-NFT RECORD REVIEWS 2005-
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7 SHOT SCREAMERS - ‘KEEP THE FLAME ALIVE’ CD
I don’t like how loosely the term ‘Rock N Roll’ gets awarded to bands these
days who just don’t represent the real soul and furor of Rock N Roll at all
and just seem to be playing hackneyed crap. Every so often a band comes out
that truly does capture the passion of true Rock N Roll... ladies and
gentlemen I give you the 7 SHOT SCREAMERS. Keep the flame alive this
unquestionably does. This is ablaze with real Rock N Roll spirit. There’s
hints of ELVIS COSTELLO, MIKE NESS, JONATHAN RICHMAN, TIGER ARMY and THE
CLASH all mixed up into a really gritty and wild record. Fantastic
song-writing, tons of style and above all REAL Rock N Roll and did I mention
that it’s stylish? This will be spinning and spinning for ages and ages.
Haunted Town Records
www.hauntdtownrecords.com
AFS - ‘TALES OF A DRUNKEN GENERATION’ CD
The debut full-length from the ARTHRITIC FOOT SOLDIERS. Old skool skaters
playing old skool punk rock. That’s it... no bullshit, just straight-forward,
old-fashioned skatepunk. The sound is a blend of American and English punk
rock/hardcore but I’ve always found skatepunk bands to never really have a
sound that you can totally categorise. It’s always been the most boundless
and uninhibited style of punk rock where the bands seem to take whatever
direction they want and AFS are no exception to that. They’re heavy, fun,
melodic, fast, uncouth, political, energetic and perceptive. This doesn’t
really sound like any other skatepunk band but then they all sound so
dissimilar which is the whole point of the genre. The emphasis is definitely
on fun here and that’s a welcome thing. When did things get so damn serious?
Voltage Records / Stranded Records
www.voltagerecords.com /
www.strandedrecords-scotland.co.uk
AGAINST ME! - 'SEARCHING FOR A FORMER CLARITY' CD
AGAINST ME! truly are one of the most original, stylish and sophisticated
contemporary punk rock bands. They are just so imaginative and that's a
fantastic thing to see because in my opinion punk rock has been going
backwards recently with a lot of bands, who I once thought were special,
churning out by-the-numbers shit. AGAINST ME! are the opposite. They keep
things edgy and innovative and they pretty much reinvent themselves and
redefine their style with every new record and that's an amazing thing
since they really nailed it on 'Reinventing Axl Rose' and could just
have stuck with that winning formula, but that's not the way AGAINST ME!
works. There is no formula. 'Searching For A Former Clarity' is a
cultivation of 'The Eternal Cowboy' just as that was an evolution of
'Reinventing Axl Rose'. It's always unmistakably AGAINST ME! but
it's never a replica. Never a carbon copy. Each record is like an
individual and unique experience and each is presented exclusively.
'Searching For A Former Clarity' is full of excitement, reaction,
astuteness, incisiveness, emotion and they fuse all those ingredients into a
real masterpiece every time around. It really is amazing. There is one thing
that is constant through all their releases... fantastic song writing.
Fat Wreck Chords
www.fatwreck.com
ALL TOMORROW'S PARTY - 'YOO DOO RIGHT, YOO DOO SLIDE' CD
Whimsical garage delivered in exceptional Japanese style, ALL TOMORROW'S
PARTY take influence from all kinds of places and judiciously blend them
together to create a speckled and hallucinogenic scene. Traces of THE VELVET
UNDERGROUND (of course), THE DOORS, PINK FLOYD, MY BLOODY VALENTINE, STONE
ROSES etc. It's all so wonderfully directionless but not in the sense that
they haven't established a sound or focus, but in the way that it's so
free. If they wanna rock out they rock out, if they wanna take you on an
enigmatic and dreamy musical journey then that's what they do and you have
no choice but to go with it. The end of every track presents a new and
impulsive beginning. It's very experimental yet totally engaged. The CD
opens with 6 minutes of shifting instrumental landscape and they make sure
that you feel every rise and fall and transition from serene to moody and
edgy and then you're thrown straight into a distorted garage fuzz and the
whole album continues in this vein. The Japanese certainly don't deliver
half-measures and with ALL TOMORROW'S PARTY it's the whole hog and the
effort is tremendous. You can tell that the end result of this release is
exactly what they were after.
Alive Records
www.alive-totalenergy.com
GG ALLIN - 'INSULT AND INJURY VOL. 2' CD
These are raw recordings of GG ALLIN with BLOODY MESS from 1986 to 1989.
Some live stuff and some accoustic stuff including the great 'Sitting In
This Room' and 'Thinking And Drinking', and also some phone conversations
which are an always cool and common feature of GG releases. There's also a
tribute song for GG by BLOODY MESS AND THE SKABS, 'Murder Groupies', that's a
really cool addition. I like to collect all the GG stuff I can get my hands
on so this excites me but it's not just for collectors or completists. It's
a true slice of raw, crude punk rock and everything GG represented. It's
basic, it's dangerous, it's frightening and it's pure punk rock. You just
don't get this anymore. This is what the kids should be listening to
because it's true rebellion... it's not safe in any way. I hope they pick up
on this and start understanding just what rock 'n' roll is about.
Black and Blue Records
www.blackandbluerecords.com
GG ALLIN AND THE MURDER JUNKIES - 'SAVAGE SOUTH' DVD
This is kinda like the follow up to the 'Raw, Brutal, Rough and Bloody'
DVD (also an MVD release) which showcased GG in 1991 and this collection of
live shows from Georgia and Texas presents a more ferocious GG in 1992
wreaking havoc across Dixie on the Savage South Tour. Both of these DVDs
(which comprise of 6 shows altogether) truly communicate the chaos of a
Murder Junkies show. The violence, the danger and the fear. These are scary
venues, scary audiences and a fuckin scary band!!! GG really had reached his
no-compromise stage where every show reached higher levels of hostility with
the Murder Junkies taking their attack up a notch. These shows are
unpredictable and turbulent and truly stand as a fundamental record of true,
adamant punk rock. I just don't know what GG would think of the punk
scene today if he was still here. This is significant and valuable footage
because aside from the 'Live and Pissed' video and the 'Hated'
documentary, it's pretty hard to get decent GG recordings and these 2 DVDs
genuinely transmit the rawness and threat of this vicious but devoted punk
rocker. I'm sure there will never be another GG Allin which is a pity
because young punk kids haven't got any real sense of danger left in rock
'n' roll. Everything is so safe these days and that sucks. Where's the
self-abuse? Where's the faeces? Where's the risk???? These DVDs are
compulsory viewing, especially for younger punks. If you think what you're
listening to is aggressive or violent think again because GG sang about it
and did it. This may frighten you and that's what it's all about.
Music Video Distributors
www.mvdb2b.com
THE ALTARBOYS - 'GREATEST HITS VOL. 2' CD
Straight-up, fast and destructive punk rock with a real Beer City feel to
it. It's old-fashioned, undiluted, antagonistic rock 'n' roll and
that's it. There's nothing else going on to get in the way of that. Now,
I don't wanna be a whining bitch about it but what the hell happened to
punk rock? Who let the fags take over? It sucked about 10 years ago what was
getting labelled as 'punk' but I never saw it getting as bad as these
days!!! The kids just don't have a fuckin clue... where's the danger? The
excitement? The volatility? Poor, poor misguided kids don't got a
clue. Well, I say fuck'em and let them be fooled and deprived and we'll
take the real thing for ourselves!!! Hell yeah. It's great to hear
something that shakes me up again, it's been too long.
Last Chance Records
www.lastchancerecords.net
AMERICAN EYES - ‘NEVER TRUST ANYTHING THAT BLEEDS!’ CD EP
AMERICAN EYES have a weird kinda blend of sound. One side is the definitive
Warped Tour sound that we’re all familiar with but then they have this
unusual other angle that’s like a kind of ‘80s / New Wave sound and we’re
definitely getting accustomed to Side One Dummy presenting us with bands
that have these strange blends of styles. I think that’s a cool direction
for them to be taking on because there are a million bands that have the
Warped sound and probing to find interesting young bands must be a pretty
demanding task because of all the clones out there. I’m down with bands
experimenting with sounds and styles and as mutated as they can get from
that Warped sound is absolutely fine with me!
SideOneDummy Records
www.sideonedummy.com
AN EMERGENCY - 'WE ARE THE OCTAGONISTS' CD
Killer, killer artwork on this release and it's on Captains Of Industry so
you know it's gonna be off the wall. AN EMERGENCY is really edgy and
scratchy and almost reminds me of a convulsive BENDER with their disjointed
delivery and angular chords and then a touch of the DEAD MILKMEN too with
their guitar sound and style and also the MINUTEMEN and the SAILORS, so you
can image the irregularity!! It definitely has an SST vibe to it with it's
growling, arty and jittery technique. It switches from tranquillity to chaos
in a flash, melody to frenzy in a blink. The octopus on the cover (designed
by one of the singer/guitarists in the band) is pretty appropriate because
AN EMERGENCY (cool name) are unpredictable and directionless and a little
frightening, all in a good way of course, like an octopus. The erratic 8
legs are like the musician's limbs... impulsive and volatile.
Captains Of Industry
www.captainsof.com
ANGEL CITY OUTCASTS - 'LET IT RIDE' CD
These guys approach the streetpunk style from a totally different angle.
They have this 1930's gangster imagery which I really like because it's
not the same old cliched shit and they have a real rock 'n' roll, rock
and almost country edge to their sound but it's still tough as nails and
full on. It's just so different... the progressions, the guitar sounds, the
prouction and the delivery. It's like the TOY DOLLS crossed with the DROPKICKS,
KINGS OF NUTHIN', THOSE UNKNOWN and GUNS N' ROSES. 'Popeye in
Afghanistan' and 'I'm an A.C.O.' are my 2 absolute favourites but
the whole album is solid as fuck. It's so refreshing to hear things done
differently, I can't tell you. I like that there's only 10 songs in all
on this record. These guys certainly do things their own way and I love
that. They were part of the Old Skars and Upstarts skate/punk tour with DIE
HUNNS and the BLACK HALOS and they were also on the last 'Old Skars'
compilation so I think these guys will be getting bigger and bigger and
rightly fucking so.
I Used To Fuck People Like You In Prison Records
www.peoplelikeyourecords.com
ANGEL CORPUS CHRISTI - 'ACCORDION POP VOL.1' CD
I first heard ANGEL CORPUS CHRISTI when I found her 'I Love New York' EP in a bargain bin and I can tell you, it was one of the best finds of my life. This collection bares the caption 'hear these tunes like you've never heard 'em before!' and boy oh boy is that the case! This is accordion frenzy!!! You have tunes like BLONDIE's 'Denise', THE VELVET UNDERGROUND's 'Femme Fatale, THE BEATLES' 'Hey Jude' and so on presented solely by an accordion. Nothing else. That's brilliant. As the CD also states, 'No Drums No Bass No Vocal. Just A Little Reverb'. Let this be a lesson: the accordion is all you need. This rules.
Gulcher Records
www.gulcher.gemm.com
ANGEL CORPUS CHRISTI - ‘LOUIE LOUIE’ CD
ANGEL CORPUS CHRISTI presents 12 songs for and about LOU REED. This is
the most assorted release I’ve ever heard by her but it’s still portrayed in
her totally inimitable style. There’s less accordion rawness than I was
expecting but it still maintains the wonderful ambiguity and mysteriousness
that characterises ANGEL CORPUS CHRISTI. I mean, I’m a sucker for her and I
recommend all her records because she’s so open and boundless and I’m in
love with the accordion as it is so her... impulsiveness and fantastic
unpredictability united with the sound of the best instrument in the world
is a pleasure bomb for me! She gets me so deep and I urge you to go out and
get her records and breathe it all in, she rules.
Gulcher Records
www.gulcher.gemm.com
ANGEL CORPUS CHRISTI - 'THE 80'S' CD
I have such a weakness for the accordion... it's hands down THE best instrument and being from Italian descent I have been around the fantastic sound for my whole life. So here, ANGEL CORPUS CHRISTI brings us songs from the 80's such as: 'Blank Generation', 'The Day John Kennedy Died', 'I'm 18' etc and puts the wonderful accordion twist on them in the way that only she knows how. It really is a beautiful noise and a totally inimitable adaptation. If you are unfamiliar with ANGEL CORPUS CHRISTI then you need to alert yourself to her and if you're an accordion lover you need this ASAP!
Gulcher Records
www.gulcher.gemm.com
ANNALISE - ‘HERE’S TO HOPE’ CD
ANNALISE are from England but fit the No Idea sound and style perfectly.
Their sound is thin yet full, and they write very sophisticated songs that
often remind me a lot of the CLASH with their blend of melody and attack
with a dose of pure freedom. I’m always really surprised that I love this
sound so much because it’s so different to the usual, chaotic noise that I
listen to, but I’ve always had a weak spot for this well-crafted,
philosophical punk rock. I’m always amazed at the song-writing and how they
merge stuff together that actually works!! Maybe I’ve become so used to the
usual three-chord clamour that any slight refinement or complexity impresses
the hell out of me!! ANNALISE blend American and English style but not in
the typical ’77 way that we hear so much of. This is imaginative and
expressive and perfectly suited to No Idea.
No Idea Records
www.noidea.com
ANONYMOUS TIP - 'GREETINGS FROM WASTELAND' CD EP
Simple and melodic punk rock with a US sound expressive of the NOFX and
BAD RELIGION type of sound, and maybe even a hint of early SCREECHING WEASEL
in there too. The main difference between the sound that English melodic punk bands
have and the sound of the American bands lies completely in the production.
This is thinner than the US stuff and that's why it's better. It's more raw
and incorporates a real edge to the melody not like the shiny, over-produced US
stuff. This is way more gritty and has great sing-a-long, catchy choruses
and a bit of Ska on 'Space Fluid'... but again, not the obvious US stuff, more
Dub-based, more LEE PERRY influenced. The songs range from mid-paced to fast
with the closing track, 'Slap Happy Bappy' being the show-stealer for me with a
bit of a RIPPING TEETH sound in there. Kids who are into melodic punk should get
into European bands and forget about all the US stuff.
