RECORD REVIEWS, JANUARY-JUNE 2024.

ALTERNATIVE TV. Direct Action LP (Fourth Dimension) It’s been a few years since the last ATV album (‘Opposing Forces’ in 2015) although ‘Primitive Emotions’ gathered together all the tracks from singles and compilations between 2016-19 and works pretty well as a coherent album as well. But whilst those two releases were more guitar-orientated, Mark Perry had made it known that his latest project would be of a more experimental nature. In ATV terms, that had a lot of people thinking of the ‘Vibing Up the Senile Man’ LP in 1979, when the band made such a huge leap from their previous album that it left many of their potential listeners totally baffled! That said, in more recent times, the ATV records from that era have been re-evaluated and now, deservedly receive much more credit and respect than they did at the time. But, as anyone who follows Mark’s musical output should know, he’s not one for repeating himself and, although there are some elements in common between ‘Direct Action’ and that period in the late Seventies, this is a very distinct beast. If anything, it veers more towards the early Industrial Records scene, which Mark became interested-in at the time. Indeed, it’s even possible that this album partly came together as some kind of sub-conscious tribute to his old friend and occasional collaborator, Genesis P-Orridge, but even if you draw those comparisons, this is still very-much a statement of its’ own. Almost entirely instrumental, it takes a different path to anything that ATV has done before, veering just as much towards elements of jazz and improvised music. But when considered in terms of what the band have done in the past, it’s really just another tangent for them to explore and a vital diversion away from what many would expect to hear. But that’s also why it fits-in perfectly as another integral piece of their creativity. ATV have always done what they felt was right at the time and then moved on, so there’s never been any room for predictability. I could go on about each individual track and discuss their probable influences and inspirations, but really, all you need to know is that this is ATV challenging themselves and challenging the listener once again. Hear it for yourself and make up your own mind! There aren’t many bands, especially after 45 years, who are still taking those kind of risks and delivering genuinely intriguing music, so you really should make an effort to hear this while you can.

AMPLIFIER HEADS. Songs From They Came to Rock CD (RumBar) This is a soundtrack for a sci-fi rock opera which doesn’t actually exist (at least not yet!) In 1947, the invention of the electric guitar allowed teenagers to create their own noise and the subsequent reverberations extended an invite through time and space, heralding the modern age of UFO visitations! Well, it’s certainly not one of the craziest conspiracy theories concerning flying saucers, so let’s go with it. This album features 10 tracks interspersed by ‘transmissions’ which deliver the narrative while the songs provide the colour… Musically, the styles cover the decade from the early days of primal rock’n’roll and doo-wop through to Sixties pop , psychedelia and garage, eventually reaching Seventies Glam. Special mentions must go to ‘That Girl Betty’ with it’s Spector-ish sound and superb vocals, as well as ‘Space Cadette’ with it’s Kinks-meets-Slade riffing and stompin’ platform-boot beats. The whole scenario culminates in the first extra-terrestrial radio session by an alien band, saving the planet just in time with their very own ‘Moon Rocls’. All I can say is that it, however crazy it may seem, it still makes more sense than most of the crap that reaches top of the charts these days… Like a cross between Orson Welles’ legendary ‘War of the Worlds’ broadcast and Ziggy Stardust (with a small sprinkle of Monty Python along the way) this is a highly entertaining and enjoyable record that gets the balance between humour and songwriting just right. Mars attacks, but Amplifier Heads save the day!

ANGELIC UPSTARTS. Teenage Warning CD (Captain Oi!) Angelic Upstarts formed in the Tyneside area during 1977 and after playing a bunch of local gigs, self-released their debut single, ‘The Murder of Liddle Towers’. Despite music-press indifference, the record quickly sold out and was reissued as a joint release between Rough Trade and Small Wonder. John Peel enthusiastically supported the band (the only DJ on Radio One to do so) and this helped the band to land a deal with Warners. Ensuing singles ‘I’m an Upstart’ and ‘Teenage Warning’ both reached the Top 40 and this, their Jimmy-Pursey-produced debut album, hit the Top 30… They even appeared on Top of the Pops (could you imagine such an abrasive punk band being invited on a similar mainstream show these days?) The album proved to be very popular, combining the bands’ earlier ‘rock’ roots with the energy and attitude of punk to create a blueprint for many of the later Oi! / Streetpunk bands. Just as importantly, the band were avowed socialists and very much anti-fascist, willing to take a stand when undesirable elements began to turn-up in their audiences. Their singer, Mensi, was particularly vocal on the subject and also a talented, articulate and down-to earth lyricist who spoke out about the threat of the far-right. The songs included politics and confrontational ideas, but also featured a sense of humour to keep everything in balance. Years later, the album still sounds surprisingly fresh and vital even if some of the subject-matter may be a bit dated. Angelic Upstarts went on to release many albums during their career, but how ever good they may have been, none ever had the impact of this one. Give it a listen now and be prepared for a real blast from the past!

ANGRY!. Slime is Not Okay with Cauliflower. CD/EP ([email protected]) Someone gave me a copy of this CD at a gig, but for the life of me, I can’t remember who, when or where (there may have been alcohol involved…) However, the important thing is that I got it home safely, because it’s rather good fun. Angry! are a duo, just guitar, vocals and very basic drums, but it works. Their sound is reminiscent of Kleenex, (early) Slits, and maybe The Raincoats, The songs are pretty minimal and the recordings are kind-of lo-fi, but they work because they music is catchy and easy to follow, while the lyrics are interesting and identifiable. If only John Peel was around, I’m sure he’d have loved them! The first two tracks included here were originally released as digital singles and the other two were available on compilations, so this is the perfect way to catch up. Get to it!

ANGRY ZETA. Chills and Thrills LP (Voodoo Rhythm) Angry Zeta are an unlikely mix of punk, country and Hillbilly hoe-downs from the even more unlikely locale of Argentina! But rather than taking the usual mid-mannered, middle-class approach to folk or (eek!) world-music, these guys are intent on putting some genuine attitude and authenticity into their music, just the same way that The Pogues approached Irish music, or Kultur Shock approached Balkan culture. It’s not done in an affected or pretentious way, it’s done with a real love and joy for the songs and their words (even if you shouldn’t take them entirely seriously!) Like the Hickoids before them, this is music that’s here to be enjoyed. I could imagine these guys whipping-up a real storm onstage, but whether you get a chance to see them live or not, do your best to hear this album.

THE ANTI-QUEENS. Disenchanted LP (Stomp) This is a good example of when advance-publicity doesn’t work. Ahead of the album, a video was released for the song ‘Overthinking’, which was okay but not particularly exceptional. A link for the album then turned up a month or so later, but I didn’t rush to hear it because I hadn’t been impressed by the video. However, when I did listen to the whole thing, it’s great! Anti-Queens (I haven’t figured-out which queen/s they’re anti) are a hard-rockin’, female fronted combo that sound as if they’ve grown-up on a steady and disreputable diet of Turbonegro, L7, Joan Jett and Babes in Toyland. Punk Rock, Grunge, Rock’n’roll and Pop, something like The Muffs mixed with the best of The Dictators, perhaps? They may not be suitable-listening for daytime radio, but they’ve also got enough melodies to appeal to a wide audience and even ‘Overthinking’ works perfectly as part of the complete album. Anyway, back to the important stuff, this is a great album with so much energy and drive, combined with catchy riffs and hooks that are not going to let you get away easily. Of course the proof of the pudding with a band like this would be to catch them live, although as they’re based in Toronto that may not be feasible in the near future. But if we’re lucky, or if you’re travelling through Canadian territory, be sure to investigate. This is a band who could be blowing you away real soon!

ANTLER FAMILY. s/t LP (Boner) Boner records was founded by guitarist Tom Flynn in the early Eighties and over the years has released records by bands such as The Melvins, MDC and Steel Pole Bath Tub, as well as Flynn’s own band, Fang. The most recent project is Flynn’s latest band, Antler Family, who follow the tradition of coming from a punk/hardcore background but intent on stretching the possibilities of their music as far as they can go. On a simplified level, you could call this hard rock as it deals with a similar musical structures as early-Seventies bands like Blue Cheer or Black Sabbath. But this album introduces elements entirely of its’ own. Singer Mia Dean provides powerful but feminine vocals that present a perfect counterpoint to Tom’s wall of guitar-sound, which at times threatens to encompass the whole band. Similarly, the rhythm section provide the solid foundations to keep everything else (just about) in check. Woven within this, you’ll hear moments that recall Tony Iommi, Ted Falconi (Flipper) and maybe even some of Syd Barrett’s psychedelic freak-outs with the early Pink Floyd. If this is how good the band sound in a studio, I can only imagine how powerful they might be onstage… Hopefully we’ll get a chance to see them, but in the meantime, check out this record!

APB. The Radio 1 Sessions CD (Liberation Hall) The series of APB reissues on CD continues with this collection of tracks recorded for their original radio sessions: two for John Peel (1982 and ‘83) two for David Jensen (1982 and ’84) and one for Peter Powell (1983.) That they featured so often on such radio shows on the most important radio station across the UK, just goes to show the esteem they were held in and how close they were to breaking through to a much wider audience. That it didn’t happen in the UK is almost bewildering. Everything seemed to be in place for them but for some reason it didn’t come together. Perhaps their record label just didn’t know how to promote them, or perhaps they were too edgy for the contemporary mainstream? Certainly, there were bands around the same time who were playing a very watered-down version of what APB were doing and achieved chart success with it. These sessions are a very good indication of what APB were about, illustrating the careful balance they maintained between the more alternative sounds of the early Eighties and the kind of polished ‘indie’ bands that were happy to let producers and stylists smarten them-up for the media-friendly market. They were commercially-viable but only on their own terms, playing a brand of post-punk and funk that was very catchy and danceable but perhaps a bit too abrasive for many of their potential listeners. That said, their music still holds-up pretty solidly, even forty years later, which is testament to their credibility. The collection of 19 songs is, perhaps, the best introduction to their music and presents the full range of their talents. Check this out even if you haven’t heard anything else by the band. You’ll discover something original and very worthwhile.

BADASS MOTHER FUZZERS. Sorry For You LP (6Tone) I really enjoyed the previous album (‘On the Run’) from this Toulouse-based band, so I’m glad that they sent me their latest release and, if anything, they’re sounding even better. In a similar way to Turbonegro (during the classic Hank-era) BMF are a band who effortlessly combine equal parts from Fifties rock’n’roll, Sixties garage, Seventies Glam and Hard rock, whilst mixing it with an authentic Punk Rock attitude. The best thing is that they can appeal to fans of any of these genres because they put them all-together so naturally and never lose the essence of the music. They have a great full-on guitar sound and a solid rhythm section that holds everything down but is never afraid to add its’ own quirky flourishes… no show-boating, but just the right amount of extra character. It’s the vocals that add the catchy, melodic aspects, one moment chanting a singalong chorus and the next adding harmonies to hammer-home the tunes. As I said before, they do remind me of South London’s finest, The Phobics, perhaps mixed with a bit more Motorhead… I’m sure that will give you an idea of what to expect, but trust me, it sounds even better than a mere review could ever manage. This band deserve to be played loud, right now!

THE BALBOAS. The Pandemic Singles LP (Burn’n’Surf) I’d never heard of this hard-edged Surf-rock band before now, but hearing this collection of songs, I kind of wish I had. Apparently they’ve been together for more than 25 years, even though their core members live in six different cities across the USA. Three of them are Professors and one of them is Jimmy Dale, son of the legendary Dick Dale! But alongside the obvious Sixties Surf and Garage influences, they’ve clearly got some classic punk rock in their DNA as they play their tracks with a genuinely aggressive delivery. As the title suggests, these tracks were initially inspired by the Covid lock-downs, when the band members decided to record a bunch of singles remotely, sharing and completing the recordings via the internet. As a bonus, they also managed to persuade several old friends (East Bay Ray, Dez Cadena, Rikk Agnew, Paul Roessler of The Screamers and Mike Palm of Agent Orange) to donate either their vocals or musicianship to the proceedings, which add just the right ingredients. Most of the songs are originals, although a couple of covers are featured, most notably a Surf/Trash version of Big Blacks’ ‘Bad Penny’! There’s no way to get around it, this has to be one of the best Punk-Surf records I’ve ever heard. Listen for yourself and prepare to be impressed!

BASS COMMUNION. The Itself of Itself CD (Lumberton Trading Company) Although best known as the founding member of the band Porcupine Tree, Steven Wilson has also been the primary creative force behind the Bass Communion project, which was releasing albums on a semi-regular basis between 1998 and 2011. This is the first ‘all-new’ album since then. The idea behind Bass Communion has been to explore the more experimental aspects of electronic music with a less static line-up, inviting the participation of various guest musicians as and when necessary. Wilson obviously knows his reference points well, as the influences here include original Krautrock, early Industrial music, Ambient sounds, drones and film-scores, whilst the purpose seems to be the use of sonic textures to create atmospheric moods. Certain parts of the album recall the soundtrack for David Lynch’s classic movie ‘Eraserhead’, whilst other moments will recall Coil at their best, particularly in the way that the sounds seem to inspire and integrate with dreamlike imagery (in this case, the collection of photographs included as an essential part of the albums’ presentation.) The seven tracks included here were recorded over a period of time, rather than as one single effort, but compliment each other in a very natural and organic way. The music itself consists of both studio recordings and ‘audio artefacts’, blended together to present new ideas and directions, whilst sonic residue from the background is left (deliberately) in place. The overall results present a very accomplished and highly focused album that will intrigue you as much as it will entertain. One of the best electronic albums I’ve heard for some time, this is highly recommended.

