Singles Club –

Gyasi – ‘Godhead’ (Alive Natural Sound Recordings) He’s got the outlandish costumes and the to die for platform shoes, Gyasi (pronounced Jah-See) is a flamboyant artist who brings the golden age of UK 70’s rock n’roll into the 21st Century.

Raised in the woods of a West Virginia holler and currently living in Nashville This young dude has all the authenticity to pull off a 70s revival with his sincere – convincing strut. Gyasi is the real deal and we know it and so will you if you’re paying any attention.

stream it Here

Ravagers – ‘Shake the Reaper’ (Spaghetty Town Records/Wanda Records) Record of the week? Hell Yeah! some huge riffs and a catchy chorus mixing Bon Scott Era DC with some smart Dead Boys vibe Ravagers have got it happening and the mystery X-Factor a plenty going on here. If this is the shape of things to come then bring on this new album ‘Badlands’ because I think these cats are contenders and heading out on tour with Suzi Moon is something we need over this side of the pond for sure. Rebellion should get Ravagers over this summer so we can all get down with them. Banger! Absolute Banger!

Mickey Leigh’s Mutated Music – ‘Standin In The Dark’ (Wicked Cool Records) Yeah yeah we all should know who Mickey is by now but he is showing his pedigree with the tracks released so far from his solo album that’s coming down the track. This is another taster for what we can expect and it’s a rockin good time that’s for sure. The claim is Mickeys saving rock n Roll one song at a time which might be a tall order for any single person but it’s a good start that’s for sure.

In other news Mickey has made a Netflix film about his book about you know who. You know its all cool now getoutahere!

Stream the new single here: https://orcd.co/standinginthedark.

Pre-save the album ‘Variants of Vibe’ here: orcd.co/variantsofvibe.

J Prozac – ‘Building Blocks’ (Rum Bar Records) ‘Building Blocks’ the first chapter of heart-worn sleeve punk in J Prozac’s forthcoming full-length release, a memoir, diary, and photo book of lost but not forgotten moments, anthemic pop-punk, garage and power pop, musically it’s something for everyone and lyrically it’s like an autobiography of the different aspects, family and loved ones in J’s life.

Buy Here

Kevin Preston – ‘Caprice’ (Wild Honey Records) He’s got the Alvin Stardust glove on and he’s a shake rattling and a rolling on this offbeat rockin’ tune from Kevin. A first solo offering from the longshot, Prima Donna frontman its certainly a slight sidestep in style but its got snake-hipped charm and we like that here at the Singles Club so hop on board and pick up a 7″ before their all gone gone gone.

‘Close My Eyes’ slow-burns like a long drag on a Lucky Strike. ‘I Know Where I Stand’ channels the spirit of fellow Valley boy, the late Ritchie Valens so get in the (Foxboro) Hot Tub and crank up the stereo and take a sip on a tall dark and handsome drink and let the rock and roll wash over you. It’s a no-brainer that you should buy this what will be a collector’s item.

Buy Here

James Domestic – ‘Mañana’ (TNS Records) James kicks off 2022 with the third single from his forthcoming solo album. ‘Mañana’ sees The Domestics’ frontman taking another sonic direction, there’s a lofi garage rock vibe meets Blurs Parklife meets a bit of West Londons Taurus Trakker about proceedings. The main thing is it really works.

It’s low-slung, chugging garage-punk with dub sirens, saxophone, steel drums and the vocal return of Clare Gillet from the ‘Push On Through’ single. All of this sounds like it’d be an unbearable mess, but somehow it’s not.

The Carrion Repeating album is released on vinyl and digital in April on Kibou Records / TNS Records (UK), and Amok Records (Germany). It’s available to pre-order from https://kibourecords.bigcartel.com/

THE CHORDS UK – ’21st Century Girl’ (EPOP Records) From the new album ‘Big City Dreams’ The Chords UK skank their way through Norf London innit with this breezy tune and some insight for what we can expect on the album released soon.

Placebo – ‘Try Better Next Time’ (SO Recordings) Lifted from the new album ‘Try Better Next Time’ further opens up what we know about ‘Never Let Me Go’s frank and honest depiction of our modern times. ‘Try Better Next Time’ – the album’s poignant centrepiece – can be easy to mistake as an apocalyptic vision of the future. Instead, we find the band focusing less on endings and more on new beginnings. It’s an anthem for the end of a world that we know. Brian thinks we might grow fins but there are a few reptiles in Government who should go back into the water that’s for sure. It’s unmistakable Placebo and that’s comforting. I await the album with a positive outlook and enter the enormadome later this year for the tour.