Ten Past Ten Records
ANTAGONIZERS / MAIN STREET SAINTS - SPLIT CD
7 songs from each band... The ANTAGONIZERS are up first and they play streetpunk with a rock n' roll edge reminiscent of the LOWER CLASS BRATS and the vocals really remind me of Mickey Fitz. The production is pretty raw on their tracks and I like that. I'm not down with that big sound... I prefer things with a more unpolished and crude edge, especially when it comes to this type of punk rock. Like, the production the TEMPLARS have is perfect for me and I can feel a similarity to these songs. 'B.C.S' and '2 Million Voices' are my favourite of the ANTAGONIZERS tracks but they're all solid. These are the last MAIN STREET SAINTS cuts included on here from a couple of years ago and this split belongs to them. They too blend Oi!/streetpunk with rock 'n' roll but it's way more urgent and forceful than the ANTAGONIZERS. It's more outta control and impulsive. All of their song titles end with 'song' which is pretty funny... 'Breakup Song', 'Patriot Song', 'Pirate Song' ... etc, the latter of which includes Johnny Cash singing which is appropriate because the MAIN STREET SAINTS sound like a rowdy version of old rockabilly mixed with punk rock. There's a real fun spirit to these songs and this band and it's great that Street Anthem decided to release them and coupled up as a split this is a really fuckin cool release.
Street Anthem Records
www.streetanthemrecords.com
ANTiSEEN - 'BADWILL AMBASSADORS' CD
Another sick album title and cover from ANTiSEEN and of course, you know it, another great record. Totally inescapable and relentless - the new attack is in effect. Pure devastation Rock N' Roll: 'Scapegoat', 'F.T.K.', 'Ten Pounds Of Shit In A Five Pound Bag' - absolute malevolent gems. The ANTiSEEN recipe is failsafe and nobody comes close to them. They are the chiefs of annihilation and everyone else is just still learning. I'm pretty sure that if you throw this CD it will explode on impact because this is a fuckin bomb that's gotta detonate and destroy.
TKO Records
www.tkorecords.com
ANTiSEEN - 'DEAR ABBY' 7"
A new ANTiSEEN record is always something to get excited about, something to
wake you up and agitate you. 4 tracks here... the title track from the
'Badwill Ambassadors' album and 3 live tracks recorded in both the
Carolinas: 'Sabu', 'Funk You' and 'Cactus Jack' the last 2 of which come
from the 20 year anniversary DVD. Another jewel in TKO's ANTiSEEN
treasury... you don't know how lucky you are. I really like this new style of
artwork that ANTiSEEN are going for with this 7" and the 'Badwill
Ambassadors' cover too... fucking cool and the photo in the centre of the
record hub continues from one side to the other and that's really cool too.
Mottled blue vinyl and directions to Abdullah the Butcher's House Of Ribs
and Chinese Food included.
TKO Records
www.tkorecords.com
ARGIES - ‘AL LIMITE DE LAS UTOPIAS’ CD
I love the ARGIES. When ‘Himnos De Combate’ came out it excited me so much
and now this new full-length!!!! For anyone who doesn’t know, the ARGIES are
from Argentina (obviously) and play amazing 1977 style punk rock. I know
a lot of bands claim to have the ‘77 sound and most of them don’t come close
to capturing that magic of that early sound but the ARGIES have got it a
million times over! Imagine the CLASH with a Latin twist with the dub/reggae
side too. The singer David even reminds me of Joe Strummer vocally. They
covered the CLASH’s ‘The Prisoner’ but with Spanish lyrics on the
Argentinean ‘77 Patadas’ compilation last year and ran the show. They
really are the Latin CLASH with no exceptions. A lot of punk bands site the
CLASH as an influence but most times there’s not a trace of their style or
astuteness in the music at all, but the ARGIES nailed it and the fact that
they sing in Spanish and have the Latin approach means that this is still
fresh and original and not a CLASH rip-off. I’m extremely fond of this band
and urge you to get a hold of their stuff.
Fire And Flames Records
www.fireandflames.com
ARKANGEL - 'HOPE YOU DIE BY OVERDOSE' CD
Belgian brutality delivered through pure hardcore. This is a devoted and passionate assault and the brutality stems from dedication and steadfastness. This is not fashion anger like most US hardcore acts... this is honest and real. ARKANGEL have points to make and you can learn from them. Sure you might not agree with their points of view, but they are constructive ones, and I'd rather have a band focus on positive action rather than some street-brawl pseudo-hardcore crap. I'm into enthusiastic bands and honesty and principles through music so I dig this... not forgetting that this rocks like crazy in the process.
Private Hell Records
ASSHOLE PARADE - ‘SAY GOODBYE’ CD
This suits me just fine! 15 tracks in 12 minutes... that’s the fix I need,
shoot me up and let’s go. ASSHOLE PARADE don’t fuck around... short and fast
and ferocious. That’s how I gotta start the day! The drums are just
insane...it’s so intense and so tight and just brutal. It reminds me a lot
of 80s skate punk/hardcore especially the vocals which are sung properly and
not in some stupid growl... I hate that shit. This is old-fashioned hardcore
thrash but with a very punk rock attitude that reminds me a bit of the
QUINCY PUNX at times. Anyway, this makes me feel like a rogue kid again and
I just wanna go out and cause trouble on my skate so no work for me today!
Again!
No Idea Records
www.noidearecords.com
ATTENT!ON - ‘2,3,1!’ 7”
Melodic yet raw and edgy, ATTENT!ON aren’t about fitting into any categories
or playing a fixed style. Their sound sputters and spits and communicates
through abrasive and jarring music layered with intelligent and adept
lyrics. This isn’t throwaway punk rock, in fact it’s not even punk rock,
it’s expanded way beyond that genus into something much more multifaceted
and concentrated. This is mature and sophisticated and I mean that in a good
way. In these days of throwaway shitty records made by ‘fashionable’ young
bands ATTENT!ON sparkle like a diamond. This has got heart and that’s
something that’s really gone astray these days.
Viking Wreckchords
www.vikingwreckchords.de
AVENGED SEVENFOLD - ‘CITY OF EVIL’ CD
I’m not going to spend too much time reviewing this piece of shit because
I’m not wasting any effort on these cunts. Immature shit. It’s shocking
that the kids like this shit so much. I guess they’re just stupid little
kids though. Pure shit. Straight out of the CD player and into the bin.
Warner Records
www.warnerbrosrecords.com
BACK CHATS - ‘PROTECT ME FROM WHAT I WANT’ CD
Female-fronted punk rock/hardcore that sometimes reminds me a bit of
THUG MURDER, LES BATON ROUGE, DEADLINE and VICE SQUA. It’s fast,
melodic and aggressive in all the right measures and really gets you
shaking. This is sung in English and German with a great range of styles
throughout the record but it always keeps the pace fast and upbeat. It’s
always attacking but in totally the right way... it never gets over the top
or put-on... it’s just passionate and fuckin rockin.
Matula Records
www.matularecords.de
BALZAC - ‘OUT OF THE LIGHT OF THE 13TH DARK NIGHT’ CD / DVD
I love how extreme Japanese punx are. They play the fastest music, they got the
tallest hawks, the most studs, the craziest names and BALZAC are no
exception. They play devilrock ala MISFITS except way faster, more chaotic and
totally wild but with all the MISFITS-style back-ups, skeleton costumes and
really long devillocks. They even have their own version of the MISFITS
skull! Fucking wild. It’s actually pretty original sounding because it’s
more like straight-up punk rock with a devilish-edge rather than
fully-fledged horror punk. It’s more like early MISFITS. It seems that a lot
of bands that fall under the devil/horror category are too fixated on that
evil image and forget about the music which usually ends up as second-rate,
boring shit and that’s where BALZAC thrive because the music is imperative
here and that’s why it’s so original sounding. It’s almost like SNUFF
covering the MISFITS. It’s fucking unique and I like it a lot. This release
also comes with a 4-video DVD and yep, you guessed it... they’re fucked up
with knives, blood, devillocks, and skeleton outfits. Cool shit and the
coolest thing is that the drummer wears the whole skeleton getup but also
has the mouth-part, like a MISFITS bandit and that just rules. Like I said,
always taking it one step further. A really, really cool release.
G-Force Records
www.g-forcerecords.de
BANE - 'THE NOTE' CD
Proper hardcore... phew! No whiny, noodley crap here and thank God for
that... can someone please tell me what the fuck has happened to hardcore
these days? I used to bitch about all the macho crap 10 years ago but I'd
take that anyday over the shit that passes for hardcore today. Metal? Emo?
Fuck all that and give me a true, old-fashioned hardcore injection like I
grew up with... BANE will bring you straight back to the old days... stripped
down, tough and chaotic but, above all, meaningful. No tortured shit, no
metal, no whining, no dual vocalists, no minute-long intros, no complex
solos just jab after jab of true Hardcore. This is the sound of MY youth but
unfortunately the hardcore that the youth of today listens to shys in
comparison. Learn yourselves something!
Equal Vision Records
www.equalvision.com
BEAUMONT HAMEL / I SPOKE - SPLIT 7”
BEAUMONT HAMEL deliver 2 tracks of very chaotic hardcore punk with screaming
vocals but not the lame kind of screaming vocals. They remind me a bit of
Jesse Luscious when he screams and I dig that. Very weird pace changes and
jabby sounds... heavy, fast and energetic fused with calmer, more relaxed
sections with long chords, jarring chords/notes and timing changes. I SPOKE
start very delicately with gentle notes, slow and eerie with the drums
creating a kind of unnerving feeling Which I like, before the whole thing
builds up into wildness. Very heavy and intense and the vocals are screamed
here too but in a kind of low and gentle way... interesting. They bring it all
right down again and they still maintain the intensity even through the
calmer parts. It’s kind of like a tempestuous journey chronicled. A wild split
here bursting with furore.
Sonic Deadline Records
www.sonicdeadline.cjb.net
THE BECKS STREET BOYS - ‘POP’S NOT DEAD’ CD
Fantastic sound! Really full sing-along melodic punk rock. No bollocks,
no facade just great punk with a really cool 70’s style and fun spirit.
The songs are mostly sung in English with a few in German and that’s
really cool to hear. It’s kinda hard to place the BECKS STREET BOYS
musically because they are so free... they just play what they want! I can
hear elements of early English punk rock like THE YOBS/THE BOYS, UNDERTONES,
COCKNEY REJECTS etc mixed with the more contemporary sounds of the
BOUNCING SOULS, NOFX and SNUFF. Really fun and really recommended!
Matula Records
www.matularecords.de
THE BECKS STREET BOYS / TATORT TOILET - SPLIT 7"
Fuck what a cool 7"... punk fucking rock pouring off this record. THE BECKS
STREET BOYS with 'Fuck The Cool Kids' and 'Bored Of Life'... fast and edgy
and they have the great old English sound of the BOYS, THE DAMNED etc blended
with the convulsive style of the SHOCKS, RIP OFFS and the BRIEFS. TATORT
TOILET present 'Hey Kids' and 'Glamour Boys and Glitter Girls' and also
merge that wonderful '70s style with some spastic snot. Very impressive
split. Both bands rule and the whole thing looks great. Real cut-n-paste
edge. Fantastic.
Matula Records
www.matularecords.de
BENT LEFT - ‘SKELETONS IN YOUR CLOSET’ CD
Young, enthusiastic and constructive political punk rock. It’s melodic yet
very edgy and at times has slight hints of the BRIGGS and the UNSEEN mixed
in with more complex guitar lines. This is something I think that kids will
definitely go for because it’s not too raw but it maintains enough agitation
to really sink it’s teeth in and embrace the youth. They could learn a lot
from a band like BENT LEFT instead of listening to all the useless crap that
most of them are into these days. This is not about whining, this is about
shaking up and shouting out, not holding it in like the wimps in most bands.
Self-Released
www.bentleft.com
BILLY NO MATES - 'WE ARE LEGION' CD
This is SNUFF's Duncan Redmonds solo project released on SNUFF's own 10 past
12 Records. Duncan does absolutely everything on this release... he plays all
the instruments, sings all the vocals/backing vocals etc... a true solo
release. It's unmistakably Duncan. We have become so accustomed to his voice,
drumming and song-writing that he's hard to escape! That's a great thing!!
This doesn't sound like SNUFF but it sounds like Duncan and you know what to
expect... great melodies and harmonies. Duncan has actually always reminded
me of Captain Sensible with his voice and singing-style. Duncan Redmonds is
pretty much a seal of approval in punk rock so you know this will be good
but don't be mistaken into thinking this is another SNUFF. This allows us to
explore Duncan wholly as an individual with all the humour and all the
sincerity.
10 past 12 Records
www.10past12records.com
THE BLACK HALOS - 'ALIVE WITHOUT CONTROL' CD
THE BLACK HALOS are back!!! A lot of people are saying this isn't as good
as their early stuff but I think this is an amazing record. That title suits
this album perfectly and I don't give a shit what anyone else says about
Billy's voice, I think it rules. Yeah, he sounds like a turbulent frog
sometimes but I like it. It's like an exaggerated Mike from the STITCHES
with a JOHNNY THUNDERS demeanour. So, I think that 'Three Sheets To The
Wind', 'Last Call St The Toothless Saloon', 'Burning Trash' and the
title track are astounding punk rock songs with excellent song writing and real
stylishness. This is a pleasure to listen to cos it's so wonderfully fucked
up. The album closes with a cover of TOM PETTY's 'I Need To Know'
which is totally cool with me and they manage to tailor it to suit the BLACK
HALOS perfectly. If you didn't know it was a cover, you'd think they
wrote it, that's how naturally they personalise it. This gets massive
thumbs up from the whole NFT family and that should be enough for you to log
off yer computer and go out to get this. You know we got taste so listen to
us.
