Seven Days and Doesn’t Die – ‘Seven Days And Doesn’t Die’ (Seven Days Records)

Seven Days and Doesn’t Die – ‘Seven Days And Doesn’t Die’ (Seven Days Records)

The debut album from London rockers hits the streets this month and what a full force hard rockin’ machine this is. Fronted by Kit Swing there’s no compromising going on here it’s full-throttle hard rock all the way. Opening with ‘Snatching Defeat’ and there isn’t any poker face happening here its cards on the table and look you in the eye hard rock as Ms Swing leads the band with her rasping no compromising style as the band signal the battle cry and plough on.

‘Car Crash’ might be a little prog as it twists and turns with the overdriven guitars screaming and riffing like it’s going out of fashion. Leaving any subtleties at the door and just turning up the power and going for an uncompromising hard n heavy approach and using blunt force instead as the band head for a noisy conclusion.

The band head off into a bit of a jazzy intro not too dissimilar to the stuff Rollins did with his band on their latter albums but its something of a false start here because ‘Black Salt’ opens up into the heart and soul of the album as the band take off like a rocket pounding your senses into mush with a riff and tempo that is as aggressive as anything you’re gonna hear this year. Almost five minutes of galloping rock that’s giving you the finger and a swift kick to the temple (metaphorically speaking of course).

There’s no turning back now as ‘Live Fast, Die Last’ continues the rage. It might not be the most original sound or style but the playing and delivery is first class and is uncompromising and has an attitude to boot. Now ‘Deadbeat Rodeo has a great opening riff and the vocals working with that riff is excellent. A Tonne of energy is harnessed amongst some trickery on the desk makes for the highlight of the album right here. I bet this would sound devastating live in a packed room the bad captures excitement and rage right there.

To finally set fire to this record the band destroy ‘Tarzanello’ whatever the fuck that beast is they’re taking it on with a barrage of noise it deserves and with its Ant like reprise they’re doing it their own way – zero fucks given baby. Seven Days make one hell of an uncompromising racket and I’m sure that’s the way they like it Get on board or get out of the way SDADD are an unstoppable force with the beats and riffs to prove it.

PRE-ORDER THE ALBUM HERE:

Author: Dom Daley

Top of The Pops 2019 – Albums

Top of The Pops 2019 – Albums

RPM Online Album Of The Year

Well, we’ve reached that time of year again where the writers of RPM were forced into the voting both given a blunt pencil and forced to vote for their album of the year.  Unlike a certain General Election result this time I don’t think people were too disappointed with the final result and by a landslide rock and Roll won.

 

Interestingly this years winner didn’t win any single writers vote but featured very heavily throughout the writers lists more than any other artist or artists so its a fair cop guv and, to be honest, had the live show count been anything to go by it was a landslide and another good year all around. With writers coming from several continents and five different countries there might be a few miles between us but we all have some things in common and one of those is a love for Rock and Roll. I’m sure had it been a Top 20 people would have still had a headache as to what to put in.  Don’t let anyone tell you that it’s been a shit year for new music as there were plenty of records released and many of them reviewed on RPM Online and with over 50 albums getting a mention from the team of writers (that’s just their top 10!).

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank not only all the artists who’ve released new records in 2019 and to all the excellent press departments and Labels especially the independent ones who’ve worked tirelessly to bring us the music and obviously to the songwriters and musicians whose work we’ve had many many hours of enjoyment listening to and raving about you know who you are many of whom it’s been a pleasure to get to know throughout the year.

What we’ll do is give the top ten a rundown in reverse order then each individual writers ten albums in no particular order so here goes.

Number 10

Duff McKagan – ‘Tenderness’ (UMC)

Review 

 

Number 9

Jim Jone & The Righteous Mind – ‘Collectiv’ (MaSonic Records)

Review

 

Number 8

Jesse Malin – ‘Sunset Kids’ (Wicked Cool Records)

Review

 

Number 7

Redd Kross – ‘Beyond The Door’ (Merge Records)

Review 

 

Number 6

Rich Ragany & The Digressions – ‘…Like We’ll Never Make It!…'(Glunk Records)

Review

 

Number 5

Andy McCoy – ’21st Century Rocks’ (Ainoa Productions)

Review

 

 