BLACK BOMBERS. Viva La Revolution CD (Easy Action) These is a Birmingham-based hard-rock band with hints of Punk and Glam in their mix that create a nice, spicy dish. They’ve been around for several years and have released a few records already, although this one is the first time that they’ve taken their new songs into a full-time studio and worked with proper production staff. The results are clear to hear, with much better arrangements and a far more accessible sound. Members of the band have previously served time in respected Brummie bands such as The Prefects and Gunfire Dance, as well as playing further afield with the likes of The Godfathers, Walter Lure and UK Subs. Musically, their current style is somewhere between classic Detroit (MC5, Stooges etc) The Dictators and some of Jim Jones more recent efforts. In some of their more restrained moments, they even remind me of Lords of the New Chuch (which is no bad thing at all!) and while they do tend to have a harder, stompin’ sound for most of their songs, it’s often the less obvious, more atmospheric moments that draw-out the bands’ own character and help them to stand–up in the crowd. The album ends with an inspired cover of Bowie’s ‘Boys Keep Swinging’, one of his most under-rated rockers. They deliver a great version of it as well, bringing the album to a suitably storming conclusion. Give this a listen, play it loud and pay attention, because there’s a lot of potential here.

THE BLUNDERS. Magic & Manipulation CD (www.theblunders.co.uk) This is a great album. Musically, you can still hear their Anarcho-punk roots, but they’re adding so much more this time. The whole tone of these songs is more angry and focused, railing against the ever-increasing inequalities within the UK and the frustration and anxiety it causes. The production gives the songs a much more expansive sound, while the arrangements allow space for different sounds and influences, including more keyboards, drum machine patterns and sampling. They even have a guest appearance from Frank Cutter (of Anarchistwood) providing her distinct vocals on the song ‘Say It’. This is a very accomplished recording, displaying raw emotions and an aggressive Punk attitude alongside rhythms that are surprisingly catch and danceable. This band deserve to be heard by a much-wider audience. If you haven’t already heard them, start with this album and let yourself be impressed!

BORIS THE SPRINKLER. Gets a Clue CD (Rum Bar) I love this band but I must admit, I hadn’t heard much (if anything) about them for a while and had kind of assumed that perhaps they’d split-up. But just to prove that my psychic abilities are shite, I was wrong and here they are again, this time with a punk rock concept album based around Cluedo (or ‘Clue’ to our mono-syllabic American cousins…) Regardless, this is an album packed with great, snappy songs that thrive on their own adrenalin, revel in thei infantile humour and rejoice in the true spirit of Punk Rock (just like they should.) They play frantic, catchy, punk rock (think Ramones meet Circle Jerks via Rezillos… they’ve covered all three bands along the way,in their own inimitable style…) You get the impression that these guys have never even thought about a career in music, but just taken opportunities to tour and make records for the excitement they get out of it themselves. In a perfect world, they would be hugely popular but still giving their entire audience the finger. Booking-in at under 20 minutes, this is the kind-of album that’s over long before you could ever get tired of it (although songs like these ought to keep you pogo-ing all night long.) Buy this and then buy everything else that this band has ever released. It’s should be considered an honour and a privilege to give them your money!

BRITISH BIRDS. In Search of Mr Rykyn’. Cassette or digital (https://britishbirds.bandcamp.com) I’ve always had a fondness for ornithology, with Buzzards, Barn Owls and Magpies amongst my favourite avians. But no feathers here, unfortunately. British Birds are based in the legendary borough of Chorley and have all been playing in different bands for some time before coming together as this DIY project. Musically, they play a deceptively-understated version of English psych-pop, with various hints of Syd Barrett (solo), Blue Orchids and maybe even The Cure (in Robert Smith’s more whimsical moments.) Elsewhere, there are moments that will recall The Beatles, Franz Ferdinand, Blur and, on their more upbeat tracks, perhaps even art-rock bands like Roxy Music or (early) Sparks. Their strength is the way that they bring everything together in such a natural manner that they never sound as if they’re merely imitating or being pretentious. This is a band that knows their music and understand that the way it feels is as important as the way it sounds. The songs may have a tendency to begin with a reserved demeanour, but as they carefully build their own world, you’ll find yourself being completely drawn-in to it. While it’s always hard to tell what a band like this wants to achieve, it doesn’t take much thought to imagine that, given the right exposure, British Birds could end up appealing to a very wide audience. Investigate now, it’ll be well-worth your efforts.

BRITISH BIRDS. Mr Bar. Digital single (https://britishbirds.bandcamp.com/) I don’t usually review ‘digital singles’ if they just involve one track, but this is a really good track that you won’t get to hear anywhere else (at least at present, but it really needs to be a 7” single soon!) This is a catchy slice of psych-pop with simple but highly effective melodic hooks, witty lyrics, great harmonies and a genuine air of eccentricity. Think of bands like XTC (circa ‘Senses Working Overtime’), Tiger and Captain Sensible’s more psychedelic solo material. This is a lot of fun and everyone should be listening to it!

CALM. Dysfunctional Assumptions CD (Engineer) Based in Harrogate, Calm have been around for a decade or so and certainly have an eclectic set of influences. There are bursts of punk and hardcore, slices of indie and alt-rock, chunks of emo and pop… They seem to have taken all of these things and blended them together to make something of their own, which works rather well. It’s catchy and convincing, with thoughtful lyrics concerning subjects like mental health and isolation (I think...) The vocals are also pretty distinctive and not your usual punk rock drawl… Not that they actual sound similar, vocally, but I can definitely hear the sort of mannerisms used by Kevin Rowlands and perhaps even Frank Black. But that’s all pretty subjective and other folks will hear other things. Overall, this is an intriguing and enjoyable CD and I’ll definitely listen out for more.

CHINESE TELEPHONES. Outta My Hands EP (Dead Broke Rekerds) Punky powerpop band from Milwaukee who originally formed in 2004 and released a bunch of singles, a split-album with Potential Johns and a full-length LP over the ensuing years, before succumbing to line-up changes and breaks that prevented any further releases until now. However, this brand new EP, featuring three of their own songs and a cover of ‘Loyola’ by The Dictators, sounds like they’ve never been away and have just spent the intervening years honing their craft. These songs, especially lead track ‘Radianna’, are a perfect mix of classic Buzzcocks, perhaps a hint of The Jam (first three albums) and more than a taste of Cheap Trick at their anthemic best. Loud, brash, catchy, singalong and hightly-danceable… This is what Pop music should sound like and this is the kind of music that ought to be getting played on the radio waves. It really is that good. Watch out for further new material soon.

CHONCY. 20X MULTIPLIER LP (Feel It) After a well-received debut album last year, this Cincinnati band are back with a second-offering that sounds both confident and erratic. The nine tracks are short and snappy – only one lasts longer than the three-minute marker, insuring that they don’t meander or waste any time. Some of the rhythms are played at almost-Hardcore tempo while the guitar lines are quirky, unpredictable and played with incredible precision. I really can’t think of good comparisons, but if the idea of The Modern Lovers collaborating with Victims Family appeals to you, then you’ll be at least intrigued by what these guys are producing. Keeping up with the songs and trying to comprehend the vocals is a pretty exhausting task, but definitely worth the effort. It’s may not be an easy listen, but you really won’t want to miss a second of it!

THE CHORDS UK. Somewhere Beyond the Rainbow 10”EP (Epop) The Chords UK have been getting better and better, so it’s always a pleasure when a new release turns up. This latest 4-track EP features a selection of songs taken from across Chris Pope / Chords UK career, including ‘Veronica Jones’, a new mix of the track from the bands’ most recent album ‘Big City Dreams’, while ‘All I Want is Everything’ is a new version of the track from the ‘Nowhere Land’ album. ‘Somewhere Beyond the Rainbow’ and ‘Before Elvis’ are both previously unreleased, with the title track actually dating back to a project Chris Pope was working-on during 1985. Hearing this revitalised version, it’s hard to see why it took so long for it to be resurrected, as it’s a great Mod/Punk/Powerpop anthem and surely set to be a live-favourite. ‘Before Elvis’, in comparison, only dates back to 2014 when it featured in a demo session, but was shelved pending further input. That may have taken almost a decade, but it’s been worth the wait as the resulting track is another high-energy, boot stompin’ rocker. If you haven’t already seen or heard this band, you really need to do so as soon as you can, because Chris Pope’s songwriting has remained as sharp and spot-on as it ever was and with this current band, he has the talent to deliver the songs perfectly.

THE CLASH Hong Kong 1982 CD (Wicker Man) There seems to be an endless stream of Clash bootlegs and ‘semi-official’ recordings these days, but most of them turn-out to be rehashes of earlier releases or compilations of previously-available material. But once in a while something will appear that hasn’t been released before. This double CD (over two hours long!) is a supposed radio broadcast recorded during the bands Far East tour in early 1982. The sound quality is pretty good, although the mix/balance isn’t so great (the bass sounds really odd in places) and the setlist has a fine selection of songs from the first four albums. Surprisingly, as the album was due to be released shortly after this tour, only one song from ‘Combat Rock’ is included (a high energy version of ‘Know Your Rights’.) The tracks taken from ‘Sandinista’ sound so much better than their recorded versions and the older material is played with plenty of style and conviction. Unfortunately, some of the tracks are incomplete which is pretty annoying at times, but I can live with it. At the end of the day, this is vital evidence that, although the band were losing their way musically by this point, they could still deliver an excellent live show. Get this while you can!

CLOWN SOUNDS. Par for the Curse LP (Recess) Featuring former-members of FYP and Toys That Kill, Clown Sounds originally started as a solo album from Recess records founder, Todd Congelliere, featuring demos and outtakes of songs he’d written but never played with any of his previous bands. It was nearly a decade later when Toys That Kill drummer, Jimmy Felix, suggested putting a band together to play the songs, which would be named after the original album. But as they began to rehearse, they started to write new songs and ditched most of the older ones. They played live and things went well, leading to their first album, ‘Preacher Maker’. Several years later, they’re still going strong and this is their third LP. Their sound comes a similar direction as The Briefs, stylised punk rock that has plenty of energy and catchy melodies, but isn’t afraid to throw some eccentricities into the mix. The songs are pretty short and sharp, mostly upbeat and unpredictable, but always with a strong sense of purpose that will draw you in and have you pogo-ing in no time. There really isn’t anything to dislike about this record!

CNTS. Thoughts & Prayers CD (Ipecac) Having released their first album as ‘CUNTS’ in 2019, the newly shortened name has been adopted for several reasons. Firstly, to avoid any confusion with the Chicago band-of-the-same-name, and secondly to signify the rebirth of the band following a nasty car accident in which singer Matt Cronk lost the use of his vocal cords. The initial diagnosis was that he would be lucky to speak again, let alone sing, but against the odds he gradually made a full recovery and was eventually able to return to the band. Of course, some cynics might also suggest that they’ve changed the name to make it more acceptable for the mainstream, but trust me, after thirty seconds of this album, you’ll know that the mainstream is never going to consider a band as confrontational as this! Quick comparisons … imagine (early) AC/DC reinterpreted by Jesus Lizard? Or Motorhead instigating a riot in cahoots with The Cramps? You get the idea… loud, raucous and unapologetic, but above-all, great fun! In other words, everything that rock’n’roll (or punk or hardcore or whatever you want to call it) is supposed to be. But instead of just embracing noise for the sake of it, these guys have structure and precision. They know what they want to do and they do it with style. This is an album that will blow you away (imagine what it’s going to do for your neighbours?) Genuine excitement, like a blast of pure adrenalin. If you can’t dig this, you can’t dig nothin’!

COCKNEY REJECTS. Greatest Hits Vol.! and Vol.2 CD (Captain Oi!) There’s no getting past the fact that the first two Cockney Rejects albums and their accompanying singles have never been surpassed by the band. Brash, rowdy and invigorating, they provided a great contrast to the more serious side of Punk, even if the muso-press did their best to discredit the band. Fortunately, Small Wonder records appreciated what they were doing and their first single, ‘Flares and Slippers’ was enthusiastically supported by John Peel, who gave them airplay and broadcast two radio sessions by the band. Signing to EMI records, they scored hits in both the singles and album charts, but they also started to gain a reputation for trouble at their gigs. Admittedly, their lyrics often talked about violence and their support for West Ham, which was bound to antagonise some people, but it was also a time when the far right were trying to infiltrate the new Oi! scene (something the band spoke-out against) so the subsequent trouble at their gigs soon found them being banned from more and more venues. Trying to distance themselves from all of that, they changed their musical direction and went for a harder rock style, which appealed to some of their fans but alienated many others. I’m not saying that their later albums were all bad, but if you want to hear their classic sound, the first two LPs are the ones you need to hear. ‘Vol.1’ starts with ‘I’m Not a Fool’, one of their very best songs, and continues with fan favourites like ‘Bad Man’, ‘Fighting in the Streets’, ‘East End’ and ‘Police Car’… there really isn’t a bad song on this album, and this version also includes all three tracks from the ‘Flares and Slippers’ EP. ‘Vol.2’ continued in a similar style, although by this point they were clearly more confident and really knew what they were doing. ‘War on the Terraces’ starts the proceedings, quickly followed by awesome tracks like ‘Hate of the City’, ‘The Greatest Cockney Rip-Off’, and ‘We Can Do Anything’, as well as a wonderfully-raucous version of the Sweet classic ‘Blockbuster’. This disk also includes an extra seven tracks from various singles, completing a thorough overview of the band during that era. The music was rowdy and the band were unashamedly boisterous, but there’s also a streak of humour that runs through all of their records and they clearly meant the music to be fun. So don’t believe what the retrospectives try to claim about them, just play the music loud, hear how many great songs they wrote and, most importantly, enjoy it!