I Used To Fuck People Like You In Prison Records
www.peoplelikeyourecords.com
BLEEDER RESISTOR - ‘SIXTEEN’ CD EP
Clear-cut hardcore punk that’s absolutely soaked in the early 80s sound. It’s
assertive and melodic and youthful. No Emo, no machismo, no metal, no
breakdowns, no tortured shit, just melodic hardcore that’s got that great old
sound blended and delivered with the newer slants of bands like PENNYWISE,
STRIKE ANYWHERE, THE LAWRENCE ARMS and ANTI-FLAG. These are 6 relentless
tracks right here. It’s funny that such a familiar and deep-rooted sound can
be so refreshing. I don’t know what happened to hardcore in the past 10 years
but something really appalling seemed to take the scene over so I kinda
checked out and disassociated myself with it all but when bands like BLEEDER
RESISTOR and BULLET TREATMENT come along it shoots me straight back to when
I was 15 and I’m captivated once again by the sound. Even the
cover looks like an 80s hardcore record. We need more of this and fast!!!
Basement Records
www.basementrecords.net
BLISTERHEAD - ‘VIA CASILINA’ CD
2003’s ‘Punk Royale’ was a mammoth of a record. I was captivated by
BLISTERHEAD’s brand of melodic streetpunk. The songs are super catchy but
still assertive and a lot of fun. With ‘Via Casilina’ BLISTERHEAD have
further developed their streetpunk rock 'n' roll sound making this the
ultimate weekend punk record and I mean that in a great way... not some
childish shit but a real gem of punk rock anthems. It’s just so perfectly
likeable in all the right ways. BLISTERHEAD do what they wanna do and you
can tell that they have a hell of a time doing it and that’s so great. They
are not worried about fitting in to a particular niche and by doing so they
actually appeal to everyone! BLISTERHEAD rules and they are so fresh. You
need to start the weekend off with ‘Via Casilina’.
Mad Butcher Records
www.madbutcher.de
THE BLOODY HOLLIES - 'IF FOOTMEN TIRE YOU...' CD
These guys sure cause an uproar for a three piece... it's really quite
amazing. Recorded in Detroit this record captures all the energy and thrills
of raw, stripped-down Rock 'N' Roll. It's so alive and animated and
barks and shrieks like a rabid dog. It's crude and wild and that's all I
need. It's so full-on and thick and it's nice and distorted but not overly
so. The fuzz is present but not overpowering. This is the first time I have
heard THE BLOODY HOLLIES but I'll sure as hell be tracking down their debut
'Fire At Will'. Even though they manage to communicate the spirit and
charisma of real, old-fashioned Rock 'N' Roll, they play anything but a
worn-out sound. This is fresh and original and not just musically but
stylistically too. I had no idea whatsoever what to expect from the presentation
of this album. The artwork and imagery is just bewildering and I like that
a lot. I would kill to see these guys on stage. I can image that they set
the place alight and mesmerize their audiences. The three-piece is a
challenging thing to pull off but when all the ingredients are right and the
interaction gels it's the best thing ever and that's what the BLOODY
HOLLIES are all about. This is pretty much the definitive sound of a raw
Rock 'N' Roll three-piece. They don't need anyone or anything else
because their pure straightforwardness already cuts past the bone.
Excellent.
Alive Records
www.alive-totalenergy.com
BLUE RAT - 'THE SCREAM SESSIONS' CD EP
Three tracks of raw punk rock 'n' roll from London that's a rigid two fingers up at contemporary wimpy, whiny baggy-pants children's party punk rock crap. It's unrefined and distorted yet melodic and should be what kids listen to because although it's tough and crude, it's very approachable and likeable.
www.bluerat.co.uk
BOLD - 'THE SEARCH' CD
This is the complete BOLD discography from 1985-1989. BOLD ruled and for me,
really emphasised the punk in their hardcore and in my eyes define the term
'hardcore punk'. Such rawness and such urgent, youthful energy... it's the
perfect combination for unstoppable chaos. There's elements of MINOR
THREAT, GERMS, SSD, GORILLA BISCUITS, DICKS, YOUTH OF TODAY, SCREAM,
STEPMOTHERS and much more. This record sparks of youth and the delivery is
just fantastic, it's so punk rock and perfectly hardcore. This is the shit
that excites me and I'm so happy that this discography has been released so
that the hardcore kids of today can have something to get excited about too.
This is the true NYHC sound... don't accept imitations.
Revelation Records
www.revelationrecords.com
THE BOMBSHELLS - 'AUDIO WASTELAND' CD
As some of you may know when we heard the first BOMBSHELLS album we loved it
so much that we ended up being the European distributors of it so when I
heard that a second full-length was on the horizon, I started salivating.
Now it's in my player and I can't stop drooling... this is sick... the
flawless blend of the early UK and US sounds with the perfect amount of
snot. This is punk fuckin rock. It's vulgar, it's assertive and it
makes you wanna move and guess what? Yeah, you got it, we're distributing
this one too. Bursting at the seams with punk rock magic, a fantastic record
by a fantastic band.
The Bombshells, PO Box 3361, Burbank, CA 91508-3361, USA
www.thebombshellswebsite.com
THE BOMBSHELLS - 'S/T CD
This is fuckin killer. This is what punk rock is all about - snotty and fun. Remember when punk was fun? This has got balls and excitement. '70s punk rock with simple but great lyrics and killer vocals in the vein of Jesse Luscious mixed with the guy from BLANKS 77... great guitar sound. I fuckin love this. It's not boring old '77 churned out rubbish, this is right on the fuckin ball. It's vivacious, it's wild and it represents everything great about punk rock. This rules.
www.thebombshellswebsite.com
BOUNCING SOULS - 'LIVE' DOUBLE CD
If ever there was a contemporary band that should release a live record
it's the BOUNCING SOULS. Live, the SOULS are something else. The stage is
where they ignite and it's pretty rare that I say 'you HAVE to see these
guys live' but if you haven't yet YOU MUST see these guys live. I have
to say that generally I'm not the biggest fan of the live recording
because I feel that in most cases the energy of the show simply doesn't
transfer, but right from the outset, I was excited as hell about this
release because I know how enchanting their shows are. These two CDs collect
29 songs from their live sets, songs that span their long career... 'Here We
Go',' Joe Lies', 'Lamar Vannoy', 'Anchors Aweigh', 'Argyle', 'Private Radio',
'East Coast! Fuck You!', 'Night On Earth', 'Sing Along Forever', 'Gone', 'Hopeless Romantic',
'Ole', 'Kate Is Great' and the list of classic BOUNCING SOULS hits
just rolls on and on. In a way, this release is a lot like a live greatest
hits but then again, the SOULS only write hits. There's so many bands
that I love on record but when I see them live they just seem to be missing
a spark but the BOUNCING SOULS are quintessentially a live band whilst at
the same time being quintessentially a record band. They have just nailed
it and that's rare. I would rank this release with such other classic live
punk recordings as the DESCENDENTS 'Hallraker' which is really saying
something. Kung Fu just released the BOUNCING SOULS instalment of their
'Show Must Go Off' DVD series and now the band have self-released this
double CD set and I urge you to get a hold of both of these.
Chunksaah Records
www.chunksaah.com
BOUNCING SOULS - 'LIVE AT THE GLASSHOUSE' DVD
I know it's been out a while, but I recently watched the BOUNCING SOULS'
'Do You Remember?' DVD which presents the story of the band throughout
their 15 years and it just blew me away. I've always liked them but after
seeing that my admiration escalated. I can't believe they got where they
are today without giving up. Impressive stuff for sure so I was doubly
excited to watch this DVD which is part of 'The Show Must Go Off'
series. I've seen the SOULS live what seems like hundreds of times and
they consistently remain one of my favourite live acts and the set list on
this DVD is sick. There's songs from throughout their career including
'The Ballad Of Johnny X', 'Kids And Heroes', True Believers',
'Hopeless Romantic', 'Argyle', 'K8 Is Great', 'Sing Along
Forever', 'Private Radio', 'That Something Special', 'Quick
Check Girl', 'Anchors Aweigh', 'Gone' and the list goes on and
on... 25 songs long!!! There's a bunch of bonus stuff too and Brian's
artwork. Really enjoyable but that's pretty much a given with THE BOUNCING
SOULS and my favourite of this DVD series. They look like they're still
having a blast playing these songs and that's a pleasure to watch. Fuckin
great show.
Kung Fu Records
www.kungfurecords.com
BRAIN FAILURE - 'AMERICAN DREAMER' CD
These guys were one of the highlights of the last 'Give 'Em The Boot'
comp and really left me eager to hear more. BRAIN FAILURE are from Japan and
play some seriously CLASH-influenced punk rock with a lot of style. The
Japanese play punk rock very uniquely and even though there's a huge CLASH
inspiration on this record, it's all very distinctively delivered. This is
just straight-forward punk rock and that's why it's so effective. Full
of the spirit of early English punk rock blended with the style and
production of contemporary American punk and a huge dose of pure Japanese
flamboyance and that's one fucking killer cocktail. I really believe that
we'll be seeing and hearing a hell of a lot about BRAIN FAILURE in the
future. A fun and impressive record that will get a lot of people hooked.
I Used To Fuck People Like You In Prison Records
www.peoplelikeyourecords.com
BRASSKNUCKLE BOYS / DEADLINE - SPLIT LP
DEADLINE from London play melodic Oi! / streetpunk and the BRASSKNUCKLE BOYS
play streetpunk with a heavy rock 'n' roll element. Their sound is very
American and DEADLINE's style is totally English but such a nice merging on
this record. The showstealers for me are the BRASSKNUCKLE BOYS. It's not
that DEADLINE don't cut it, it's just that I find thier sound pretty
standard and can think of many similar acts. The best thing about them is
the female vocals... I dig those a lot. Six decent cuts, one of them an ON
FILE cover. The BRASSKNUCKLE BOYS also present six songs. A couple of the tracks
were included on the 'American Bastard' album (also on Haunted Town), a TOM
PETTY cover and a few more. I like thier sound a lot. It's thick, heavy and
rockin'. I remember when I first got the 'American Bastard' album. I thought
it would be pretty generic, meathead streetpunk with a hardcore edge but I
was really surprised to hear the huge rock 'n' roll presence in their sound.
I thought, with that band name, that album title, that front cover and those
songtitles that it would definitely be a pretty by-the-numbers affair and
then I saw 'sandwich' tattooed on the guys knuckles and thought this is a
no-brainer but I was totally wrong! Definitely more of the HUDSON FALCONS
sound than the WRETCHED ONES/HEADWOUND/NIBLICK HENBANE thing. Rock 'n'
fuckin' roll!
Haunted Town Records
www.hauntedtownrecords.com
THE BRIEFS - ‘HIT AFTER HIT’ CD
This is the BYO reissue of the debut BRIEFS record originally released on
Dirtnap Records a few years back. This is the album that brought the
whole spastic new wave disarray back into punk rock with a million bands
following. Nobody does it like The Briefs. No bands can write like them and
their live shows are amazing... I fucking love The Briefs and they are the
coolest guys in the world. This is a fantastic debut and a killer record and
you should have this already. This is what got the major label targets on
The BRIEFS and that’s not surprising at all. I’m happy to see that they
didn’t go that way because we need them here!! I can’t imagine punk rock
without The BRIEFS now. I haven’t met anybody who doesn’t like them and
it’s great to see this amazing record out on BYO. You NEED this! Don’t ask
why, just get it and you won’t be the same.
BYO Records
www.byorecords.com
THE BRIEFS - 'SEX OBJECTS' CD
I was pretty much wetting my pants with the excitement of this new record
coming out because although last year's 'Off The Charts' was a great record,
there was a lot of old stuff on there, and with this being a totally new
record I couldn't wait. The BRIEFS are an amazing band... there's nothing
else to say. They have so much style and they are great guys. There are a
million bands doing the late 70s / early 80s punk rock thing but The BRIEFS
know how to take that sound and make it their own. This is no re-hash. This
record is pure panicky, spastic perfection and I think it's the best they
have ever sounded... and they have always sounded amazing.
BYO Records
www.byorecords.com
THE BRIEFS - ‘STEAL YER HEART’ CD
Well, it’s no surprise that I was both salivating and creaming my pants
about this new BRIEFS record coming out and this review is pretty much a
no-brainer because you all know that you need to get this. Forget about all
the other reviews of other albums that said ‘you need this’ because trust
me, you NEED this... all that other shit can wait. THE BRIEFS are just THE
BRIEFS what can I say. They have nailed that sound and just keep throwing
these jewels at us and there’s nothing we can do but enjoy it. I absolutely
can’t wait to hear and see these songs live. I’m already looking forward to
their next European tour and that’s THE BRIEFS effect. I don’t even know
when they’re next coming over but I can’t wait... I’ve already saved that day.
The opening ‘Genital General’ is fucking fantastic, grabbed by the balls as
soon as the music starts... again, that’s THE BRIEFS effect. Perfect measures
of spasticness, humour, peculiarity, joviality, quirkiness and reality with
a mind-blowing dose of energy. THE BRIEFS are unstoppable and they stole my
heart years ago.
BYO Records
www.byorecords.com
BROKEN - ‘HOMELAND INSECURITY’ CD
Great artwork and presentation. BROKEN have that 80’s hardcore punk sound
that reminds me a lot of early skatepunk too. It’s energetic and destructive
kinda like a more hardcore version of THE CLIFTONS if you can imagine that!
I can also hear hints of the QUINCY PUNX, POISON IDEA, MURPHY’S LAW,
D.O.A., FANG, LOS OLVIDADOS. This is the type of hardcore that grabs me by
the throat. This is the sound I define as ‘hardcore’, vigorous and full of
life, not some ‘standing around looking tough’ shit. I can hear little hints
of ROGER MIRET in the vocals too and I like that delivery. I can imagine
BROKEN on a label like TKO. It’s that type of hardcore sound. Very punk,
very antagonistic and very cool.
