Cheap Gunslingers ‘Cheap Gunslingers’ (Rum Bar Records)

Cheap Gunslingers ‘Cheap Gunslingers’ (Rum Bar Records)

Cheap Gunslingers introduce themselves as a band quite nicely on their debut album which prefers to ignore the past 40 years and channel a blend of glam, the Ramones, and ’77 punk to great effect. Many, many years ago, Jeff Dahl put out a series of compilations call the ‘Ultra Underground’ that would have served as a perfect place to find the Cheap Gunslingers. I did a quick review of Sal Canzonieri’s new ‘A Fistful More of Rock and Roll’ series as that would be another great place for these Gunslingers to be but did not see them listed on any of the upcoming volumes yet. Their songs are filled with trashy, fuzzy, addictive, familiar hooks that musically do not offer a lot of surprises, but the album is downright fun.

‘Record Store’ gets the party started with a beat and structure that reminds me of Joan Jett’s version of ‘Roadrunner,’ but the production is much more aligned with the early Ramones’ albums. The Chuck Berry infused guitars riffs cut with a nice touch of distortion added for some extra crunch. The chorus is simple and leads to some badly out of tune backup singing by me as I write this. It really serves as an ideal lead track for the album as it immediately pulls the listener in and leaves you wanting to know what they will do next. They maintain the momentum with ‘Good Time’ delivering just what the title says. Some tasteful ‘oohs’ in the background of the chorus provide another reason that this one sticks in the brain. ‘Defective’ serves up some straight ahead rock n roll but doesn’t hit the same heights with me that most of the other songs here do. ‘Three Chords’ comes in with the rhythm section laying down the beat, and the guitar solo serves up some well placed distortion. The hook is not fancy but works well and is designed for crowd participation. The first half of the album comes quickly to a close with ‘Run Girl’ bringing back the ‘oooh’s’ for backing vocals before the chorus gets stuck in your brain like gum on your shoe.  The break in the back half of the song really helps provide some dynamics to the song to take it to the next level.

‘Junky Friends’ was the first song I heard by the Cheap Gunslingers when I was seeing if I wanted to review the album, and it initially left me flat. It was enough to tell that the band were in my musical wheelhouse (or at least one of them), and I was curious enough to want to hear the whole album. With all that said, this song has continued to grow on me, and I really like it within the concept of the album. The opening riff and beat reminding me more of someone like the Heartbreakers with a similar production quality. It packs a little more punch than some of the other songs here. I have no doubt that I would prefer to hear this song live. ‘Please Kill Me’ brings a cool blues groove and one of the best choruses on the album. If the band make another video for the album, this would be my recommendation with the guitar riffs getting plenty of room in the mix here as well.

The band slow the beat down for ‘Water Table Line’ with the ‘Darklands’ era by Jesus and Mary Chain coming to mind musically (‘April Skies’) with perhaps some Velvet Underground type feel in the vocals. The biggest obstacle on this one is the song can feel a little monotonous due to its length at four and a half minutes. The extended guitar solo is very well done, but they could have trimmed this song down a bit elsewhere. ‘Off the Rails’ gets us back up at full speed and hits the sweet spot, bringing to mind Little Richard, Chuck Berry by way of Izzy Stradlin through a transistor radio. This one sits with my other favorites from the album and will be finding its way into my playlists for an extended period of time. Wrapping up the album is ‘Bars of the Song’ where the band incorporate elements of a 50’s rock ballad. This confessional is perfectly placed with the vocals dripping sincerity and bringing the album to a solid close.

Cheap Gunslingers could have easily come from decades ago, and I would not have been surprised if someone had told me this album was a re-release from the end of the 70’s or beginning of the 80’s. This album leaves me wanting to hear more from the band in the future as this clearly sets up expectations for them to deliver in the future. When this album hits the mark, which it does far more than it misses, it is a rocking good time and should be welcomed by a lot of people who love rock n roll.

‘Cheap Gunslingers’ is available now.