Number 4

Hunt Sales Memorial – ‘Get Your Shit Together’ ( Big Legal Mess Records)

Review

 

Number 3 

The Hip Priests – ‘Stand For Nothing’ (several independent labels)

Review 

 

Number 2

The Wildhearts – ‘Renaissance Men’ (Graphite Records)

Review 

 

Number 1

Michael Monroe – ‘One Man Gang’ (Silver Lining Music)

Review 

 

 

So congratulations to all the bands who made the RPM Online top ten.  Especially Michael Monroe for taking top spot in the hotly contested category as well as all the ones that didn’t there were dozens and dozens of albums released in 2019 that we reviewed.  We managed to catch up with a few of the bands who made it onto the pages of RPM Online in 2019 to find out what made it onto their turntables this year and to find out any highlights they might have had.  Here is some beginning with Jeff from The Brothers Steve…

 

Jeff Whalen (Guitar /Vocals – The Brothers Steve)

“I don’t think I listened to any records that came out in 2019!  So I picked my top 5 records that were new to me in 2019!”

 Tiny Tim—God Bless Tiny Tim
The Beagles—Here Come the Beagles
White Reaper—The World’s Best American Band
The Speedies—You Need Pop
The Millennium—Begin
Rich Jones Guitarist (Michael Monroe/Black Halos) –
Pup – Morbid Stuff
The Wildhearts – Renaissance Men
Jeff Rosenstock – Thanks, Sorry! / Sorry, Thanks!
Berlin Blackouts – Nastygram Sedition
The Menzingers – Hello Exile
BEST RE-ISSUE: The Replacements – Dead Man’s Pop
Duncan Reid – Duncan Reid & The Big Heads
Starcrawler – ‘Devour You’ (especially the track No More Pennies)
2 Albums which spoke to my Country Side:
The long Ryders – ‘Psychedelic Country Soul’ (especially Greenville)
Kim Lenz – S’lowly Speeding’
Not an album but the single ‘Fire Ready Aim’ by Green Day which was superb
And The Baby shakes  ‘Cause a Scene’  (especially the title track)
As for Highlights, there were Many highlights of 2019 especially Rebellion which went superbly for us and I’m really looking forward to the release of our new album early 2020 as well as playing the Kubix Festival.
Steve Coulter – (Drums) The Brothers Steve 
The Gold—T’he Gold’
The Armoires – ‘Zibaldone’
The Cutthroat Brothers – ‘Taste For Evil’
The Coolies – ‘Uh Oh! It’s…The Coolies’
The New Pornographers – ‘In The Morse Code Of Brake Lights’
As for the highlights of 2019 it has to be making the Brothers Steve ‘#1’ & The Go All The Ways as well as writing about music ‘Go All The Way A Literary Appreciation Of Power Pop!

Lee Love (The Hip Priests)

Clowns – ‘Nature/Nurture’

TV Crime – ‘Metal Town’

Bitch Queens – ‘City Of Class’

The Drippers – ‘Action Rock’

Schizophonics – ‘People In The Sky’

 

Melchior Quitt (Bitch Queens)

Clowns – ‘Nature / Nature’

Amyl & The Sniffers – ‘Amyl & The Sniffers’

The Hip Priests – ‘Stand For Nothing’

Saint Agnes – ‘Welcome To Silvertown’

The Schizophonics – ‘People In The Sky’

As for the Highlight of 2019, There are several. Two for Bitch Queens were to put out our brand new album ‘City Of Class’ and to finish our new recording studio to keep on doin’ what we are doin’ far away from the big business.

The Best event this year was Sjock. “What could be better than hanging out with my boys from The Hip Priests and seeing the best Action Rock bands from all around the world! I am looking forward to touring with Bitch Queens in Europe next year and to record a shitload of new singles and split 7“ And of course, there are two of the probably best records 2020 in the pipeline – The Good, the Bad & the Zugly and Kvelertak. 2020 is gonna be good!

