The Speedways – ‘Radio Sounds’ (Alien Snatch Records, Snap!! Records/Hurrah Musica and Beluga Records)

The Speedways – ‘Radio Sounds’ (Alien Snatch Records, Snap!! Records/Hurrah Musica and Beluga Records)

Is this Power Pop?

A question that is often all caps shouted across screens by keyboard warriors defending their record collection decisions.

Power Pop. A holy grail whose contents are loudly proclaimed obvious (depending who ya ask) and essential.  Apparently sacred (yet neverendingly argued) since the storied days of Peter Case losing his Nerves to then lace up his Plimsouls. Somehow important yet almost impossible to achieve… one wrong move, a drink too far, a chord eschewing a jangle and you’re “just rock n roll”.

Or so it seems…

The Speedways. The members languidly lean on the bars of darkened London pubs or float like spectres in corners of Some Weird Sin and Garageland gigs. Striped shirts and leather jackets. Dirty street-tamed Chucks and scuffed Thunders boots carry them from one late night heartache to another.

They are true believers who take their turn on stage with hearts outshining the Cheap Trick badges.

Heart.

How do you capture it? How do you?

This album is a stellar example of doing just that. It is the emotion, the essence of love (lost and yearned for) that makes special songs, damn the torpedoes and neat classifications.

This is their second full-length album and the growth since ‘Just Another Regular Summer’ is apparent right off the opening track. ‘This Ain’t A Radio Sound’ opens with a playful ‘80’s Cars ‘Heartbeat City’ keyboard that is somehow right at home alongside the dirty street jangle of Mauro Venegas’ guitars. Then Matthew Julian saunters in, his vocals accomplishing a feat in common with that of my favourite singers. It is instantly recognisable. Equal parts world-weary and up to the fight. Like how Phil Lynott would somehow whisper your thoughts back to you. At once like a friend and someone you wish you had the nerve to approach. A very rare and special dichotomy that gains trust from the listener. People will say you’re born with that. I can see here that you can earn it.

‘The Day I Call You Mine’ shakes off the skinny tie and gets tough. And sweet. The rhythm section of Kris Hood and Adrian Alfonso are like a modern day Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke of The Smiths. Taking the gorgeous songcraft and walking it home like schoolyard best friend bodyguards. In fact, every melody and arpeggiated chord on this long-player is kept safe in their scrappy hands.

“Daydreaming’ opens with razor-sharp back alley chords and a streetwise snarl that has me all of a sudden thinking, “Is this ROCK N ROLL???”

Speaking of that… ‘Your Brown Eyes Look So Blue’ comes dangerously close to sounding like a forgotten outtake from the soundtrack to “Grease”. High School dancing itself right to the edge of the parking lot of kitsch to puke, but teetering there and miraculously feeling much better, thank you! It was a close one boys, but then again, some imminent peril makes albums and nights out exciting.

The track order on this album has a great arch to it. The way it builds to a cinematic centrepiece starting from the dreamy fade into focus intro of ‘This Is About A Girl Who Loves The Sun’. It builds wonderfully into widescreen guitar pop. The song takes you off the dusty and noisy summer city streets and into the cinema to catch your breath and “to stop taking it out on yourself” as Matthew reminds you in the lyrics.

The exuberance of ‘Number Seven’ kicks the cinema doors wide open and the sunlight comes streaming through. We’re in The Speedways’ neighbourhood now, and there’s a place they know that’s perfect for an afternoon drink. Matthew puts his arm around you on the walk and lets ya know that you’ll get by… it doesn’t matter who believes you.

Another standout track is the band next door sound of ‘Empty Pages’. Effortlessly cool and just the right riff for just the right lyrics (“On Halloween I couldn’t hide”… who hasn’t felt that way? Vulnerable and surrounded by Pound Shop devils and clowns) The song is the sound of hanging out. Pure and simple.

The whole set does an excellent job of establishing a recognisable sound while crossing gang lines into territories that may feel like defection. The early Petty and almost ‘50s stomp intro of ‘Had Enough This Time’ giving way to a sun shower of cascading guitar shimmer and a riff that steps right off a beach to join in? Really? It works. Really well.

The album closer, the rather magnificently titled ‘In A World Without Love It’s Hard To Stay Young’, is a perfect bookend. A pocket symphony of guitars that shine like the afternoon sun reflected off a Camaro’s dashboard. Its harmonies sonically answer Julian’s proclamation, “I thought I was the only one to feel this way, until…” with the easy embrace of a close pal.

No. You’re not the only one who does, Matthew. You just have a timeless way of expressing it. Your band is right there with you bringing these songs into brilliant focus as well.

Pretty happy that a band like this exists, making albums to this calibre.

It sounds awfully good with a cold one or a double too!

