennett (Philosopher 1897-1974)

 

Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes describe ‘End Of Suffering’ as their third and most important record, and they are not wrong. Following the success of their first two albums (‘Blossoms’ and ‘Modern Ruin’ were recorded back to back just 8 months apart) the band hit the studio in London during the record-breaking heat wave of 2018, with the intention of taking their time to create the biggest and best album they could.

To help achieve this, they roped in famed producer Cam Blackwood (Jack Savoretti/George Ezra) and the legendary mixing talents of Alan Moulder (NIN/QOTSA) to help turn their blood, sweat, and tears into something truly special.

 

The title ‘End Of Suffering’ comes from the Buddhist mantra for finding enlightenment, and the themes of this album document Frank’s struggles for the last 2 years. First single ‘Crowbar’ may have lulled fans into a false sense of security that this album was going to be choc-a-bloc with primal, fist-pumping anthems of empowerment’, but it’s safe to say Frank and songwriting partner/guitarist Dean Richardson have worked hard to take The Rattlesnakes to the next level. I believe their songwriting has matured beyond any of their previous work.

At the heart of this album is the song ‘Anxiety’, a highlight at the recent intimate shows. With a hard-hitting video and relatable lyrics, it’s a song that has already touched the hearts and souls of many fans. Dean’s lone, haunting guitar riff sets the tone for Frank to open up more than he ever has before. ‘Anxiety’ is an anthem for unity, a song to raise your hands to and stamp your feet along to.

You see, Frank Carter is a man who cares, and understands he is in a unique position where he can make a difference to people’s lives through his music. And if the message he gives out prevents just one person from shutting themselves off from the world, making them realise that they are not alone and that it is ok to not be ok, then his job is done.

 

Heavy talk aside, ‘End Of Suffering’ is introspective and puts out a positive message.  It is not a punk album, nor is it an indie album. ‘End Of Suffering’ is a modern rock record that perfectly bridges the gap between Gallows and Pure Love, much more successfully than either of their two previous albums did.

While the hardcore influence of Gallows that was still present throughout the first two albums is now all but a distant memory, ‘End Of Suffering’ is no less intense for it. Opener ‘A Butterfly Can’t Love A Spider’ sets the intensity levels high from the word go. Riding on a formidable, pulsating beat and brooding vocals that build to a soaring crescendo, as Dean bashes out a dirty riff. “When I’m high, I’m in Heaven, when I’m low I’m in Hell” sings Frank, and we believe every word.

The band then fire into the skulking beast that is ‘Tyrant Lizard King’. Featuring a cool, desert rock riff and a chorus that slithers from the speakers like a snake ready to inject its venom straight into the soul, it captivates and enraptures. A trademark off the wall solo from a certain Tom Morello fits the feel of the song perfectly. This tune is guaranteed to be a mainstay of The Rattlesnakes live set for years to come. 2 songs in, and it’s safe to say the band has taken things up a notch or two.

“I’m a punk rock renegade” drawls Frank on the opening line of the space age, indie punk hybrid ‘Kitty Sucker, before launching into another anthemic, high energy chorus that matches the intensity of Gallows at their finest.

With the likes of ‘Little Devil’ with its QOTSA feel and the regimental beats and high energy, post-punk vibes of ‘Heartbreaker’, The Rattlesnakes offer enough to satisfy all the cravings their fans desire. They even explore Portishead territory on the downbeat electronica soaked ‘Angel Wings’, a song that creates beautiful and cinematic imagery, if you just take the time to close your eyes and take it in.

The emotive closing title track offers yet more with acoustic guitars, a piano refrain and a recording of Frank’s four year old daughter laughing as the song fades out on singular ivory notes. “I’ll be waiting…even if I’m gone” Frank assures the listener in a near broken voice.

 

Between sorrow and beauty, where love and hate collide, the deeply personal ‘End Of Suffering’ could be the album to rocket Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes into stadiums around the world. It has already been stated elsewhere that this is their ‘The Holy Bible’, that this could be their ‘In Utero’. The difference being…this album offers hope where the others only gave despair.

Funnily enough, the opening quote of this review was taken from the introduction of the U.S. mix of ‘She Is Suffering’ by the Manic Street Preachers. How’s that for a tenuous link, pop pickers!

 

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Author: Ben Hughes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cokie The Clown – You’re Welcome (Fat Wreck Chords)

Cokie The Clown – You’re Welcome (Fat Wreck Chords)

Fat Mike NOFX.  Yeah, right now you sit up and pay attention well come a little closer because this is not NOFX it doesn’t sound like NOFX even if Fat Mike is Cokie The Clown. This is dark in a very late night and I shouldn’t drink whiskey and do blow kinda way’ oh, and listen to Tom Waits. More like E from Eels than NOFX and that’s a good thing.  Sure he could have clowned around and down a dumb punk record and made a mint off the back of it but he hasn’t he’s gone for the piano and miserable vocal angle.

 

‘Bathtub’ is almost three minutes of one sad voice and a sparse piano and to be fair ‘Fair Leather Friends’ is more of the same if not a little more uptempo (steady on punk rocker not that uptempo) and it has a cello and some hi-hat and snare and if you must know its endearing and really fuckin’ good.  Why wouldn’t it be?

If you think E and Tom Waits you won’t be far off the mood of the record it has been said it’s not a happy record (they got that right) but it is a very good record.  It shows Fat Mike has hidden depths and can indeed turn his hand to writing some great dark melancholy music there are some great arrangments like ‘Swing And A Miss’ and he looks inside the dark corners of his mind to dig up songs like ‘Down With The Ship’ and the grande Harpsichord led ‘Negative Reel’  the album has ten tracks, the album also features a who’s who of A-list talent that assisted him throughout the recording sessions. Danny Lohner (Nine Inch Nails) produced ‘You’re Welcome’;  Travis Barker played drums and Dizzy Reed of Guns N’ Roses contributed keyboards! Baz (a French musician), who Fat Mike collaborated heavily with on the album has to take some credit for what is a really impressive record but for being so different from what I was expecting.  The pop melodies that make up ‘That Time I Killed My Mom’ well I did say it was dark!.  its all wrapped up in a really fine piece of Cover art painted by the talented Natalia Fabia.

‘Fuck You All’ is like Fat Mike doing his best Cranford Nix and it builds to the most upbeat song on the record (musically that is I can’t mislead you into thinking ‘Fuck You All’ is upbeat).

So Fat Mike exposes his soul and releases an absolute winner. Ten tracks, dark, simple (ish), excellent!  My final words have to be – buy it, just for the autobiographical ‘Punk Rock Saved My Life’ epic!  If you want to hear NOFX then go do so this most certainly isn’t and I’m good with that because this is the business.

 

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Author: Dom Daley