COCKSPARRER. Hand on Heart CD (Captain Oi!) I realise that I’m in the minority when I say that I’m not a big fan of Cocksparrer, but that’s just the way it goes. They have made some great songs in the past, but overall I’ve not been impressed. That said, they are more popular now than they’ve ever been (even if the Yanks still can’t pronounce their name properly… Cocksparrah ???)) Seven years since their last album, ‘Forever’, this is supposedly going to be their final LP and I’m not sure what to expect but it actually turns out to be a lot better than I thought it would be. If I had to sum it up in one word, it would have to be ‘anthemic’. Self-financed and self-produced, they’ve made an album as much for themselves as for their followers, but I’m sure the fans are going to love every singalong, fist-in-the-air moment regardless. The title-track opens proceedings with a brash blast of punky-rock that sounds suited for headline appearances at festivals around the world, somewhere between The Clash, The Professionals and Stiff Little Fingers. ‘Mind Your Own Business’ and ‘I Belong to You’ follow in quick succession, creating a real sense of momentum and I have to admit, the arrangements really bring-out the best in the songs and help to retain your attention. A few songs, like ‘Rags to Riches’ and ‘One Way Ticket’, veer back towards their pub-rock roots and bizarrely, ‘Nowhere to be Found’ reminds me of bands like Offspring and Bad Religion (listen to the guitars and backing vocals…) ‘My Forgotten Dream’ is an unapologetic return to Seventies pomp-rock (which shouldn’t be allowed) before the final track, ‘Here We Stand’ (which presumably should have been the title-track of their 2007 album, but they didn’t finish it on time?) is the high-point of the album, yet another chant-along anthem that will have audiences waving their beer glasses above their heads (watch out for spillages!) and trying to hug their mates. It’s that kind of song. So, all-in-all, not a bad album at all and, for me, probably the best LP they’ve ever produced. If it is their last album, it’s a good one to end with. Fans are going to love it and no doubt it will be popular, so if you’ve ever been curious, catch them while you still can!

COFFIN PRICKS. Semi-Perfect Crimes LP (Council) Coffin Pricks formed in Chicago sometime around 2010. They released one single in 2012 and played a few shows before splitting-up soon afterwards (although confusingly, guitarist Ryan Weinstein has continued to release records as Coffin Prick) However, during their brief existence, the band had written an albums-worth of songs and, in 2022, Ryan returned to the studio to remix and complete their previously-unreleased studio recordings. Additionally, a live recording was found to contain several songs that had never made it as far as a studio, and these were carefully-salvaged to complete this album, making it as thorough as possible. Musically, the songs are mostly uptempo and sound like a cross between late Eighties DC bands like Rites of Spring or Ignition (singer Chris Thomson had previously been a member of Circus Lupus) and earlier UK ‘post’ punk bands like The Fall, Killing Joke and Folk Devils. It’s certainly an intriguing and exciting sound and I can’t help but wonder how they might have developed had they continued? Well, at least we now have a chance to listen back and get an idea of what could have been. Great stuff!

THE CONTRACTIONS. 1980 CD (Liberation Hall) The Contractions were a ground-breaking band from San Francisco who, sadly, don’t receive the credit that they were so obviously due, despite their music and achievements remaining relevant to now. The band were formed by three women during 1979 and quickly built-up a following in their home-town, playing their abrasive, energetic and thoughtful style of ‘post-punk’ alongside bands like Dead Kennedys, Flipper, The GoGo’s and even Duran Duran! They were an inspiration for more women to become involved in the vibrant and varied local music scene and even took themselves on tour across the whole country. Musically and lyrically, they were hard to pin-down although in some ways I can see/hear similarities with The Au-pairs (more in terms of their approach than the sound.) They were primarily doing it for themselves, but in doing so set-up a perfect threat-by-example situation. They released only one album and a couple of singles during their five-year existence, so this 14 song collection (culled from previously unreleased live recordings of the band at the legendary Mabuhay Gardens venue, as well as three original studio recordings) is going to be welcomed by their older fans and will also, hopefully, introduce them to the younger generations. With ideas of ‘gender-empowerment’ seemingly so prevalent right now, it’s time to recognise a band who were not only doing it four decades ago, but doing it with real style and talent.

THE COVIDS. Banned from the USA. 7” (Wap Shoo Wap)Formed in Amsterdam during the lockdowns, The Covids started playing live as soon as the clubs began booking bands again, Their approach quickly attracted an enthusiastic audience and their first single was released in 2022, promptly followed by the album ‘Bust to Bits’ the following year. They found themselves being invited to play some dates in America, but when they arrived a minor mistake with their Visas resulted with two of the band being refused entry to the country. They returned to Europe but the others, unable to play any gigs, found a studio and began work on a new song their response to the bureaucratic-bullshit. The result was ‘Banned From the USA’ and this limited edition single is their two-finger salute towards the red-tape nonsense. The single features two versions of the song… The a-side is the version recorded by the full band once they were all back together in Amsterdam. It’s a punk rock classic, mixing equal parts Dead Boys, Eddie and the Hot Rods, Ramones and The Damned. It’s a vital slice of short-sharp punk with all the punch it deserves. The b-side is the original lo-fi version recorded by the two band members before they returned home, proving that this is a band who can deliver the goods even in the most adverse situation. If you haven’t already done so, you need to catch-up on this band now!

THE CRAVATS. The Complete John Peel Sessions LP (?) I’m not sure when this was released, but it deserves to be mentioned. Limited to only 300 copies (apparently) and with no label details, I can only assume it’s a ‘semi-official’ release, but the sound quality and artwork have both been treated with great care and attention. John Peel was a big fan of The Cravats and many consider the recordings they made for his radio show to be their very best. Listening to the tracks now, it’s easy to see why fans have come to that conclusion. The Cravats may have come together as part of the Punk Rock explosion, but their idiosyncratic approach to music set them apart from everyone else. Which is precisely the reason why people like Peel, Pete Stennett (Small Wonder) and Penny Rimbaud (Crass) loved them. They worked with no limits or restrictions, simply intent on creating something that could develop in its’ own time and space. These four sessions present them at their best, including songs that range from the frantic of energy of ‘Precinct’ to the unsettling, psychedelic dirge of ‘Who’s In Here With Me?’ (and plenty of eccentric genius in between.) This is an album that should have been released years ago, but the rest of the world was (and still is) catching up on The Cravats. But it’s never too late to discover what you’ve been missing… buy this album while you can.

CULT FIGURES. Bewtween Us and Heaven CD (Gare Du Nord.) Cult Figures released two fine singles on Swell Maps’ ‘Rather Records’ label back in 1979/80 (‘Zip Nolan’ remains a personal fave) before taking an extended tea-break and eventually re-emerging in 2018. Since then, this is the third album they’ve released, despite the loss of founding-member Gary Jones in 2021. Fortunately, the remaining band members were able to re-focus on their plans, recruited two new members and proceeded to complete this new album. With a strong production and an array of songs that display both their accessibility and their eccentric quirkiness, this may well be their best album to date. At times, you’ll hear hints of the Buzzcocks at their most adventurous, early-Wire or perhaps the catchier moments of the Blue Orchids. Not that they particularly sound like any of those bands, but they seem to share certain elements and influences, adding their own creative ideas to make it something of their own. The album has a wide range of styles and tempos that will keep you on your toes and draw you further into their musical world every time you listen. This is true ‘indie-pop’, full of catchy tunes and genuine credibility. With so much pre-fabricated rubbish out there, desperately trying to be your new favourite band, Cult Figures effortlessly sneak into your consciousness in a way that only the genuine article could manage.

THE DAMNED. Shadowed Tales from Mulhouse LP (Cleopatra) The Damned have had many different line-ups over the years and each one has seemed to have just as many detractors as fans. But one of the most contentious incarnations has to be the one that performed between 1993-1995, featuring original members Dave Vanian and Rat Scabies, alongside new recruits Alan Lee Shaw, Kris Dollimore and Moose. On one hand, it was great that after a nearly a decade The Damned seemed to be intent on writing and recording new material once again, rather than just relying on their back catalogue, but on the other, a lot of older fans didn’t like their new hard rock style. Admittedly, it was a bit of a surprise when I first heard the new material, but I do have to say that over the years I have warmed to it. If anything, they were going for more of an MC5 direction, which was always in the bands’ DNA from their very earliest days. Unfortunately for them, it wasn’t a direction that many people wanted to hear at that point and it just didn’t fit–in with expectations. But listening to this album now, you can hear how well it actually worked and how they integrated the new material alongside the older, more familiar songs. At the very least, they deserve credit for being so intent on establishing themselves as a valid line-up with their own direction and, listening to them now, they’re a pretty powerful and impressive combo. This recording, made in Mulhouse, France in 1994, was previously available on CD only, under the title ‘Molten Lager’. This version seems to have dropped a couple of tracks and added others, making it several tracks longer than the CD. The sound quality is very good and the band sound as if they’re really enjoying themselves, so give this a listen and see if it changes your opinion of this era of the Damned. You may be positively surprised!

THE DARIEN GAP. Haunted Lots EP (Sell the Heart) The Darien Gap is an area of jungle between Panama and Colombia, notorious for its’ reputation as a passage used by migrants trying to reach the USA. It’s also the name chosen by this punk rock duo, possibly to highlight the humanitarian crisis currently happening in the region… I’m not really sure, but one thing I can comment on is that this record is a surprisingly confident and solid release for a band that only came together pretty recently. This 12”, one-sided EP features five songs that mix punky guitars and chunky rhythms with imaginative arrangements that feature acoustic guitars and make the most of the contrasts between the two different vocal styles. Although based in California, the songs tend to recall bands from the Midwest and East Coast, from early-emo through to various Chicago bands like Dillinger Four and DC bands like Shudder to Think. This is a band with plenty of good ideas, a fine grasp of melodic, adventurous punk rock and a great DIY attitude. I really hope that they find a way to start playing live, because this is music that deserves to reach plenty of potential listeners, who I’m sure are out there. In the meantime, make sure you hear this EP soon.

DOT DASH. 16 Again LP (Country Mile) With the band name referencing Wire and the album title borrowed from Buzzcocks, it probably won’t be difficult to guess the kind of music this band are playing. This album collects together sixteen previously-released tracks that serve as a perfect introduction to the bands post-punk, art-pop efforts. They blend elements of Sixties Mod, Seventies Punk and Eighties Indie together with plenty of energy, great lyrics and neat arrangements to create music that sounds timeless and fulfilling. The band are based in Washington DC and have released seven albums over the past 15 years, from which this selection was chosen. Pretty much every track on this album could have been a hit single had it been in the right place at the right time. It’s a real shame that songs like these so rarely receive the success that they deserve, but at least those of us still devoted to the search for the next great record can still find bands like this to keep us happy. Be sure to hear this for yourselves!

DRAGGED UP. High on Ripple CD (Rare Vitamin) I reviewed a CD by this band a while ago and was pretty intrigued with what they were doing, an interesting and enjoyable mix of early-Eighties indie, post-punk and psychedelic tones in a suitably lo-fi setting. Well, this new set of songs continues down that path but with so much more confidence and intent. Opening track ‘Bible Study’ starts in a deceptively mellow, almost-acoustic ballad-style led by female-vocals, before bursting into a psych-punk thrash that recalls Huggy Bear at their best. The ballad returns for another verse until the noise takes over again and races to the conclusion. ‘’Missing Person’ takes a direction more in line with The Fall or Folk Devils, with erratic rhythms and fuzzed-up guitars. ‘Life-size Marilyn’ delves into the darker realms of psychedelia, while ‘Die Tryin’ is a quieter,Velvet Undeground-ish track based around narrative vocals. ‘Young Person’s Guide to Going Backward in the World’ (great title!) is probably the most orthodox ‘rock’ track on the album, but only in terms of reminding me a bit of The Died Pretty or Mudhoney (which is not a bad thing!) ‘Professor Boo Boo’ has a similar acid-rock style with further narrative breaks, and then the final track ‘Third Level’ starts-out like a Hawkwind instrumental, but then goes through different moods and tones, from mellow and narrative to total psych-punk thrash-out! The best thing is that, despite so many different styles and influences, this all comes together as one solid album. Available now as a limited-edition, so be sure to investigate soon!

THE END OF ERNIE. Controversial Comfort LP (Lost Culture) Belgium may not be the most obvious location for Eighties inspired punk rock, but this curiously-named band bring together some of the better elements from the UK82, Anarcho (Conflict/Icons of Filth-style) and D-beat scenes, along with more than a nod to US hardcore, to create their own frantic sound. They’ve been playing together since 1989, but only released their first EP (split with Charlie Don’t Surf) in 1999, as well as two previous albums in 2013 and 2017. They’ve hardly been prolific, which is odd as this album is actually arranged and produced rather well. They obviously know what they’re doing and have plenty to sing about, so this is an album that sounds confident and convincing. If they were based in London, I think they’d be very highly-regarded alongside bands like The Restarts and Left for Dead, as their style is distinct from others and relentless in its’ insistence. This is raw and powerful, but also contains enough melodic hooks along the way to keep your attention. I really wasn’t sure what to expect, but this is a pretty impressive album.