Feralette Records
www.feralette.com
BROKEN HEROES - ‘I TOLD U ONCE’ CD
New Jersey boasts the finest in Streetpunk and Oi! and it has that trademark
style that can be heard in legends like THE HUDSON FALCONS, HEADWOUND, THE
WRETCHED ONES, NIBLICK HENBANE and of course the BROKEN HEROES. The sound is
extremely tough but melodic with aggressive lyrics/vocals, group vocals and
almost touches hardcore at times... that’s the celebrated NJ recipe! It’s
gotta be hostile! I like faster-paced streetpunk like this because I can
find a lot of streetpunk/Oi! a bit slow at times and I’m like, ‘Come On!
Let’s get going!!!’, and you get a lot of streetpunk bands that make every
song some epic story with a breakdown that’s as long as the song itself and
then it rebuilds up... fuck that! I want it fast and antagonistic the whole
way through. Short and fast slices of the street with big, energetic
choruses. They already told you once so don’t make them tell you
again... just get with it.
Street Anthem Records
www.streetanthemrecords.com
BROWN PAPER BAG - 'IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE OFFENSIVE' CD
I really look forward to new Broken Bonez releases. They got such a great
attitude and remind me a lot of what we're doing here at NFT. Raw, DIY music
with style and BROWN PAPER BAG are a straight-up raw punk rock band... 100%
DIY and it rules. I dig the recording and I'm so sorry to see and hear that
punk rock has become so produced. Even the so-called 'rebels' spend hours in
the studio... that sounds like geek shit to me! Not revolution! BROWN PAPER
BAG play punk rock how I define it. It's real punk rock and it may be too
raw for some people's taste but this is what we represent here.
Broken Bonez Records
www.brokenbonezrecords.com
BUCK - ‘FORMER CHILD ACTOR’ 7"
Fantastic pop-punk ala FUR or COGS with a great old-fashioned feel to it. I
love this because it’s so well-written and amiable and just so honest. I
really wanna hear a full-length by them. The B-side ‘Only Friends’ has a
terrific NICO / LOU REED touch to it with subtle melodies dripped over
beautiful pop. 2 great tracks and the record has a big hole... I recommend
this. This rules.
Geykido Comet Records
www.gcrecords.com
THE BUFF MEDWAYS - ‘MEDWAY WHEELERS’ CD
WILD BILLY CHILDISH is back yet again with his brand of gritty, erratic rock
n roll. Distorted vocals, super-trebly guitars, plenty o’ fuzz, catchy vocal
lines, harmonies and all round chaos!! It’s jerky, raw and it rules and it’s
so wonderfully English. The sound of the BUFF MEDWAYS is totally honest.
This is so lo-fi and under-produced and that’s what I dig. The drums boom,
the guitars clang. This is so punk even though it’s not really at all. This
is more DIY than most of the punx who claim they are. This is in the true
punk rock spirit. It’s fun, it’s rockin and it’s crude and that’s all you
could ever ask for. This is real rock n roll.
Damaged Goods
www.damagedgoods.co.uk
BULLET TREATMENT - ‘THE BIGGER THE BETTER’ 7"
4 more tracks from the excellent and ever-changing BULLET TREATMENT. These
guys seem to be getting pretty big and that’s so great because this is the
kick the punk rock scene needs! The bigger they get the better! They play
straight-up hardcore punk that’s fast and belligerent and you can’t keep
track of these guys. It’s unpredictable and impulsive and the more I hear,
the more I wanna hear. It’s got the assertion of MINOR THREAT and the CIRCLE
JERKS and a more assertive 7 SECONDS. If you thought ‘Francisco Caberra From
Pico Rivera’ was sick, check out ‘Jose Molina From West Cobina’ on this
7"... fucking great stuff. I can’t back this shit enough, it just excites
me. It’s back to basics and it’s where we should be heading. Sick.
Basement Records
www.basementrecords.net
BULLET TREATMENT - ‘WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT?’ CD EP
Yeah! a 10-track EP!! The BULLET TREATMENT 7" on Puke N vomit blew me away
and I’m stoked to see that those tracks are included on this CD and after
having blown me away last year, they yanked me straight back just to blow me
even further away! BULLET TREATMENT are a molotov cocktail of a hardcore punk
band. They are explosive. Fantastic song-writing, playing and delivery. It’s got
volatile style and it’s unstoppable. It’s a deep breath of old-fashioned
punk rock splendor so grab a hold of this now!!
Basement Records
www.basementrecords.net
BUZZKILL - 'DRIVEN BY LOSS' CD
I'm definitely down with punk bands using brass instruments as long as
they're not playing ska. The RIVER CITY REBELS do that, so do the KINGS
OF NUTHIN' and ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT and so do BUZZKILL. The brass
thickens the chords and intensifies and transforms the sound into something
pretty distinctive but indefinable at the same time. It's like heavy jazz
mixed with rock 'n' roll and big band music backed by a hefty punk rock
kick. The one thing that's for sure is that the power created is indisputable.
This is loud, heavy and unruly and I'm surprised that loads more bands
don't attempt this style instead of Godforsaken ska. When I listen to this
sound it just seems so obvious to me that it works and it makes me want to
find saxophone and trumpet players for my band...
In At The Deep End Records
www.iatde.com
THE CASUALTIES - ‘EN LA LINEA DE FRENTE’ CD
This is the Spanish version of ‘On The Front Line’ and having a soft-spot
for Latin punk rock I think this kicks the arse off the English version. I
just love the fluidity of languages like Spanish and Italian in punk rock
and I think that it truly adds an exciting ingredient to the sound. There
are a billion bands singing in English, and so many great European and
South American bands sing in English, and that’s a real pity. I love to
hear bands sing in their native tongue and it’s a shame that a lot of
people aren’t interested in bands that don’t sing in English. So, hats
off to the CASUALTIES for releasing this version. You get bonus tracks
too on this version as well as a video and all new artwork which is cool
because it kinda forces you to buy it because it’s so different to ‘On
The Front Line’... so kids will be pushed to listen to foreign punk rock!!
That rules. Expand your punk rock listening!!! Learn something!
SideOneDummy Records
www.sideonedummy.com
CENOBITES - 'SNAKEPIT VIBRATIONS' CD
CENOBITES merge punk rock with Psychobilly/Rockabilly like no one else!! This is like the EXPLOITED or GBH mixed with the METEORS or DEMENTED ARE GO... they really bring out the punk rock right to the forefront of the sound. It's such a full-on sound. They remind me a bit of MAD SIN in that respect because they too are heavily focused on the rock but CENOBITES are even more chaotic! This is fuckin raging stuff... very full-on. I'm really down with the full sound in Psychobilly because it used to be generally quite a thin sound so this has pushed it further and upped the havoc. It even sounds a tad metallic at times, maybe the slightest hint of METALLICA, even vocally at times and MOTORHEAD. If you think Psychobilly is getting pretty hackneyed, you gotta hear the CENOBITES because they approach this beast from a totally different angle.
Drunkabilly Records
www.drunkabilly.com
JOHNNY CHEAPO - 'ROCK -N- ROLL SINNER' CD
This is sick... this is totally my bag. Unrefined, sleazy punk Rock 'N' Roll.
Great name and great cover art... it’s all perfectly my taste. It reminds me
a lot of the type of thing that would be on Beer City. There’s a touch of
the BRISTLES, the MURDERERS, BEATUTFUL BERT and also SLOPPY SECONDS. I
fuckin love this! It’s got the whole fuckin deal down... 'Dirty Minds and
Rock 'N' Roll'... this is what punk rock is about for me. It’s obnoxious and
sordid and most of all it’s fun. I recommend this so much. If yer thing is
true spirited punk rock, real rock 'n' roll then you need this bad. That’s all
I gotta say. Get this now!!!!!!
Smut Records
www.smutrecords.com
CHINABOISE - ‘THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD’ CD
Wow! This is really strange! It’s totally impulsive and unpredictable. It’s
spoken and sung against peculiar and unsystematic sounds. It’s the type of
record you have to sit down and set time aside for and just go with it... the
whole thing in one sitting. You can’t put this on in the background and wash
the dishes or exercise or do the housework. You gotta get immersed in this
outlandish experience! This is RICH STIM’s project from 1975 and it’s
just out of this world. It’s jazzy, it’s arty, it’s naked, it’s eerie, it’s
odd, it’s talented, it’s haphazard... it’s all of these things yet pretty
impossible to explain. There’s piano, saxophone, sound effects, keyboards,
guitar, recorder, bass, drums, male vocals, female vocals and bongos. This
comes under no category!!! I would file this under E for event. I’m not
going to try and explain it anymore than that. Just book some time off work
for this journey!!!!!!!
Gulcher Records
www.gulcher.gemm.com
CHIXDIGGIT! - ‘PINK RAZORS’ CD
Five years in the making and CHIXDIGGIT! are back with a new record. I have
to confess that I don’t know too much about this band because the poppy-side
of punk rock isn’t really my bag, but as far as that goes I can appreciate
this CD. It doesn’t sound like most of the other melodic punk rock I heard.
This seems to be a lot faster-paced and a lot of the songs clock in at under
2 minutes or just over and I like that. I like short punk rock songs. The
production is very clean but it still packs a kick and I can see why so
many kids are into them. I think it’s an OK way to get into punk rock...
sure a lot of the lyrics are about girls and stuff but sometimes you need
that. Sometimes you need a break from all the tough shit, you know.
Bad Taste Records / Fat Wreck Chords
www.badtasterecords.se
www.fatwreck.com
CIVET - ‘MASSACRE’ CD
Massacre... that’s fuckin right... this is total annihilation. CIVET are very
sexy and very ferocious and that’s a molotov recipe... draw you in and fuck
you up. Beautiful danger. I think that a lot of people will compare CIVET to
the DISTILLERS but don’t settle for that. Sure there are some likenesses
but CIVET is what the DISTILLERS (and a hell of a lot of other female punk
bands) want to be... the perfect mix of seduction and hostility. They are
fuckin razor-sharp. It’s not overly aggressive or a total put-on. These
girls can write fantastic, vigorous punk rock songs... they are wild. Look at
the cover... you got 4 good-looking girls smeared in blood. It’s fucked up and
it’s sexy at the same time... that’s CIVET. Menacing beauty... very impressive
indeed. A brilliant record and just great punk rock with no bullshit.
Straightforward youthful upheaval that the kids need to hear.
Disaster Records
www.disasterecords.com
COMBAT WOUNDED VETERAN - ‘THIS IS NOT AN ERECT, ALL-RED NEON BODY’ CD
42 tracks in pure COMBAT WOUNDED VETERAN style... torture style! This is
documented agony!! Elaborate and non-cooperative grind consisting of
bloody slabs from their out-of-print 7"s, splits and compilation
appearances and for your further displeasure some brand new stuff too!
There is no compassion with this CD!! It’s only 26 minutes long but the
destruction caused in that short time is unbelievable... the distress is
mammoth. Super-fast tempos, incoherent lyrics, unsettling sound clips...
this is the grind-dream! And by dream I mean nightmare. ‘Eat More Blood
Money’, ‘I gotta slingshot, wanna get hurt?’. ‘Disembowelment at room
temperature’, ‘The rise of a thousand prosthetic limbs’, ‘Also comes in
red, orange and fuck you’... yer getting the picture right? This is a 100%
no-negotiation attack and yer the fuckin hostage for 26 minutes so don't try
anything funny and you might just make it.
No Idea Records
www.noidearecords.com
COMMANDANTES – ‘LIEDER FUR DIE ARBEITERKLASSE’ CD
Fantastic political punk rock from Germany. Not fashion-politics but a
sincere message... fight capitalism, fight global dictatorship. A revolution
is long, long overdue and when bands like the COMMANDANTES can speak to
young punk rockers something can happen... one day. Sure this is just music but
you never know whose ears this falls on and what can happen, so sing loud and
struggle for what you believe in. Punk rock is teaching kids stuff... what
other musical movement educates like this? None... it’s all about fashion and
sales but punk rock has still got the significance and motivation.
So stand up! Stand up and fight!!!
Mad Butcher Records
www.madbutcher.de
COOPER - ‘MAKES TOMORROW ALRIGHT’ CD
COOPER remind me of punk rock like it used to be... like what I grew up
listening to... SST Records and fun stuff, and perhaps that’s because it’s
produced by Bill Stevenson, but I can really hear something that harks back
to the better days. A perfect mix of melody and power with elements of the
DESCENDENTS, BAD RELIGION, 7 SECONDS, the MINUTEMEN, FIREHOUSE and the
POLICE. It’s that odd blend of sounds and styles that creates that feeling
when punk rock was about the freedom with no strict boundaries... just do what
you gotta do!!! It’s boundless and fun and makes me want to get out my Jason
Jessee board and hit the streets!
Kung Fu Records
www.kungfurecords.com
COPPE - '8' CD
Wow, this is wonderfully bizarre. Pure Japanese individuality... this is like nothing else. Delightfully vague and unstructured COPPE takes the listener on a peculiar and curious journey of delicate and unexpected electronic compositions and sounds that can be really frenzied in their subtlety. The writing is totally unique and extremely well put together and it's really surprising just how much is going on in each piece to create this amazingly understated sound. I got lost in COPPE and it was a great experience that I highly recommend.
Mango and Sweet Rice Records
www.sweetrice.com
COUGARS - 'PILLOW TALK' CD
Intense and concentrated rock generated by 8 individuals so you can imagine
the force. It's heavy, chaotic, passionate and unregimented. COUGARS play
what they want and there's no label for them, no sub-genre, no
tag... it's just pure and simple rock. Or even Rock. There's a slight
comparison to ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT because of the way in which COUGARS
employ their brass section with thick, heavy chords but that's a very
general association. COUGARS are way less ordered. They're outright
wild!! Recorded by Steve Albini who's the definitive choice when it comes
down to a band like COUGARS. To capture the ferocity and distinctiveness of
each of these 8 COUGARS is the perfect undertaking for Albini. It's
powerful yet still untamed because if this didn't have a raw and
hysterical edge to it, it just wouldn't have the impact that it does. This
is 10 slabs of serious, ferocious Rock. Fantastic cover artwork too.
