The Cavemen – ‘Ca$h 4 Scrap’ (Slovenly Records)

The Cavemen – ‘Ca$h 4 Scrap’ (Slovenly Records)

The undisputed kings of swampy wild n wreckless garage rock n roll from New Zealand are in da house motherfuckers and they’ve brought a brand spanking new long player with them. ‘Ca$h 4 Scrap’ is everything you want it to be and some. It’s not all crash bang wallop (well, Almost) but I wouldn’t suggest for one minute that these four reprobates have lost any of that spark nor would I suggest old age is slowing them down. Songs like ‘Leather Boys’ is more a groovin slice of junk rock done in the best sleaziest way.

Start your record as you mean to go on. ‘Children Of The Dead’ rattles off with the band’s usual vim and vigour with plenty of Thrashing around. A sharp intake of breath and ‘Without You’ is climbing over broken glass to get heard. With a party kicks off in the speakers as Paul Caveman takes a drag from the 40 a day no filter smokes and gurgles neat whisky and broken glass as the boogie rages in support.

Hold onto your strides mates because these cats are grooving hard on the growling ‘Night Of The Demon’ where you can all join in on the chorus. It’s ‘Night Of The Demon’ x3 but clear your throat first this one needs some oomph.

‘Booze Ciggies n Drugs’ might be the thrasher up next but it might just be the band’s shopping list whilst they remember the essentials. Rapid, punk n roll at its dirtiest but finest. Get in the pit and start barking

y’ bastards.

I love the sleazy glam punk of ‘Isn’t Remember Your Name’ It’s trashy and beautiful with a melody knocked off from Los Pepes. Side One takes a kicking on ‘Personal WWIII’. Closing off with ‘Drug Man’ is a case of singing what you know being the mantra. So why not, with the sleazy solo and Iggy piano tonk it’s a beauty.  That’s seven tracks in, about ten minutes of crash, bang, wallop! And closing off with a song almost three minutes long is decadent as fuck almost mature proto-prog.

If this was played out in a live setting you’d just have witnessed one of the best shows for ages so get a refill and flip this bad boy over. ‘Hanging Up’ has just done a bump in the toilet and the band comes out swinging complete with Groovy handicaps. Now that’s what I call music. ‘One Leg and a Waterbed’ has some trippy organ squealing throughout behind its fantastic lyrics. And as you head towards the end you realise the Cavemen have bashed you over the head with their club called rock n roll it feels great.

If only all albums sounded this good. Fuck the sound levels, the production, the tightness this is rock n fuckin roll baby and it sounds fantastic. Rough n raw, wild n reckless, and I fucking love it. Go get some Caveman Rock n Fuckin Roll its the way to start off 2024.  Buy it!

Buy Here

Author: Dom Daley

Batwölf – ’35 For Life’ (Self Release)

Batwölf – ’35 For Life’ (Self Release)

Let’s not fuck about here – Dutch punk n rollers Batwölf are slipping into their shit kickers and kicking some shit! From the opening assault of ‘Nicotene’ the gloves are off and a well-ballanced punk n roll riff is unleashed. ‘Over Your Shoulder’ is thunderous and has a decent hook on the chorus and a nice touch to expand the beatdown with that barroom piano.

Sixteen tracks between one and three minutes long most around two plus minutes is more than enough time even for the audio challenged of rockers to engage with. ‘Crazy Driver’ is brutal ‘Dictator’ channels the ghost and spirit of Lemmy whilst the title track just Rocks the fuck out. The fact they’re involved with TNS and recently played the Manchester Punk Festival means these guys should be taken seriously and you need to take notice of them right here right now this shit is serious!

If you think there’s going to be any lite relief then strap in mofos this rides heading south like a flaming hellbound handcart ‘Dirt Track HEart Attack’ is like a boot to the throad and before you can catch your breath ‘The Float’ is already upon you handclapping like a cavalier Jagger in sequins and bullet belts. The avalanche of Riffs keeps on coming and the oldie rocker of ‘Gypsie Blood’ is the chaser for the frantic dash of ‘Moth, Flame, Fire’.