E.T. EXPLORE ME. Drug Me CD (Voodoo Rhythm) It’s taken me a while to review this album because every time I listen to it, I start thinking of different details and comparisons… and liking it even more! The record label describes them as ‘trash garage industrial disco mania’ and I think that’s as close as we’re going to get. Here’s a list of bands that have come to mind while I’ve been listening to this album; Devo (pre-1977) The Spits, Suicide, Girls Against Boys(vocals) The Epoxies, (early)Yello and maybe even the Dave Howard Singers (it’s that Acetone sound!) Along the way, it’ll have you thinking of movie soundtracks and obscure one-hit wonders from your dark and dingy past, but what we really have here is rock’n’roll, plain and simple, but just not as you’ve ever heard it before. That’s the important thing and don’t forget it. Plenty of guitars, keyboards, beats and noise, together with lots of energy and attitude. The band themselves are based in Amsterdam and this release follows on from their debut which appeared a mere four years ago (how come I haven’t heard that?) This is the sort of album that David Lynch could create a whole movie around… one song raucous and frenetic, the next moody and epic. There’s so much to enjoy on this album and a real sense that the band have no limits or boundaries when it comes to their music. They may not have the most inspiring band-name, but trust me, this could well be one of you top ten albums by the end of the year!

EX EVERYTHING. Slow Change Will Pull Us Apart CD (Neurot) Relatively new Oakland-based band who come from hardcore roots but are intent on taking their music further, making it more insistent and uncomfortable at the same time. For comparisons-sake, think of bands like Daughters, Neurosis, Fucked Up and the Rollins Band, (circa ‘Life Time’) although more in terms of their approach rather than style or sound. ExEverything begin with heavy riffs, but then seem to be trying to tear it all apart from the inside. The results will have you feeling breathless as you try to figure out what’s going on. Punk/hardcore was always about presenting something new and confrontational, but once it becomes a recognisable style, it loses a lot of its’ validity. Hence the need for music like this, which maintains the raw power but takes it in a new direction. You’ll pick up on the riffs and enjoy them, only to find that the guitars have taken a sudden, discordant departure and you’re desperately trying to keep-up with them. This isn’t pleasant or easy listening, but in the right time and setting, it’s exactly what we need. Do not miss it!

THE FALL Country on the Click CD box-set (Cherry Red) There was a point in the early-Nineties when I lost-track of The Fall. It wasn’t that I’d stopped liking them, but inevitably some of their albums were less interesting than others and it wasn’t until I heard ‘Country on the Click’ in 2003 when I realised that I really should be paying more attention. It remains one of my all-time favourites from a band who made an incredible amount of great records. Of course, in true Fall-style, things had not gone smoothly for the album. Recorded between December-January 2002/2003, MES had become unhappy with the completed-mix and, especially after it was leaked on to the internet, decided that it needed more work. The resulting delay helped to build anticipation for the new material and led to the eventual, amended title ‘The Real New Fall Album (formerly ‘Country on the Click’) to differentiate between the two versions. Regardless of the problems, the album was met with a very enthusiastic response from fans and critics alike. ‘Theme from Sparta FC’, in particular, was an instant classic, one of their truly great singles, while tracks like ‘Contraflow’ and ‘Green Eyed Loco-Man’ would remain regular fixtures in the bands’ setlists right until their end. It was the perfect blend of a band at the peak of their powers and MES delivering some of his most astute lyrics (who else could get away with singing, ‘I hate the countryside so much!’) For the first time, this 20th Anniversary release not only includes the album itself, but also the full recordings from those original mixes. To be honest, after hearing them I’m not entirely sure why they were rejected. There are noticeable differences between the two versions, more obvious on some tracks than others, but both sets sound good. Some songs have a harder, more garage-like sound, while others have more space in their arrangements, so you certainly can’t pick out any particular problems that hold true throughout the whole album. Regardless of the reasons, it’s a case that we now have two versions of ‘Country on the Click’ and they both present valid, exhilarating recordings of the same songs (giving Fall-fans plenty to compare and contrast for years to come!) In addition to these disks, the boxset also includes three further albums. ‘Interim’, was first released in 2004, featuring live recordings, studio outtakes and rehearsal tapes, which indicated the way that the band would be moving towards their next album. ‘Singles, Tracks A&B Sides and Peel Session’ gathers together all of the additional recordings released around the same time as ‘Country on the Click, and ‘Live at the Knitting Factory, New York, 2004’ is a good bootleg recording of the band at full-flow onstage. Most of this material has been previously available, so you may already have a lot of it, with only the original mixes being previously unavailable. But if you’re new to the band or keen to go back and investigate one of their best periods, then this is a great way to do it.

FALLEN SUN. Beyond the Flat Earth CD (Fourth Dimension) The band-name and album title may not give much away, whilst the track-listing (’Session 31’ through to ‘Session 40’) aren’t too informative either, but as soon as the disk starts to play, you’ll have an immediate idea of what you’re in for. This is one of the most aggressive, confrontational ‘power-electronics’ albums that I’ve heard in a long time. Noise is layered upon noise to create a tsunami of sounds where at times you’ll recognise rhythms and even make some kind of sense of the voice-like echoes in the background, but just as soon as this starts to come together it will warp in to something completely different and you’ll find yourself desperately grasping for another sense of direction. It’s exciting on a genuinely primal level and guaranteed to stir different reactions from different people, but real, gut-level responses either way. Most listeners will be surprised to hear that this emanates from Malaysia and probably even more surprised that the artist is female and also responsible for the more-restrained ‘Reverse Image’ project… But when music is as raw and unrelenting as this, nothing should be considered out of place. Just play this loud and let it blow you (and your neighbourhood) away.

FAULTY COGNITIONS. Somehow, Here We Are LP (Cercle Social) Straight out of San Antonio, Texas, this is a relatively new band although the various members have all played in plenty of other bands. This is their debut release and it’s pretty-damn impressive. The first track, ‘Sun Sun Go Away’, starts at a slow, steady pace reminiscent of alt-rock bands like Buffalo Tom or Dinosaur Jnr, before suddenly picking-up the pace halfway-through and then racing towards its’ conclusion in a way that reminds me of Aussie-punks like The Saints or Celibate Rifles, or maybe even The Replacements. The rest of the album then maintains this high-velocity approach over the remaining tracks. Lots of energy, catchy, melodic songs and a huge, guitar sound that will have you bouncing around your room as soon as the needle hits the groove. Instantly likeable and insistently memorable, this is a great record.

FOOL’S ERRAND / ENGLISH TEETH. Mutually Assured Destruction, cassette EP (foolserrand702.bandcamp.com/album/mutually-assured-destruction-split) It’s always a pleasure when new material appears from Fool’s Errand. They are one of the best Oi!/Street Punk bands on the current scene and it’s just a pity that they don’t play live, as I’m sure they would soon build-up a solid following. Anyway, this EP (a cassette-single, no less… C30, C60, C90, Oi!) finds them sharing tape space alongside Philadelphia-based street-punk band, English Teeth (Americans always take the piss about the poor state of English Teeth which, for my generation, is fair enough… during the Seventies, confronted by the likes of Jimmy Carter and The Osmonds, we used to take the piss out of oversized American teeth…) Regardless, English Teeth are a fine-sounding band who play a lively mix of Blitz, Angelic Upstarts and the Professionals, delivering two great songs, ‘Rats Rise’ and ‘Weight of the World’ (the latter of which features some guest vocals by Pete from Fool’s Errand.) Speaking of which, Fool’s Errand contribute two new tracks to the proceedings, ‘Time’s Up’ and ‘The Guest’. The first is a fast, energetic track that sounds like a collaboration between The Business and Cockney Rejects in their heyday, while the second is more punk than Oi!, recalling bands like The Damned, Buzzcocks and (early) Chron Gen… it also features some guest vocals by Johnny O from English Teeth, returning the favour. Basically, two songs a-piece from two great bands and even if it isn’t on vinyl, you know that you need it!

FORD’S FUZZ INFERNO.Fuzz Up Your Electric Chair, Baby! CD (Sub Underground) FFI began life as a studio-only project, but as the music developed and their releases became more numerous, they decided to expand their line-up from a duo to a trio, to allow them to play live. Their first batch of gigs in Holland went well, so they returned to the studio to record an eleven track selection from their recent live sets. The songs were all taken from the EPs they’d released up to that point, as they were curious to get an impression of how they actually sounded in a live situation (the sound onstage is never the same as what the audience get to hear…) Now based around two guitars (with varying degrees of fuzz-infused distortion) drums and vocals, they create a huge garage-punk sound, owing as much to late Seventies punk rock as it does to Sixties trash-bands. The important thing is that, however amped-up and noisy they sound (and it is a wonderful racket!) they always have great songs and catchy melodies at the core of what they do. Musically, it’s somewhere between The Cramps, New Bomb Turks and (early) Circle Jerks, with all the energy and attitude that entails. Yes, it really is that good! They played in England for the first time last year, but due to time restrictions it wasn’t possible for them to set-up a London show for. However, this year, they’ll be back again at the end of August and you really need to make every effort to catch one of their gigs. In the meantime, check out https://fordsfuzzinferno.bandcamp.com to get an idea of just how good this band are, and how much you need to see them!

4 SKINS. The Good, The Bad and the 4-Skins CD (Captain Oi!) When they unwittingly played a gig at the Hamborough Tavern in Southall, the 4-Skins reputation was promptly tarnished by the media who blamed them for the ensuing riot The area had a large Asian population and, although the band had no right wing sympathies, the locals, who had suffered abuse courtesy of various right-wing bullies, saw the arrival of skinheads as a deliberate provocation. Undoubtedly a few boneheads had turned up and taunted the locals outside but that small minority was not representative of the bands and the majority of the audience inside. Understandably, the local Asians saw fit to defend themselves but when van-loads of Police turned-up, it did nothing but stir-up the situation even further. Inevitably, bricks and bottles started flying towards the pub, eventually followed by petrol-bombs. Fortunately, those inside managed to escape from the building, but the premises were burnt-down. The ensuing media coverage blamed the ‘racist skinheads’, blatantly ignoring the many eye-witnesses, and inevitably all the media did was to demonise skinheads and the Oi! scene, which in turn made it all the more attractive to the real Nazi boneheads. As for the bands, it now meant they stood very little chance of promoting their music by the usual routes (radio, TV, music press) and effectively banned them from playing at many venues across the UK. Which is a real shame because this, the 4-Skins’ first album, is actually a great punk rock record with songs dealing with topics that were worth talking about. The music is powerful but also very catchy and tuneful, with no unnecessary ‘rock’ embellishments, while the lyrics were undeniably street-level but addressed real issues. The only ‘political’ lyrics were anti-war (‘I Don’t Wanna Die’) anti-government (‘Manifesto’) and anti-Police (the glorious ‘ACAB’.) The band could also handle their own brand of Ska, in particular the highly-entertaining ‘Plastic Gangster’, which really could have been a hit record in the right circumstances) This reissue features a re-mastered version of the original album together with nine additional tracks taken from contemporary singles and compilations (including the Ska-version of ‘Dambusters’ as the JJ Allstars, their version of ‘Merry Christmas Everybody’ and two tracks, ‘Norman’ and ‘Seems to Me’, that were recorded for a single but then shelved by the label. Oi! became an undeniably divisive subject, but when you go back to albums like this one, you’ll hear the energy, purpose and potential that some of the original bands really had. Ignore the bullshit that continues to be repeated to this day – this is a really great album and it still deserves to be heard and enjoyed.

FUZZTONES. Live at The Dive ’85 CD (Area Pirata) Everyone I know who saw The Fuzztones when they first came to the UK in 1985 (a few headline shows and a tour supporting The Damned) still recalls how great they were. They had just released the ‘Lysergic Emanations’ album, considered by many to be their best, and their line-up was undoubtedly the classic Fuzztones ensemble. But instead of coming back to build on the exposure they gained from the tour, the band fell apart and it would take some time before singer Rudi Protrudi resurfaced with a new version of the band. This live recording may be of bootleg-quality but it captures the original band at the legendary garage-punk venue just before they left for that first UK tour. They play all the best tracks from their latest LP and, as it was a pretty special night for them, a bunch of unexpected covers including songs by contemporaries like The Chesterfield Kings and The Lyres. There’s even a few (at the time) unrecorded songs that wouldn’t be released until a few years later and were never actually recorded by this line-up. For fans, that’s what makes this a special recording. The sound quality certainly isn’t hi-fi, but the rough’n’raw tape-recorder sound-quality captures the spirit of their performance perfectly. It’s probably not for casual listeners or the merely curious, but if you’re a fan and especially if you saw them around that time, this is something you’re really gonna want to hear!

G.B.H. The Complete Singles Collection 2CD (Captain Oi!) I remember buying a copy of the first GBH EP (Leather, Bristles, Studs and Acne) and enjoying it as I liked the way that they mixed Discharge-style guitars and frantic rhythms with underlying melodies, whilst lyrically they balanced the more serious subjects with a sly sense of humour. Songs like ‘Lycanthropy’ and ‘Generals’ really stood out and their next two singles, ‘No Survivors’ and ‘Sick Boy’, continued in a similar vein and helped to confirm the bands’ reputation. Following the success of their debut album ‘City Baby Attacked By Rats’, the next two singles, ‘Give Me Fire’ and ‘Catch 23’ would see the band define their classic sound., with hard, fast riffs combined with catchy tuneage and singalong vocals. Another EP, ‘Do What You Do’, presented another set of great songs, including an extended ‘Concrete Mix’ of the title song, but this would prove to be their last release on the legendary Clay label (who had released all the GBH records up to that point) and their next two releases would be on ‘Rough Justice’, a label that was geared more towards the metal-crossover scene. Consequently, the newer releases seemed to adopt a more metallic production which, for me, lost the power and energy which had always been a vital part of the bands. The first disc of this collection contains all of the Clay singles and sounds great throughout, but the second disc starts with their Rough Justice releases and is a bit less consistent, although there are certainly highlights to be heard. The band released no singles between 1988 and 1999, but the next EP ’Punk as Fuck’ (a split-release shared with a Texas band called Billyclub) contained three great and possibly unexpected cover versions: ‘No’, originally by The Rezillos, ‘I’m On Heat’ by The Lurkers and ‘Last of the Teenage Idols’ by the Sensational Alex Harvey Band. This was obviously something that the bands enjoyed as the following year they released a second split-EP where the bands covered each others’ songs. These found GBH back doing what they were good at and bring the collection to a much more positive conclusion, harking back to the spirit of their early days. Overall, this is a great collection and although I can’t say you’re going to like every track, I’m sure you’ll enjoy most of them.