Placebo will embark on run of headline UK / IE tour dates in 2022. Tickets are available here.

Placebo: Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

The Drowns – ‘Know Who You Are’ (Pirates Press) A cover of a Slade Classic is the order of the day with the internet airwaves full of static about Noddy saying yeah or Nay about a slot at the commercial high table that is Glasto of a reformation. This cover pays tribute in a timely fashion and does a very decent job as well. That backbeat is a joy to hear and this take is excellent. The flip side is an original ‘Guidelines Of Control’ which begins with the heavenly sound of a cowbell before Rockin and Rollin down the line with a really good n breezy stomper sounding like it has a heavenly slice of Dave Edmunds coursing through its veins. Top tune.

Get hold of a copy here

Turkey Vulture ‘Twist the Knife’ (Self Released) Husband and wife duo outta Connecticut play heavy as bricks Rock with a dark punky attitude on this four-track EP. It swings from some Sabbath heaviness ‘Livestock On Our Way To Slaughter’, yeah it is a strange title but then they are called Turkey Vulture.

It gets a bit samey towards the end but maybe it’s me and not the EP and I’m not ready for some Stoner Rock /punk quite yet and maybe I should play it louder because everything sounds better louder. Check em out here and respect to Jesse for playing everything bar the drums here, impressive.

Singles Club is open-a-ho-ho-ho

With Christmas fast aproaching we thought it was time to swing open the doors of the RPM Online singles Club and see who strolls in. We weren’t disappointed as the mixed bag of miscreants waltzed in. With out most diverse bunch yet theres plenty to ponder from our staple favs to some wide ranging inclusions check em out at your leisure…

DIRT BOX DISCO – ‘Fuck me it’s all Gone Wrong’ (AVENUE RECORDZ) Hey Hey it’s a Dirtbox Day, Fuck Me its only Dirtbox Disco damaging my ears with their Motorhead infused punk rock n roll.

Of course its a banger as it lodges in your head and you can’t get rid of the gang vocal chorus for days and you find yourself saying fuck me at every oportunity. Its got a catchy chorus of course it has, It’s to the point and its got guitars that are razor sharp and Maff is kicking the shit out of his tubs. Dirtbox are back in the ring and doing what they do better than anyone else. Loud and proud and right on the money! Its all gone right more like.

Website

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JOHNNY CASINO -‘Another Girl’ (Golden Robot Records) This is the first single from his February 2022 release ‘5×7 the Days of Wine and Cola‘ ‘Another Girl’ started out as a moody acoustic piece until it found its way into the recording studio on the Costa Blanca in Spain. Here, a fire had been lit underneath it, a couple of bottles of wine poured all over it and an inspired electric guitar burned into it by Johnny and his band. There is a san fran vibe about it as well maybe is in the vocals but whatever its a great tune and if the rest of the record is up to this standard then bring it on. The solo is blistering.

Pre-Save/Pre-Order ‘Another Girl’ HERE

Mickey Leigh’s Mutated Music – ‘No Fun Anymore’ (Wicked Cool Records) A thumping good tune. Though Mickey Leigh has been making music for over five decades, 2022 sees his first solo full-length release under the name Mickey Leigh’s Mutated Music.  Growing up the brother of Joey Ramone,   If this is the standard of what we can expect from his first solo album, ‘Variants of Vibe’, in February 2022 then bring it on. The first single, ‘No Fun Anymore’ is like the bastard child of Stiv Bators solo material and a real Rock and Roll tonic packed with energy and a strong hook get this on your new years wish list. hit it up here

Kurt Baker – Christmas In The Sand (Wicked Cool Records)  The first of two singles from Kurt Baker this round-up ‘Christmas in the sand’ was inspired by Kurt and his longtime collaborator and bandmate, Wyatt Funderburk’s, experience writing the song in the cold weather of Maine.  He said, “It’s a song about wanting to be at the beach during Christmas time! If only we lived in the southern hemisphere, haha!”  The original version of the song was released in 2012, but 2021 saw the band revisit the song and “kick it up a notch.” I’m sure you’ll agree it has all the hallmarks of a crimbo classic. Get it on the playlist at the office party and turn it up its got sleigh bells n everything – Check it out Here

