Christmas / Bronco – Split (Lux Noise Records / SIXTEENTIMES MUSIC) CHRISTMAS team up with Swiss heavy-stoner boys BRONCO to deliver you some super delicious sound from the underground. This one comes out on limited colour vinyl and the super saucy sleeve. Bronco dish up ‘Cowboy’ and what a heavy riff-a-rama slice of noise it is.  No prisoners at all as for Christmas? well, ‘Candy Me’ is a belter. Crisp riffs and crushing drums is exactly how Turbonegro wish they sounded in 2020.  Having Max Motherfucker blow you a kiss at the end is better than a stick in the eye.  Hardcore heaven with a cheeky picture on that artwork very cheeky indeed. Very limited numbers so snooze you lose.

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L.A. Guns – ‘Let You Down’ (Frontiers) After the excellent return to form last years ‘The Devil You Know’ this sees the guns shifting gears to something a lot less turbocharged.  Recording in isolation the band saw fit to get this out for the fans to hear whilst they work on the follow-up Looks like that rich seam they are on is set to continue. Clocking in over five and a half minutes it ebbs and flows nicely something this line up is never set to do is let you down.  check it out Here

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The Speedways – ‘This Ain’t A Radio Sound’ (Snap Records) Second single from the upcoming album ‘Radio Sounds’ (eta June 2020) sees The Speedways add some stardust via a liberal sprinkling of Keyboards. The verse is light and the perfect foil to the chorus and the dreamy solo.  Bv’s and handclaps the Speedways go straight to the top of the Power pop class no question. To add the cover is timewarp tastic.  Diggin’ deep and throwing a real curveball shows that Matt and the boys have no boundaries and are fearless in their execution.  Should be heard on the wireless all summer all over the land and some.  Can’t wait for the album now on the strength of this.
includes our cover of the Billy Ocean classic.

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Matty James Cassidy – ‘4x4x1’ (Self Release) Hold on a cotton-picking minute! Matty James Cassidy has lassoed in a few of his bandmates to play on these four countrified blues numbers as the band rip it up on the barnyard ‘The Race Is On’ and capture the mood perfectly.  Next up they twist the Stones ‘Dear Doctor’ into a much lighter beast and take ownership of this classic and do it justice. ‘How Come’ is a real belter and the arrangement is excellent and adds a much-needed chink o flight in these dark times. Everybody loves a bit of boogie woogie on the old joanna and some clean guitar breaks right? Yehaw!

To take this excellent EP home Matty goes for the acoustic ‘Old Shoes’ and an end must come which is a shame because this is a really excellent collection.  Great stuff.  Buy Here

Pabst – ‘Hell’ (Ketchup Tracks / The Orchard) Berlin’s Pabst have released the video for brand-new single ‘Hell’, a song that openly confronts the darker emotions and what a banger it is too.  After supporting the likes of Husker Du’s Bob Mould Pabst are set to release their new album  ‘Deuce Ex Machina’ mid-June and if this is an indication of what to expect then its something to look forward to and get in on the pre-orders. A fantastic song from a really talented band who write great hooks and use everything at their disposal call it post-punk, indie pop, whatever they clearly know how to write great tunes and ‘Hell’ is another. Pre-order the album HERE.  Facebook

Fontains DC – ‘A Hero’s Death’ (Partisan Records)   Barely a year since their debut ‘Dogrel’ earned them a spot as one of the most acclaimed new bands of 2019, Dublin’s Fontaines D.C. will return with ‘A Hero’s Death’  the LP in a couple of months. A glimpse under the curtain as to what to expect is the video for the title track of the new album right here.