OH! Power Pop?

I ain’t getting’ into that! Whaddya think, I’m crazy?

 

Buy Beluga Records Here / Speedways Bandcamp Vinyl Here

Author: Rich Ragany

Outtacontroller – ‘Sure Thing’ (Alien Snatch Records)

Outtacontroller – ‘Sure Thing’ (Alien Snatch Records)
Wielding buzz saw guitars, power-punk riffs, and fuzzed-out garage vocals OUTTACONTROLLER comes crashing out of the gates of North End Halifax with frantic, gritty pop songs about girls, gumption, and graveyards.
As soon as the first sonic blast hits the airwaves you know you’re in safe power pop punk rock hands as the familiar Ramones influence of lush melodies infuse with that caustic Buzzcocks raw guitar and skin-tight percussion.  Hell as the record unfolds its like the layers of an onion as the influences get peeled away.  The Boys, Ramones, Buzzcocks, as well as a whole host of chart lovelies from the 70s and 80s fill the airwaves.  To be fair who wouldn’t be influenced by some top turns in the new wave punk rock scene ranging from Husker Du and the American alt scene or college radio days but always in the back of the engine room looms The Ramones.
Songs like ‘Operator’ ease more into the laid back new wave category whilst I love the straight down the line rock and roll of ‘Nothing Comes From Nothing’ with its happy go lucky chord changes and gang vocals it gotta make you feel good and it bloody well does.
The songs never outstay their welcome and they run through their set with consummate ease like their having the best of times and why wouldn’t they?  ‘You For You’ rattles along as tight as hell with the treble up on the bass as it thumps out the rhythm towards the chorus. Great stuff.  That buzz saw tempo is maintained for the next few tunes as we rattle along to the finale.
Maybe if they used some keyboards you’d be hailing their Attractions influences but these guys don’t meddle too much with the formula and as we enter the home straight we double down on the Brudas gang vocals and melodies and wrap up a most enjoyable record.  Nothing groundbreaking but like I say enjoyable none the less.  They pay their respects to their forefathers and get lost in some great pop hooks along the way it certainly is a ‘Sure Thing’ that this was going to light up my day and have me singing along before I could even press loop on the old player.
Power pop no matter how many bands play it as long as they do it well it always sounds great.
Author: Dom Daley

TV Crime – Metal Town (Alian Snatch Records)

TV Crime – Metal Town (Alian Snatch Records)

I’ve loved the singles from TV Crimes and waited patiently for a full album from the East Midlands noisemakers and finally here it is ‘Metal Town’ is everything I wanted it to be and more. Punchy, noisy, melodic no bullshit Rock and Roll.  Seems perfect, but once you lock into the groove they’re ‘Jamming out on ‘Neo Waltz’ then you too will find them irresistible. They have elements of a young Elvis Costello in the vocal delivery and plenty of 60 ft Dolls and the likes of S*M*A*S*H and These Animal Men are in there as well in their approach to songwriting and pop music hooks.  Just listen to opener ‘Hooligans’ and tell me differently? When it came out as a single I had to get it – A fantastic opener by anyone’s standard.

‘In The Gutter’ is aggressive like Wellar fronting Buzzcocks on some Diggle numbers. Rolling with a Parkinson’s vibe its got an excellent hook – I love the chorus and can imagine bouncing around in some dingy club as this pounds my eardrums.  Its been too long since the UK had a band that could cross over many genres and draw in punters on the strength of their songs alone. well, I recon TV Crime have got the chops to pull it off.  I remember the NME wetting their collective pants when the Libertines did house calls and Camden was buzzin’ well its been too long since the streets had that going on but there are a few bands around right here right now who could carry it off. The band drag in the punk rock snot of ‘Can’t Remember Your Name’ it’s got an attitude, not unlike Cyanide Pills.

You can tell when you have an album this good on the player because when it’s finished you shove it back on again and a month later your still thinking the same. It’s trashy punk rock ‘n’ roll and these boys do it over and over again.  They make it sound so easy.  The bands last singles B side ‘Clocking Out’ is included next with its fast stomping twelve-bar kicking rhythm.

There’s no reinventing the wheel here and they haven’t gone and discovered some brand new genre of music that will spearhead a brand new youth culture or sweep in some new craze for the 21 century what TV Crime have is a war chest full of top tunes from the slower more purposeful ‘Television Crime’ to the out and out Rock and Roll of ‘Man In The Pub’ or the yobbish ‘Never Been In Love’ its sweaty packed out club night Rock and Roll and you might not know it but you need it – trust me.   Just Buy it its a fuckin’ great time on record loud rock and roll with plenty of punch and the occasional swift kick to the knackers – ‘Ave It!

 

Buy Digital ‘Metal Town’ Here

Physical Vinyl Here