Night Courts! ‘Fractions’ (Snappy Little Numbers /Debt Offensive Records) Second video/single by Vancouver lo-fi indie/punk trio NIGHT COURT from their debut release Nervous Birds! is a right little earworm as it burrows in and unsuspecting throughout the day week you want to hear it again and again. Infectious? sure is. Check it out in the video below. Get into them here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tifahzarjFQ&t=7s

Edweena Banger – ‘Let’s Do It’ (self Release) Album number two on the horizon this first glimpse of what to expect is a right banger (no pun intended) sizzling Rock and Roll with a big hook is the order of the day and one we fully endorse here at RPM Online. Connect with Edweena Here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QL2ccPg6HOM

Kurt Baker – ‘Turn It Around’ (Wicked Cool Records) wow Kurt Baker is in da house and he’s burning it down with this banger of a tune. A rapid stab of powerpoppin punk rock oozing attitude with a thumping backbeat. Of course it’s got a bloomin’ great big hook on the chorus but it’s got a warm winter fuzz going on from the kickoff. Another day another thumping good song released from Kurt Baker

get it Here

Swedish Magazines – ‘Head On Ice’ (Rubber Records) If you know you simply know. Melbourne rockers Sweedish Magazines are dropping bombs off their new album ‘I Wish Life Could Be’ and this is the latest – full of barroom Malcolm Young fire it barrels along like a bouncing bomb with boundless energy before smashing in your ear with an explosive chorus that makes your toes tap and your head move back and fore. Fantastic tune and one that makes you want to hear more and on this track they hit a groove and ride the shit out of it. If you want a catagory for this then punk n boogie would be apt as they mix Bon era DC with some punk rock SLF style. Whats not to like – excellent stuff.

Check it out here

Buy it Here

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Cheap Cassettes – ‘She Aint Nothing Like You’ (Rum Bar Records) Hell Yeah! the first glimpse under the hood of the new album from Candas Cheap Cassettes is a slow grooving rock and rolla and with great subtle gang harmonies these cats are back in the saddle and make this grooving rock and roll seem effortless from the clear melodic guitar break to the subtle late night overdrive they make great bedfellows with The Speedways from the UK and mixing up some Georgia Sattelites its such a cool tune that gets me excited for the album when it hits the shelves.

Check it out here

Chew Manga – ‘Listless’ (Stray Cat Records) full phat and fuzzy. This rocket-fueled slice of alternative rock is the first glimpse into the world of Chew Manga. Not heard these guys before but this Manchester mob has got some cool ideas and mix it up on single with a catchy hook and some great playing making for a most listenable tune and a pretty good introduction to the band. Check it out Here

Tony Iommi – ‘Scent Of Dark’ It might not be a crimbo single (Thank god) but this is the new release from Sabbath Guitar God Tony Iommi and as the video testifies it’s a slow brooding grinding beast of an instrumental combining those riffs and some lush cello playing. Of course, there isn’t any singing just riff after riff after mother fucking riff from the originator of all that is heavy and dark. Get it Here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xala32PZ5vU

Wax On Water – ‘The Drip -Part 1’ EP This Camden ensemble kicks off this EP with a dark-stringed intro before their electro attack creepy crawls into your ear. ‘Don’t Bore Us’ builds slowly with a dark brooding tempo before breaking out with a menacing riff before falling back into the electro grunge fused twist.

‘The Sting In The Raw’ is a raw as razor blades riff that meanders through the song slashing away with menace. ‘Seventh Son’ is more haunting but again breaks out with a big raw riff that’s dark and brooding. ‘For The Love Of Money’ is a twitching electronic beast as it moves slowly but purposefully to the chorus with all the dark frills of an electro pulsating gothic slap but the vocal add some softer texture to the track and its better for it.

Check them out here

Hearts and Rockets – ‘TV Is Boring (EP)’ (Psychichysteria) Following from their recent single and video ‘Square Eyes’ and single ‘On/Off’, Naarm (Melbourne)-based bratwave duo Hearts and Rockets’ 5-track EP, ‘TV is Boring’, is out on cassette and digitally today and is available via their Bandcamp page, psychichysteria.com, and on all digital and streaming services.

