SLYDER SMITH & THE OBLIVION KIDS On The Charm Offensive

SLYDER SMITH & THE OBLIVION KIDS On The Charm Offensive

SLYDER SMITH & THE OBLIVION KIDS, have announced the release of their debut album ‘Charm Offensive‘, to be out on 19th August 2022 through Ray Records on 12” black vinyl, digipak CD and digital, distributed worldwide via Cargo Records. Pre-order the album here

“This album has been a real labour of love for me, I’ve really put my heart & soul into it. Over the last year or so I’ve been working very hard developing my guitar playing, music & lyric writing pulling myself in all sorts of directions, really stretching myself. I feel I have accomplished what I set out to do, create songs from the heart in no specific genre & perform them to the best of my ability on the record. I guess for years I have been a frustrated lead singer so I have relished the opportunity to showcase what I can do vocally too.” – Slyder Smith –

Slyder Smith first swaggered onto the stage as lead guitarist with glam-tinged power popsters, Last Great Dreamers. After releasing four studio albums and one live album on Ray Records, & having toured extensively throughout the UK & Europe with LGD, Slyder now takes centre stage leading new power trio, Slyder Smith & The Oblivion Kids (Tim Emery, Bass and Rik Pratt, Drums) in an honest outpouring of grit, glamour and emotion.

Stepping out of the shadows and into the spotlight, the self-confessed ‘frustrated lead singer’ has been forced to delve deep into his own psyche, to carefully craft lyrics and melodies that speak from the heart. Slyder’s emotive vocals are powerful, yet melancholic, the perfect balance of light and shade sitting effortlessly within the sonic landscape of his varied rhythm guitar sounds and highly melodic & anthemic lead lines.

Stage left, Slyder is joined by Tim Emery, a towering enigma, whose stylish bass lines are the only thing to outshine his impeccable apparel and at the back sits the Oblivion Kids’ powerhouse and beat master, Welshman, Rik Pratt. A man of few words but whose presence is palpable in this rock steady rhythm section.

But this is no ordinary guitar-based rock album; together with producer Pete Brown (George Harrison, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Marc Almond, The Smiths and Sam Brown), Slyder has allowed the songs to dictate the direction they have gone in; discovering melodies and hook lines along the way. Making use of Hammond organ and piano with the help of Neil Scully (Richard Davies & the Dissidents), a 1950s Phillicord organ, lap steel guitar & even a bit of banjo.

A chocolate box of sonic sensations offering up a little something for everyone – from heavy riffage with walloping drums akin to the brothers Young to the anticipated sleaze rock shades of Hanoi Rocks. However, this band is not afraid to step away from their rock roots, instead, with nods to the likes of The Doors, Velvet Underground, The Stranglers and The Kinks from the past and the alternative rock sound of Manic Street Preachers, The Oblivion Kids have reimagined an 80s synth-pop classic and mastered singalong pop, gothic, dark Americana, and dare I say it, funk-rock?! There are a few firsts for Slyder on here too in the form of an instrumental track with a western feel to a duet featuring the ethereal vocals of Nina Courson (Healthy Junkies). The result is an idiosyncratic 14-track album of outstanding versatility.  A Charming debut, I’m sure you’ll agree.
 

On the strength of the new recordings, Slyder has also just signed a publishing deal with Cherry Red Songs… “I’m really hopeful that with Cherry Red’s help we will find plenty of opportunity for my new music to be used commercially.”

On May 2nd Slyder Smith & The Oblivion Kids played their live debut on the main stage at HRH Ibiza Road Trip and went down a storm in front of a packed house to opening the 5-day rock festival!

The band plan a string of single & video releases throughout the summer & will perform their UK debut show In London at Pump It Up Festival on Sat July 2nd.  followed by a demanding schedule of live dates including a 9 date UK tour as special guests to Swedish groove-rockers, The Electric Boys in Aug/Sept to coincide with the release of the debut album. Further headline & festival live dates are planned for the rest of the year in UK & Europe.

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Singles Club – March (or die)

Singles Club – March (or die)

Welcome to the singles club, we’ve not had many sittings recently probably due to the Christmas period but they’ve started to trickle in and when we had a few exciting tunes fly in we had to fire up the jukebox and get some 45″ RPM action going.

First up is a mighty fine 7” split for groups LJ & The Sleeze (Richmond, VA) and Killer Hearts (Houston, TX).

LJ & The Sleeze / Killer Hearts – Split (Eight Ball Record$) The 2 song split features the first new tune since Killer Hearts Debut LP was released last year (one we certainly championed here) ‘Skintight Electric’ was truly all killer and absolutely no filler. ‘High Temptress’ is more of the same with manic, rabid rock and roll resplendent with its chest-beating & frantic tempo, those Dead Boys inspired solos and catchy choruses that make you want to sling down a yard of ale before running through a brick wall – great stuff.


