Its A Podcast Episode 51- Scandinavian Overload

Its A Podcast Episode 51- Scandinavian Overload

Episode 51 mixes brand-new tracks with some older classics that might have been forgotten, as well as an overload of covers.

First up is the exciting news that Midlife Crisis have a date of Feb 25 for the release of the long-awaited album. Fans of Hellacopters and Backyard Babies might want to tune into this bad boy. We play the opening track off the album ‘Silver Son Johnnie’ ’45 to 33′ is the name of the album and pre-orders to come along with a review of the LP.

Local South Wales noisemakers Bad Shout have an EP coming out in December on Repeat Records and its a banger. Six tracks of fizzing punk rock and we drop ‘Doublecross’ to get you excited and up for the preorder off Repeat.

Scandinavia features heavily on this week’s podcast with entries hitting Pumphouse HQ and the second offering from the North is Plastic Tears and their brand new single ‘Motorhome’. Hot on the heels is The Ratchets with the sound of Noo Jersey and ‘Holy Mother Of God’.

From the compilation album ‘Fucked By Rock’ Crazyhead should have been huge. Spearheading the Greebo scene they easily had the coolest single title ever committed to wax in ‘What Gives You The Idea Your So Amazing Baby’ but we entertain ‘Buy A Gun’ a forgotten classic. Probably not a song for the PC brigade but we love it and it would be nice fo the compilation to get a vinyl pressing doncha think?

David Delinquent and The IOUs are a new one on us and the Dundee pop n rollas have released this single ‘Nobody’s Else’ and what a banger it is. Looking forward to hearing more from David and his Delinquent mates if it’s even half as good as this. We need to get these bands into peoples ears folks and the only way to do that is to play the podcast and share the music.

Dharma Guns are a new one on us and rather impressed we were. ‘Ex-Generation Superstars’, the band’s debut, is all about high-octane rock ‘n’ roll with a side order of sleaze, don’t believe us well, give it a listen. Followed up by the king of catchy power pop Kurt Baker with his brand new single out on Wicked Cool Records (where else).

Front Kicks dish up some power pop before Heavy Medication Records newest release the Never Land Ranch Davidians rock up with ‘Cactus Cool Man’ and get on the groove from their forthcoming album due in Feb 25 it promises to be another top notch release to look forward to.

Laura Jane Grace has just toured England in support of the brand new album or mini-album ‘Give An Inch’ so it seems fair to drop ‘Karma Coming Close’ from the EP.

A Knife For An Eye are up next with a thumping track off their album ‘Damnation Rock N Roll’ again outta Sweden its fair to say they’ve really impressed us here at HQ. The album cover is very striking as well with the classic Chuck Berry pose really setting the tone for some attitude adjustment as ‘Getting Hooked’ is on point because we certainly did.

It’s cover time and this week we have the interesting take of the Dead Boys classic ‘Sonic Reducer’ from Sweden’s 69 Eyes followed up by a demo of The Dead Boys that’s on their recent new record out on Cleopatra Records. A previously unreleased Stiv led tune ‘Ya Really Don’t Love Me’.

For a little reminder of how good the genre of fuzzed-up Garage rock could sound we have Datsuns ‘Mother Fucker From Hell’ off their debut record. For another cover and we head to NYC and Electric Frankenstein who did a split with shit islands’ own still warm but sadly deceased The Hip Priests and took on their early banger ‘Young Savage’.

The penultimate offering this week sandwiched between some Garage rock n Metal we bring the excellent Steve Vincent with the title track off his solo album ‘The Best Kept Secret In Rock n Roll’ anyone who doesn’t know is myself and Steve still wears the finest pairs of Rock n Roll slippers also known as pixie boots or macho types refer to them as Chelsea boots but to give him credit Steve has quite the collection and hopefully we can see him wearing a pair live on stage sometime in 2025.