Take it easy in manageable chunks in this summer heat kids this should come with a health warning it’s seriously dangerous and I like it a lot. They’re not reinventing the wheel here but they clearly love loud, m fast rock n roll and that’ll do for me when it’s done this well.

Its a lot of songs to get to grips with but the journey is worth it, just stay away from flames and flammable material, ‘Punchbag’ is a flurry of fists before they sign off or spontaneously combust with the anthemic glug of ‘Dead Horse’. Tap me out I’m done, nurse bring me oxygen this Rock n Roll is killing me but I do love it! Now let’s go start some fires, drink beer and buy more loud, fast records like this – Buy it!

Buy Here

Facebook

Author: Dom Daley

Ravagers – Butyclan Music Bar, Barcelona 23.04.23

Ravagers – Butyclan Music Bar, Barcelona 23.04.23

I arrive at the sunny surroundings of Camp Nou on a match day where 100,000 supporters file past the salubrious surroundings of Butyclan Music Bar unaware that inside are four fearless Rock n’ Roll pirates navigating their way across Europe converting followers of sleazy punk n roll to their wild and wicked ways, but I know, for I’ve also travelled far and wide to be here for this show. So, imagine my horror when I enter the venue whilst local punks Black Babies are tearing into their LAMF retro punk sound but in Catalonian so I’m fucked if I know what they’re talking about anyway. It was downstairs to an underground lair housing a bar in a cage and not a lot else – a low ceiling and a shitty PA and that’s pretty much what you have. Hey, it’s only Rock n Roll right?

Ravagers take to the stage and immediately have sound problems and it looks like there isn’t a decent mic in the building let alone a PA that can handle some sleazy Rock n Roll hell it would struggle to handle a school sports day announcement but being the road dogs they are the band smash on regardless. They kick into the opening track with no vocals and the muddiest sound ever which is a shame because apart from all the problems not of the band doing they sound tight as fuck and the benefit of being on the road through mainland Europe is paying dividends. ‘Down The Road’ is their latest video so should be familiar to many in attendance but again no vocals it’s not until ‘Just Another Rat’ that we get some vocals in the mix which helps and finally we can relax and get on with some top-notch punk n roll. The band quickly get up to speed and is smashing songs old and new, ‘Blackout’ turns the temperature up a notch or two before ‘Drowning In Blood’ cuts the mustard and was dedicated to Baltimore knife crime and by now the band are flying.

Alex Hagen is doing a sterling job leading his gang somewhere between the swagger of Stiv Bator and a whippersnapper Johnny Thunders but he’s ably supported by Matt Gabs and Sam Hariss on Bass who along with the prince of pound Ray were stoking the heat in the engine room and pouring petrol on the fire out front as the tunes were coming thick and fast. ‘White Widow’, ‘Sick House’ and ‘Nasty Nights’ all sounded tight before they hit the jackpot with their cover of the Lord’s classic ‘Downtown’ showcasing the rhythm section and how tight they’ve become over this tour.

Before you know it we’ve hit ‘Cold Heat’ and the band is being told to get the hell out of dodge which only leaves time for them to rip through ‘High On Stress’ and we’re outta here.

With all the challenges of the room being inappropriate for a rock n roll show playing half the set in total darkness and the lights being a disco light and someone switching the house light on and off I kept waiting for Vim Fuego to fall down the stairs but hey ho oh and a 1980s PA, the band soldiered on and made light of their challenges and turned in an excellent set of Punk n Roll of the finest quality despite their testing surroundings.

Now, next time come to the UK at least for a couple of shows, I’ll be there singing along and championing some low down dirty, sleazy, punk n roll. God bless Ravagers for tearing it up across Europe on a proper tour playing Rock n Roll loud, fast n with the fury it deserves. Top turn, Top tunes top night out in sunny Barca. Gracias.

Author: Dom Daley

Facebook

The Black Halos – ‘… How the Darkness Doubled’ (Stomp Records)

The Black Halos – ‘… How the Darkness Doubled’ (Stomp Records)

The Black Halos are back and the Darkness has Doubled! since ’94 The Black Halos have been at the forefront of punk n roll when the world was shoegazing and not wanting to look or sound like they were in a gang or band of brothers, bands like The Black Halos were a much-needed shot in the arm and above all they had songs. Plenty of em and they were fan-fuckin-tastic!

