The Anglo-American Imbeciles are led by writer / guitarist Butch Dante’s , originally starting out as a conventional punk band, Wartoad,

2019’s ‘The Imbeciles’ debut album was taped in eight deranged days,(so the story goes) in a haunted studio on the Texan-Mexican frontier, For the new album, Youth from Killing Joke’s El Mirador studio in southern Spain ,was utilised taking the music in a totally different direction. Along with the band Youth’s musical partner Michael Rendall played keyboards, with Youth playing bass and co-writing throughout.

Now at this point I have to say I stand by everything I said about the band live even though this recorded version is a very different ball game.

Opener “Tiny Blue people” sleazily crawls out of the speakers a real rock and roll intro grounded in the underground rock sound, a real ear worm of a track that really sticks with you the guitar riff holding you in a post punk haze.

On the opposite end of the scale next up “Its not about you” is almost alt pop perfection not unlike the direction Rich Ragany is moving in the vocals leading, the guitar picking at you with a real arena sound. This then takes us into ” I’m not the One “ hitting the sort of heights set out by Beastmilk, this LP really is all over the place, you just can’t pin them down (Not unlike the live set).

Next up London rain has that almost 60’s Carnaby street vibe, modernised (at least into the 70’s) with the spirit of Lenny Kravitz circa Let love rule. That Kravitz vibe remains in next up “Van Man”. Before we drop back into that 60’s/70’s garage rock vibe with “The name of the Rose” again pulling up a very different direction ala Razor bats first classic lp.

“I won’t let you down” has almost a psychedelic 70’s feel hinting at early Floyd.

Now I don’t think I’ve ever reviewed anything and mentioned Lenny Kravitz, Rich Ragany’ The Razor Bats, Beast milk and post punk in the same review as influences, not ever and probably never will again, showing how all over the place this LP is! “Your gonna Wanna” shakes that classic rock and roll tree, while “Soldiers and Junkies” drags us back into the underground Rock and roll sleazy place we love to be in. “Lets go!” tears out of the speakers and “Superstar” is just about the perfect ending to what is a cracking LP, so if you like any style of music that sits within the Rock and Roll orbit you really need to check out the Imbeciles, Simply Stunning!!!!

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Author: Nev Brooks

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THE IMBECILES ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM ‘IMBECILICA’ RECORDED AND CREATED WITH LEGENDARY PRODUCER YOUTH

OUT MAY 20th VIA CADIZ MUSIC

PRE-ORDER HERE:

 Taken from their forthcoming album which is released on Cadiz Music and is a collaboration with Youth from Killing Joke who produced the album and played bass on it, and they’re touring with Killing Joke in March/April.

The Anglo-American Imbeciles are enigmatic writer/guitarist Butch Dante’s creation, with a history of being vividly reborn. In chrysalis form they were a conventional punk band, Wartoad, till a Californian tour finished at an ex-biker roadhouse, whose former denizens were still inclined to dig up guns and bury bodies in the surrounding desert. Improvising with extreme freedom at what felt like the end of the world, The Imbeciles were born here.

2019’s The Imbeciles debut album was taped in eight deranged days, in a haunted studio on the Texan-Mexican frontier, a record of abrupt razor-edits and spectral moods. This was followed by an unhinged gig at London’s Heavenly Social where the band crashed and burned, with Dante pulling only singer John Kent from the wreckage with him.

As lockdown hit in 2020, the Dissolution Sessions EP was the first sign of renewed life, with a rebuilt line-up and sound. “I said, ‘I want to do pub-rock,’” Dante says, “and it went over really well.” It outsold the original album, with Crystal Palace fan Dante’s art-punk football anthem “Sunday Leaguer” being played on Match Of The Day. Youth (aka Martin Glover), loved it, and invited them to his Andalusian studio to properly begin Phase 2.