Go Kart Records Europe
www.gokartrecords.de
CURL UP AND DIE - ‘THE ONE ABOVE ALL, THE END OF ALL THAT IS’ CD
DAMAGE CASE - ‘A BATTALION OF BOMBERS IN A CHORUS OF FIRE’ CD EP
DANNY’S WEDNESDAY - ‘THIRD’ CD
DARKEST HOUR - ‘UNDOING RUIN’ CD
DAY OF CONTEMPT - ‘THE WILL TO LIVE’ CD EP
DEAD BY GUN - ‘SIX SHOOTER’ CD EP
DEADLINE - 'GETTING SERIOUS' CD
DEADMAN WALKING - 'CAN'T STOP THE DYING' CD
THE DEEP EYNDE - 'SHADOWLAND' CD
THE DENTS - 'TIME FOR BITING' CD
DINGO -'NO FLATTERY! NO FLINCH! DON'T TURN YOUR BACK!' CD
DIRTY LOVE - 'BABY YOU SUCK' CD EP
THE DISASTERS (ROGER MIRET AND) - '1984' CD
DISCIPLINE - 'DOWNFALL OF THE WORKING MAN' CD
D.O.A. - ‘SOMETHING BETTER CHANGE’ CD
D.O.A. - ‘WAR AND PEACE’ CD
THE DREAM DATES - 'MOANS ON THE PHONE' 12"
THE DWARVES - ‘FUCK YOU UP AND GET LIVE’ DVD
THE DWARVES - 'THE DWARVES MUST DIE' CD
DUFUS - NEUBORNS CD
EARLY MAN - 'CLOSING IN' CD
ELECTRIC EEL SHOCK - 'BEAT ME' CD
ELECTRIC FRANKENSTEIN - 'BURN BRIGHT. BURN FAST' CD
THE EPOXIES - ‘STOP THE FUTURE’ CD
THE ESCAPED - S/T CD EP
ESTRELLA NEGRA - ‘NO SCENE LIKE ME’ CD
EVEN IN BLACKOUTS - ‘FORESHADOWS ON THE WALL’ CD EP
EVEN IN BLACKOUTS - ‘ZEITGEIST’S ECHO’ CD
THE EXPLOSION - 'BLACK TAPE' CD
FALLEN WISDOM - ‘IMMORTAL’ CD
FALLOUT BOY - ‘FROM UNDER THE CORK TREE’ CD
LOS FASTIDIOS - ‘SOPRA E SOTTO IL PALCO’ CD
THE FAT CATS - 'DEADBEAT' CD
FEARLE$$ LEADER - ’GOD BLESS THE DEVIL’ CD
FIYA - ‘BETTER DAYS’ CD
FM BATS - ‘EVERYBODY OUT... SHARK IN THE WATER’ CD EP
FOUR DEADLY QUESTIONS - ‘ORAL FIXATION’ 7"
FREEDUMB - ‘THE FREEDUMB X PEDITION’ 7”
FRONTLINE ATTACK - 'MINDLESS VIOLENCE' LP
FUCK THE FACTS - ‘MULLET FEVER’ CD
FUCK YOU UPS - ‘BLACK AND BLACK AND BLACK’ CD
FUNERAL DINER - ‘THE UNDERDARK’ CD
FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND - ‘HOURS’ CD
GAY FOR JOHNNY DEPP - ‘BLOOD-: THE NATURAL LUBRICANT’ CD EP
GAYS IN THE MILITARY - ‘PEOPLE IS BEAUTIFUL’ CD
THE GECKO BROTHERS - 'DEMOLITION OF THE REHABILITATION' CD
THE GENERATORS - ‘THE WINTER OF DISCONTENT’ CD
THE GENERATORZ - 'BAD DEEDS' CD
GENETIC CONTROL - 'BRAVE NEW WORLD' CD
GLASS AND ASHES - 'AESTHETIC ARREST' CD
GLUEBALL - 'THE GOOD, THE BAND AND THE UGLY' CD
GO BETTY GO - ‘NOTHING IS MORE’ CD
THE GO FASTER NUNS - ‘UNDER NEON LIGHT’ CD
GOGOL BORDELLO - ‘GYPSY PUNKS: UNDERDOG WORLD STRIKE’ CD
GOLDBLADE - 'REBEL SONGS' CD
GOVERNMENT ISSUE - 'LIVE 1985’ DVD
THE GRABASS CHARLESTONS - ‘ASK MARK TWAIN’ CD
GRAVE FOR THE FIREFLIES - ‘BITTEN’ CD EP
THE GRINDOLLS - 'KILL YOUR DARLINGS' CD
H-BLOCK 101 - ‘HUMAN FLOTSAM’ CD
THE HATEPINKS - ‘PLASTIC BAG AMBITIONS’ CD
HEADWOUND - 'GINMILL' CD
HELL HOUND - 'RELEASE THE HOUNDS' CD
HELPLESS DILETANTTES - ‘DAS LEBEN IST SCHLECHT UND WIR SIND SCHLACHTER’ CD
HETTEN DES - 'ACE OF SPADES' CD
CURL UP AND DIE play heavy and destructive hardcore. Really fast and really
choppy with snarls and growls. A blend of old and new styles with long drawn
out chords for intense breakdowns and then straight back into the onslaught.
This is seriously high-energy and the vocals are outta control!! Very
destructive indeed... a bit of DISHARGE in there. There’s a few more
surprising parts in the album like ‘Blackout’ which has a slow and eerie
intro that’s almost rockabilly in a way which is very interesting. It’s
slower but very intense and also ‘I’m Trying To Fly To The Moon Using Two
Magnets And Willpower’ which is another slower, sludgy and highly intense
track. CUAD never get delicate which is great!!! It’s always fucking
full-on. 11 tracks... that’s a lot of brutality and if you can’t take the
assault just curl up and die because this will fucking kill you.
Revelation Records
www.revelationrecords.com
6 tracks of fast and intense Texan hardcore in the true old-fashioned sense...
no gimmicks just vigour and urgency. The production is great... nice and full
and I can see why this would appeal to metal-heads as well as punks because
of the intensity and power, but it’s a pure hardcore assault. There’s no
noodley guitar solos. It’s just energy and passion the whole way and that’s
the way I gotta have it. This is old-fashioned virtuosity and a necessity
in 2005 when you gotta go too far to find the real deal because of all the
imitation hardcore pollution. Listen to the real thing. Listen to DAMAGE
CASE.
Slab-O-Wax Records
www.slab-o-wax.com
Melodic punk rock from Italy with great vocal lines and thin production
which I really like. I’m not down with the big sound, that’s not what I want
out of punk rock at all. This production reminds me of the early Lookout!
sound and that’s a great place to be thrown back to. Maybe also because
DANNY’S WEDNESDAY remind me a little of a female-fronted SCREECHING WEASEL
but only slightly. Italian’s really love that RAMONES-tinged pop punk sound
but DANNY’S WEDNESDAY do it differently to most other bands. The vocals are
really ambitious and really shape the songs and it’s really nice to hear a
girl’s voice on top of this sound and that reminds me of EVEN IN BLACKOUTS
where the voice sculpts the track. Plus there’s a hint of the PRIMITIVES,
BLONDIE and the DARLING BUDS in here too. I gotta say that I really enjoy
this sound and it’s cool to hear it played from a different approach and the
way they include the keyboard is different too. It’s not in that cutesy way
and it adds another facet to the sound.
Nicotine Records
www.nicotinerecords.com
Extremely concentrated hardcore with intricate and layered guitar parts
that gets pretty metallic at times with very full production. There’s a
lot of pace changes, switching between wildly fast and rather delicate
and even acoustic on ‘Pathos’. The vocals too flicker between screaming
and growling. The most interesting thing about DARKEST HOUR is that even
with their long intros, metallic parts (reminiscent of IRON MAIDEN at
times and METALLICA especially on ‘Tranquil’) and tons of guitars, they
still are able to preserve a serious punk rock element and that really
works. Maybe even an 80s skate punk element... really quite diverse stuff
that works for sure.
Victory Records
www.victoryrecords.com
This is a lot more straightforward than I expected. I thought this would be
very layered musically with shifting vocals and breakdowns and I’m glad that
it’s not! This clear-cut hardcore approach works for me! There’s a million
or maybe even a billion bands doing that aforementioned style so when a
release comes out that's just straightforward it’s such a breath of fresh
air. Maybe it’s because they’re Australian and not American that they stand
out and have a more distinctive approach. DAY OF CONTEMPT are along the
lines of the NERVE AGENTS and the FRISK with progressions that remind me of
BAD RELIGION or NOFX but with a more attacking delivery. This is definitely
the type of band that the kids will go crazy for and that will go down a
storm at the Warped Tour. Their style verges on the early hardcore sound
rather than metal and that’s a huge plus point for me! This is a heavy and
assertive debut release and I’m sure these guys will just get bigger and
bigger because they got what the kids want but without all the bullshit.
Epitaph Records
www.epitaph.com
OK, right away I’m a sucker for this... mohicans, pink cityscapes, splats,
scratchy writing and, most importantly, it’s from Finland so I’m
excited!! This EP rules... just straight-up punk rock 'n' roll in the vein of
RANCID, FRONTKICK, THE DISASTERS, WASTED, THE HEARTACHES, THE BASTARDS
etc and vocally it sometimes reminds me of that BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN-tinged
snarl ala LARS FREDERIKSEN or HUDSON FLACONS. The song-writing is spot-on,
the presentation rules... this is just out-and-out punk rock. I am
really looking forward to and excited about a full-length from these guys.
www.deadbygun.com
DEADLINE is a band that just keeps going from strength to strength... things really are getting serious now and everyone is noticing just how potent a force they are. Their blend between raw, early UK punk rock and a more melodic, contemporary US style is spot on... it's exactly what the kids need. Fantastic vocals and vocal lines that really form a distinctive sound when layered with the music. I'm actually finding a real lack of good female vocals like this. There's too much screechy and screamy females in punk rock and they don't realize just how much power you can have without having to force a sound or style. They need to get some DEADLINE and learn the technique of power through melody and style.
I Used To Fuck People Like You In Prison Records
www.peoplelikeyourecords.com
Heavy gothic punk rock like it used to be before the new type of gothic crap
took over. This is raw and assertive, not some whiny, wimpy-dick tortured
shit. DEADMAN WALKING carry the same banner as some of the newer bands doing
80s Gothic punk like THE DEEP EYNDE, LIVE NOT ON EVIL, BROKEN BOTTLES...
bands that take influence from 45 GRAVE, BAUHAUS, MISFITS etc but
don't churn out some obvious, put-on faux-gothic crap. This has got style
and soul and I wish this is what the kids would start listening to instead of
settling for bands like AFI. This rules.
Geykido Comet Records
www.gcrecords.com
I was so, so happy to see this band on the last Disaster Records comp and I'm really glad that they got this full-length out. When I first heard the 'Suicide Drive' EP some years back I was hooked. There was a beautiful eeriness to it. Perfect Gothic punk. That's what they are now. Their sound has definitely got more straight-up punk, but they certainly maintain their dark and shadowy edge. 'Devilchild' is just mind-blowing and the show-stealer of this brilliant record. The songs are so beautifully crafted and produced to set a spine-chilling scene. It suggests apocalypse, evil, danger, devastation... exactly what you'd imagine a Shadowland to look and feel like. If you like dark punk, then you NEED this. It's so fresh in a time where a lot of bands are doing the 'horror' thing and doing it badly. It's full of fantasy.
I Used To Fuck People Like You In Prison Records
www.peoplelikeyourecords.com
I've really been let down recently by all these punk rock 'n' roll
bands. There's so many of them and 99% of them just don't cut it. It all
feels so forced and lame with some huge production that outright sucks. THE
DENTS fall into the 1% that can actually pull this style off, grab you by
the collar and drag you around the room. This is unembellished punk rock
'n' roll with a cool poppy edge and I gotta say that because of all the
appalling bands in this genre I approached this CD with caution because I
felt another let-down on the horizon but boy, did THE DENTS blow me away.
You know, it's the same thing when someone tells me to check out a
ska-punk band that are supposedly great and I'm like, 'No way I
don't think so' and you do get 1 in every 100 that really do shine.
It's sure a pity that that's the case but I tell you what, it really
sparks excitement when you get a great band that can deliver the real deal.
I feel guilty about doubting this but I'm sure I'll keep doing that with
other bands just because it's way better to get thrilled than infuriated.
Abbey Lounge Records
www.abbeylounge.com
From that record title you could've guessed that this was Japanese!! DINGO
play a blend of fast paced, old fashioned punk rock ala early SOCIAL
DISTORTION with a dash of straightforward hardcore, but again, old style
hardcore with a youthful and urgent sound... no metal! The Japanese certainly
do things their own way and the result is usually totally unique and that
applies to DINGO who take hardcore and punk and blend them together to
create an original and imaginative sound. Now, mixing hardcore and punk is
hardly reinventing the wheel, I mean, it's been done a million times but
my point is that when a band can take a well-known concept or sound and put
a new expression on it and allow you to hear it in a different way that's
something to get excited about. The progressions DINGO use are original as
are their vocal lines which are creative too, and the way they employ the hardcore
element is the key to their sound. It's not overdone, it's just present
to make it more than punk rock but without transforming it into full-blown
hardcore. The vocals are sung and not shouted and that's great because
they could've easily ventured into that screamy type of shit and I'm
really glad they didn't because that would've shifted this from great to
just OK. Impressed I certainly am.