GIGLINGER. React 12”/EP (https://giglinger.bandcamp.com) Giglinger are a Finnish band that has been around since the early Nineties. Whilst their music, to date, has mostly involved punk and hardcore styles, this latest release veers more into ‘post-punk’ territory with longer and more-complex songs. Definite elements of Killing Joke, Ministry (before they went too metallic) and maybe even the German band Belfegore (if you remember them?) True to their previous experience, the band record live in the studio to capture the energy of a performance (even though, strangely, they don’t play actual gigs.) These tracks are much-more involved, but the technique still works really well for them. There’s an epic guitar sound, relentless rhythm section and electronics added to accentuate the drama of the music. After hearing and enjoying a few of their earlier recordings, this really wasn’t what I was expecting at all, but it’s a really powerful and impressive set of songs. It may be different to their earlier records, but the band have found a new way to express their ideas and it works very well. Be sure to hear this record!

THEE GIRL FRIDAYS. Double Crossing Double Agent / Ejector Seat 7” (Spinout Nuggets) These chaps are an all-girl band from the wilds of Scotland, playing their own style of Sixties Garage, Beat and Pop that’s as sassy as a Shangri-La and as catchy as a sporran in the thistles (oo-err!) They released their first EP, the excellent ‘Love Witch’ back in 2019, but line-up changes and the fiendish-pandemic interrupted their momentum and it’s only now that they find themselves back on the road to world domination. This double A-side single is a great reintroduction to their sounds. I would guess that ‘Double Crossing Double Agent’ owes more than a few nods to Nancy Sinatra’s classic ‘Last of the Secret Agents’, which in my book can only be a good thing. Flip over to the second side and ‘Ejector Seat’ finds the Girls surfin’ in space like a mutant mix of Man Or Astroman and The Surfaris. These are the kind of songs that vinyl-discs were invented for! Exciting, insistent and impossible to ignore… you know you want a copy, don’t you?

GYASI. Rock’n’Roll Sword Fight LP (Alive) I’m not sure how many people in the UK are paying attention to Gyasi, but he’s been releasing some great records over the past few years and has gained a solid reputation as a live performer. He has toured in Europe already, but sadly didn’t make it to the UK, so hopefully this brash, no-holds-barred live album will deliver the punch needed to get the punters on their feet. Although the obvious comparison has to be with Bowie’s classic Glam albums of the early Seventies, there’s also a lot more going on here, with hints of Roxy Music, MC5, Hendrix and maybe even Prince (check out the guitar breaks!) As much as his studio-records have been great fun, this live-delivery is even better with so much raw energy and swaggering-attitude driving the set along. Gyasi has taken the essence of the Glam era and found a way to revitalise it for current times, rather than merely replicating it as another retro fad. This is an album that, once it starts playing, you’re not going to want to skip a single second. It’s all about excitement and, trust me, this album has more than enough to go around!

HELL CAN WAIT. 2023 CD (Engineer) Five song CD (although it still clocks-in at over twenty minutes) of contemporary hardcore from the unlikely location of Brighton. The songs come together almost as one solid piece and involve intricate arrangements, often flitting from slower, more grinding moments through to faster passages. The band seem intent on exploring different ways to present their ideas and energy, delivering their songs in a very progressive (rather than ‘prog’) fashion. The vocals are the only really constant presence throughout this record, snarling and growling in a style similar to Damian Abraham of Fucked Up. The guitar lines are just as likely to be at odds with each other, creating moments of genuine tension, before then coming together to propel the songs forward or highlight the more melodic moments. The overall effect it pretty relentless but also rather compelling. This won’t appeal to everyone, but it’ll certainly be worth your time to check it out.

THE HIGSONS. June 1, 1984.CD (Sartorial) The Higsons were pretty popular during the Eighties, having formed at Norwich University and releasing singles on their own ‘Waap!’ label before becoming one of the only non-Ska signings to the legendary Two-Tone label. They combined funk grooves with contemporary indie sounds to create a sound that was surprisingly catchy and even reached the lower tiers of the national charts, but they eventually split-up in 1986 before completing their second album. Various members went on to different musical projects, while Charlie Higson became a popular comedian and Terry Edwards a successful multi-instrumentalist involved with many different bands and projects. I can’t say that I was a particular fan of the band, as their sound was a bit too treble-y for my taste, but I can see why many enjoyed them at the time. It was good dance music and although it was a little one-dimensional for my taste, I can see why students would have loved it. It’s not something that I can honestly enthuse about or recommend, but if you ever enjoyed their records back in the day, this release will bring back all of your good memories.

HOLLYWOOD STARS. Starstruck CD (Rum Bar) Hollywood Stars were one of the most-promising West Coast bands during the early-mid Seventies. Initially they had been put-together by the notorious Kim Fowley, who wanted to create a Californian version of the New York Dolls, but the band soon started to write their own songs and develop their own style. With their catchy brand of Glam rock and power-pop, a buzz started to build-up around the band and they were soon signed by Columbia records. Things seemed to be going well, but as they completed what should have been their debut album, Columbia got cold-feet and decided to shelve the record. The band were still drawing big crowds, playing alongside bands like Iggy and the Stooges, New York Dolls and The Runaways, but the disappointment with the Columbia deal led to their first split That could have been the end of the story but, during the 1975-76 period, two of their songs were covered by highly successful rock bands. ‘Escape’ was featured on ‘Welcome to my Nightmare’ by Alice Cooper and ‘King of the Night Time World’ was covered by Kiss on their ‘Destroyer’ LP. This generated a new round of interest in the band, who promptly reformed and signed to Arista records. They had already been recording tracks for a new album, but Arista insisted on the whole thing being re-recorded and it was these recordings that eventually emerged as their self-titled debut album in 1977. By this point, they were sharing stages with bands like The Ramones and even supporting The Kinks on a full US tour. However, unhappy with the way things were going with Arista, the band split once again in 1978. This time, it would not until 2013 that their story took another twist. A UK power pop label, Last Summer records, discovered that original singer Scott Phares still had a tape of the bands original recordings for Columbia. The tapes were cleaned-up, re-mastered and finally released (as ‘Shine Like a Radio’) prompting yet more interest. In 2018, the band tentatively decided to reform and the following year saw the release of the original recordings that Arista had rejected (now known as ‘Sound City’.) There were a couple of line-up changes during the next few years, but in early 2023, they released the ‘Still Around’ EP, their first new material for many years. Enthused by the response, they kept the ball rolling and now we have their brand new album, proving for both themselves and their fans that it really is better late than never! Musically, the new songs refer back to their heyday, with a swaggering, Glam-infused rock’n’roll style that will have you recalling the likes of Kiss and Cheap Trick at their best. It’s Rock with plenty of catchy Pop hooks that will have you stompin’ your feet before you even realise what you’re doing. The production and arrangements really brings out the best from the songs, with enough clarity for you to hear what’s going on, whilst adding plenty of punch to the riffs and rhythms. Hollywood Stars were a band who influenced and inspired plenty of other acts but never achieved the success that they deserved. I’m hoping that this album helps to redress the balance, not just because it’s long overdue, but because this is a damn-fine album in its’ own right

HOOD RATS. Crime, Hysteria and Useless Information LP (Dirt Cult) Canada has produced some great punk rock over the years and, if this album is anything to go by, The Hood Rats are destined to continue that tradition. Montreal may not be an obvious hot-spot for frantic chord-crunching, but that just makes this album all the more remarkable. Start by imagining a cross between The Briefs and New Bomb Turks, then throw-in some Viletones and Zodiac Killers, perhaps even (early) Bad Brains… The songs come in quick succession and while they’re not all played at the same tempo, let’s just say their ‘slower’ tracks are still faster than most other bands could manage. That said, the important thing is that whatever the speed, the songs are packed with catchy tunes and the lyrics (or at least, the one’s that I can catch) sound sharp and witty. This is a really great record, one that’ll appeal to fans of classic Seventies punk and those that prefer the higher velocity antics of hardcore. Let’s face it, any band that opens their debut album with a song called ‘Fuck the Police’ deserves to be heard!

IGGY & THE STOOGES. Live at Lokerse Feesten, 2005 LP (Culture Factory) An exclusive Record Store Day release and I’ve got to say, it’s well-worth tracking-down. Technically, this is The Stooges rather than ‘Iggy & The Stooges’ as it’s the line-up featuring Ron and Scott Asheton rather than the later reunion with James Williamson. But forget about the trivia because this album is superb. The live sound captures the band just how they were, with Mike Watt taking-on the bass role and doing it just right, and Steve McKay providing sax just as he did on the ‘Funhouse’ album. Ron plays guitar the way it should be, often copied but never bettered, while Iggy’s vocals tackle the songs with attitude and finesse. As well as their classic, original material, this also includes stunning versions of ‘Skull Ring’ and ‘Dead Rock Star’, proving beyond doubt that the band could still write and perform great new material. You can feel the energy from this gig as the album plays through and it may well be the best recording from The Stooges reunion that I’ve heard. In fact, the only disappointment is that it doesn’t seem to include the full set, which is a shame as the whole event ought to be made available. But in the meantime, play this album loud and let it blow you away.

JADE DUST. Grey Skies LP (Council) Based in Portland, Jade Dust formed in 2019 with the intent of playing melodic, mid-paced punk/hardcore in the style of the mid-to-late Eighties DC scene (Embrace, Ignition, Shudder to Think) as well as bands like Moss Icon or Lungfish. This latest release continues their path through those original influences as they continue to develop and hone their own sound. This mini album consists of eight new songs which tend to be sharp and snappy, never wasting any time or space, which makes the one longer and slower track, ‘Awe of a Myth’ so effective, as it allows the music to build the tense, deliberately-restrained atmosphere in contrast to the surrounding songs. This is an intriguing record and Jade Dust are a band we should make sure to watch.

JESUS FIX. Take a Bow CD (JF Industries) Jesus Fix are a Kent-based band that have been around since the 1990’s, playing live and self-releasing a bunch of great albums during that time. This is their first release since the excellent ‘Vainglorious’ album back in 2018 and features the return of their original guitarist Kevin to the fold. But even faced with delays caused by the lockdowns and another line-up change, they’ve come back with what may well be their best album to date. On ‘Take a Bow’, they seem to have built on all the elements that I really enjoyed on their previous releases, creating a style and sound that’s unique and original. Although they most often get referred to as a ‘metal’ band, that’s actually a pretty lazy comparison because they bring so many other ideas in to their mix. Much like Amebix or Killing Joke at their best, they don’t restrict themselves to a single genre and keep their options open to whatever is going to work best for them. As a result the music is powerful and effective but also intricate and tuneful. Part of this is down to the band keeping the tempo steady rather than just thrashing through the songs, which allows them more room to develop their sound and arrangements. They can certainly create an impressive noise but also introduce atmosphere and melody to ensure the songs will remain in your memory. I really find it strange that Jesus Fix aren’t more well-known, because they’ve continued to produce great records that should have brought them to the attention of a lot more people. Unfortunately, it seems that they just don’t sit comfortably in any particular genre (Metal, punk, gothic) and as a result, they can’t be pinned-down for any particular audience. So, you do need to pay attention to what they’re doing, but once you’re hooked you will want to hear more. Trust me, it’ll be worth the effort.

JOHN E. VISTIC. Humanz Are Bastardz EP (Deafendling) Mr Vistic seems to have had an interesting upbringing, born in London, childhood somewhere in Australia and currently based in Bristol. His resulting musical endeavours, as documented here, certainly suggest some sort of eye-opening trauma occurred along the way, as these four songs hint at a dark mix of sounds that you just would not encounter in a nice neighbourhood. We’re talking about the likes of Captain Beefhearrt, The Scientists, Birthday Party, The Cramps, Jesus Lizard, Metz… you get the idea? Music that’s genuinely taken a different t5rack and has no other option but to follow it and find out where it’s going. Vocally, there are hints of Iggy, David Yow and (strangely-but-effectively) even Peter Perrett which is a combination that offers some really interesting possibilities. I won’t say this EP is entirely great, but it certainly offers some interesting possibilities and potential, which you really should pay attention to.

J PROZAC. Obsession CD (Rum Bar) Solo album from the front-man of Massachusetts punk band ‘The Prozacs’, this is a great high-energy melodic punk rock album, that has me considering classics from the Undertones, Descendents, Buzzcocks and The Dickies along the way. There’s even a few hints of Green Day in there, recalling their early days before mass-popularity made it uncool to like them… Coincidentally, there are songs here that could easily appeal to wider audiences, but it takes a lot of bullshit to get in that kind of position and I’m not sure this is someone who would go through that kind of stuff (not that I’m slagging Green Day, there’s nothing wrong in being popular!) Anyway, back to the review, this is one of those albums that will still sound great in 10, 20, 30 years time because rather than trying to squeeze in to a trend, these songs are more concerned with sounding great right now. I can’t imagine anyone not enjoying this album. On that basis alone, be sure you hear this record!

