Erik Nervous & The Beta Blockers – ST LP (Drunken Sailor Records)

Erik Nervous & The Beta Blockers – ST LP (Drunken Sailor Records)

Erik Nervous is a new one on me as are the Beta Blockers but they’ve joined forces for this self-titled album.

‘Violent Dreams’, Is first out of the traps with its angular punk rock borrowing from the USA wave of punks like Minutemen and maybe a little Devo with something that’s not a million miles away from Tubeway Army and the angular early Buzzcocks.

‘Gravure’ is more of the same it’s intense and sparse but well-produced and not at all tinny sounding but full fat or should that be full phat (as the kids would say)

But it’s not at all one-dimensional dum punk that people might expect on hearing the “hanging on by a thread” ‘Richard’ with its basic one-note guitar breaks and thumping bass line. As the Bontempi is plugged in and early Human League gets exercised on ‘Blasted Heath’.

It all goes a lot Devo meets Kraftwerk on ‘Want To Not Wanna’ the vocals get treated and the sampler goes into overdrive before the distorted guitars go off-piste on this captivation and interesting midway point.

 

It’s not a safe record by any means there are challenges for the listener as Erik leads the players through some difficult runs both high and low. Titles make me giggle like a school kid as the Joy Division inspired ‘(I’ve Got A) Desklamp For A Hand’ is up next.  what inspired the title? God only knows but it doesn’t envoke lampshades or missing limbs. You crazy kids…Treat the record as something of a voyage of discovery some bits will stand out whilst others don’t quite work  I’ll let you decide which is which but it’s well worth checking out.

‘No Chorus’ strays into Fall territory whilst ‘Make Up To Break Up’ is more straight forward punk rock. ‘Horseshit’ and ‘Stateline’ are both worthy slices of new wave punk rock and are really well delivered. Hop onboard kids – Erik and The Beta Blockers offer an alternative to punk rock and twist it out of shape using the past to progress to the future.  Another great release from Drunken Sailor Records one that shouldn’t make anyone Nervous except Erik that is.  Go check it out.

Alien Nosejob – Suddenly Everything Is Twice As Loud (Drunken Sailor Records)

Alien Nosejob – Suddenly Everything Is Twice As Loud (Drunken Sailor Records)

Punk Rock made by people with incredibly short attention spans make a record crazy how Jake Robertson finds the time because as well as being Alien Nosejob he is in about a bazillion other bands at the same time.

You’d think Jake Robertson would already have his hands full playing in the likes of Ausmuteants, Leather Towel, School Damage, Drug Sweat et al. But no, evidently there’s always time for one more.  Alien Nose Job’s (best not to ask what inspired that band name) music is inspired by the likes of Devo and a lot of early post-punk meets indie pop and other lo-fi offerings the range of influences is spectacular from the Ramones to Depeche Mode I kid you not.

There’s soul-pop, sci-fi slop-punk, straight-up college rock balladry and a whole lot in between. Surprisingly ‘Suddenly Everything is Twice as Loud’ is a record that flows really well. It’s rough as fuck and fits in with the Devo Lo-Fi thang. Sure, the use of cheap drum machines and guitars that sound like the strings are as old as the guy playing them but that’s all part of the charm these songs could unravel in an instant but of course, that’s the skill – they won’t.

‘Rainbow Road’ is pure pop with a soppy melody but its addictive with open chords strumming on an electric guitar and as soon as the solo comes in the song fades and it’s gone. The to follow on ‘Black Sheep’ is a Ramones blast of pure energy for the next two minutes.  Nothing soppy about that then. ‘Spin Cycle’ sounds like it was recorded in the next room on a Panasonic cassette recorder and was once an idea put together by Pete Shelly when he was recording a solo record.

Wonk Unit fans will find the western-like charm of ‘Daintree’ appealing. As if to highlight the eclectic nature of the songwriting on offer ‘Don’t Need Love’ is a shade of glam punk with a great melody and something that will burrow into your ear and take up residence then the synth pop post punk of ‘Freezing Cold’ throws another curveball. We’ve sadly reached the end of the record and there’s only time for the Depeche Mode meets Miscalculations of ‘Alian Island’ that will have a double take from any Numanoids checking in.

Give Alien Nosejob some time.  Let it sink in. Absorb its weirdness and off the wall nature and embrace it for what it is – a top album of top tunes.  I like it, I like it a lot now turn down the bass and tweek that high end a little and press loop I’m going back in.

 

Split release with Anti Fade (AUS). First 100 on Red Vinyl

 

Buy ‘Suddenly Everything Is Twice As Loud’ Here

Author: Dom Daley

Gino And The Goons – ‘Do The Get Around’ (Drunken Sailor Records)

Gino And The Goons – ‘Do The Get Around’ (Drunken Sailor Records)

Woohoo! A new record from Gino and The Goons.  Always a good day when some trashy punked-up garage Rock n fuckin’ Roll winds its way into my speakers.

