That Was The Week That Was

That Was The Week That Was

2018 is quickly running out of weeks and before we know it we’ll be crashing into 2019 and another year of new records and great bands to see. Before everything blurs into one we have to reflect on what happened last week never mind last year so the final week of November saw RPM review some amazingly talented artists like the brand new up and coming force of nature that is Nikki Hill and her album ‘Feline Roots’. 

As well as the new talent we also welcomed back the return of US Bombs with their long player ‘Road Case’  

There was also musical collaborations that we found really appealing like The wicked EP by The Dahlmanns that we would highly recommend you check out and seeing as its Christmas why not give yourself a little treat.

Whilst on the live front RPM were present for the umpteenth show from the amazing UK Subs who are forever on tour as are The Quireboys but it was the line up of Helldorado that really caught our imagination as Europe seems to have really hit paydirt as far as the amazing line up goes. With top turn after top turn hit the stages and RPM was there to regale the magic for our readers.

Interviews we had them as well as Leigh spoke To Mike Christie about Guitars, Amps and general Guitar related Tech and we also caught up with Sal from Electric Frankenstein to hear all about his compilations and a general EF chat. On the feature front, Ben continued his adventure across the West coast of America and managed to catch a few live shows whilst he was talking in what Frisco, Vegas and LA had to offer.

Anyway enough looking back how about looking forward and this coming week on RPM we’ve got plenty of live action coming your way from some of our favourite bands still making music as well as some tasty new albums as well as a bunch of reissued classics you might have missed out on first time but now is your chance to pick em up. So we welcome December with a cheeky snap from He Who Cannot Be Named for you and as always Stay Sick and keep it RPM. Til next week that is.

 

US Bombs – Road Case (Slope Records)

US Bombs – Road Case (Slope Records)

Dwane Peters and his US Bombs are still out there making music and dropping audio bombs on us as I type.  Always a pleasure and never a chore to find out that Dwayne has got some music ready to drop and when we found out the details of ‘Road Case’ we were excited and when it hit the death decks of HQ and hearing those crisp guitars hit the speakers we raised a smile that soon became a grin that soon became as broad as the Californian sun.

So yeah Dwayne has got a gruff razor gargling vocal style but man does his band The US Bombs peddle a blast of old-school punk rock n roll.  Imagine Social Distortion hadn’t gone folky and mix that with a healthy dose of Rancid around the time they were singing about Olympia and their roots were radical well the US Bombs sound like that then as well and still do.  The songs are melodic and always like the best must attend house party in town, just take ‘Something TO Believe In’ you can imagine singing and swiggin’ along to that bad boy and then the arrangement of ‘Never Them’ is excellent from the swirling organ and acoustic holding the base of the song to task whilst those electric guitars roll on. again another winner fro the US Bombs.

sure they aren’t going to win any prizes for originality but they keep it real and do exactly what you want them to and keep it tight and loyal to the Bombs and what they’re all about. the album just flows nicely as the songs are all pretty decent with some real highs and some quite commercial sounds like ‘Refugee’ which could be a hit for sure after the long intro the song bursts into life after about ninety seconds (almost punk rock prog).

‘Kill Kill Kill’ get a bit funky like the theme tune on the Jimmy Kimmel show or something similar its a curveball with the fiddle playing like Peters has gone all Mellencamp for three minutes and the jazz saxophone will really mess with your head.  ‘Barracuda Baby’ is a sleazy grinding number with Peters almost whispering into your speakers which is a little disconcerting but hey I’ll try most things once.

US Bombs are always a band that is tight and packed with the most excellent players (even if they are on almost thirty members) which is always going to help and when their albums crop up packed with a dozen tunes I refuse to imagine a time when it won’t be thoroughly enjoyable listen and ‘Road Case’ is no exception from the opener right through to the final hoorah of the wheezing accordion driven ‘Needles’,  it’s a winner.  God bless Dwayne Peters and God bless The US Bombs you guys rock.

Buy Road Case Here

Slope Records

Author : Dom Daley

Rainy Days And Mondays

Rainy Days And Mondays

These weeks Monday morning video selections are all culled from some of this weeks revies starting with today’s album review the fantastic Nikki Hill performing a Chuck Classic. view away those Monday mornings. blues.

Next up, Later this week we review the brand new album from Californian punk legends the US Bombs. until then we’ll leave you with this classic.

Finally this week we bring you the brand new album that features Honest John Plain so its only fair that we round up this week three videos with a classic released on the same label as this weeks review.  Take it away John…