Mathius Engelbrekt Carlsson – “Demons”  – 
 All right. My top picks for 2019.
Jeff Dahl – ‘Electric Junk’
Guitar Wolf – ‘Love & Jett’
Amyl & The Sniffers – ‘Amyl & The Sniffers’
The Hip Priests – ‘Stand for Nothing’
Bitch Queens – ‘City of Class’
The Drippers – ‘Action Rock’
Dead Furies – ‘Stay Gold Ponyboy’
“One of few highlights of 2019 was getting ‘Kiss Off’ off the ground. This has been one of those years. For music it has been a great year though and especially for Rock’n’Roll.
Next year it’s the 25th anniversary for “DEMONS” and we hope that we can tour as much as possible starting with Japan in January. A new record will be out as well as some old stuff. Hopefully our first unreleased album and possibly a Demonology II. See you on the other side.”

Rich Ragany Interview

Rich Ragany Interview

Ahead of a Headline show in London, that in the past with his band Role Models has sold out RPM caught up with Rags who was under his duvet sucking on some Honey and Lemons throwing off Manflu before Friday nights showdown with More Kicks, The Speedways and The Spangles. Friday night in London Town is always a special show and this one looks set to sell out again and with that line up its going to be memorable (Tickets Here) 

So Rags first things first – Friday night.  what a fantastic lineup. It must be great to get the support of some really excellent bands for what will be one hell of a nights entertainment right? I know! And the best thing is that all those bands sharing the stage with us are also really close pals! It’s gonna be a crazy party!

Who’s playing in the band Friday?  Is it the same line up that appeared on the recordings?  It’ll be the full lineup on Friday. While it is the kinda band that can play in various incarnations, acoustic duo, piano and vocals and all the way to full volume and huge sounding, we are trying to do as many as we can with all of us.

You recently shot a video for one of the tracks.  Care to elaborate on that for us? When can we see it? It’s for the song “Your Distance” and it’s in the editing stages right now. Shot by our good pal Craig Temple. What I’ve seen looks great so far! Can’t wait to share it! I don’t even look like a goblin in it! Loook out!
The BBC has aired a few tracks off the album as well which must be great. Finally, the word is spreading?  what have they had to say about the tracks? Now if Radio two or six would like to jump on board that would be good right?  Yes! It really is a thrill to hear your song on the radio! They have been playing “Your Distance” and “That World”. The latter was the “Track Of The Week” last week as well! There is also really cool news concerning the BBC that I’m afraid I will have to wait on, but I can say we are super excited about it!
What else is planned for The Digressions with Rich Ragany? how about some TV? more live dates?  More live dates and we are working on our second album. I have pretty much written it and the band is putting their incredible touches on it as we speak. Having said that, I think we are gonna let the ideas breathe a bit and not rush. I have done four full-lengths in 4 years now, and, while proud of the accomplishment, I feel I have jumped quick, not letting the previous release have a chance, ya know. But don’t worry! I can’t sit still. And the band is firing on all cylinders creatively.
Do you approach this band the same as Role Models?  I know its a different lineup and different feel to the songs but they share the same DNA and a lot of the personnel is the same will there be any of your other songs played in the set?  I’ll leave that for a surprise.
I’m really excited to hear the full band play the songs off ‘…Like We’ll Never Make It…’  those guys seem to have such a positive energy about them it must be a lot of fun to be around those very talented guys it must be said.  Yes! The chemistry is so wonderful. Nothing like making music with people ya love! I bet it is showing through. I am pretty lucky to be in two situations where the members are family! We are gonna tear it up!
Will you be looking for dates around the UK and maybe some festival dates this coming summer?  Yes sir! Like I said more live dates and chances to drink other bands under the table! I love that our band has this open, jangly positive sound, yet, and this is pretty common knowledge, we are a bit more nuts than most hahahahaha! All good clean fun kids. Leave it to the pros!
 
The Black Heart is sort of your home turf with some pretty memorable shows there with Role Models what are people going to get on the night? They are gonna get us playing and singin’ our hearts out and smilin’ and shots and jokes and tears and… You get it!
You must be stoked with the feedback for the album so far.  The press and bloggers and websites have loved it and really jumped on board with the music which must be pleasing? I am very pleased. A lot of people say reviews and such don’t matter, but I think they do. Especially when they’re coming from a wide cross-section of the media. Blogs and online magazines to print mags from the United States to Europe to the UK. The fact the songs have been received warmly, and have had people that far and wide champion it, means a whole lot to me. To us.
Well, there you have it folks, Rich Ragany & The Digressions live on Friday the 25th January  @ The Black Heart Camden Town London. See you down the front
Buy Rich Ragany & The Digressions and Role Models Here