The EP features 4 new originals, including recent singles ‘On/Off‘ with its hypnotic guitar lick, ‘Square Eyes‘ however is like a pulsating bass line and synth hook twitching like a metronome, plus the band’s longest track to date the title track ‘TV Is Boring‘ – which clocks in at almost 13 minutes. PLUS there’s a bonus cover of Black Flag’s classic anthem ‘TV Party’ and Hearts and Rockets’ post-punk anthem ‘Buy It’. Melbourne is having some cool tunes poured out of its backstreets with this really good post punk scuzzed up down n dirty rock n roll noise and we like it baby! Check it out Here

Finnegans Hell – ‘Happy Christmas’ (Sound Pollution) The second best Christmas song ever written? In any case “Happy Christmas” by Finnegan’s Hell qualifies as the second-best Christmas song coming from a Celtic punk band.
– “Fairytale of New York” is still number one, but “Happy Christmas” contains enough social realism to make you reach for the bottle once the song is over, says lead singer Pabs Finnegan. His haunting whiskey voice takes the listener through three shades of black in a song that depicts anything but a happy Christmas. It might not be as good as The Pogues (Obviously) nor is it Slade or Wizzard but it shure as shit beats most of the insipid crimbo tunes we hear around this time.

Carrjam – 21 – ‘Can You Feel It’ (sound Pollution) A project started by Dregen to tip the hat to Kiss drummer Eric Carr who has passed 30 years ago! featuring Dregen (The Hellacopters, Backyard Babies), Gustav Kronfelt (video producer), Jolle Atlagic (Electric Boys, The Quill), Jesper Lindgren (Velvet Insane), Ryan Roxie (Alice Cooper/Slash’s Snakepit) Åge Sten Nielsen (WigWam), Philip Shouse (Accept, Ace Frehley, Gene Simmons), Jesper Binzer (D-A-D) and Martin Ekelund (Bonafide). It must be cock rock o clock judging by the style of this slow grooving rock song. Together with some of the most well-known and KISS-inspired musicians, Dregen has recorded 2 songs written by Carr plus 2 KISS related bonus songs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dN3X4mXfPFc

James Domestic – ‘Push On Through’ (KIBOU RECORDS) second single from James is an electronic departure from his day job with the Domestics. Lifted from James’ debut solo album ‘Carrion Repeating’, due out in April it’s a sparse ride that ends with a freak out of guitar noise broken down by a synth and the techo rhythm and drum beat. widescreen post punk for sure check out the video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qd95SJQspDQ

Hanterhir – ‘Waiting For Bertie’ (Easy Action) Cornish alt.rockers HANTERHIR return with a brand new single and video ‘Waiting For Bertie’ An adventurous mix of post punk with psychedelic undertones as well as some flutey tones for good measure it seems like the time is right for the band to get back to releasing their album that is penned for early 2022 release Connect here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FucSr0EzdCM

Pretenders – ‘Relentless’ (Rhino Records)

Losing my sense of taste – There is an air of darkened intent and menace ‘Losing MY Sense Of Taste’. Hynde sounds fantastic as she leads the band into this wonderfully sounding rocker. As the subtle melody unfolds behind a wall of guitar noise as the solo howls with delight as every ounce of emotion is rinsed out of the fretboard. Hyde has hit paydirt finding James walbourne who has tone and a swagger that is instantly likeable and has a style that makes the guitar sing in whatever mood he so wishes.

‘A love’ begins with that jangly chorus laden guitar that is something of a Pretenders / Hynde trademark but yet again the standout feature of the track is the mix  – it sounds huge. Excellent guitar pop.

On ‘Domestic Silence’ with its slow groove steeped in controlled overdrive gives the song an air of a well-oiled group locking in on each other, that small club tour they undertook to break these songs in as a unit was a masterstroke. This album sounds like a band, and not a solo Hynde project with hired top-tier session players which it could have sounded also co-writing with Walbourne is a winning team. Again the solo is exceptional as Walbourne delivers with feeling and some.

‘The Copa’ kind drifts Into the promise of love with its melancholy piano sounding like a late night in a smoky hotel lobby after one too many cigarettes and cognacs. The vocal is spot on here and Hynde is peeling back the years sounding as good as twenty years ago.