It might look like its thrown together in some sweaty smelly garage on the wrong side of town, made on cheap beers and even cheaper guitars but hey who cares? I don’t and I very much doubt Gino and the Goons wive two hoots either way. With  Songs borrowed from the good and the great and thrown into some thrift store blender then poured out into the heads of Gino and the gang then poured into the speakers for our listening pleasure.  Hell, that might well be the formula right there and do you know I don’t much care.  To be honest, Gino and The Goons have a knack of writing killer punk rock songs and plenty of them and ‘Do The Get Around’ deserves to be heard far and wide. ‘Pills In My Pocket’ sounds like Mick n Keeth have been on a five-day bender dropping as many pills as possible and then end up in stiv n cheetahs basement.  It might not end well for all concerned but for us the listener we get some dirty Rock n Roll and I’ll take that every time.  The title track is pure trash with distorted vocals and squealing feedback Why would you go back and do a retake and turn the amp down?  this is punk as fuck! for gawds sake and they’re having a ball that much is evident. Take the trashy ‘Take It Off’ its a throwback to the dawn of Rock and Roll just a hook and a melody and it gets kicked around in some parking lot and rolls in the dirt Jerry Lee will be along shortly to set the whole shebang on fire. Yeehaw! lets rock kids.

‘Prissy Missy’ wraps up side one with some pure evil fretwork like these guys stumbled on some dirt road and came to a crossroad and ended up hockin’ a lurgy on old nick and making off with his latest tune.

‘Break Your Hearts’ sees Gino struttin’ and laying down some mighty fine six-string licks and duckwalkin’ through the chorus. This record reminds me of a couple of bands from about a decade ago when sleazy scuzzy rock n Roll was the order of the day and Flash Boys ruled but Gino has handclaps whilst declaring He’s your man besides I might be wrong but ‘Monkey Love’ is illegal and this one is pretty infectious.  Top tune though there can’t be any denying that.

‘SAMF’ channels the finest vintage of the Stooges when they were wild and reckless then to finish off they strap up their chaps and saddle up their horses as they ride off into the sunset with ‘Better Belief’ playing in the distance like a punk rock Zoro, Gino and The Goons are on fire on this here record and if you want to know what the fuss is about then I suggest you hop on right here and click the link and get Drunken sailor to send you a record before they’re all gone and you’ve missed the party and are left wondering what if and why didn’t I.  Quick!

 

Buy ‘Do The Get Around’ Here

Author: Dom Daley

Booji Boys – Tube Reducer (Drunken Sailor Records)

Booji Boys – Tube Reducer (Drunken Sailor Records)

Booji Boys. I am instantly interested in checking out this Nova Scotia-based band purely on the name alone but don’t let the link to the infamous Devo character connection fool you. Remember Devo’s “Hardcore” compilation of early demos that they released in the 90s? Well, it’s safe to say that this ”Tube Reducer“album is of much more HARDCORE origin than it is of the original Geek Rock pioneer’s own output.

First track ‘Contrition’ kicks off with that awesome Lo-fi Garage Rock vibe, reminding me of a heavy version of US garage punk rockers such as Wavves and Jay Reatard. I’m a sucker for short sonic blasts of music, especially in this raw and more realistic format.  The second track ‘Calling’ has that catchy Meat Puppets-esque Cow Punk guitar lick which crashes right into the full throttle of ”Lucky Citizen“ with its overall thrash and angular instrumentation.

‘Nothing Good’ is fast and abrasive, have you started to notice a pattern on this album so far? I think it would be unfair to compare them to any other further artists at this point as I can hear bits and pieces of EVERYTHING as each second rolls by. I’m starting to get a Pop-Punk version of Siouxsie & The Banshees from this one (last one, I swear!). I bet the band is a force to be reckoned with in the live arena. Especially for their Dead Boys pastiche ‘Tube Reducer'(argh, there I go again!). Imagine all of those cool Post-Punk and underground bands you loved in the 80s/90s, wrapped in tin foil and being chewed up inside your speaker system.

‘Life As A Fed’, ‘Cody Oi’ and ‘Berlinetta’ all rumble into the forefront inside their own audible attack position, making this Lo-fi release so far a short and sweet affair. Perfect for sound-tracking skateboard videos, surf montages and even for blasting out of your bedroom door, after you’ve argued with your parents about not taking the rubbish out. ‘Distorto’ is my favourite so far, it captures that manic abstract spikiness I love from these compact Proto-Punk monstrosities. I wonder how they manage to get their songs to sound like they’ve been pummelled in in a bar-room brawl?  ‘Herky Jerky’ is equally as chaotic and fun as it is 27 seconds long.

‘Stevie Cool’ and ‘Honeyboy’ seem to have a bit more heart and emotion to them than the previous barrage of songs, but they’ve also kept ”Nervous Idea“ and ‘Moto-Hard’ for the attention-grabbing ending track. Especially with all of the messed up brass noises coming and going in the latter track.

This is Canadian Punk Rock 101 with a kick-ass name and a kick your arse attitude. Please come to a venue near me soon, so I can witness the insanity first-hand!

Bandcamp Here 

Drunken Sailor Records Here

Mitchells Blog Here

Author: Mitchell Tennant