Pre-order / Pre-save the album: Here

Purchase / Stream the single: Here

Michael Des Barres – ‘Anarchy In The UK’ (Wicked Cool Records) fronted the bands Silverhead and Power Station.  The latter played the Live Aid festival in 1985.  Michael is currently a DJ in Little Steven’s Underground Garage and yup you’ve read that right This release is a cover of The Sex Pistols’ ‘Anarchy in the UK’, which was produced and arranged by Stevie Van Zandt.  If you’re expecting a snarly slice of Des Barres punk rock then I suggest you step away from the speakers now.  This one got strings and swing and whilst I’m not really convinced if he just tried to copy the original we’d all be laughing like we did when Mutley Crue and Megadeth had a go at being the Pistols.     The B-side is an original, which features Genya Ravan on co-lead vocals. and that’s much more appealing. Facebook Buy Here

Hot Nuns – ‘Rude, Dumb & Anxious’ (Loyal Blood Records) Norwegian power punk rock duo Hot Nuns, featuring members of Blood Command are back with a new EP titled “Rude, Dumb & Anxious” it features four new tracks including a cover of The Boys’ “First Time”.

The duo comments on the album. “The record is four tracks of stripped-down punk rock. Its only drums, bass, and our vocals. We have a rule that if we can’t play it live we can’t put in on record either. So there is no cheating here. Not trying to be pretentious, but we try to make music the same way Lars Von Trier made Dogville. No fancy extra layers needed to get the story across. The lyrics are mostly about sad losers longing for love except for the title track ‘Rude, Dumb & Anxious’ which is about people who will say whatever about stuff they don’t know just to fit in and look good.”  So the proof is always in the pudding as they say.  The opening track comes on like a thunder blast of melodic aggression not to dissimilar to something Therapy? might write (with some obvious sound differences second cousins if you like). ‘I Love You Still’ is more of the same a groovy adjit pop tune played by post-punk rockers. they’re not the first to go with the overdriven bass and drums but they do fill a room and its surprisingly listenable that’s for sure. The track I was looking forward to hearing most was how they’d interpret the Boys cover and to be fair they do a sterling job and one I’m sure the writers would be proud of but then again it’s such a classic it’s hard to fuck up even if that’s what you were trying to do. To wrap it up the title track is a right banger as well so top marks from me for this EP.  great effort! Facebook

FRND CRCL – ‘Deception’ (FCMedia) New Joirsee pop-punkers go for broke on their new album and pay homage to the genre rather than reinvent it.  This is taken from their second album and like I say does a grand job in a Blink or all American rejects style.  Nothing new but really well done.  It’s bright and upbeat and ebbs and flows nicely.  Layered with acoustic guitars n all sorts so a lot going on when it’s loud it’s loud and when it’s building it does so rather well to be fair. More punk than pop to be fair Website / Facebook you can buy the album Here

Thee MVPs – ‘A Song For The Councillor’ (Eesy Records) A song about how we should probably get together more often. Sardonic verses, a damn catchy chorus (even if it is wordless) a shreddy middle 8, a motown bassline followed by a heavy chug riff in the bridge, a little bit of everything this record offers all in one tune, something the psych heads can shake it too, the dads with a night off can crowdsurf too, goths can throw shapes too and the skaters and crust punks can throw fists too (all common sightings at any MVPs gigs). Lyrically speaking it’s Funeral Part 2 without the name, a Spiritual Successor which is also spiritual with the words without getting too Rainbow Rhythms. I think this tune is ringing through a bit clearer during this pandemic if you ask me, everyone really should talk to each other more. In memory of Uncle Will, who served in the Desert Rats in WW2, who we all called Councillor when he arrived at the pub after he’d ridden his bike two miles into town and put his bets on for the day, he passed at 96, he only packed in the cycling 6 months prior. Gravesend’s Harry Dean Stanton. The Second Single from the First LP from Thee MVPs and the First LP from Eeasy Records.

