Hey, Ho Lets Go! Geoff Palmer has got this power pop punk rock off to a tee. He’s nailed the melodic Ramones melodies for that 50’s feel and the playing is street tough, not brawling but tough enough to wear a leather jacket after dark kinda tough.
Sixteen tracks of hard luck no luck tough love boy meets girl falls in love falls outa love has a beer hangs out with his buddies you know the drill. One thing I have to say is this record sounds like it was recorded on a lot of laughs and was such a fun record to make I can’t believe this was a hard job pulling these tunes out of the band at all – Hell I might be way off but that’s what these tunes are singing to me.
‘I Like Murder Too’ (oh that love song) has a touch of The Dwarves about it. I could certainly hear Blag wagging his finger to this one in some flea pit out on the road somewhere. What separates it is the acoustic guitar underneath the buzzing electric guitar riff but those backing vocals are top notch.
‘Got The Skinny’ is time honoured and the loud overdriven guitars sound great doesn’t it. ‘We Can’t Do It’ is way over there in Beach Boys territory on the intro – No seriously but fear not the distortion pedal is pressed and away we go its 16ths on the hi-hat and woohoo! the end.
‘Everything Is Cool’ hell yeah! and so it is. great riff, great fun lets go! When you’re onto a good thing don’t stop don’t try and be cool or be hip just keep rolling and so ‘All The Hits’ scratches that pop-punk itch. When we hit ‘Paper Heart’ Palmer introduces some keys and jolly nice they are too. Adding another colour to the pallet whilst its just a slower pace its a great piece of songwriting sure it won’t see him inducted to the Hall Of Fame but it will put a smile on someones face when they spin this record loudly on their stereo on a Friday night and that’s just the point isn’t it. One piece at a time – we’ll get there in good time.
‘Donut’ is a cool tune and ‘Make It’ is a great way to wind down the record from the arrangement to the melody its borrowed a bit from the 80’s new wave of the Cars and alternative Westerberg in his later Replacements days. Which just leave a couple of tracks with one being ‘Punker Than You’ which is as you’d expect but the finale is acoustic – slide guitar and a rocking horse upbeat stroll like a long lost Exploding Hearts track. Get Geoff Palmer on tour with Shit Islands The Speedways and together they can conquer the world I guarantee it (maybe)
Much Like Brad Marino these talented so and so’s make up the songwriting duo of garage rock faves The Connection or Geoff is also one-third of pop-punk darlings The Guts, punk rockers, power-poppers, and garage rockers this is one you can feast on whenever – it’s like a little ray of East Coast sunshine.
With enough singles to keep any jukebox fully stocked with the latest and greatest RPM brings you a mixed bunch of Rock n Roll, Punk, Garage, and God knows what for your dereliction this month. As we move into November and the Christmas shopping there are more than a few stocking fillers on display here for the discernable hipster to shave off the beard put some socks on and get into some real rock and roll before it’s too late and your old and wondering what you’ve done with your life. So read – watch and listen the 45 RPM roundup is in session…
Scumbag Millionaire -Under The Spell (Suburban Records)
Gothenburg scumbags release the third single of the most excellent album ‘Speed’ (Reviewed Here) As it thunders along this is as good as fucked up rock and fucking roll gets. It sounds huge! and the seven inch also has non-album track ‘Get Out’ on the flip side of this slab of orange wax. Get involved folks these boys are blowing up and offering a thrilling mix of garage rock n roll and punk attitude and making some of the best music this year.