The self-titled debut was a much-needed shot in the arm and to follow it up with the magnificent ‘The Violent Years’ the band could do no wrong. They were on MTV and all was good.

With two further albums and some line-up changes, they were still contenders and I loved those albums but something was missing. Now original members Billy Hopeless, Rich Jones (guitarist with Michael Monroe, Ginger Wildheart, AMEN), and Jay Millette, have got the mojo back for the band and that X Factor is right up front and centre on this new album. Joined by new boys John Kerns (The Age Of Electric) and Danni Action (ACIIDZ) the rhythm section is on fire and stoking the furnace in the engine room for the band to truly set ablaze these new songs.

After a few singles that came out ofver the last couple of globally troubled years, we need bands like The Black Halos out there doing it and leading the way for honest, beautiful punk n roll. when they released the singles the sound was there and the tunes were easily some of their best ever written and recorded – maybe their time apart was needed to rebuild and come back stronger and wiser.

The album, recorded in Toronto and mixed by Dave Draper (The Wildhearts, The Professionals), as the guitars kick in on the opener ‘A History Of Violence’ the years just peel back and twenty years melt away. Its got adrenalin, melody, and the familiar Black Halos gang vocals and we’re underway with a Cheshire cat grin knowing that shit just got serious and The Black Halos are in the fuckin Room!!!

the record sounds amazing and ‘Tenement Kids’ opening lick sounds like classic Manic Street Preachers if only they had the bollocks to turn up their guitars its a belter of a song that will leave the intro lick inside your head to just sit dormant before growing over time and before you know it your singing along – classic Halos. A couple of the previously released singles get a look in with the lyrically astute ‘Uncommonwealth’ that just rumbles along like a prowling hungry pissed-off beast. It was a great single but in the mix of this record, it sounds brilliant. The relentless slap of the snare and repetitive chant is pure Halos.

‘Forget Me Knot’ is a confident stab with some magnificent backing vocals and the whole arrangement is one of their finest – its fair to say these gents live it and love it and on songs like this champion it and so they should. They mix things up on the song ‘Better Days’ adding variety on the guitars and it has to be said Billy’s vocals are sandpaper wrapped in a velvet glove his melody is exceptional and again I have to return to the arrangement – its so well delivered it sounds like we’ve been playing it for years never mind a mere couple of weeks, these are better days indeed with a soundtrack like this.

With eleven originals and one amazing cover, this record is unquestionably one of the best records I’ve had the pleasure of all year and it’s so pleasing to hear a band I love absolutely deliver the goods and some. There isn’t one second that doesn’t deserve praise and I’ve heard a lot of music this year but this sounds special and the more I’m playing it the more songs are jostling for positions with a solo that stands out here or a melody there it’s honestly that good. ‘All My Friends Are Like Drugs’ or the epic and heartbreaking ‘Ain’t No Time To Say Goodbye’ written for Mr Chi Pig (SNFU frontman) it was and is one of the best singles I’ve heard for several years, I must have played this song a thousand times since it was released on yeah right! records back in August 2020 if you’ve never heard it then there is no better reason to get a hold of this album right now its one of the best songs the band has ever written and that’s not even up for debate.

In the belly of this here record, you have a cover of The Wanderers ‘Ready To Snap’ which was a fantastic tune, and roping in legend Michael Monroe to handle vocals alongside Billy makes perfect sense, and boy this is how to do a cover from the passion in both vocalists delivery to those backing vocals this song goes to the next level. If I haven’t done my job and whet your appetite for this album then I can only apologise to the band, the label, and to people who still believe in Rock and Roll and its amazing powers if you only buy one record this year then I suggest you beg, steal or borrow a copy of ‘How The Darkness Doubled’because it is a relentless, high-octane blast of classic Halos punk rock ‘n’ roll! and one of if not the best record released in 2022. How’s that for leaving on a ‘Positive Note’ now getoutofhere! you beautiful bastards! The Black Halos have just nailed it…again!