SHIT TINNIES – ‘Town’  (Riot Records) Shit Tinnies you that’s their name Shit Tinnies haha is there such a thing?  They’re a whirlwind of punk rock, ska, hip-hop and everything in between but here it’s more basic and street punk. Exploding onto the Sydney scene in early 2019, Of course they’re Australian where else on the planet is it called a tinnie? To be fair they play a fairly standard punk sound clearly influenced by the likes of Rancid on this evidence and others like some of the Brit Oi! bands who’ve seen a resurgence in recent years it’s great to hear young ones taking on board the sounds and turning it into something new and trying to keep things fresh  will also get the metal fans on board with those crunching riffs Facebook     Buy Here

DESTRENDS – ‘Wasteland EP’ (Bread & Butter Records)

Jessie Wagner – ‘Over And Over’ (Wicked Cool Records) Sweet sweet soul music from Jesse with some cool brass and some blues that would make joe Perry blush when he’s honkin’ for bobo.  The horn section adds some polish to a really cool tune. It’s soulful and street cool all in one and like she’s shaken her moneymaker and danced with Kravitz and played her Bellrays albums over and over. To add another texture the laid back ‘Put Off Saying Goodbye’ is soulful and her velvet-smooth vocals against the violin is wonderful and the fact she resists breaking out on the tail end of this is great to hear.  A really impressive introduction to a very talented performer  I can’t wait to hear more.

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The Zipheads &  The Nosebleed – ‘Banrobber’ / ‘Train In Vain’ (The Strummer Foundation)  both popular stalwarts of the DIY punk scene have teamed up with the Joe Strummer Foundation to release a song each from The Clash’s back catalogue in their own raucous styles, raising money to provide opportunities to musicians and support to projects around the world that create empowerment through music. What’s not to like a great worthwhile cause and two fantastic songs.  Worth a couple of quid of anyone’s money if you can support it at these tough times then grab yourself a couple of top covers in exchange

Buy the songs Here

Goldie Dawn – S/T (Drunken Sailor Records) ‘Gone With The Wind’ is the sound of about a dozen awesome bands rolled into one bubblegum blowing snotty slice of rock and roll. So it’s not the catchiest record you’ll ever hear but its pretty damned good for an introduction especially when the engine gets warmed up after a couple of minutes and they channel their inner Brain James. ‘Crime’ will certainly clean out any hearing problems with the feedback before we roll off round the block on a badass hotrod of attitude punk rock n roll. Love the riff as it scuffs off the rock-solid rhythm like the bastard child of Ziggy era Bowie.  but wait the best is yet to come as ‘What’s Inside (Never Dies)’ and what a Heartbreakers joy ride this is. So yup its got handclaps and a Walter Meets Johnny guitar lick coursing through its veins and I’m always a sucker for some of that.  top tune. But it’s not ending there because the band does ease back a little as we ride out into the sunset with ‘It’s Nothing To Me’.  Bookmark Goldie Dawn or whatever it is the kids do these days I’m expecting great things if this is what they can offer us. Buy Here

Percy – ‘Will Of The People’ (Ten Foot Records) The track comes from their new album ‘Seaside Donkeys’. The album is a work that represents the gritty realism of the 2020s and that is extremely relevant to a country and planet on the brink of unchartered waters. Will Of The People is a fine slice of punk rock with gritted teeth this song sums up living on Shit Island for many people. Buy Here

Cement Shoes – ‘A Love Story Of Drugs & Rock & Roll & Drugs’ (Drunken Sailor Records) After they’ve finished fuckin’ round with the universal fanfare its heads down and hit go but don’t just hit it SMASH The Fucker! ‘Smashed On Glass’ is like a punch in the face using an elephants hoof on the end of a jackhammer.  A marvelous slam of punk rock but it doesn’t end there because ‘Knocked Into The Reptile Enclosure’ sounds exactly how you’d feel if you were.  Terrifying wild frantic and a little metal.  But wait, there’s more but this time it’s a little more melodic and restrained. ‘Going Off The Grid’ is like a psychedelic hardcore Black Sabbath jammin’ with The Fall.  Fucked up?  You bet but I like it to be fair I like it a lot. Cement shoes kick right off – great stuff and right fuckin’ noisy!

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