LJ & The Sleeze’s side of the split holds the newly redone ‘I’m Bad’, off of their LP ‘Stay Sleezy’, giving in-your-face punk attitude aplenty. It’s got a swagger and a hook that you won’t be able to free from your head, nor would you want to. Menacing and snotty with just enough snarling venom to make you want to root through your sister’s purse to fund this record. Exactly how a split should be done – Get on it Here it’s out in the middle of March so be sure to keep that link locked down – you won’t regret it.

Totally Slow – ‘The Lost Art of Shutting Up’ ( Refresh Records) Another new one on us comes out off their new album ‘Casual Drag’ its indie punk rock with a great hook and a foot in the past it’s got a tonne of energy like melodic punk of so-cal punks a really good earworm that just gets better the more you hear it.

I love the breakdown and want to hear more. Which is the whole original point of a 45″ single right? I dove into the back catalogue and am currently loving ‘Casual Drag’. Pick it up Here

These Arms Are Snakes – ‘Camera Shy’ (Suicide Squeeze Records) US hardcore/mathrock band These Arms Are Snakes have today announced a new rarities release called ‘Duct Tape & Shivering Crows’ which will be released April 15th via Suicide Squeeze Records.

Formed from the ashes of legendary noise bands Botch and Killsadie, These Arms Are Snakes had a 7-year run in the early 2000s and released three albums and many Eps and splits, toured relentlessly, before splitting in 2009.

Described rather wonderfully as a ‘synth-infused noise rock, bad-trip psychedelia, flamboyant proto-metal boogie, and unhinged basement-show hardcore,’ These Arms Are Snakes reformed for some reunion gigs in 2021 and now have this rarities comp

The Good The Bad And The Zugly – ‘One Dimensional Man’ (Fysisk Format) Any day you get to head a new GBATZ tune is a great fucking day so today must be fanfuckingtastic seeing as two of them have shown up. The first earworms from their new Covid produced album is here. ‘Nostradumbass’ is a huge melodic masterclass. Sure it’s the B side but its got a poptastic lick and a chorus that could have been lifted from Abba.

Now the A-side is loud and has a thumping rhythm and the hook is classic Turbonegro-tastic to boot right out of that ballpark. It’ll take a while to properly burrow down and lay its musical explosions that will go off for weeks to come but you know they’re in there. Bring on that damn album and bring it on now. Essential purchase! Here

The Blue Carpet Band – The Slow Death Of Camden (Bomber Music) dealing with the gentrification and all the changes happening on the once rock n’ roll streets of Camden Town. Major brands taking over and the loss of iconic venues and drinking places have erased the edginess and excitement. The rock’n’roll bandits are all gone. Pretty much the same thing happened in Soho and Wardour St and I guess the LES of Manhattan and St Marks and Time Sq as well as a host of other places to boot. Mores the pitty but these times they are a-changing but Rock and Roll will never die don’t you go thinking otherwise.

The Blue Carpet Band are true Rock and Rollers and this is another slice of sleazy Rock n Roll. Check it out – you won’t regret it. With a new album on the way 2022 is shaping up nicely. Buy Here

Find The Blue Carpet Band Online at: FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM BOMBER MUSIC

Electric Boys – ‘Favorite Hello, Worst Goodbye’ (Mighty Music) Another new song recorded by these hard rockin’ Swedes during the “Ups!de Down” sessions. The first one, “Favorite Hello, Worst Goodbye” is out on digital platforms now.

Claiming the song is made up using Cheap Tricks DNA is a big call but it isn’t a million miles from the mark. The Electric Boys play solid hard rock n roll and do it well. Conny Bloom rallies his troops through this meaty rocker and slides some neat fretwork. Fans will lick it up no doubt it’ll be interesting to hear more of this new material

Supera Morza – ‘I’m Working It Out’ (Bad Apple Music Group) The band’s third single sees Supera Morza, ‘Working It Out’ hailing from Manchester these spikey individuals play uncompromising punk rock. It’s possibly in the same ballpark as Blackwater and Cabbage in its gritty, angular post-punk attack with melody and aggression. Two-and-a-half minutes of uncompromising shit or bust anarchic grunge. Hailed as one of Manchester’s most exciting prospects expect to hear and see a lot more of these guys. The previous singles ‘Roadkill’ which had similarities to Nirvana pre ‘Nevermind’ (which isn’t a bad thing either) and my personal favourite the frantic Scrubber. Check them out via Facebook and Spotify

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Fontains D.C – ‘I Love You’ (Partisan Records) Taken from the band’s forthcoming album ‘Skinty Fia’ due in April. A slow-burning, brooding and intense love song the track sees the band offer up a dark insight into what they’ve been up to during lockdown. It follows hot on the heels of ‘Jackie Down The Line’. Check out the video here.

Stacy Crowne had their single reviewed here last year but have since shot a video for the B side of their cover of Golden Earrings ‘Radar Love’ check out the lively ‘Dead Of Night’ Get it while it’s hot Here