Buy Here / Amazon UK

Author: Dom Daley

Quazimofo – ‘King Of The Trash’ (Savage Magic Records)

Quazimofo – ‘King Of The Trash’ (Savage Magic Records)

Turn up the stereo! Quazimofo are on the player and they’re bringing the noise – pure unadulterated punk n fuckin roll. the baton has been handed down from the likes of EF, Gluecifer, and The Dragons. The cats out of the bag and Quazimofo are carrying the blazing torch forward with their no-bullshit, amps to 11 Rock n Fuckin’ Roll.

Orange County, California’s the base for these punk rockers. It’s ten tracks of zero fucks given Punk n Roll played from low-slung guitars with the required amount of spit and sweat that bands who do this shit properly need. From the opening chords of ‘Five Times A Day’.

The songs rock and the tempo is generally high octane. Some strong melodies throughout and there are some stand out tracks. ‘It’s Broken’ has a cool meandering intro that breaks out into a juggernaut of a swashbuckling guitar lick where the vocals soar and the rhythm is kept solid as a rock towards the chorus of sorts like prime Velvet Revolver (if I might be so bold) they then turn up the pace for ‘It’s For The Best’ that just thrashes about rebounding of a cool vocal not a million miles from Bad Religion or some Bob Mould with brutal guitars over a cool subtle melody.

The title track ups the tempo and pours petrol on the fire that’s been smouldering in the engine room again a subtle vocal with some well-placed backing vocals. This is an album that didn’t register when I first started playing it – sure, some tunes were instantly gratifying but as a whole it was definitely a slow burner but when it clicked it has been the album that keeps giving something extra on each play.

‘Leave Me Alone’ eases into the verse with some cool gang vocals and a rollicking riffs. This band isn’t fucking about as ‘Pay It Back’ demonstrates – no fucks given on any level. be it an all-out punk rocker like ‘Pour One More’ or the harder rock songs it’s a no brainer that this record benefits from being played loudly. ‘Suffer’ and the quite brilliant ‘Why Do I Care’ are real highlights of this album.

If you’re looking for a new band who rocks like fuck then Quazimofo might just hit the spot. Riff after Motherfuckin Riff all the way baby! Buy it!

Bandcamp

Official Page / Facebook

Author: Dom Daley

The DeRellas give you some ‘Underground Luv’

The DeRellas give you some ‘Underground Luv’

Rockaway Records announce the release of the brand new single and video for ‘Underground LUV’ taken from The new album ‘Something’s Got to Give’.

Produced at Perry Vale Studios by the legendary Pat Collier. The band has never sounded better. ‘Underground LUV’ is set in a world of isolation, where subway dandies strut the streets, where passion ends in fashion in a Clockwork Orange dystopia, spray-painting life in dayglo pink and yellow. This is a song of defiance and hope, fear and LUV for the 21st Century. Underground LUV is available on download from www.derellas.com, Bandcamp, iTunes, Amazon, Spotify etc.,..

The Hip Priests / Deathtraps / Electric Shakes – Le Pub Newport – 03/10/21

The Hip Priests / Deathtraps / Electric Shakes – Le Pub Newport – 03/10/21

Holy shit! It’s been way too long since I stood in a room with these reprobates knocking out loud filthy anthems for the more discernable music lovers amongst us. But Saturday the 3rd of October with enough people doing the right thing this event was going to happen and boy did it.

Bournemouth’s The Electric Shakes opened proceedings with a most enjoyable set of rapid bad boy boogie and tinged with enough Garage rock n Roll to shake off any long overdue cobwebs it was a pleasure to hear a trio knock out tight tunes with songs like the excellent ‘Hound Dog’ riff-a-rama grinding away at your eardrum these gentlemen are well worth checking out and are a fantastic opener on tonight’s triple bill.

 

Next up were the local boy’s Deathtraps who had a whole bunch of new tunes to air from their Argos book of tunage. To be fair the new ones were instant toe-tappers and slotted in very nicely alongside the more well-worn numbers from their previous recordings and on the strength of tonight’s performance, I think fans old and new will be in for a treat when the new record gets released. The band sounds tight and the dual vocal attack works really well to add texture to their sound.