Side one taps out with ‘Merry Widow’ and another smokey slow number takes center stage. I think three in a row is a bit much as good as they are individually back to back they would have benefitted from being broken up with a more uptempo rocker. Even if the oriental drifting works well. It’s the guitar tone that pulls the end of side one through.

‘Let The Sun Come In’ is more on it, with a quality mid tempo feel and guitar lick lapping round the lips of a really good deep album cut. I like how the chorus soars. Next ‘Look Away’- is a melancholy acoustic pick through a sparse arrangement. Works well with the minimal percussion shaking it up from being just another slow album track it has room to breathe. The theme continues as ‘Your House Is On Fire’ continues with the laid back ambience a more relaxed Pretenders record than the last one but no lesser quality album. ‘Just let It Go’, another bordering on balladeering but is a fuller more traditional slow dive.

Hynde and James work really well together and their songwriting is in sync showcasing a unique voice that is instantly recognisable and can pull through a less than excellent song and with the addition of some superb guitar work throughout the record it’s a really good listen.

‘Vainhlorious’ is exactly what I was looking for as the album heads towards its conclusion, Turn the amps up and let’s play some loud rock n roll because when this band goes for it they can rock out with the best of them.

The record closes out with the beautiful ‘I Think About You Daily’ with strings arranged by the Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood on what is a perfect album full stop with some great arrangment of the finely balanced strings for the pick of the slow songs on offer. Very decent album yet again from The Pretenders who show no sign in giving up their craft just taking it to different destinations along the rocky road.

Buy Here

Author: Dom Daley

WINTERFYLLETH ANNOUNCE NEW LIVE ALBUM ’THE SIEGE OF MERCIA’

RELEASED 13TH SEPTEMBER (CANDLELIGHT/SPINEFARM RECORDS)
 
Leading lights of the UK Black Metal scene, Winterfylleth, return on 13th September 2019 with a brand new live album ‘The Siege of Mercia’ on CD/DVD and gatefold LP.
 
The album features a span of the band’s classic material – as well as a previously unreleased bonus track – and serves to demonstrate the formidable live abilities of Winterfylleth, as performed as part of their main stage appearance at Bloodstock Festival 2017. 
 
Bloodstock is often seen as the only domestic open-air festival to really focus on providing a stage for underground bands and they were one of the first to take a chance on adding Winterfylleth to their line up almost 10 years ago; something for which the band have always been grateful. Guitarist/vocalist Chris Naughton comments,
 
“Back then, playing the festival coincided with us releasing our second album ‘The Mercian Sphere’ (our first for Candlelight Records), and provided us with a huge platform on which we were able to launch that release. It was also the first time we had performed those songs on such a national scale. Having done so, our profile grew quickly and we were able to push the band forwards to where we find ourselves now. 
 
We have been fortunate enough to have been asked back to perform at the festival on a number of occasions since those early days, and it has always felt like ‘coming home’ when we do. Looking back, the highlight of all our appearances to date was in 2017 when we were invited to play the Ronnie James Dio stage. It was a great show for us”
 
Mixed and Mastered from the original desk recordings by long time collaborator Chris Fielding (Primordial/Electric Wizard/Napalm Death), with the live DVD footage professionally filmed on the Ronnie James Dio Stage,’The Siege of Mercia’ is an absolutely essential release for fans of atmospheric Black Metal. The band add, “with no overdubs, and a lot of passion; this is Winterfylleth live in 2017. We hope you enjoy it and we look forward to seeing you from another stage very soon! Until then…”
 
 
Winterfylleth are also currently working on the follow up to last year’s album, ‘The Hallowing Of Heirdom’ stating that, “we are also deep into the process of writing a new Winterfylleth studio album. Having taken a breather on the last record to make an acoustic album, we are now fully focused on a new, Black Metal album which we are hoping to record at the back end of 2019. 
 
The material that’s coming out so far is fierce, epic, triumphant and as emotionally charged as anything the band has ever done before, but this time it’s been honed through the filter of skills and writing experience we’ve garnered over the past few years doing a different kind of album. 
 
We’re hoping that what will come next will be a welcome surprise for our fans and a real statement of intent for the future”
 
 ‘The Siege of Mercia’ is available to pre-order now –Here