So Beluga in Sweden knows a thing or two about putting out fine Garage Rock n Roll singles and The Hijackers just joined the family with a high energy slab of sleazy garage rock and roll. Having been a part of the scene back in the 80’s its only taken the band some thirty-two years between releases that’s either some writers block or Axl Rose style recording process, either way, it’s here and Beluga has it and by the sounds of it, it’s well worth the wait. The lead track ‘I Don’t Like You’ is like the Hives sludging it out with the Mc5’s and the guitar solo is howling feedback that Brian James would be proud of. Cramming four tracks on to this seven inch makes it a record worth owning and real value for money. ‘Day and Night’ is a real toe-tapper with its feet firmly planted in the late 60’s as they really have this down to a fine art. Side two is off like a rocket as ‘My Little Girl’ is barely in tune but that doesn’t matter because this is flying by the seat of its pants hi-energy rock and roll and we totally endorse that. Let’s hope its not another thirty years for the next release
The Briefs – Kids Laugh At You (Taken By Surprise Records)
It’s the Briefs and after their show-stopping performance at this year’s Rebellion festival, This was always going to get a rave review from RPM because we love the likes of The Briefs. The lead track is off like a hurricane as it devastates with its pace and melody. sure you know what to expect and you aren’t about to be disappointed either because Nix and the gang deliver again and again and its a most welcome entrant into the singles club love the Damned-esk breakdown and then the chanting gang vocals that take this home. the Briefs are back kids and their laughing as well. the B Side of ‘She’s The Rat’ is another top-notch belter go on fill yer boots and click the link Buy Here
Demons – Was Here…(Ghost Highway Records)
Demons have sure been busy these past few months what with their new mini album with punk rock legend Jeff Dahl (RPM review shortly) and this here single on Ghost Highway Records. This chunk of good old Rock and Roll is just about hitting the bullseye of our heart as ‘Street Corner Of No Return’ is the lead track that just oozes class, it’s no frills yob rock with a bruising tempo and sing along chorus that you and your gang can join in on as the organ lends the harmony a helping hand. The B Side is a more laid back rocker in the shape of ‘Satellite Town’ by the end you’ll be singing along and dropping the needle back at the start to go back for some more and the solo just burns! Great single.
He’s got a Fezzbox and he’s not afraid to use it. Like the bastard sibling of Jon Spenser, These four tracks deliver a sonic fuzzed out slab of Garage rock and roll. You know what you’re going to get the second the music kicks in its a needle in the red and plenty of swing on those drum licks. The heat gets turned up as the EP plays out. I love ‘Ladyland Batswingers’ whatever that means or wherever it is I want in. It’s getting hot in here and as the solo wails on ‘You Do Not Belong’ its like a trip on the tongue of someone else as the melody and sha-la-las shouldn’t fit but they bloody well do. after you’ve shaken off the tinnitus the police sirens howl as the tempo raises through the roof ‘Rhesus Christ’ kicks over the speakers and sets fire to the console as they leave the room. quality!
Can they ever make a bad song? Nah didn’t think so either. After releasing a brand new album they left these two songs off the LP to release as a single quite why they’d leave these two off God only knows. With ‘Dog Collar’ coming on like the bastard child of a Clash song its a slab of coll as fuck punk rock and what every office party should have on at the Christmas do whilst you’re spiking the punch. But they saved the best til last as the B side ‘Talk To Us’ is a stone cold could only be The Parkinsons classic. From the laid-back gang vocals on the chorus and the funky rhythm that jars your head while the organ tickles your fancy if you don’t like this then as Alfonso says “You ain’t got no soul” and the best bongo playing since T Rex! Buy it Now!
Brad Marino – Four Track Attack (Beluga Records)
FOUR TRACK ATTACK is the debut solo release from veteran rocker Brad Marino, best known as the singer/songwriter/guitarist for The CONNECTION. Brad has to be credited for been named as “Coolest Song in the World” on Sirius XM’s Little Steven’s Underground Garage on more than the once. On its own, that merits a huge amount of Kudos in my book Well taking time away from The Connection Brad had decided to really show off by playing everything on his new EP and singing. the first couple are solid power pop then Brad turns up the tempo and starts cooking some cool licks on the six string. ‘On The Brink’ rips and just oozes rock n roll. the final track ‘Special Friend’ was written especially for this project by New Trocaderos’ songwriter, Michael Chaney. Check out Brad and then check out his band you won’t be dissapointed.