 

 

All you can ask for is that your favourite bands make every album better than the previous one before they inevitably break up or come to a messy end. Deathtraps have tunes kids and are carving out a style of their own by fusing the best parts of the ones that influence who and what they are. Rumours of an encore of ‘Tears Are Falling’ Newport style were sadly unfounded but they did leave the stage to beaming smiles and very warm applause from the discernable audience.  they did kick off proceedings with an excellent new song ‘Red Eye’ and peppered their set with new songs ‘Rip Em Off’ and the set closer ending on a real high ‘Never Had It So Good’ and to be fair it summed up the moment as lockdowns (fingers crossed are a thing of the past) and people get more comfortable with getting out and about with friends and fellow gig goers and its a pleasure seeing beaming smiles all over the venue as the bands entertain and blow off any cobwebs that might have gathered.  Deathtraps left us wanting more – great set (and more of that cowbell, please).

Onto the main course and Nottinghams finest The Hip Priests who have managed to not lose anyone through lockdowns and had enough pent up aggression to fuel five bands let alone one.  Never mind fuel crisis either because they could have got across country on the fumes of hatred for where we currently sit with Brexit and a continuation of tory lies and bullshit being the catalyst for some of the bands best most recent songs.

 

As always von Cruz was moving between guitar swings like he’s some fluid airbender punching and kicking his way through some classic Priests songs that seemed to get louder and louder as the set developed and the bookend duel guitar maestros of Ben and Austin compressed the energy and absolutely slaughtered Le Pub.  There were no signs of rust or the fact they’d not been doing this for so long it was as if they’ve been energised by the layoff and kicked the living shit out of the set as Priests classics from opening with the appropriate ‘Survival Of The Shittest’ then ripping headfirst into the latest albums title track ‘Stand For Nothing’ it was obvious the kings of Garage punk were on fire.

 

New track ‘Tiger In My Tank’ sounded fantastic and wedged between the epic ‘Zero Fucks Given’ and their thirtieth single ‘No Stranger To Failure’ was simply sublime and the band were hitting the groove lots of us know they’re capable of.  At times it seems effortless but the evening was moving through the gears and tonight the Hip Priests were simple on fire.   There were a few classic Priests track omitted from the set and an excellent flow to proceedings, sure ‘Jesus Died’ was played as was ‘Mother Fucker Superior’ and ending the evening with a sonic flying kick to the temple with ‘Juiced Up’ was nice.  

 

Still the champions of shit Island and still the best noisiest band in the underground, I know it, they know it and you know it but how long can they be our secret.  Post pandemic wish list is for these bastards to break out and show everyone how it’s done.  Fast, Loud, filthy and most definitely rocking. Nobody does it quite like the Hip Priests – Maybe not so young but definitely loud and always snotty! I fuckin’ love the Hip Priests and it’s great to be back! Newport as always delivered, see you next time.

 

Author: Dom Daley (spasm Gang member #3)

 

15 years of misanthropy, noise, confusion, hate, and contempt. Join the celebrations/commiserations on Saturday 4th December at Fiddler’s Elbow – Camden with FLASH HOUSE, Seven Days and Doesn’t Die and Continental Lovers.

&

Saturday, December 11th and you’re all invited (obvs) Bring the Xmas cheers and Liquid Light Brew Co Tap Room will bring the beers.

Killer Hearts – ‘Skintight Electric’ (Spaghetty Town Records/ Dragstrip Riot Records)

Killer Hearts – ‘Skintight Electric’ (Spaghetty Town Records/ Dragstrip Riot Records)

OK Rock n Rollers, the time is here, the time is now! Sleazy Punk Rock n Rollers Killer Hearts have teased us with their EP and a few compilation cuts but now they’ve dropped their bomb of a full-length record and it kicks like a mother fucking mule.  Imagine Cheetah Chrome and Stiv fronting a punk rock n roll band in 2021 with a history of sleazy rock and glam (no not the sunset strip glam – real glam) and they’ve gone and poured their molten sleaze on ten tracks on wax and then hit the explode button to supercharge this fucker with lipstick and a laced up iron fist – its full to the brim with Thunderbird fueled punk rock with the charm and borrowed gang vocal of The Boys, these cats can whip your ass if you throw them some shade and they’ll be the best damn party you’ve ever pushed a front door on.