KILLING JOKE. Live at Lokerse Feesten, 2003 LP (Culture Factory) A limited-edition RSD release, made all the more poignant by the recent loss of Geordie. As everyone should know, Killing Joke are one of the most powerful live bands you’ll ever get to see and this album, recorded shortly after the release of the ‘Killing Joke’ album, captures a set that includes both old and new material. In fact, while fan-favourites like ‘Requiem’, ‘Wardance’ and ‘Psyche’ sound as great as ever, songs from the new LP such as ‘Death & Resurrection Show’, ‘Seeing Red’ and ‘Total Invasion’ prove to be among the highlights. The album had been recorded by Jaz. Geordie, Youth and Dave Grohl, but the touring line-up would include the return of Paul raven and Ted Parsons (ex-Swans / Prong) and proved to be an incredibly tight and powerful unit (it’s a shame they didn’t get a chance to record together...) The album features 13 songs spread over four sides of vinyl and also includes a DVD version of the gig. Honestly, if you ever need an instant energy boost, playing this loud will work better than a six-pack of Red Bull!

KING OF PIGS. After Victory Comes Defeat CD (Engineer) King of Pigs are a Nottingham based hardcore band whose members had all been had all been in various local bands before forming this combo. Their sound is a good mix of various aggressive styles, most notably the early Boston and New York hardcore scenes and a nice big chunk of Poison Idea at their best. Lots of energy and attitude, just the way that hardcore ought to be, and a great production-sound that keeps everything loud but also maintains clarity throughout. The band blast through the songs at a very impressive rate, occasionally slowing down to temper the proceedings and add more character to the set. In fact, the only thing that would’ve made this even better would have been a lyric sheet, as it’s hard to catch a lot of the vocals and, from the song titles, I’m guessing these guys have a good sense of humour (naming a song after ‘The Holy Hand Grenade’ goes down well in my book…) If their record sounds this good, I’m sure they’re going to be a great live act so I’ll be hoping to see them in the not-too-distant future and I’ll also be watching-out for any other releases. I recommend you do the same thing, too.

KIRKBY KISS / MEDICINAL split EP (Council) Nice EP featuring two tracks by New Jersey band Kirkby Kiss and three from New Yorkers, Medicinal. The bands both play contemporary hardcore in more extreme styles and, although they certainly sound very distinct from each other, their tracks work well and compliment what each band are doing. Medicinal’s first track, ‘Broken Glass’, is played at a slower pace which bristles with tension as the brutal, screecuing vocals command attention. In contrast, their second song ‘Lucky Rabbit Foot’ is played at breakneck speed and acts like a slap to the face, clocking in at under 40 seconds. Their side concludes with ‘Handball Courts’, which slows the tempo again but seems to be on the verge of explosion throughout. Flip over the disc and Kirkby Kiss start with ‘Shadow People’ which is played fast with harsh, growling vocals kind-of reminiscent of Fucked Up. Their second track, Butterfly Knife’, is a slower but just-as compelling song with a great arrangement which brings-in additional sounds to enhance its’ character. This is a great EP and a fine way to check out two very promising bands... try your best to hear it.

KLEISTWAHR. For the Lives Once Lived CD (Fourth Dimension) If you’re interested in Kleistwahr, you’ll already know that it’s the ‘solo’ project of Gary Mundy, formerly of the legendary industrial label Broken Flag and an ongoing member of Ramleh. He originally instigated Kleistwahr during the early 1980’s and it continued for several years before it was put on hold while Gary was involved in other interests. It was not revived until 2009, when he began a campaign of reissues and, most importantly, new material. Since then, there has been a steady series of albums, of which this is the latest. If you’re already familiar with his recent releases, then you’ll have some idea of the sounds and textures that he creates, but as always, he adds something new to each ensuing release, to ensure that the ideas keep moving forwards. In this particular case, the opening track ‘Rotten Boroughs’, is an immediate departure from the what you might be expecting. Based around slow, repetitive rhythms, the overall effect is almost dirge-like and not so far away from something The Melvins might create in their darker moments. Vocals also play a prominent part, on this track, although deliberately obscured within the mix so that you can never really be certain of the actual lyrical content. And as it continues, a squeaky keyboard develops in the background, reminiscent of low-budget horror movie soundtracks from the Sixties. It all comes together to present a very effective and rather unsettling atmosphere. The second track, ‘The Gutters Shine Tonight’, continues on a similar path although this time the rhythm is much more minimal and there are no vocals to continue the intrigue. Sounds fade in and out of the mix and an almost church-like organ lurks in the background. Again, it has a very filmic quality, but leaves it to the listener to conjure their own thoughts and images. The ensuing tracks explore the darker realms of psychedelia, moving away from the brutal assault of the bands’ roots in the early industrial / power- electronics scene to explore something more subtle and nuanced, something that delves into the subconscious. The results are powerful but not overbearing, personal but not self-indulgent. You’ll need to experience this with no preconceptions and no distractions, but trust me, it will be worth your effort.

KNOCKED LOOSE. You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To (Pure Noise) This is not the kind of music you’d expect from Kentucky, but it’s always great to get a slap in the face like this every so often! Knocked Lose originally formed in 2013, although most of them had played together in another band, ‘Speaker’, prior to this. After a couple of singles, their debut album, ‘Laugh Tracks’, appeared in 2016 and the band started to tour regularly, both in America and Europe. Their second album, ‘A Different Shade of Blue’ was released in 2019 and received considerable acclaim, leading to them being invited to play at major festivals like Coachella. This, their third album, presented the band with the stress of living-up to the expectations that resulted from their recent exposure, together with deciding how they wanted their sound to develop. The results are pretty impressive, with their contemporary take on the extremities of both metal and hardcore opening-up plenty of new directions and possibilities. Although overall, the music is brutal and relentless, they’ve also created space for some surprisingly catchy riffs and hooks, also managing to balance tempo’s and delivery to ensure that it doesn’t become predictable. Knocked Loose are clearly a band that isn’t interested in heading-down a cul-de-sac of extremes for their own sake, but are far more interested in seeing what they can do with their music.

L.A. DRUGZ. Outside Place EP (Hovercraft) Featuring former members of Portland bands The Clorox Girls, Suspect Parts, Images and Bad Machine, this band originally came together in 2011 and released this, their debut EP, in 2013. Evidently it’s become something of a cult-classic within the Pacific North West punk-powerpop-new wave scene, so it’s now being reissued to celebrate its’ tenth anniversary (or thereabouts…) The title track starts the proceedings with a stomp-a-long beat and a Ramones-style three-chord melody that is going to prove more infectious than that pesky Covid bug… ‘Vampire’ raise the tempo, adding classic Buzzcocks-style guitars and harmonies and there’s even a nod towards The Boys. ‘All the Time’ goes for a more Sixties-influenced sound, thinking of bands like The Real Kids or The Nerves. ‘Marina’ returns to the stompin’ beats, like classic Glam-pop produced by Phil Spector. ‘Ooh Ooh Ooh’ is short, snappy pop-punk and ‘On the Streets’ ends the party with another song that harks back to the Glam era, with a more dramatic arrangement and a suitable grand finale. I don’t know if everyone is going to love this, but you can’t afford not to hear!

THE LAST RESORT. A Way of Life – Skinhead Anthems CD (Captain Oi!) I wasn’t particularly impressed when I first heard The Last Resort, even though they were a relatively local band while I was growing-up in Kent. Plenty of people loved this album but for me, the production wasn’t great and none of the songs stood-out. That said, I never saw them live and didn’t really give the album much of a chance, so I was curious to see what I would make of the record now. Certainly, it has been pretty influential over the years and the band have become a legendary name in the Oi! scene, so let’s see… First thing, I still really hate all the heavy rock guitar twiddling through-out the opening track, ‘Freedom’. It’s just unnecessary and very off-putting. But after that, most of the songs are much more listenable. The musicianship isn’t great but the band make the most of what they can do, which is the important thing. ‘Rebels With a Cause’ is a really good song, while ‘We Rule Okay’ has a great guitar sound (even though the chords seem to have been borrowed from ‘Jilted John’…) ‘Lionheart’ is an unexpected instrumental that even features saxophone and works rather well, while ‘Violence in Our Minds’ and ‘Resort Boot Boys’ are both great Oi! anthems once you realise that the lyrics shouldn’t be taken too seriously. In addition to the original album, this reissue includes thirteen extra tracks, starting with the rare and much improved version of ‘Violence on Our Minds’ (originally only available as a limited cassette-single.) Alongside demos and compilation tracks, there’s also a cover of The Squads’ ‘Eight Pound a Week’ which is a punk rock classic by anyone’s standards.I have to admit in retrospect that this is a much better album than I remembered, especially when you hear the additional extras. The album itself sounds almost demo- like at times, but as you hear them get more confident and proficient, you get to hear what they were capable of doing, so give it a go!

LEFT FOR DEAD. Ignorance 10”EP (Grow Your Own). There have been a lot of bands called ‘Left for Dead’, but this one are a three-piece based in London who have become stalwarts of the UK punk scene in recent years. They play a style of punk that will initially have you thinking of early-Eighties bands like Blitz, GBH and Abrasive Wheels, but as you listen further you’ll also hear the influence of earlier bands like The Damned and Motorhead, as well as later groups like Leatherface and Bad Religion. So there’s a real mix of styles coming into this set of songs and they get more impressive every time you hear them. They may be loud and aggressive, musically, but they also have strong melodies underlying each song that draw you in to what they’re playing and saying. Lyrically, the songs address bigotry and narrow-mindedness, the hatred that fuels war and conflicts, and the apathy and shallow-contentment that so many people accept rather than thinking for themselves. I can’t say this is going to appeal to everyone, but those that still crave the raw power of early-Eighties punk rock are going to love it.

LENE LOVICH. Toy Box CD box-set (Cherry Red) This is a thorough 4 CD set covering Lene’s tenure with Stiff Records, based around her three albums of that period, ‘Stateless’, ‘Flex’ and ‘No Man’s Land’. Lene had been involved in music and dance since the early Seventies, but didn’t focus on her own music until 1976 when she recorded a novelty Xmas single for Polydor. Although it wasn’t a success, further recordings were made and came to the attention of Stiff Records, who promptly decided to release ‘Lucky Number’ as a single. The quirky, catchy tune and Lene’s unique vocal style would prove to be very popular and propelled the single to a Top 3 chart position. Her first album, ‘Stateless’, was quickly recorded to follow-up the success of the single and Lene was also invited to join the upcoming ‘Be Stiff’ package tour, alongside the likes of Wreckless Eric, Jona Lewie and Rachel Sweet. ‘Stateless’ reached the Top Forty, while her next single, ‘Say When’ hit the Top Twenty. Her sound and visual style fit perfectly in to the ‘New Wave’ era, combining her eccentric yet accessible musical talents. ‘Stateless’ would subsequently be released in America by Epic, who decided that the album deserved a new, less-rushed mix and also gave it new artwork and a different track listing (this version is also included in this set.) Her next album, ‘Flex’, was released the following year, which included another successful single, ‘Bird Song’, and a final album for Stiff records, ‘No Man’s Land’, appeared in 1982. Since then, she has remained busy with numerous projects both onstage and in the studio, and has maintained a loyal following even though her media-profile may not be as prominent as it once was. Regardless, her unique style has remained an often-overlooked influence on remains an instantly-recognisable song whenever it’s played. This collection may be based around the original albums, but it also includes a wealth of demo recordings, live tracks, remixes and rare alternative versions that will be true treasures for any fan, new or old. Together with a 24-page booklet, featuring extensive notes and full-colour artwork, this is a superb collection and captures the essence of a truly unique artist.

THE LONG RYDERS. Native Sons - Expanded Edition CD box-set (Cherry Red) The Long Ryders are a band who could justifiably claim to be the Godfather’s of the so-called ‘Alt-country’ scene, although I doubt that they’d want to say such a thing. But what is undeniable is that, when ‘Native Sons’ was released in 1984, they introduced a new vitality to Country music and while their more obvious influences were the likes of The Byrds, Buddy Holly and perhaps Alex Chilton, they were also unafraid to reference Sixties Garage and Seventies Punk along the way. Indeed, the fact that this album still sounds so fresh and invigorating almost 40 years later is testament to the unique direction that they took. They never shied-away from showing their musical abilities but at the same time never over-stepped the mark, which means there’s nothing on this album that doesn’t need to be there! This 3CD set includes the original album, their ’10-5-60’ EP, a disc-full of demos and an entire gig recorded at Camden Dingwallls in 1985, making it a thorough overview of the band both before and after the release of this excellent debut album. It also comes with a 28 page booklet featuring rare photos and extensive sleeve-notes to put everything in context, plus a promo-poster. It’s going to be of most interest to established fans, but even if you’ve never heard them before, there are plenty of really great songs that should appeal to anyone with decent in music (…just listen to ‘I Had a Dream’ and wonder why it was never a hit single…) This is a genuinely enthralling album and the bonus material really puts the icing on the cake. The Long Ryders deserve your attention.