Colonel Kurtz and Hunter Thompson had seemed guiding spirits during the first album’s stoned madness. Youth’s El Mirador studio was equally extreme in its way, rewarding the Imbeciles who’d survived Texas’s purifying flame with a hippieish, bohemian Shangri-La. Waking up in Peter Murphy’s bed (the Bauhaus singer is a regular guest), Dante had to pinch himself at this ascension into post-punk heaven. “It’s on a mountain on Spain’s southern coast,” he recalls, “where Youth has built a big compound with Moroccan-style minarets. It’s quite chaotic, with incredibly esoteric furniture, art and books. You climb up a ladder to a sorcerer’s library in a tower dedicated to music. It’s got a huge, sunken sitting room with a big fire, and a pool. When we got there, it was just me, John Kent and Youth. For three days we just ate food and talked, listened to music and watched Kubrick movies – and Final Destination! – and decided what we were going to do. The rest of the band turned up and plugged in, and things started happening.” Youth’s musical partner Michael Rendall played keyboards, with Youth playing bass and co-writing throughout.

photo Tom Sheehan

The first fruits of the sessions for new album ‘Imbecilica’ can be heard today in new single ‘Tiny Blue People’, a high-energy attack that explodes with vitality and melody. The Tiny Blue People in the video live an invisible existence at the bottom of swimming pools in the suburbs United States, cunningly camouflaged by their blue skin. At night they emerge to cause mischief and mayhem – and, sometimes, gory murder – before retreating back to their chlorinated and aquatic world.

“The song is about the duality of American middle-class society,” reveals Butch Dante. “At one level everything looks perfect, idyllic – but in reality, those perfect lawns and crystal blue pools conceal the vilest perfidy, a world ruled by egotism and base cruelty.”

THE IMBECILES ‘DISSOLUTION SESSIONS’ NEW EP 

ORDER THE EP HERE:

Mysterious art/punk rockers The Imbeciles have a new 6-track EP ‘Dissolution Sessions’ out today and to mark this occasion they’ve released a video for ‘Yes I Am’ from the EP taken from their recent gig in Brooklyn, New York this month where they played a gig in frontman Butch Dante’s garage to about 30 live music starved fans. The perfect setting for the bands raw, primal sound!

Following their eponymously named debut album in 2019, art punks The Imbeciles return today with a new self-released six-track EP titled ‘Dissolution Sessions’, that features a new band line up – and a different sound. “We’ve slimmed down from a meandering, vegan, six-member prog rock combo, to a tight-knit, guitar-led, steak-eating 5-piece,” says lead Imbecile, Butch Dante. “The guitar sound is fuzzy punk beast-master AF, and we like it.”

 

The band had originally gone into the studio earlier this year to record a radio session for BBC R6. That ended up being cancelled because of the pandemic crisis. “We were there anyway so we started riffing on some new songs and everything came together real fast,” says Butch.

 

In early 2021 the band are set to begin recording a new album with hugely respected producer and Killing Joke founder, Youth.

 

“Having Youth involved as producer and co-writer is the most dope thing that has ever happened to the band,” says lead singer and bass player Kip Larson. “Everyone is in a super positive, hyper creative place right now and we can’t wait to see what we come up with.”

 

Find The Imbeciles online at: 

Website / Merch / Facebook / Instagram /  Twitter / Youtube

 

Stiff Richards – ‘Got It To Go’ (Legless Records via Bandcamp) New music from Australias Stiff Richards is always going to get our attention.  Got It To Go isn’t the wild unleashed wreckless drunken ride but a more measured confident groove.  It was mentioned it had the same vibe as Bronx and that’s a decent shout both bands are top-notch and when they cut loose their brimming with urgency and when they kick back (as it were) they sound like this.  One song is fantastic but we want more so when you’re ready chaps we’ll have that long-player, thanks. and the good news there is its coming out soonish from legless in Australia and its getting a European release from Drunken Sailor Records.  In the meantime check out the single here

 

 

Spunk Volcano & The Eruptions – ‘Only Got Eyes For You’ (Avenue Recordz) You want anthems for singles? fuckin’ right you do.  In these tough times how about bands release singles ahead of an album and make it a bloody good un or else.  SV & The Eruptions have only gone and done that twice before now with this being the last un before the album hits us in December. This one might just be the biggest sounding of the lot with a confident mid-paced number and judging by the lyrics maybe SV has softened and penned a love song (of sorts) its certainly his best vocal delivery yet with a fantastic melody and one that burrows down into the ear and sets up camp and you find yourself singing hours later.  The sign of a good single?  I think so. It also features ‘Snap Backbone’ from the ‘Ramraid’ EP  & ‘Together Forever As Ghosts’ from ‘Shit Generation’.  SV & The Eruptions are prolific and they seem to be getting better and better at this songwriting lark  – long may it continue. Oh and that artwork is creepy as fuck. Buy it Here    check em out – Facebook / Website 