 

With tried and tested titles like ‘Get Some’ and ‘Savage Heathen’ you just know instinctively what ‘Dead End Kid 4 Ever’ is going to sound like and if you’re still in doubt then maybe 24/7 Action’ and ‘Goodtime Motherfuckers’ should seal the deal.  Listen, if you’re looking for right on politically correct modern rock then you’ve opened the wrong review and we don’t cover Muse or Biffy Cliro this is Rock and Roll baby, with some cheap wine, a switchblade comb and a pack of lucky strike no filter. Marvel at the artwork and the fact it’s pressed on red-light district red vinyl.  It’s a late record for people who hanker after the Dead Boys, The Heartbreakers, and Hanoi on steroids these cats cut the crap and rock out using all the chords their heroes did and you’ll be damned if you think they’re going to apologise for it and why the fuck should they.

Right, the tunes. ‘Get Some’ is a thunderous downstroke killer of an opener.  Setting the tone with a rush of blood it’s kicking the door off the hinges and going for broke before the cops come. “Like a bad habit, use it take it” Get some indeed. From the bass throb in the breakdown to the tambourine joining in the rhythm to that killer solo that rips across your face it’s like when Guns and Roses burst on the scene with ‘Live Like a Suicide’ before they imploded and forgot their roots this is thunder and lightning in a bottle that’s been shaken and the top taken off.

 

I’ve been waiting for this album to get released for a while and I was hoping that the high expectations would be met and after the opening few tunes I’m loving it and those expectations have been reached and some. ‘Do Your Thing’ is full to bursting with Chuck Berry licks a plenty played at Dee Dee speed through fuck you speakers!  Take a breather kids because these punks are taking over the pit with the sonic reducer phaser and ‘Savage Heathen’ is having it both barrels and there ain’t nothing we can do about itas solos dive in through the speakers like bolts of lightning striking your ears and heart.

 

After ‘Dynamite Heart’ has muscled its way into the reckoning I was worried that they couldn’t maintain the standards but fuck me sideways this is the Sleazy Rock n Roll album the world has been waiting for its epic and exciting.  Sure it’s been done before but who really gives a fuck its Rock and Roll baby and I fuckin Like it!

 

You want punchy rockers then step up and take a swing at ‘Midnight Lucifer’ a thunderous powerhouse with an earworm chorus that will rip your ear off and throw up its rock down your canal straight to your pleasure receptors in that punch drunk brain of yours.  Hell, we’re only halfway through and this is showing no sign of letting up.

 

Play ‘Good Time Motherfucker’ to your nan she’d love it from the gang vocals through the verses and that piano tonk this is exceptional stuff.   Howling harmonica approaching in the name of ‘Scream and Shout’ now join in on those gang vocals kids you know you want to, hell they’ve even loaned The Boys gang ‘oh oh oh ohs’ and I’m sure Honest John and the lads would approve it would only get cooler if they had asked them to the recording and join the band to lend a hand.

 

If you’re asking for a favourite song then I’m at a loss really such is the quality of the album but if you held a gun to my head then maybe ’24/7 Action’ might get the nod for its dirty riff and sleazy vocals and the punch of the rhythm section.

 

Shit, we even had some acoustic guitars for the intro of ‘Dead End Kids 4 Ever’ but it was short-lived and the chorus is a killer (obviously) Damn we’re on the last track. ‘Buried In Leather’ is a dark romp that is full of harnessed feedback and has an aggressive punch.

 

Easily one of the finest records I’ve had the pleasure of hearing all year and one I’ve already played to death – on repeated plays (not something you can say these days) and there isn’t one single weakness I’ve heard thus far.  A beautiful noise if ever there was one and a crash and burn record if ever there was one, a vital, must-own if you’ve ever had a fire in your heart for loud, dirty, sleazy Punk Rock and Roll!  Buy it!  play Loud or else I’m sending the boys round.