Punx Rules Records / T.S.O.R. Records
www.punxrules.com /
www.tsorrecords.ch
4 tracks of vigorous and melodic punk rock with a rock 'n' roll edge, DIRTY LOVE features members of UK SUBS, MENACE and 53rd & 3rd so there's no lack of experience here! But DIRTY LOVE have a different approach to the aforementioned bands. Sure there's a solid '70s /
'80s punk edge but it's mixed in with the pop style of FUR, THE PRIMITIVES, THE DARLING BUDS, THE COGS and TRANSVISION VAMP. There's a real Damaged Goods sound to DIRTY LOVE and that's really cool. It's still tough through the melodies and maintains a raw edge and glues it all together with great vocal lines and melodies and it's sexy and sleazy but charming too. I'd really like to hear a full-length...
www.dirtylove.me.uk
You know, when I first heard the DISASTERS I was so into it and I was worried that it was going to be a one-off side project - just one release and that's it and I'm so fuckin over the moon that they're here to stay. This is sick. The first album was great but '1984' takes things a step further - song-writing, playing, style... they got if for sure. Roger's voice is amazing. I've always been a fan of him. With 'Something's Gotta Give' AGNOSTIC FRONT redefined Hardcore... they have been in the game for so long that only a force like them can push and forge a style. The DISASTERS stems from that later-period AG but strips it right down to gritty punk rock. It's tough and heated street Punk Rock N Roll: 'Loud and Proud', 'Riot, Riot, Riot', 'Hooligans', 'Kill For Cash', 'Shot, Stabbed and Fooled'. The album comes to a close with 'Janie Hawk' and 'New York City' which is a great endnote... 'Janie Hawk' reminds me so much of SCREECHING WEASEL and 'New York City' is an ode to the bands capital with a bit of a DROPKICKS feel to it... a great wind-down after a sweaty battle of a CD!
Hellcat Records
www.hell-cat.com
Ahh... European punk rock. Breathe it in. Sometimes melodic, sometimes
hardcore DISCIPLINE always deliver killer material and they rock live too.
Their sound reminds me of a mix between the REVOLVERS, TEMPLARS, LOWER CLASS
BRATS and a more melodic BONECRUSHER so you can't really fault that! Plus
you get the whole thing soaked in European style... Belgian style. Too many
kids settle for all the American shit that's getting churned out and it just
lacks effort... it's so easy to compromise. Get out there and expand yer
tastes! You'll find shit that will blow you away in yer own European
backyard.
I Scream Records
www.iscreamrecords.com
The debut D.O.A. full-length from 1980... fuck yeah. Exactly as it appeared 25
years ago. Same cover, same artwork, same track-list... nothing’s changed. Why
play with the flawlessness of this killer, killer record? I first heard this
in 1993 when I was 15 and even though that’s 13 years after it’s original
release, it still blew everything else I was listening to out of the
water. It was so spot on... the aggression, the humour, the snottiness, the
simplicity and I still feel that way about it today, another 11 years on
from when I first heard it. It’s still so damn fresh. I remember just looking
at the cover and thinking ‘this looks dangerous!’... that’s fucking exciting!
Destroy Tradition... hell yeah!! Younger punk rock kids need to hear this. You
just don’t get shit like this anymore. It’s all so safe these days. This is
raw and rough real punk rock. Something better change so that we can hear
more shit like this and destroy the tradition of all the fashion clones that
pass for punk rock these days. Something’s gotta change!
Sudden Death Records
www.suddendeath.com
OK, this is a no-brainer. This should be a compulsory purchase for every
generation of punk rocker. It’s D.O.A.’s 25th Anniversary ‘best-of’ anthology
for fuck’s sake!! For closer to 30 years D.O.A. have been spreading chaos
and disarray throughout the punk rock and hardcore scenes through
intelligence, humour and hard work. This collection includes cuts from the
‘Disco Sucks’ 7” from 1978, ‘Something Better Change’ debut full-length from
1980, the infamous and pioneering ‘Hardcore ‘81’ and ‘Positively D.O.A.’ 7”
from 1981, ‘War On 45’and ‘Right To Be Wild’ 7” from 1982, ‘General Strike’
7” from 1983, ‘Let’s Wreck The Party’ from 1985, ‘Terminal City Ricochet’
soundtrack from 1989 one of those tracks being with JELLO BIAFRA, ’13
Flavours Of Doom’ from 1992, ‘Loggerheads’ from 1993, ‘Festival Of Atheists’
from 1998 and ‘Win The Battle’ from 2001 plus a bonus track from 2001 in the
shape of ‘Mexican Holiday’. So there you have it... 26 tracks spanning their
career and presenting the path of disorder paved by Canada’s Number 1
troublemakers, plus you get a bunch of photos showing various-era D.O.A.,
discography and a family tree. If you don’t own any D.O.A. then shame on
you, but this will be a great place for you to start. It’s not too late!
Sudden Death Records
www.suddendeath.com
This is a gem of a record... fantastic Canadian punk rock from 1979. 4 songs on here (one of them a STOOGES cover). It's fast, melodic and full of early punk rock magic... fun, insolence and young brashness and energy. This is one necessary 12". Everything about it screams exhilaration... the band name, the cover photo, the artwork, the song titles and of course the music. I was excited about this from the moment I laid eyes on it. This is awesome.
Zurich Chainsaw Massacre Records / Re-Force Records
www.zcm.com /
www.re-forcerecords.de
The Dwarves... the fucking Dwarves... the only remaining real, dirty Rock N
Roll band with no compromise. This DVD portrays the chaos of a Dwarves show
and brings the disarray straight into your living room. You’re gonna have
to change the carpet after you watch this!!! It’s kinda hard to communicate
the energy of a live show on film because it can look and sound kinda tame
but this here DVD really does capture the unruliness and unpredictability of
a Dwarves show... it’s wild and choppy and altogether erratic and that’s the
excitement that I crave. The Dwarves should be enforced listening especially
for the kids today who don’t have any kind of danger left in Rock N
Roll. They need to see this. They should show this in school it’s that
Goddamn important. This is the whole excitement of Rock N Roll!! A full set
at NYC’s Continental plus a bunch of videos and extra footage this is
killer. The great thing is that The Dwarves have fucked up fans too, really
dedicated freaks that heighten the impulsiveness and danger and that’s what
kids need to see on here. Even if you got their records it’s not enough. You
need to witness the menace that is the Dwarves!! The volatility, the blood,
the obnoxiousness, the nakedness, the obsession that defines the legend of
the Dwarves so get fucked up, watch this and enjoy a real Rock N Roll
experience.
MVD Music Video Distributors
www.musicvideodistributors.com
The DWARVES might have to die but they never fuckin will. They are relentless and unavoidable and so important that if you don't own a DWARVES record you are really missing the point of the punk rock movement: the liberty, the creativity run totally amok. There is no band like the DWARVES in terms of lack of restrictions, rebellion and total chaos. 'The Dwarves must Die' takes us through punk rock, surfy/garage, hip-hop, hardcore, poppy punk, straight pop with a beautiful lack of respect. The DWARVES have always been about doing what the hell they want to do and that is in fuller effect now than ever. 'Runaway #2' is one of the best punk rock songs I've ever heard... great fuckin record.
Sympathy For The Record Industry
www.sympathyrecords.com
This is mind-blowing stuff. This is so strange and so great. It's so vague and outlandish and the lyrics are fantastic. The voice reminds me so much of the RUINERS. DUFUS is an open commune for imaginative and inspired composers. It's so free and sways from superb emptiness and ambiguity to full and uncontrollable chaos. It's raw, it's artistic, it's off the cuff and it's totally exceptional. You need to get this.
Iron Man Records
www.ironmanrecords.co.uk
This is heavy and intense and the fact that this thunderous noise is created
by just two people is remarkable as hell. A blend of rock, metal and
hardcore but never over-complex, just heavy riffs and real rock 'n'
roll. No screaming, no roaring, no guitar effects just old fashioned
distortion and talent. You catch glimpses of JUDAS PRIEST, METALLICA,
MOTORHEAD, IRON MAIDEN, AGNOSTIC FRONT, AC/DC, BLACK SABBATH, ANTHRAX with
the vocals sounding like a blend between Ozzy Osbourne, Rob Halford and Axl
Rose. These 2 guys work so well together that nothing else in needed. It's
so full and concentrated and an impressive as hell debut album.
Matador Records
www.matadorrecords.com
Beat Me? Yeah, this sure did... ELECTRIC EEL SHOCK take all the magic and
frenzied genius of artists like MC5, JIMI HENDRIX, THE APES, THEE MICHELLE
GUN ELEPHANT and AC/DC and mix it all into a chaos paste that spreads over
your body and paralyses you so that it can manipulate you. From the opener
'Scream For Me' to the closing BLACK SABBATH cover of 'Iron Man' 'Beat Me'
is an incredibly energetic and delightfully hectic ride right through 'Don't
Say Fuck', 'I love Fish but Fish hate Me', 'Bastard!' and 'I can Hear the
Sex Noise'. Don't miss out on this disorder... get beaten.
Demolition Records
www.demolitionrecords.com
EF are back yet again to rock yer bones and rattle yer skull! The
'high-octane/high-energy' labels get thrown about these days and mostly
attached to bands that just aren't worthy of it. But EF... these guys are the
definitives of that genre and are a truly hard working, burning passionate
force. This record is their 13th anniversary release and collects their best
tracks from all their recording sessions over their 13 year career that they
hid and re-recorded for this album... you get that?! This is not a best of
collection... sure this is their best work but it's the first time you'll ever
have heard it in its full glory!!! What a sick idea!!! Sick genius!! There's
a couple of covers thrown in of course and it's all topped off with the killer
artwork we've come to expect from these boys. ’Burn Bright, Burn Fast’ is
just the most appropriate title for this band. This is THE higest-energy,
highest-octane rock 'n' roll so get yerselves some of it.
TKO Records
www.tkorecords.com
Oh yeah... the release of this record excited me. I still spin their debut
like crazy and I’ve been frenzied by them and raving about them for ages. Now
their second full-length is here, and on Fat too, so their audience is
going to explode which they really deserve. Kids NEED to hear the EPOXIES.
Urgently. They are eccentric, original and fun and I know that there are a
huge number of bands doing the whole New Wave thing but the EPOXIES nailed
it flawlessly. Aside from being a killer title, ‘Stop The Future’ is
thoroughly appropriate. Read it how you wanna but the way I translate it is
stop where the punk scene is headed. Stop the whining. Stop the seriousness.
Stop the trends. Stop the diluting. This is music for a time when punk rock
was exciting and unpredictable and above all FUN. This is party music. Wear
whatever you want... who cares what the fashion punx are wearing? Get your
most preposterous get-up on and jump around like a spastic... that’s what
it’s all about. Even though there are dashes of the debut, this album isn’t
a rehash of the first full-length, and even if it was I’d be cool with that.
This is unmistakably the EPOXIES and there are parts where only they know
which direction they are taking us. The b-section in ‘Radiation’ is
bizarre. It’s like electro-classical mayhem and ‘Toys’ is a truly peculiar
work of art. As expected, the lyrics are wonderfully outlandish. So, get off
the wall and get convulsive with the present sound of the past.
Fat Wreck Chords
www.fatwreck.com
Six brand new tracks from Portland’s THE ESCAPED. Their sound is a blend of
old-style hardcore in the vein of IRON CROSS mixed with a later hardcore
sound and straight-up punk rock. It’s a potent and fast assault that will
get you riled up and ready to attack!!! You may have heard THE ESCAPED on
the last Hellcat compilation with ‘Wasted Life’ from their ‘Rose City
Hardcore’ CD and I’m sure you’ll remember them because they ripped you up!!
You cannot escape from THE ESCAPED! Get this EP and get ‘Rose City Hardcore’
too, and they also feature on the new Charged ‘Punx Unite’ comp with ‘City Of
Pain’ get all the ECAPED you can!!!
TKO Records
www.tkorecords.com
Right from the cover and presentation I know I’m gonna dig this record...
raw, abrasive, unfriendly and high-impact and yeah, the music reflects
the art! Unpredictable and rasping and that’s how I like my punk rock! It
reminds me a lot of early Beer City recordings like the MURDERERS,
BRISTLES and VERY METAL blended with the QUINCY PUNX and early SCREECHING
WEASEL. It’s got that sound that’s just in between punk rock and hardcore
and that’s a sound I really go for. It harks back to the better days
of real punk rock and is a wonderful escape from all the bullshit
releases and bands that are churned out these days.
Matula Records
www.matularecords.de
EVEN IN BLACKOUTS play the finest acoustic punk rock that will just blow
you away. 6 tracks that will leave you wanting so much more (which is
fine because their full-length ‘Zeitgeist’s Echo’ is out now) because it
sparkles with individuality and authenticity. It’s so powerful through
it’s unfussiness and so uncompromising through it’s melody. Pick up
everything you can from this band... this is what punk rock is all about.
Knock Knock Records
www.knockknockrecords.com
Wow! This is huge deep breaths of the wonderful feeling I used to get
from punk rock whilst growing up. Unsurprisingly EVEN IN BLACKOUTS released stuff
via Lookout! Records so naturally it captures that extraordinary sound
that just grabs you... that special attachment to the wonderful melody
and raw acoustic simplicity. Dual male and female vocals, total freedom and
total sincerity. I have a real soft spot for acoustic punk rock but it’s a
very tricky thing to get right and EVEN IN BLACKOUTS just nail it so
perfectly and so naturally. Not dramatized, not embellished just
instinctive and fun. 17 beautiful cuts including new versions of ‘In A
Letter Never Sent’ and ‘The Writer’ from the ‘Foreshadows On The Wall’
EP. Breathe this in because a connection like this doesn’t come around
often.
Knock Knock Records
www.knockknockrecords.com
I remember when I first got 'Flash Flash Flash' years ago and it blew my mind and I'm still listening strong to that record. The EXPLOSION are one hell of a stylish band, a band that leave you wanting more and more and now the new full-length.... and, yes, it's fantastic. The EXPLOSION were never a run-of-the-mill punk rock band. They were always very, very sophisticated and almost arty, and that's the reason I think Virgin signed them. They do their own thing. They're not one of these fashionable poppy bands, but a hugely stylish ensemble that could get so so huge, and I'd like to see that. You can hear the passion and the enthusiasm burn through the EXPLOSION and that's what I want.