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Author: Gerald Stansbury

 

45 RPM its a revolution baby!

45 RPM its a revolution baby!

 

It’s been a while but the 45 RPM fun bag has been opened and a new bunch of records fell out.  As is the case these days not all singles come out pressed on 7″ pieces of plastic some just drop out of the sky via the interweb on streaming services and some in the form of the video single.  Well worry not RPM has a varied bag of singles for you this April some your traditional 45 (hooray) others via video so dig in and check out what has been tickling our fancy at RPM HQ.

 

Christmas / The Skinny Millionaires – Split 7(LSD)

Buy Split Here

Only 250 copies of this split pressed it sees Christmas, doing their version of GG Allin’s ‘Don’t Talk To Me’. the band claimed to have seen  GG Allin as a big influence to the band, with this being their favourite track so a no brainer to be fair.

‘Negotiations Didn’t Go So Well’ The Skinny Millionaires, Rhode Island residents release their first track in five years. Singer Miky Millionaire might be a familiar face for many people. He plays the guitar in The Turbo A.C.’s as well. The fact these tunes are so different works well. A class split and one we’re delighted to include at the top of our roundup and cool that after Christmas and turbo AC’s have split a 7″ before its a cool introduction to the Skinny Millionaires. Two top tunes

Razorbats / the Sick Things (Gods Candy Records and Rob Mules Records). ‘The City’ is the lead track from this most excellent split single featuring two really exciting bands currently writing really strong material one from Norway and the other Canada but both singing off the same rock and roll hymn sheet. With a thumping Bassline and some 80’s inspired riff-a-rama Razorbats are on fire.  With a settled line up the band release these two songs before tipping up at a couple of great festivals you can expect a great hook and catchy chorus which is the staple of Razorbats work.  It sounds like you’ve been listening to these songs for years but you haven’t of course.  However, I love the riff of ‘Summer OF Head’ it’s got a bunch of Stiv Bator meets cheap trick and who doesn’t love those teenage lyrics complete with gang vocals.  A big winner in my book and a real feelgood song.  Buy it and let some sunshine into your life because Razorbats are like a big ball of blazing sunshine and songs this good make me feel all warm and happy. Go to the band’s Facebook page to find out how you can get your hands on a copy before their live shows so you can sing along. Facebook

D-A-D ‘Burning Star’ (AFM Records) Next up is a new song released from Denmarks favorite hard-rockin’ sons D-A-D.  It’s their first new music in eight years and a spikey angry tune it is too as you can hear from the youtube clip. Facebook

 

The Briefs – I Hate The World (Damaged Goods Records) A new album and new single released the same day makes for one hell of a good day in my house and picking up this one was a no brainer.  So the A side is the second single from the brand new album ‘Platinum Rats’ its a short sharp slab of Briefs punk rock.  It’s catchy with a great hook and gang vocals a chorus a child could remember what’s not to like?  The louder the better as well. the B Side features another new song ‘Lonely Satellite’ which makes you wonder how the hell this slipped off the album and onto a B Side which is another reason to pick this up.  ITs a must have single – it’s The Briefs for Gawd’s sake! Facebook

 

Iggy Pop – The Villagers (Caroline International) A really curious RSd single this one.  Taken from ‘Zombie Birdhouse’ this Chris Stein produced pair of songs is pressed on a green vinyl sees a previously unreleased version of ‘Pain And Suffering on the B Side which made it a must-have for RSD for us Iggy Completists.  The B side also features Steins Fellow Blondie bandmember Debbie Harry on backing vocals which incidentally isn’t the first time they’ve sung together on record.  they dueted on ‘Did You Evah!’.  If you can pick up a copy of this for its original price then do so it’s from an underrated album as well.  and for no other reason than its Iggy fuckin’ Pop. Pain & Suffering did, however, get released on the two-disc 2003 CD of ‘Zombie Birdhouse’ a little fact for all you fact geeks there.