Buy Here European rockers

Buy Here USA rockers

 

Facebook

The X Ray Eyes – Destiny Is Depressed (self released)

The X Ray Eyes – Destiny Is Depressed (self released)

 

The third album from these Yorkshire punks sees them dish up a really strong starting Eleven. From the front to the back they never offer anything other than their best and the sound is as you’d expect from a Cyanide Pill its got plenty of sharp edges great lyrics and loads of punchy tunes.  its got pace and an eye for goal as every tune has a bloody cracking hook and as the songs bounce into one another its got stamina and a hell of a lot of go.

Take ‘Hallelujah‘ its a full-on assault with a chaotic pace and hypnotic riff it’s thundering towards the chorus as it offers up praise to the punk rock Gods and gets rewarded – Amen to that!

‘E.V.I.L’ is garage rock n roll like the Hellacopters used to dish up on supershitty.  It’s dirty and has a killer riff that rolls along with the drums.  the track is a rush and great to hear a band tackle this dirty punk n roll with such enthusiasm. There’s a smart amount of 70’s glam pop pressed into the mix like ‘I Think I’m Ready Now’ its got some early Hives cockiness in its makeup and I love the bass throb on the breakdown.

Sy, Amir, Jock and Deany have got it nailed down and rip through song after song with verve and enthusiasm that only comes from a band doing this for real and 100% playing like their lives depend on it. ‘Trouble’ is punchy like a stomper from Slade but rather than being Glam it’s punk rock in attitude. A hint of on a rope in the riff which is never going to be disliked at RPM HQ.

There’s a lot of music to get through and you might need a banana or some water by the time you reach ‘Afraid Of You’ with its driving bassline and new wave vocal on the verse.  It only leaves ‘Tried And Tested’ to wrap this one up and again the X-Ray Eyes have delivered a sharp and thoroughly entertaining album full of quality tunes. ‘Destiny Is Depressed’ is well worth some coin from your pocket dear me you can have a CD for less than the price of two pints of bitter (unless you’re reading this in London) don’t be a dummy and check em out they’re good no make that very good!

Buy The X-Ray Eyes Here

Facebook 

Author: Dom Daley

The Erotics – The Song Remains Deranged (Self Release)

The Erotics – The Song Remains Deranged (Self Release)

Now Lemmy’s gone whos gonna move in next door and kill yer lawn?  After the Nuclear Holocaust, there are only cockroaches crawling the globe, there will be a bar somewhere in shitville and there will be a band playing and that band will be The Erotics!  “Can’t be killed by conventional weapons” their unwavering commitment to sleazy rock n roll is admirable and Mike Trash is persistent (you have to give him that for sure) and a formidable force with easily their strongest set of tunes to date along with the Prophets Of Addiction these guys have been flying the flag for sleazy down and dirty punk n roll stateside for as long as I can remember and they do it so well.

So there are cliches.  Yup, shock horror they’re everywhere from the dirty riff to the paradiddles to the solo’s they’ve been done a million times over and some but when they’re being done by 100% committed lifers they resonate and there is an authenticity about it when Trash sings about ‘Dirty Little Secrets’ or ‘Stopdroproll’ he means it and I get that and I admire him for it.   It’s in the delivery when they hit the drums with conviction and the riff is hit and not just played without a care in the world there is a difference and these boys hit every note like it’s their last.  The lyrics sometimes veer into comedy but so what! Its entertainment, its theatre it’s FUN! and you have to agree that Trash and his gang are having fun – it’s convincing and it’s carefree and to hell with the critics and the cliches – Bring em on!

‘Nice Things’ should have accompanying horns honking over the top making it bigger – bolder more out there. So there are no horns who gives a fuck we can’t have nice things apparently. ‘Aint Talking To You’ is punk n roll in its purest form with a big dirty riff – turn it up mofos its what the band wants.

Hell there’s even time for you to get your lighters out as ‘Best Song’ is as smooth as Brett Michaels head under that bandana and sew on hair. But these cats aren’t leaving on a slowie no sir they get their groove on for one last hoorah! as ‘Pretty Little Bomb’ tips the cowboy hat to all those ladies who might be listening.  So there you go grab a lug full of the Erotics – they’ve never sounded so on it.

Author: Dom Daley

 

Website