Virgin Records
www.virginrecords.com
I was expecting this to be really metallic and although there certainly are
elements of metal in their sound, FALLEN WISDOM have a totally hardcore/punk
sound and approach. The metal that is present is more along the
‘chugging’ side than the complex, noodle-guitar solos so I can get with it.
The sound throughout the record is totally varied. At times it’s outright
punk rock, at times more hardcore, and at times leaning towards metal. I hear
elements of the MISFITS, BAD RELIGION, VOODOO GLOW SKULLS, DEEP EYNDE,
heavier TIGER ARMY, METALLICA, QUINCY PUNX, SHEER TERROR... I was really
surprised by this. It really works and the way they use metal is pretty
unique because they really keep the punk factor present at all times and
it’s not lost under the metallic riffs. It’s not like, ‘here’s the punk
part and here’s the metal part and now here’s the hardcore part...’ it all
gels really well. This impressed me.
www.fallenwisdom.com
Wow, these guys are just crazy. I mean c-r-a-z-y... check out their zany
album and song titles... ha ha ha who gives a fucking shit. This blows. Pure
dick sucking on CD right here. No time for this shit at all and I won’t
disrespect myself or NFT readers any longer by spending more time listening
or writing about this spunk.
Island Records
www.islandrecords.com
21 tracks recorded live in Italy (Bassano and Milan) last year. LOS
FASTIDIOS are an intelligent and fanatical band who are dedicated to pushing
their message of unity and anti-fascism and anti-racism, and what better
representation of their passion and energy than a live recoding? This CD
communicates all that with a raging streetpunk backing. LOS FASTIDIOS are a
positive and important punk rock band and a live recording suits them
perfectly. A lot of bands release live albums just for the sake of it and
most of the time there’s no real point to it other than simply getting a new
record out, but that’s not the case at all here. This is a communication
recording, a transfer of positivity. This record reminds me a lot of the
REDSKINS live record even though their sound is entirely different but the
substance is the same.
Mad Butcher Records
www.madbutcher.de
When I first heard this it instantly reminded me of an English KINGS OF
NUTHIN' and while there are certainly associations in style the FAT CATS go
way, way deeper with many more facets blending gritty Rhythm and Blues with
straight Rock 'N' Roll, Ska, Rock and Swing with pure punk rock delivery
and attitude. They are evidently incredibly flexible musicians and I would love
to see them live. The energy on the record is enormous so I'm thinking that
that will be multiplied by about 1000 times when they play live... and that's
the type of show I wanna see!
10 past 12 Records
www.10past12records.com
This is fucking hilarious! It’s like KISS and SPINAL TAP merged with 80s
hair metal and punk rock and it kills! Fuck bands like the DARKNESS... that
sucks. That’s no fun because they don’t get it like this. This is so over
the top and truly entertaining... check a few of the song titles: ’Doin’
Donuts’, ’I Got The Stuff’, ‘Am I Goin’ Ta Hell’, ‘Toxic Crotch’, ‘She Got
Cancer’... and some of the killer lyrics: “Well I walk down the street with a
girl on each arm, I’m knockin ’em out with my masculine charms, There‘s
three more behind me checking out my strut, they just can‘t wait to get
their hands on my butt”, “Jesus is the gut with crown of thorns, Satan is
the guy with the horns”... fucking hilarious! They wear make up, glittery
waistcoats, shiny thongs and they've got flaming zebra drum kits. This is real
Rock 'N' Roll and I would absolutely love to see these guys live. It really
makes me laugh that I used to listen to bands like MOTLEY CRUE and POISON
when I was a kid and I used to take it so seriously... it’s so comical.
Gulcher Records
www.gulcher.gemm.com
10 songs in under 16 and a half minutes. Straight away this grabs me. I got
no time to hang around for repeated verses and embellished solos, I want
to get straight to the point and FIYA is all about that. I got a short
attention span and this caters for me!! Fast and melodic punk rock with
the distinctive No Idea sound. Aspects of AGAINST ME! And a bit of J
CHURCH too. It’s adamant and turbulent and all very well produced and
I’ve listened to it twice through on several occasions and that’s saying
something... over half an hour straight... whoa! FIYA have stretched my
attention span!!!
No Idea Records
www.noidearecords.com
Distorted and impulsive, the FM BATS deliver a seriously original and
unpredictable cocktail and that’s no surprise since it involves members of
LE SHOK and I’M GONNA STAB YOU. It’s so erratic and that’s what we need!
This is kinda like an SST record in the way that it’s so creative and almost
arty but still so raw. I can hear elements of LE SHOK (of course!), TOYS
THAT KILL, MINUTE MEN, SMOGTOWN, BIG BOYS, slight BUTTHOLE SURFERS... but the
FM BATS do entirely their own thing and as soon as I think I’ve found a
style or sound similarity, they’ve transformed. This is stimulating stuff
and I’m really excited to hear a full-length, and I’d fucking love to see
these guys live. We definitely need this volatility and irregularity in
punk rock.
Vinyl Dog Records / TKO Records
www.vinyldogrecords.com /
www.tkorecords.com
Raw, chaotic and distorted garage punk that kinda reminds me of a Rip Off
band. Serious bass sculpting the structure of the songs with blasts of
distorted guitar ringing out over the rumble... it’s crude and frenzied and
muddy in a great way. There‘s an almost BUTTHOLE SURFERS feel to it
sometimes blended with the SKUDZ. I dig this a lot and all 4 tracks rule.
Great white vinyl and great cover art too.
Geykido Comet Records
www.gcrecords.com
Fast and raw political hardcore punk from Norway that’s got a real old
school bite. The whole record looks like it was released in the 80s right
from the cover, the folded inlay and the music and that gets huge plus
points from me! Punk rock just ain’t like this anymore. You got to listen to
hundreds of records before you hear any soul, any passion, any
anything. It’s all so by-the-numbers these days that when a record like
this one spins, you fucking salute it... the reaction is instant. If you’re
missing the enthusiasm in punk rock and wanna get it back then get this record,
close your eyes and breathe it in and you’re right back where you wanna be!
Anti-Rock Records
www.freedumbweb.com
Nice title! I'm down with some mindless violence for sure. Hell, I just gotta
turn on the TV or that radio and the hate kicks in and I'm ready for some
mindless violence!!! This is actually a bit different to what I was
expecting. I was assuming that this would be spiky, street-pogo ala CHEAP
SEX, A GLOBAL THREAT, ACTION etc, but it's got way more of a hardcore edge
to it and I love that. There would've been nothing wrong if this was
straighforward mohican punk but the surprise was a welcome one. It's fast,
melodic, anthemic and tough... nothing amazingly pioneering but totally
enjoyable nonetheless. I’m down with this sound and the whole look. It’s
nostalgic and exuberant and FRONTLINE ATTACK manage to bring all those
elements of aggression and melody together really well. The songs are thick
and powerful without being over-the-top. 'Police Harassment', 'On The Piss',
'Let's Riot', 'Onward To Chaos'... get some beers, some gelatine, some
hairpray, stick two fingers up and enjoy. Cool record. Splattered mint green
wax to boot.
Charged Records
www.chargedrecords.com
41 tracks of brutally heavy hardcore and I mean vicious as fuck. This reminds
me of the classic Brazilian sound but FUCK THE FACTS are from Canada. This
is uncompromising hardcore... distorted, aggressive, fast and fucked up. It
stabs and growls. There’s nothing fashionable about this! This isn’t
poser-hardcore, this is staunch hostility. It’s intense and uncomfortable
and mesmerizing. The presentation is excellent... I love the artwork. It’s like
vague close-ups of an oil painting and you can see glimpses of the band
members in parts and I think that kinda relates to the music... evasive
confusion with glances of clarity. I grew up with this sound so I dig it
but I hope it scares the fuck outta kids who think they know hardcore... think
again.
Sonic Deadline Records
www.sonicdeadline.cjb.net
As much as I like the band name and cover art here, I really wasn’t sure
what to expect. Snotty punk? Hardcore? Streetpunk? Garage? In actual fact
it’s kind of a blend of all of that with a hefty dose of straight Rock ‘N’
Roll and I really like the fact that it’s kinda vague because it keeps you
fascinated. There’s no real giveaways, no obviousness and that’s reflected
in the music too. It’s very confident and assertive but not in a macho way,
as much as the band name may seem that way, it’s just powerful and uncouth
without ever getting too heavy. The pace changes from song to song but it’s
never slow. It’s always kicking and shaking and it’s definitely tough but in
the right way, not ‘tough-guy’, ‘street-brawler’ shit but more in a
dangerous way, like really ‘don’t get involved with us’ and I like that
unsafe edge they convey. A really nice surprise to get to review something
that I had no clue what to expect and believe me, that’s a rare thing these
days because 99.9% of the time you CAN judge a book (or record) by its cover
and you’re gonna be right.
Formula 13 Records
www.formula13.com
I was expecting this to be intricate and intense death metal from the
name and the cover art but it’s not at all. Intense it sure is, but it’s
a million miles from metal. This is arty, inventive and experimental. At
times I hear hints of the DEEP EYNDE, THE SMITHS, LEFTOVER CRACK,
BUTTHOLE SURFERS, THE CURE yet this sounds nothing like those bands... this
is strange... and good strange. It’s got elements of hardcore, punk and indie
and it swings from delicate to raging with all the tracks starting off
subtly and then building up into tormented and anguished sounds. You just
gotta hear this because FUNERAL DINER do what they want and it’s hard to
describe. I was really pleasantly surprised.
Alone Records
www.alonerecords.com
Oh please fuck off with your gay shit. Shit front cover, not clever or
attention-grabbing, just juvenile shit and that response carries straight
through to the music. I just don’t get this. This is so manufactured and
tired but the kids seem to lap it up. Perhaps Mattel or Fisher Price will
put a band like this together and advertise their CD in the commercial
breaks of Saturday morning kids TV. I really don’t get this weak shit at
all. The best sound I got from this disc was when I put it through the
shredder.
Atlantic Records
www.atlanticrecords.com
Wow, this is some fucked up, hectic shit. It’s so bizarre and so obnoxious
and sporadic that it excites me. What a title!! I’ve heard of these guys for
a while and I loved the name but this is the first time I actually heard
them and boy does this stimulate me. It’s so wonderfully vulgar. I mean, the
title says it all. The song titles are delightfully vile: 'Sex In Your
Mouth’, ‘No Teeth Thumbs Up’, ‘Fucking Isn’t Cheating’, ‘Shh, Put The Shiv
To My Throat’, ‘Nothing Worse Than A Whining Boy’, ‘Hey Sailor!’ and the
lyrics are totally abhorrent too and I mean that in a great way! Make people
uncomfortable, be contentious, be offensive... that shit works for me! 'Hey
Sailor Where You Goin’, Hey Sailor Who You Blowin’, ‘You Will Die From
Beatings Because Fucking Isn’t Cheating’, ‘Fuck You I Want To Fuck You’,
‘Make Then Suffer And The Pink Shall Inherit The Earth’, ‘I Want To Fuck My
Enemy’, ‘Pass The Gun We’ll Have Some Fun, I’ll Fuck Your Ass We’re One On
One’ and so on and so forth! Sick stuff for sick minds so I’m down with it!
Captains Of Industry
www.captainsof.com
“I think I’m going Crazy, but I feel Fine”... that pretty much fucking sums
these freaks up!! Chaos! Chaos! Chaos! Erratic and impulsive this shit will
keep you on edge! There’s no fucking formula, no genre, no technique, no
rules! Just distort and fuck up! Those are yer orders!! BUTTHOLE SURFERS
drenched confusion, this homo army bombs everything in site!! Shoot to kill
and play to fuck up. A true experience and a real journey into some sick,
sick minds... book yerself a ticket! Killer Bagge artwork and also some of
the best ever songtitles... “A Message For The Fans (I’m Going To Kill All The
Fans”, “AIDS Team (Dirty Version)”, “Beverly Hills Cock Part Two”... pure
fucked up and sordid and exactly to my taste.
Gulcher Records
www.gulcher.gemm.com
THE GECKO BROTHERS almost have that typical Orange County punk rock sound of BONECRUSHER, DISCONTENT, PUSHERS etc but with a huge injection of heavy rock 'n' roll. It's harsh, fast and sordid. This is a fuming record right from the start, it's like an insane roller coaster ride that lasts almost half an hour. It's scary, it's fun, it's dangerous, it's immediate and it's fucking intense and that makes a killer record. They cover MOTOREHAD and the TUMORS too and close the album with 'Tequila In The Blueglass' a banjo-soaked drunken singalong which leads into a really weird secret track that's got a dance-beat loop and distorted vocals that goes on for a while... weird shit! A very impressive full-length that will be occupying my player for quite some time.
Drunkabilly Records
www.drunkabilly.com
I always liked the GENERATORS since the first time I heard them and a lot of
people say that they sound like the US BOMBS, FORGOTTEN etc but I really
don’t think so. I always heard a darker, melancholy edge to the GENERATORS
with a lot of minor chords and totally different delivery to the typical
Californian punk sound. That really took form on ‘Excess, Betrayal and our
Dearly Departed’ and has developed even further on this new record to the
point that they totally have their own sound, style and technique. The
GENERATORS are a hard-working band and that razes through their records and
any record of theirs you come by is a good place to start listen to them. I would
recommend the aforementioned ‘Excess, Betrayal and our Dearly
Departed’ because that’s where the GENERATORS really became the GENERATORS
and that progresses on this new album. Great stuff.