 

 

 

Press Club – Get Better (Hassle Records) Australian rockers Press Club unleash new track before heading to this side of the globe to entertain Europe and the UK with their Guitar based alternative post-punk songs.  Having released their debut album in January this is a new track written and recorded by the band in their own studio in Melbourne.  Natalie Foster has a great voice full of passion and paints great images with her delivery and energy.   Facebook 

 

Ming City Rockers – Lolli Popper (Mad Monkey Records) Whatever happened to Ming City Rockers you might well ask yourselves they seemed to have the world on a string then they went to the US of A to record with Steve Albini and then it seemed to go a bit tits up and they sort of went away for a while.  Changed bass player then changed again and then we arrived here.  An Instagram campaign of weird messages than a single then some canceled shows then this a RSD single called ‘Lolli Popper’.  I missed ’em, I thought ‘Lemon’ was good and this is a lot rawer with a guitar sound that’s like sandpaper on the speakers its the first glimpse into the new album that should be along any time soon (i Hope)

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Where We Sleep – Experiments In The Dark (Self Release) Five track EP From the ashes of London’s beloved indie rock outfit BLINDNESS comes WHERE WE SLEEP. Vocalist-guitarist BETH RETTIG is at the helm with a rotating cast of guest musicians. The debut EP ‘Experiments in the Dark’ does feature a guest appearance by DEBBIE SMITH (Curve, Echobelly, SPC ECO and Snowpony with My Bloody Valentine’s Debbie Googe and Moonshake’s Katharine Gifford). BEN PRITCHARD (The Fall, Manc Floyd) also contributes, as does AXEL RAY (United Ghosts, The Black Windmill, Cadet A), the latter spinning gorgeous lead guitar on the first single ‘The Desert’. Sure there are elements of Garbage in the smooth production and arrangments as well as a shade of Polly Harvey in the vocal delivery but its engaging and enjoyable as the video for the lead track the Desert will testify. It’s dark atmospheric and engaging – Check it out Facebook

Plague Vendor – All Of The Above (Epitaph Records) The second taste from their upcoming new album ‘By Night’. The brooding track is an internal monologue that’s disintegrating over a sci-fi punk drumbeat or something like that. Bla Bla Bla goes the press blurb but I’d rather just listen and make my own mind up.

It can’t always be crash band wallop, can it? No, which is why we like to venture out into the big wide world of alternative music and see what’s happening.  The new record is out early June and this is the second taster from it.  It might not be as instant as ‘New Comedown’ but it’s got some 80’s Bowie going on and that’s never a bad thing. Plague Vendor might just have one of the best names in music at the moment and by the look and sound of it they have one hell of an album up their sleeve as well. Facebook

We Are Interview – ‘Chicago’ (Self Release) Swiss rockers release a new single on digital platforms.  The band plays impressive garage rock with inspiration from the likes of QOTSA and Foo Fighters as well with its wall of guitars ‘Chicago’ follows on from the impressive ‘Thunder Cry’. The track was released on an EP entitled ‘Monster Monster’ which features five tracks all entitled after cities around the world that came out last year. The track has a bit of Sabbath happening in the riff and the ebb and flow is excellent and for only a few Swiss francs whats to lose?  check em out here 

 

 

 

To shut up this shop of 45’s we have to draw the line somewhere so it might as well be with an absolute banger in the shape of Cheap Gunslingers and their ‘Good Times’…

Cheap Gunslinger – ‘Good Times’ (Rum Bar Records) ITs a fantastic slice of new wave rock and roll with loud guitars a fantastic melody not too dissimilar from The Boys with backing vocals like the good old days of 45’s when bands wrote songs to get in the charts and made em catchy and with some swing and a lot of punch.  Cheap Gunslingers have all of that and more and if the rest of their album is half as good as this then bring it on it’s going to be amazing but then its no surprise as Rum Bar can’t put a foot wrong and have their finger on the pulse of good time rock and roll! ooh, and did I mention this one is for free! so you have nothing to lose go fill yer boots at the link –Rum Bar: Free Track

 

So until next time keep spinning those 45’s – watching the videos – downloading the tunes and keep supporting the bands who make the music otherwise there won’t be any music.