LOST LEGION. Behind the Concrete Veil LP (Mendeku Diskak) Describing themselves as ‘psychedelic hardcore’, this Chicago band certainly have a lot of different influences coming together in this album, although I’m assuming the ‘psychedelic’ tag refers more to their lyrics than the music. The songs tackle subjects as varied as mental health, chaos magick and the dangers of science fiction becoming reality, so that part certainly ticks the box, while the music crosses plenty of genres but never settles easily with any one particular direction. Their mid-way position between late Seventies punk (Stiff Little Fingers, The Wall, UK Subs) and hardcore is reminiscent of bands like Pegboy and Channel 3, but they’re also happy to borrow hints from some of the better Oi! bands (4-Skins, Blitz) and even a few of the early Anarcho groups (Rudimentary Peni, Dirt) as well as some of the harder moments from ‘post-punk’ bands like Joy Division and Theatre of Hate. In fact, the closest comparison I can make is with the excellent Las Vegas band, Fool’s Errand, who also start with a raw punk rock/Oi! foundation and then add other elements from a wide range of influences to create something new and of their own. There’s a lot of bad punk and oi! bands out there and they’re biggest fault is that they’re just trying to repeat the past, but bands like Lost Legion seem intent on grabbing the best moments from yesterday and revitalising them, taking them somewhere new where they can stand up for themselves. Punk Rock was never about becoming stale and predictable, so it’s great to hear that bands like this are still maintaining the right attitude!

THE MELVINS. Tarantula Heart CD (Ipecac) I expect most people have made their minds-up about The Melvins by this point, although as this album shows, they’ve never been a band that sticks to a particular sound or formula. They’ve also been rather prolific over the years, with nearly 30 studio albums to their name as well as various collaborations and side-projects, so to say you don’t like them is a pretty lazy generalisation. The fact is, there isn’t any particular style that defines The Melvins and just because you weren’t smitten with one record doesn’t mean that you’re not going to like the next. In this case, the current line-up (Buzz Osborne, Dale Grover and Steve McDonald) are augmented by a second drummer, Roy Mayorga (of Ministry, Soulfly, Amebix etc) to create some of the heaviest rhythms the band have ever created. The first two tracks, ‘Pain Equals Funny’ and ‘Working the Ditch’, are pretty lengthy and based around repetitive riffs, over which different sounds are mixed and layered, creating a counterbalance between chaos and certainty. ‘She’s Got Weird Arms’ heads in a different direction, presenting a total contrast to the rest of the album. Based around the drums again but this time introducing guitar and bass lines played in an almost nightmarish style, only to be offset with brief but surprisingly catchy verses. ‘Allergic to Food’ sets off with a faster tempo, probably the heaviest track on the album, although the arrangement and additional sounds ensure that this is far from mainstream rock. The final track, ‘Smiler’ is another relentless hard rock work-out, although this time it’s the guitar sounds that add the difference, providing tones and outbursts that suggest the track could be going somewhere completely different. At the end of the day, it’s this that makes The Melvins special, the way that their roots are clearly in the hard rock genre, but they’re always intent on taking it in a new direction. This is a truly great album, entertaining and innovative at the same time. You shouldn’t need to be reminded, but just in case… Play it Loud!

MINOR PLANET. Neverending Days CD (Engineer) I was unable to find much information about this band, but apparently they’ve been together for quite a long time and are based in Barcelona. This may be their debut release, as is claimed by a German distro, although if that’s the case, these recordings suggest they already know their way around a studio. Musically, this six-song mini-album starts out with a bouncy pop-punk sound but as you listen to it, you’ll start to pick out quite a few less-obvious influences. There’s definitely more than a few hints of bands like (early) Greenday or Jawbreaker, but at the same time, I also picked-out moments that had me thinking of Stiff Little Fingers, possibly Crimpshrine and maybe even The GoGo’s! The songs aren’t particularly fast but full of frenetic energy, while the lyrics seem to deal with different subjects, both personal and ‘political’. And as I said, they have a good grasp of what to do in a studio, as the songs have some great arrangements and a sound that captures both the melodic and harsher moments with perfect clarity. Given the right exposure, this is a band who could appeal to a pretty broad audience. Don’t wait for that to happen, listen to this CD now.

MUCK AND THE MIRES. Zoom Breakup EP (Rum Bar) Six new tracks from Boston’s Garage-Pop-Punk royalty. This is what The Ramones would have sounded like if they’d been influenced a little-more by the likes of The Sonics and The Wailers, adding more of that Garage sound to their Manhatten-loft existence. Each and every one of these songs is going to crawl into your brain and stay there, forcing you to harmonise at all your most embarrassing moments. Seriously, is there anything not-to-like about this band? No there isn’t (in case you’re too dumb to answer for yourself.) This is total fun, love it or lose out!

MUMMIES AND MADMEN. Grow Dark in the Sun CD (Winter Hill) Mummies and Madmen were a DIY ensemble based in Coventry during the early 80’s. These recordings were originally released as a cassette in 1984 by the Slob Tapes label. The album features two lengthy tracks which take a repetitive, rhythmic style, reminiscent of certain Krautrock sounds having come through the repercussions of the early Industrial scene. First track ‘Red Front’ is propelled by a distorted/disturbing vocal continuous vocal narrative, mixed low-enough to ensure that you won’t hear everything, but loud enough to maintain your concentration, whilst the music subtly develops in the background. Second track, ‘Grow Dark in the Sun’ is mostly instrumental, using a more understated rhythm to create an almost calming atmosphere, with bird-sounds helping to develop the pleasant atmosphere. However, in the background various sounds and effects gradually emerge to keep you on edge and create an almost sinister sense of impending peril. It’s very under-stated but that’s what makes it effective. The tracks have been remastered from the original tapes and, while they do have that authentic lo-fi sound, for something that’s forty years old, this holds-up surprisingly well.

THE NEAR JAZZ EXPERIENCE. Live in London CD / Character Actor EP (Sartorial) The thing I’ve always liked about ‘Jazz’ is that it’s so indefinable. At one end of the scale there’s ‘Trad’ or ‘Dixieland’ jazz and at the other there’s ‘free-jazz’ and although they’re clearly related, they seem almost at complete odds with each other. But that’s the great thing, giving the musicians complete license to do whatever the want or whatever they know is true to the cause. That said, I can’t claim, to be a big fan of jazz (even though the first concert I ever went to was a Jazz band – my mother took me to see Acker Bilk while I was still in Primary school… twenty years later, I returned the favour by taking her to see Fugazi!) But there are some bits that I enjoy, which tend to be when it crosses over into other genres and makes more sense to me. The NJE began as a low-key improvisational combo who would play on a monthly basis at a local East End pub and gradually found themselves being invited to appear at more prestigious venues like Chats Palace and the Roundhouse. Multi-instrumentalist Terry Edwards collaborates with drummer Simon Chaterton and bassist Mark Bedford (of Madness) allowing them to bring together a plethora of different influences and styles. It’s this that, in turn, allows you to identify the appropriate hooks within their music and gives you the opportunity to become immersed. The live album is possibly the best introduction to what these guys are doing, providing a broad overview of their approach, but for me the EP is the real gem. This time featuring former Bowie collaborator Mike Garson, these tracks combine their jazz-influences with Exotica and soundtrack-styled pieces which create their own atmosphere and allow you to delve-in at your own pace. When these CDs arrived, I really didn’t know if I was going to like them, but they’ve proved to be rather enjoyable. Give them a chance and you may well be similarly impressed.

NECKSCARS / MOONRAKER split EP (Engineer) Released to coincide with a short set of gigs featuring both bands in Florida, this 12” slice of vinyl features three songs from each band and presents both of them at their best. Neckscars come from New York (state) and formed in 2018, although all members had previously been playing in other DIY bands for some time. These songs keep a pretty steady, mid-paced tempo that probably refers as much to older bands like the Ruts or (early) Generation X as it does to later bands like Dillinger Four or Down By Law. Moonraker (a James Bond reference or a thumbs-up to the legend of sneaky-smuggling?) are a Californian band who are now settling in to their second decade together. They already have three albums and a bunch of singles to their name and from the tracks included here, clearly deserve to be known more widely. They have a pretty uptempo punk rock style and again they seem to owe as much to early punk bands like Buzzcocks or Dead Boys as they do to later groups like Channel 3 or Pegboy. The songs are instantly catchy with great harmonies to have everyone singing along. The two bands don’t necessarily sound like each other, but they definitely have enough in common, approach-wise, to make this record work as one solid selection. Be sure to give this a listen and keep your fingers crossed that they decide to visit the UK together!

PALM GHOSTS. I Love You, Burn in Hell LP (Engineer) Palm Ghosts started-up in Philadelphia during 2013 and this is their seventh studio album since then. It had initially begun as a solo-project for songwriter Joseph Lekkas, but after the release of the first album in 2014, he decided to relocate to Nashville and gradually recruited other members to create a full band line-up. Whilst their earlier music had been influenced by elements of folk and early REM albums, the bands’ direction steadily developed, delving into the ‘alternative’ UK music scene of the early Eighties. Joy Division are one of the immediate comparisons, but there are also echoes of The Cure, Simple Minds and perhaps even Echo and the Bunnymen. That period of time seems to be popular with American bands at the moment (check out the recent albums by Ceremony, for example…) and in some ways I can understand the infatuation. It’s a form of music that was distinctly different but also capable of appearing on mainstream radio/TV and appealing to a wider audience. Think of the success achieved by the bands mentioned above, and even those scumbags U2 came out from that scene… (at least when Joy Division evolved into New Order, they attained success by developing a new sound and style for themselves.) Now, in case it sounds like I’m being negative, I should say that I don’t dislike this album at all, but having grown-up during that original period of time it’s just a little bit odd hearing current bands re-visiting that era some forty years later. In this case, Palm Ghosts do it very well (complete with an appropriate production) so if you’re already a fan of that scene, you’re probably going to love this.

PEARL HARBOUR. Don’t Follow Me, I’m Lost Too CD (Liberation Hall) Pearl Harbor and the Explosions were formed in San Francisco in 1979 and began to make a name for themselves with their brand of New Wave pop, but by 1982 Pearl had decided that she wanted to follow a more rock’n’roll direction. The rest of the band weren’t so keen, so she relocated to London and set-about preparing the songs for her own album. Instead of forming a new band, arrangements were made for various British musicians to guest on the recordings, most notably Paul Simenon, Mick Jones and Topper Headon from the Clash, Nigel Dixon of Whirlwind, Wilko Johnson and Steve New. Despite it being more of a studio project than a live band, the results came together with a very natural, organic feel and are highly impressive. The songs span the whole range of rock’n’roll styles, from the more raucous sounds of Jerry Lee Lewis or Eddie Cochran through to Country music and even Shangri-La’s style Sixties pop.. Pearl certainly had a great voice and could handle all of these songs with a real sense of authenticity. For a while it seemed that she was really going to make a name for herself in the UK, but her original record label had wanted another New Wave album and promptly lost interest in her new direction. Unfortunately, things didn’t come together and she eventually moved back to America, but continued her musical career and released further albums which ensured her status as a much-respected vocalist on the rock’n’roll scene. The album has been out-of-print for a long-time, so this reissue is going to be welcomed by her fans both old and new, especially as it now comes with a bunch of extra tracks! Featuring sleeve-notes from Pearl herself, putting everything into context, it’s great to have this album available again and hopefully it’ll help to re-establish her reputation with a much wider audience.

PETER AND THE TEST TUBE BABIES. The Complete Singles CD (Captain Oi!) Just as it says on the box, this collection features every single and EP released by the band, from the classic ‘Banned From The Pubs’ in 1982 through to the superbly-titled ‘Crap Californian Punk Band’, released in 2017. Two CD packed with 40 songs, many of which aren’t available on the bands’ regular albums. For a fan, this is a set to cherish! The Test-Tube Babies actually formed in 1978, so by the time their first single was released they already had their own recognisable style and become a highly impressive live band. ‘Banned From the Pubs’, released on No Future records, was an instantly enjoyable song with singalong lyrics and plenty of energy. Backed by ‘Moped Lads’ and ‘Peacehaven Wild Kids’, the record also displayed their irreverent sense of humour. Second single, ‘Run Like Hell’, captured the same spikey vitality of its’ predecessor, with a spoken intro and infectious guitar hooks. To this day, these two singles are essential items in any self-respecting punk rock record collection, but that’s certainly not to say that their later releases lacked quality. ‘Zombie Creeping Flesh’; released in 1983, came out on the bands’ own ‘Trapper’ label while they started work on material for their second album ‘Mating Sounds of South American Frogs’. Their style was developing in different ways, with more imaginative guitar sounds and a much more accomplished production. The following single, ‘The Jinx’ took it even further, with a great mix of fast, catchy punk rock and an accessible production that highlighted their melodic hooks. They should have started to attract a wider audience at this point but the music press seemed intent on treating them as a ‘joke-band’ and as a result they never got the coverage they deserved. Regardless, their next EP, the charmingly entitled ‘Rotting in the Fart Sack’, indulged in even more unlikely musical directions, from the Cow-punk of ‘Ten Deadly Sins’ and ‘Boozanza’ to the pomp-rock of the title track. The ‘Key to the City’ EP appeared the following year, featuring the best track from their recent ‘Soberphobia’ album plus some great live recordings. Over the following decade or so, the band became less prolific, with only one album, ‘Supermodels’, in 1995 and only three singles, but as usual there’s more than a few decent songs to be found. Overall, it’s probably fair to say that it’s still the older material that fans want to hear, but there’s plenty of later material that’s well-worth checking-out and this is the perfect way to check out what you may have missed. It’s an entertaining collection of melodic punk in the Test Tube’s inimitable style and if you’ve never heard them before or are only familiar with their early records, this is an album that you really should investigate.