I Used To Fuck People Like You In Prison Records
www.peoplelikeyourecords.com
Canada's GENERATORZ really mix things up throughout this record with punk
rock, reggae, folk and rock 'n' roll but it all flows really well
because it sounds so natural and on top of all that variation they have dual
male/female vocals too which is something I really go for... and the female
vocals especially rule on here. They're really well sung... no screaming shit like
too many girl-fronted bands. It's like most female singers think that if
they don't scream they won't get noticed... that's bullshit. I wish more
females would listen to this and stuff like DEADLINE too to see that you
don't have to force it. THE GENERATORZ really get the fusion of intensity
and melody right and the whole album sounds fresh. Even though there are
a lot of directions present, it remains focused and absorbed in real punk
rock spirit and you can bet that it's because they're Canadian and not
American that they sound so fresh.
Mad Butcher Records
www.madbutcher.de
This is a 25 track release comprising of a live recording from 1998 when
GENETIC CONTROL reformed (including a bunch of covers of MINOR THREAT, BAD
BRAINS etc), their track from the 'Air Raid' compilation from 1984 and
the jewel of the release the first GENETIC CONTROL 7" 'First
Impressions' also from 1984 which is a legendary piece of wax that was
only available as a bootleg but not anymore!!! And as cool as the live
recording is, the inclusion of that first 7" is what you'll be wanting
this release for. This is a slice of true Canadian Reagan-era Hardcore that
we can finally own and 20 years after it was originally recorded it still
lives up to the hype. This was a short-lived but legendary band and anyone
can finally own a piece of their Hardcore history without having to bid a
million dollars on e-bay. Fuck the bootlegs and give the band some money!!!
Sonik's Chicken Shrimp, 4050 Berri, Montreal, Canada
I judge a lot of stuff by the cover... books, records... if the cover sucks why should you give it anymore attention? I mean if something can't initially impress you and drag you in visually it's just not worth your time or effort. So, GLASS AND ASHES... I'm pretty sure this will be the best cover of 2005. Brilliant presentation, fantastic depiction of an open-mouthed shark. 10 out of 10. So that reeled me in instantly but what about the music? Well... the music fuckin kills too. It's fast, graceful, aggressive, you know like a shark, switching from calm and melodic to outright belligerence. This is an audio shark - elegant, refined, distinguished but also a vicious, uncontrollable beast. So there you go. Judge everything by the cover and please take note of this bands... if your cover sucks it's a good indication of what you might sound like.
No Idea Records
www.noidearecords.com
GLUEBALL play fast and chaotic punk rock whose style lies somewhere between
early UK punk and later American punk, and that's the perfect sound for me.
It's like THE EXPLOITED mixed with RANCID... just straight-up punk rock with no messing
about. The production is great because it maintains the raw energy that's so
important. All these US bands kill the urgency with production whereas this is very full-sounding
without losing the all vigor. This is powerful stuff indeed and it excites
me because it pretty much encompasses all the great things about punk rock
of the last 25 years and rolls it into one intense attack. GLUEBALL will
appeal to first-generation punks as well as newcomer punk because they have
nailed the sound perfectly.
Naked Dog Records, Top Floor 1100 Mount St, Reading RG2 OAB, UK
GO BETTY GO is an all-female punk rock band from Los Angeles and perhaps the
most diverse I have ever heard. They don’t even touch that COURTNEY LOVE or
DISTILLERS side of things that too many female punks seem to cling to and
try to imitate. Nor do they do the fuzzy, distorted garage thing that so
many others do. Instead, GO BETTY GO keep things varied and fresh by playing
original and inspired punk rock with Latin elements, touches of ska, pop and
folk with great vocals. No screaming here! They remind me slightly of the
SOVIETTES at times and also a heavier BANGLES which is great! Maybe even a
touch of heavier EVEN IN BLACKOUTS too. Very interesting stuff that I could
imagine having come out on a label like Lookout! when it was good (like
10-15 years ago) and that’s a huge compliment.
SideOneDummy Records
www.sideonedummy.com
The much anticipated second full-length from these unique German punk
rockers that just makes you wanna move. It’s like a style blender with
elements of BLACK FLAG, THE HIVES, THE TOY DOLLS and DEVO. It’s fast, fun
and captivating... the way punk rock should be. This exemplifies the true
spirit of punk rock... the freedom, the fun and the energy. They do whatever
they wanan do and it rules. This is the best material I have heard yet from
the GO FASTER NUNS and they’ve always been great. Do yourself a favour and
expose yourself to this strange and astonishing band.
Go-Kart Records Europe
www.gokartrecords.com
Being the pikey sonsabitch that I am I’m gonna love this for sure. Raw
and erratic Ukrainian gypsy punk... fuckin filthy chaos with crude
production so it’s not all shiny and layered. This is unrefined and edgy,
gritty and dangerous just like gypos themselves. ‘Immigrant Punk’ rules
and steals the show for me. It’s just such a weird album at times and
that’s so cool. There’s no faux-Irish crap on here, just jittery gypsy
noise. Having spent many years of my life in Italy and having been around
village accordion and mandolin bands I can really relate to this record. The
rawness of the sound is where the beauty lies. This is what it sounds
like if yer in the street in front of this nervy sound.
SideOneDummy Records
www.sideonedummy.com
GOLDBLADE mix straight-up old fashioned punk rock with rock 'n' roll and a touch
of mod style in there too. Wonderfully English and a huge two fingers up at
modern American punk shit. This has got soul and character. You can feel
the song-writing and that it's not just some churned out shit. There's a lot
crammed into each song and they often take unpredictable and interesting
turns and that's what I mean about their approach. This harks back to the
time when English punk rock shined because it was so uninhibited and
free... great stuff.
Captain Oi! Records
www.captainoi.com
2 live shows from 1985 that originally appeared in the Flipside Video series
portraying one of the finest punk rock / hardcore bands from DC. Government
Issue’s sound was always far from the carbon copy hardcore bands and these
shows exhibit that originality. Both shows were recorded in the Summer of
‘85 in California, the first at Fenders Ballroom and the second at the
Olympic Auditorium. The first show is the more intimate of the two with
Stabb really relating and interacting with the audience but that’s not to
say that he doesn’t inject his theatrical chaos and wit into every show... a
huge auditorium being no exception. He just blows up and does his thing very
uniquely. He’s just so into it and that’s indisguisable and a pleasure to
watch. This is the perfect band for the perfect ear and you just don’t get
stuff like this anymore. This is urgent and exciting and just so borderless.
Almost an hour of wonderful hardcore nostalgia. Great liner notes by Stabb
too.
MVD Music Video Distributors
www.musicvideodistributors.com
Hailing from the same darn town as the prolifically annoying Less than Jake
isn't a great thing but, thankfully instead of delivering novelty ska pop
pap that’s lamer than your Dad on the disco floor, the Grabass Charlestons
succeed in rockin mercilessly. This rocks and in the true sense of the
word. This is real, zealous Rock N Roll. Layering 40 a day vocals over
brash crunching guitars offers a great foundation for some of punks best
song titles such as 'The Fucking Song', 'Best in Shitty' and the intriguingly
named 'Those dirty line cooks are mysterious'. Indeed they wrote a tune
called 'Crazy Plane' about a speed binge that went awry culminating 30,000
feet above the great ole' US... very 'Fear And Loathing'... very punk. They
have that great disordered sound that reminds me a lot of CRIPMSHRINE. It’s
really animated and fiery. The strange thing is there’s hints of so many
bands in here but at the same time they sound like no-one else. I can hear
traces of SCREECHING WEASEL (especially vocal-lines), ONE MAN ARMY,
CLEVELAND BOUND DEATH SENTENCE, HEARTACHES, PINHEAD GUNPOWDER... fucking
wonderfully unusual.
No Idea Records
www.noidearecords.com
Wow, this is weird because from the band name and the style of the album
cover I was really expecting this to be one of those dark and tortured
Emo-type bands that are so damn popular. Then I flipped the CD over and
the photo of the band just didn’t fit that style at all, so bewildered I
stuck the CD in and it shot me half way across the fucking room... this is
sick!!!! Straight away I heard pre-Rollins BLACK FLAG. Disjointed, rasping
and seriously attacking and almost like a stripped-down MISFITS or AFI with
a lot of musical similarity to the CRIMINALS... those fantastic repeated
jabs. All of this mixed with an early hardcore sound. This is not tortured
at all, this outright rocks!!! Fuck me! The more I listen the more I hear
elements of all kinds of bands but this is so unique in both style and
delivery. I hear facets of the UNSEEN and the VIRUS with a vocal-delivery
style of JOHN RANSOM where the lyrics almost don’t fit the music sometimes...
I love that! It’s unpredictable and uncomfortable and keeps you jittery. The
kids will lap this up. I don’t know if these guys are playing the Warped
Tour but they should! They will steal the whole fucking festival! This is
real energy, always keeping the pace up and keeping things very impulsive.
Basement Records
www.basementrecords.net
Wow these guys work fuckin fast. Already a follow up to 'Hate, Love and
Greed' in less than a year and THE GRINDOLLS resume their punk 'n'
roll, glam attack. With elements of RIVER CITY REBELS, HEARTACHES, THE
BONES and LOWER CLASS BRATS delivered with a real rock 'n' roll
approach, this shit will get you shaking and singing along. You can hear
influences from all kinds of eras and genres - '50s / '60s rock 'n'
roll, '70s glam rock, late '70s / '80s punk rock etc but they all boil
down to pure punk rock 'n' roll with a very contemporary feel. I know a
lot of bands attempt this blend of punk rock and rock 'n' roll but the
majority just can't get it. THE GRINDOLLS aren't about flames,
eightballs and dice. They are full and loud and all about singing along.
This is a fantastic party record... loads or drink, loads of friends and loads
of rock 'n' roll.
Mad Butcher Records
www.madbutcher.de
Oh yeah! A collection of the best band to come out of Australia's (yep even
better than ROSE TATTOO!) EP from between 1996 and 2001. I remember the
first time I heard H-BLOCK 101. I was just a kid and they blew me away with
their style. I had never heard such free punk rock. They take influences from
all over and do what they want. There’s hints of the CLASH, HEARTBREAKERS,
CHEAP TRICK, DEAD BOYS, THE BOYS, BUZZCOCKS, STIFF LITTLE FINGERS all rolled
up into pure energy rock 'n' roll. This collects 26 tracks from 5 EP's
including covers of the CLASH, JIMMY CLIFF, ROSE TATTOO, JOHNNY THUNDERS,
THE RUTS and SPLIT ENZ. Fuckin fantastic CD here... amazing songwriting and
absolute fun. This is urgent and crucial listening!! Also comes with a
12-page killer booklet.
Mad Butcher Records
www.madbutcher.de
Fucking great band name and killer album title too. These snotty brats hail
from France and play mouth-wateringly convulsive 70’s garage punk and when
it’s done this good... shit I’m hooked. This isn’t by the numbers,
fashionable shit, this is fresh and addictively original and that’s
impressive because it’s so easy to copycat this style and fall into the
clone category. The HATEPINKS have all the magic of bands like the RIP OFFS,
NEUROTIC SWINGERS, ZODIAC KILLERS, BRIEFS, SHOCKS and SPITS and they have
that wonderful European/American combination of snotty spasm that’s just
unbeatable. That idiotic intelligence really gets me: ‘I Am A Divorce’,
‘Microwave Drugs’, ‘Where Are The Fucks?’, ‘Girl Migraine’, ‘Fashion Is
Crime’, ‘I Piss In Your Swimming Pools’ ...this shit is mind-blowing, plus
the whole 13 track record is over in 16 and a half minutes and that’s
a-m-a-z-i-n-g!!! It’s so short and sharp that it’s like a pleasurable
stabbing and I want to hear this over and over and get more and more
stabbed. This is serious fun for spastics like me and everybody needs to
get spastic. Get this!!!!!
TKO Records
www.tkorecords.com
Hard-hitting punk rock served up New Jersey style. Fast, powerful and
strictly no compromise! The New Jersey punk attack! All the best
characteristics of punk, Oi! and street rock 'n' roll rolled into one chaotic
weapon. New Jersey certainly boasts the toughest in punk rock and the best
thing is that it's a really exclusive sound. A lot of US bands who play Oi!
soaked punk really feed off the whole English thing, the COCKSPARRER sound,
but not the NJ bands. That's so great. The state has created it's own breed.
I'm a total sucker for this stuff so I'm bound to say it rules but it really
does. I can be pretty specific about what grabs me and I have a real problem
if a band sounds put-on, so when it done as well and sincerely as
HEADWOUND... hell I got no choice!
Haunted Town Records
www.hauntedtownrecords.com
I wasn't sure what to expect from HELL HOUND and feared that they might be full-on heavy metal but I was pleasantly surprised to hear that they are, in fact, Hillbilly Rock 'N' Roll mixed with some big riffs ala KISS, THIN LIZZY, JUDAS PRIEST, T-REX, ROLLING STONES etc. Pretty hard-rockin stuff with occasional slower paced tracks that works well. I had something like CRADLE OF FILTH in mind but it's nothing like that at all. This is pure Rock 'N' Roll with a Southern soaking, kinda like if ANTiSEEN covered some of the aforementioned rock bands. Not bad at all.
www.hellhound.us
Heavily distorted chaos from Germany, the HELPLESS DILETANTTES do what
the fuck they want. There is no specific direction, only disarray! The
sound varies from melodic and almost poppy to totally out of control with
pace changes, differing vocal styles. It’s very experimental and
imaginative and is what punk rock is all about... do what you want to do no
matter what the reactions may be. If you wanna write a pop song followed
by a brutal hardcore song just do it... you don’t gotta answer to anyone
and that’s exactly what the HELPLESS DILETANTTES do. It reminds me a bit
of the DWARVES, DEAD MILKMEN and the BUTTHOLE SURFERS at times and that’s
no surprise because those are all bands who have never conformed no
matter what the scene dictates. This is original disorder.
Matula Records
www.matularecords.de
Belgian rock n rollers HETTEN DES present their own, stripped-down rockabilly versions of MOTORHEAD's 'Ace Of Spades'. Now, this is a track that has been covered by hundreds, if not thousands but I guarantee that you've never heard it like this before. This is as if JOHNNY CASH or J