St.Jimi Sebastian Cricket Club –I Still Get The Calls (Beluga Records)
The first single out of three from St. Jimi Sebastian Cricket Club and Beluga Records. I Still Get the Calls and the b-side A Smile Within is recorded and mixed at Vibe Studios Manchester (the Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, Badly Drawn boy etc) and mastered by Pete Maher, London (U2, Jack White, The Rolling Stones etc ).
A bit of a slow burner especially the B Side but ‘I Still Get The Calls’ has something of a nod to 80’s Britpop With a good old sing-a-long on the chorus this is good stuff. Good old storytelling rock n roll.
Tommy And The Rockets / Bikini Wipeouts (Kotj Records & Rocktopus Tea Party Records)
“Split The Waves” sees Tommy And The Rockets and Bikini Wipeouts knock out Two songs each, one original and one cover. Tommy And The Rockets did a cover of “Summer Means Fun” by The Fantastic Baggies, and Bikini Wipeouts did a cover of “Hawaii” by Brian Wilson and as winter comes rushing in why not pour one last cocktail and get the grass skirts out for one last party hey why not hold a party and play some tunes and why not play this slice of pop n roll .
How these Northern Europeans aren’t really from more tropical shores God only knows and Los Bikini Wipeouts aren’t too shabby either. Give it blast if you want to know what summer sounds like.
Quite simply Watts kick ass that should be all I really need to say on this one. I tip the hat once again to Rum Bar for flying the flag of good honest rock and roll music and its bands like Watts that are like moths to a flame as they converge on the label and then they feed off each other ‘Queens’ is a no-nonsense rocker with a solid beat and great full production to drive the song on. this single is backed by the balsy ‘The Night The Lights Went Down’ which is from the same gene pool as Bon era DC and that’s always going to be a good thing Right? Right! The good news doesn’t end there because there’s a long player coming early next year again on Rum Bar records these guys just keep giving.
V8 Wankers – the Last Rock ‘N’ Rollah (Ghost Highway Records)
It got one big biker boot firmly stuck in the Four Horsemen camp and the other on the monitor wedge. This bad boy has some bottleneck and is fairly generic in style and the flip side sees the band turn in a fairly honest take on the classic ‘Travellin’ Band’ they speed it up (of course they do) and thus loses some of the spark and lacking in some muscle which would have made this more of a bruising cover.
Puppy & The Handjob – I Eat Abortions (Slovenly Records)
of course, they do. They also play catchy punk rock that’s recorded in the blink of an eye and on a budget. It’s fair to say these cats aren’t from the Bob Rock school of big sound and they’ve never taken a leaf out of Def Leppard’s book (thankfully). So they do have a melody and a guitar solo but you should look away now if you don’t appreciate a wicked solo played from the heart (yeah right) good tune though to be fair. Spread out over five songs it gets a bit tired after a while must be that Arizona heat.
I love The Ramones and so does The Dirtiest and why wouldn’t they – why wouldn’t anybody. The Dirtiest play buzzsaw punk rock and roll just like Johnny and Joey used to and I love it. The first tune is like the second and funnily enough the third is much like the second and the first but the fourth is like the first second and third. 1-2-3-4 hey ho, let’s go.
Jake Starr & The Delicious Fullness (Ghost Highway Records)
Former Adam West frontman releases this spooky three-track single through Ghost Highway in Spain with its wicked cover artwork and blood red wax how could we not cover this bad boy. With three stomping rock and roll tracks ‘A Ghoul Like You’ is outstanding with that spoooooky keyboard rattling round behind the curtains and some great scooby doo effects we give this a howling thumbs up. The horns on ‘Torso Song’ are fantastic and playing these would go down a storm with the likes of the Urban Voodoo Machine and their blues bop n stroll – honkingly good single.
Following on from their last EP, More To Life, which got attention from the likes of Kerrang! Radio, Pure Grain Audio, and Alt Corner. after eighteen months in the long grass, EIGHT DAYS are back with new members. The newly invigorated quartet have released their new single, Stray, in October; they plan to tour as well so keep an eye on their pages to find out when and where.
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