Finally, we’ve given in to Chris and his persistent nagging to get Therapy On the playlist as well as Judas Priest but I couldn’t possibly play anything by Halford and co so relented when he informed me that Therapy? had indeed paid their respects by covering ‘Breaking The Law’ so squeeze into your spandex, strap on your studded wrist bands and pull a wheelie on your chopper as we end with ‘Breaking The Law’. Catch you next week for more quality tunes from the Pumphouse here at RPM Online HQ.

Laura Jane Grace & the Devouring Mothers – ‘Bought To Rot’ (Bloodshot Records)

Laura Jane Grace & the Devouring Mothers – ‘Bought To Rot’ (Bloodshot Records)

Against Me! frontwoman Laura Jane Grace has never been one to shy away from subject matters that are close to her heart or one who is afraid to vent her anger. And while the US punk band has been the vehicle for rants and diatribes for the past 10 years, her new side project The Devouring Mothers is lyrically more introspective and musically a more diverse and laid back affair.

Joined by Against Me! drummer Atom Willard and Against Me! producer Marc Jacob Hudson on bass duties, ‘Bought To Rot’ is an album heavily influenced by Tom Petty’s ‘Full Moon Fever’. Laura Jane Grace continues the tongue in cheek lyricism, yet avoids the lyrical themes of the day job, namely gender identity and politics, choosing matters close to the heart like lost love, new friends and hating Chicago!

 

Opener ‘China Beach’ draws you in with its Iggy Pop/Patti Smith feel, the lyrics delivered almost spoken word, a series of questions, as the rhythm section jams out some cool 70’s styled NY beats behind her as it builds to a chaotic finale.

Chaos and melody intertwine throughout the album over simple chord progressions. The name of the game; squeeze too many syllables into verses, before breaking into an anthemic chorus, it’s an art form that is perfectly executed. The likes of ‘Born In Black’ and the following ‘The Airplane Song’ are fine examples of this.

‘Apocalypse Now (& Later)’ is full on Petty vibes that build on a jangly verse to a killer chorus. Let’s hold hands and watch the apocalypse together… sublime poetry in motion. Following the same sentiment, ‘The Friendship Song’ plays out like its companion song, the happy-go-lucky feel sits well.

In contrast, the aforementioned ‘Valeria Golina’ is a dark and messy one chord wonder and ‘Manic Depression’ an even darker blues drenched jam out that mesmerises as you take in the singer’s head fucked train of thought. “I can’t help what my head is telling” me she drawls before feedback and a descending guitar solo takes precedence.

On first listen ‘I Hate Chicago’ is a lyrical diatribe aimed at her adopted home town, but on closer inspection, it’s more of a break-up song, name-checking traffic, sport and Lollapalooza amongst others. These are the places and feelings that are reminders of pain and hurt from the city where her ex lives. It’s a ballsy and brilliant statement and one of the standout cuts on offer.

 

To go from ‘New Values’ era Iggy with bumbling bass and intertwining guitars (The Acid Test Song’), to almost a bedtime lullaby (‘The Hotel Song’), onto a dark and foreboding one chord rant (‘Valeria Golina’) takes some doing. Apparently, the intention was to create the feel of a mixtape and I think in that respect Laura Jane Grace has succeeded.

Loose and stripped back, avoiding the lyrical themes of her day job and concentrating on life, love and friendship, ‘Bought To Rot’ is not as visceral as anything by Against Me!, but ‘Bought To Rot’ still manages to be punk as fuck.

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Author: Ben Hughes

 

 

Rainy Days & Mondays

It’s getting closer to Christmas, you’ve done zero shopping and you’ve got zero money. Don’t worry if you got the pre-Christmas’s blues, RPM is here to wash away those troubles and make you forget all about Saint Nick and his pesky elves, bah humbug, let’s have some outlaw country!
First up Reno’s finest outlaw Leroy Vergil will take his Christmas stash and blow it all up his nose if this video from Hellbound Glory is to be believed.
Hellbound Glory – ‘Hellbound Blues’

Next up Sarah Shook will drink any man under the table this festive season, or any day of the week come to think of it.

Finally, ok it’s not really country but Laura Jane Grace is every inch an outlaw and we LUV this song anyways.