 

 

Matty James Cassidy – ‘Old Souls’ (Pirate Heart Records)  taken from the album of the same name Matty infuses his folk and rock and roll roots to create a great song mixing electric with acoustic but then takes it to the next level with some welcome and excellent saxophone.  There’s a bit of the Clash in here and some.  Matty has expanded the troubadour tag and turned in a really impressive song to showcase his new album Website

 

 

Gob Patrol – ‘Sin City’ (Riot Records) Of course its punk rock.  With a name like Gob Patrol, it wasn’t ever not going to sound like The Exploited doing Rancid doing GBH.  Nothing wrong with that either.  ‘Sin City’ is easy on the ear and dumb and full of fun.  These Vegas punks kick-off ‘Anarchy’ as if to solidify their punk rock credentials.  It’s pretty decent if the UK82 scene was your thing.  It not original but then why should it be they’re just kicking the can down the road and pogoing for fun with their mates.  Good on ’em I say and get down to sin city and pogo pogo! Pre-order/pre-save Sin City HERE

The Urethras ‘Patronized’ (Pirates Press Records) Pissed off teenagers from California writing punk rock songs in 2020 who’d have thought it?  Raw, unapologetic, and raging against the machine. Throw in a global pandemic, raging fires in their backyards and you’ve got a ticking time bomb of angst and it sounds like it.  Imagine a rough house Rancid,  Some 82 punk and the usual suspects like Dead Kennedys or Germs and a heap of Straight edge bands who used to turn CBGB into a frothing mess The Urethras are kickings it.  ‘Patronized’ is that sound.  Good on you kids and I mean that in a non patronising way.  As for the name stop giggling you nutters.  Facebook

Kids Of Skids – ‘Trapped’  (Riot Records) Sydney-based hardcore punk band KIDS OF SKIDS recently released their debut single and subsequent video Army Store via Riot Records. Now they are set to drop their second single Trapped on October 19thTrapped is about being Trapped in Iso during fu**ing Corona.   In your face rapid hardcore punk rock oz style.  Brutal shit from down under that will pummel your brain – get on the VB and throw yourself about its like Chesty Malone & The Slice EM Ups have Australian blood brothers.
Pre-order/save Trapped HERE 

Antagonizers ATL – ‘Black Clouds’ (Pirates Press Records)  Oi, Oi Now rounded out as a 6 piece, Antagonizers ATL has this single out as a glimpse of the future as these street punks get ready to release the long-player with a Celtic tinge it’s not as oirish as say a Dropkick Murphys but it’s cut from a similar cloth.

The song features some extra vocals from labelmate Matt Henson (NOi!SE)as if these street punks needed help on those gang vocals.

Antagonizers ATL’s brand of dirty rock n’ roll is on full display, and these Atlanta working class street punks have carved their teeth in the scene with a relentless work ethic and a commanding live show for the better part of a decade.  Fill yer glass and get a jig on street punks are in the room.

Atomic Zeros – ‘Dirty Game’ (Ghost Highway Records) A cool sleazy slab of garage rock with a great hook on the chorus.  A really well-written song with some fine crunchy guitars borrowing a lick or two from the likes of Gluecifer and knocking out a cover of The Lord’s classic ‘Russian Roulette’ on the B side is never going to end badly with us.  Curiously the second cover of the same song in a month. Once again the do the track proud with a killer version.  Super limited numbers available from the best label in Spain Here or from the band Here

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The Slackers – ‘Blue’ (Pirates Press Records) Normally, in the months leading up to arguably the biggest election, you wouldn’t want to go about releasing a new record for your band… Unless of course, that song was a taste of the color and voice you want to lend to the dialogue.

NYC legends trumpet tooting mellow bit of Ska.  Harking back to some classic first wave The Slackers turn in a chilled out ‘Blue’ before the storm of what might follow.  It’s not heading to the top of the charts any day soon but who cares this is great especially the Dub version (like it needed a Dub Version) Facebook

 

 

The Imbeciles – ‘Yes I Am’  Scuzzy mysterious punk rockers release the first video from their EP that’s released later this month containing 6-tracks the EP ‘Dissolution Sessions’ will be out at the end of October. Until then this amusing video deals with the band’s lineup changes as well as showcasing their wonderful talent for penning garage rock and roll the song has a great hook and who doesn’t love a riff like that?