PILEDRIVER. 25 And Live! CD (Engineer) Ahh, a band named after one of the classic Status Quo albums! How could this possibly fail? However, the eagerly anticipated three-chord boogie I had been expecting quickly turns out to be brutal New York style hardcore, played here by veterans of the Philippine Hardcore scene. Recorded live in Laguna to celebrate the bands’ 25th anniversary, this is probably as definitive a statement of what the band are all about as we’re going to get. The sound is raw and powerful but also has a great mix that let’s you hear the vocals and each instrument as they mesh together to create this huge noise. And, of course, there’s also plenty of interaction with the audience, something that’s always important at hardcore shows. It always amazes me when it turns out that there are healthy punk and hardcore scenes in less likely places like the Philippines, but isn’t it great that this music and attitude is still spreading and establishing its’ relevance in new territories? Especially, when it’s done as well as these guys!

PURPLE HEARTS. Extraordinary Sensations CD box-set (Cherry Red) Of all the ‘Mod Revival’ bands that emerged in the late Seventies, the Purple Hearts were undoubtedly one of the best. The thing was, like The Chords, they stood-out because they weren’t just a revival band and developed their own style rather than merely imitating the original style. They obviously had a wider spectrum of influences, from Sixties Garage and psychedelic pop though to Seventies Punk (indeed, their origins were in a short-lived punk band called The Sockets) and it was this mix which gave them their character. Their first LP, ‘Beat That!’ is one of the best records from the era, full of energy and insistence. Including the singles ‘Frustration’ and ‘Millions Like Us’, it presented the band at their best, with a solid style and plenty of creative ideas to help the songs stick in your memory. However, unsurprisingly for a band with so many different ideas at play, they soon became frustrated by merely being associated with the Mod scene and when they found themselves dropped by their label (Fiction) they released their next single, ‘My Life’s a Jigsaw’, on the independent Safari label, experimenting with different production styles and a catchier, more pop orientated sound. One more single, ‘Plane Crash’, was released in 1982 with a lively style which that showed they still had plenty of talent but, even though their loyal live following was keeping them busy in the UK, when they took a chance on playing in America, things didn’t go as planned and they decided to split. Fortunately, they remained friends, so when they were asked to reform for a special event in Ilford, they agreed. Enjoying themselves and discovering that there was still plenty of interest in the band, they continued to play occasional gigs and, in 1986, returned to the studio to record their second album, ‘Popish Frenzy’. Some fans were surprised by the records’ overall sound, as it embraced a style that leaned even further towards Sixties pyschedelia and pop and, in retrospect can be seen to pre-dated many of the big-name indie bands that appeared in the ensuing years. It certainly wasn’t a mere retread of the bands’ first album and, as such, stayed true to their original intent. Their first album had been an instant classic, but ‘Popish Frenzy’ demanded more attention and is still an album that sounds better and better every time you hear it. Away from the expectations of bigger record labels, Purple Hearts created their second classic LP and it’s a real shame that it didn’t achieve the success and credit it truly deserves. This box-set puts everything in a clear perspective. The first disc presents ‘Beat This!’ together with a wealth of single-tracks and rare demo’s, whilst ‘Popish Frenzy’ accounts for disc two, together with a similar abundance of non-LP tracks and yet more demos. The final disc showcases the bands’ live prowess, with a full set recorded in 1986, additional recordings from 1985 and 1999, plus yet more demo / rehearsal tapes. It’s pretty much everything a fan would want to hear, but also serves as a perfect introduction (albeit rather extensive) if you’re not already familiar with the band. This is a really great collection and presents a band that really should be more widely appreciated. Go and get it now!

QUESTION MARK. Desolation CD (Gotama Studio/Violent Weather) Not to be mistaken for the Sixties legend responsible for the classic ’96 Tears’, this band are from Holland and this is their second album., following their critically acclaimed debut ‘Inner Call’ back in 2019. They play a fast and frantic brand of what used to be called ‘skate-punk’, referring to bands like Good Riddance, SNFU, Spermbirds and others. The songs are mostly uptempo and melodic, with occasional metallic flourishes that never drift too far in that direction. The vocals are powerful and clear’ with appropriate backing harmonies enhancing the insistence of the songs, while the lyrics appear to deal mostly with personal issues, although some more political subjects are also tackled in a non-preachy way. Question Mark get just the right balance between punk and pop, maintaining their raw energy but also unafraid to indulge in accessible tunes. The album is being released in both Europe and America, so you should have no difficulty tracking it down and, at the very least, you should give it a listen.

THE RESIDENTS. Secret Show – Live in San Francisco CD/DVD (Cherry Red) This was the official 50th Anniversary performance by The Residents, now made available on CD and DVD for all of the fans out there who were unable to attend the exclusive concert. It’s a little unusual as it includes a wide selection of guest musicians and vocalists who help the proceedings along by presenting their own interpretations of Residents’ classics. The Residents themselves perform in the guise that they adopted for the ‘Dog Stab’ European tour, while their guests included the likes of Les Claypool (Primus), Josh Freese (who has played with everyone…) David J (Bauhaus) Ego Plum (film-composer) and The San Francisco Girls Chorus. The concert features songs from every decade of their career, from ‘Santa Dog’ through to ‘Life Would Be Wonderful’, sometimes staying close to the original recordings whilst others are presented in dramatic new forms. The all-male vocal group ‘Conspiracy of Beards’ perform a cappella versions of songs like ‘Honey Bear’ while renowned pianist Sarah Cahill delivers a spine-tingling arrangement of ‘Rest Aria’. The set also includes animated ‘appearances’ from The Residents’ past and the DVD is beautifully directed by multi-media artist John Sanborn. It is a real shame that it wasn’t possible for this show to be presented elsewhere, but the logistics were never going to be practical for more than a one-off. At least we can now see and hear what was obviously a very special event.

REVEREND BEAT-MAN AND THE UNBELIEVERS. Get on Your Knees LP (Voodoo Rhythm) It’s more than 23 years since the first Reverend Beat-Man album was released and although its’ infamy has endured, it hasn’t been in print for quite some time. Which makes it a worthy exercise to make it available on vinyl once again! It’s been described as ‘the ultimate Gospel Blues trash experience’ and, whilst there may be a few contenders for that title, they’d be hard-pressed to match this record sermon-for-sermon. Equal parts Cramps, Monks, Hasil Adkins and the Legendary Stardust Cowboy, The Unbelievers were a genuinely deviant musical-combo with a penchant for dirty, unhinged rock’n’roll, while the Reverend himself treated the vocals like they were unholy penitence with a voice that’s snarling, gnarly and guaranteed to keep the heathens away from the front of his stage. As primitive as their urges may have been, the songs are delivered with entertaining and intriguing arrangements in what must be one of the best recordings ever made at the renowned Toe Rag studio. Basically, a copy of this album should be held in every self-respecting record collection. If you haven’t already got it, you’re lucky to have this opportunity. Don’t miss it!

SAM SNITCHY. Talking Talking LP (Voodoo Rhythm) These guys are a Swiss duo with an experimental attitude towards rock’n’roll, approaching it with a similar approach to bands like Suicide, even though they don’t necessarily sound like them. They’re still stripping the songs down to the raw basics, unafraid to employ electronic rhythms and synthesizer melodies, while the vocals are almost crooned and the lyrics delve into the realm into the dirtier side of town. It’s a minimalist album but there’s also so much going on… these guys pick just the right words, the right sounds and the right outlook to keep the listener entranced. Like Sleaford Mods in recent years, Sam Snitchy also have a knack for delivering unsettling tones or ideas within the context of surprisingly catchy songs, like infiltrators sneaking into a school disco to sabotage the electric supply. This will have you dancing and thinking, a truly subversive situation! Play it loud and often, making sure it’s overheard by all your friends and family…

SATELLITE INN. Satellite Inn CD (Tara Tapes) If you hear a set of songs like these, steeped in authentic Americana, you’d never guess that the band were actually Italian! But such things do happen and on some occasions, they can be done very well. Satellite Inn create a highly convincing mix of The Long Ryders, Paisley Underground bands like Dream Syndicate or Rain Parade, and perhaps a touch of Grunge (albeit the more melodic moments.) Their first album, ‘Cold Morning Songs’, was released in 1998 on the MoodFood label in North Carolina. It received enthusiastic support and reviews both in America and Europe and over the next couple of years, as well as playing their own tours, the band were invited to play the CMJ Festival in New York and South By South West in Texas. Everything seemed to be steadily building-up for the band, until their label went broke and all plans went on hold. The band recuperated in Italy, where the individual members became involved in various other projects and it wouldn’t be until 2020 when the original members re-grouped to see if the old spark was still there. The results proved more effective than anyone dared to expect, delivering a new album that not only captures the spirit of their early days, but also brings it firmly into the present. Hopefully this is going to see them reclaim the respect that they should have had all along, because this is certainly an album that puts them back at the top of their game.

SAVAGE REPUBLIC. Live in Wroclaw CD (Mobilization) I only managed to see the original Savage Republic once, co-headlining a gig at Fulham Greyhound with The Young Gods. They were amazing, but split-up at the end of that European tour. Original member Bruce Licher formed another band called Scenic who released several albums on his Independent Project label and I did manage to interview Bruce by telephone during 1997, which was cool!. Savage Republic eventually reformed in 2002, although Licher left after their first tour. I was aware that they released a new studio album in 2007 and also toured in Europe, but they missed the UK again and although they’ve actually been quite busy in the subsequent years, I was unaware until recently that I’d been missing so many releases. So, in many ways, this live recording is an ideal way to catch-up on what the current line-up have been doing, as it includes a strong selection of their post-reformation material as well as many of their older classics, including tracks like ‘Mobilization’, ‘Trek’, ‘Spice Fields’ and ‘Procession’, as well as their amazing interpretation of the Alternative TV song ‘Viva La Rock’n’Roll’. Musically, Savage Republic remain a unique band, ahead of their time but also timeless. If you could imagine Ennio Morricone working on one of his epic Western soundtracks with Sonic Youth (circa ‘Bad Moon Rising’) then you’ll have some idea of what they are capable of producing. I still remain perplexed that they’ve never received more recognition in the UK, and that really is our loss. If you’ve never heard them before, be sure to hear this and, if you’re an existing fan, hear it to confirm that they’re still as great as they ever were. Do not miss them!

SCHEDULE 1. Crucible LP (Council) This is a really impressive debut. Schedule 1 are a Canadian band playing powerful, upbeat and angular punk rock that takes in elements of the post-punk era, hardcore and other less obvious musical sounds to create something of their own. If you could imagine a mix of (early) Dag Nasty, Ceremony and Joy Division, then you might get an idea of what this album sounds like, but you should really hear it for yourself because it’s a difficult style to pin-down. It’s got a suitably dense production sound and the tracks are arranged in a way that brings out their individual character, switching back and forth between dark atmospherics and lighter, more melodic hooks. There’s a lot going on within this album and it’ll be interesting to see how the band develop from here. Try to hear this record at your earliest opportunity!

THE SEX ORGANS. We’re Fucked LP (Voodoo Rhythm) This is the kind of Garage-punk album that Derek & Clive would have loved to hear in their local boozer! Song titles like ‘Where is My Dildo’, ‘Sex Shop’, ‘Nipple Twister’ and ‘Hair in My Mouth’ … total filth in the most beautiful of ways! The Sex Organs are a duo consisting of walking, talking naughty bits, male and female (equal opportunities and all that) which may involve a member (pun intended) of The Jackets, although that’s really irrelevant here. This band (especially the male organ) can stand up for themselves! They have a perfect grasp of noisy, fuzzed-out garage-sounds plus the best potty-mouth lyrics since the early days of GG Allin… Of course, it’s totally childish and the sort of prurient humour that would have Mary Whitehouse turning in her grave, but that’s exactly why we love it! The sort of people who deserve to be offended will be offended and the rest of us will be playing it loud and having a great time. . Isn’t that what rock’n’roll was meant to be all about?

SHAKIN’ STREET. Scarlet CD (Liberation Hall) Fronted by the enigmatic Fabienne Shine, Shakin’ Street formed in Paris during 1975 and adopted a raw Hard Rock sound that reached back as far as the MC5 and Thin Lizzy, whilst also following a similar path to contemporaries like Motorhead and The Dictators, who wanted to make rock’n’roll dangerous again. By the time they were ready to start playing across the channel in the UK, the early Punk scene was beginning to simmer and they played alongside several of the new bands as well as appearing at the legendary Mont de Marsen Punk festival, even though they themselves were not an actual punk band. Their first album, ‘Vampire Rock’, was released in Europe by CBS in 1978, but the band saw their best chance for success in America and so relocated to California to start work on their second LP. Despite high hopes, the album wasn’t the success they had hoped for, but Fabienne did meet (and marry) Damon Edge of Chrome whilst in San Francisco. The two eventually returned to France where they would collaborate on the later Chrome records. However, Shakin’ Street failed to make a real impact because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. In Europe (most notably the UK) in 1977-78, they still had too many Rock traits to co-exist alongside the Punk scene, whilst in the USA during 1979-80, audiences wanted either radio-friendly Rock or the up and coming New Wave bands. In retrospect, this recording (a radio broadcast from San Francisco during 1979) displays both their strengths and weaknesses. The band had an undeniably solid sound and Fabienne was clearly a strong presence, but they were caught between two camps. Listen to their version of ‘I Wanna Be Your Dog’ too hear what I mean… Too raw for the regular rock audiences but also too influenced by the early- Seventies to win over the younger fans. Listening now, you can hear what they were trying to do and appreciate their efforts, but things were moving fast during those years. Nowadays, we can take a little more time, so give this a listen now and enjoy it for what they were.

SIMON WELLS. Blankets CD (Crime Pays) Although still best known as the original guitarist in Snuff, Mr Wells has kept himself busy with various projects since those days, most notably with the band Southport but also as a solo performer, which seems to be his preferred style these days. This album, his first for a few years, is mostly just vocals and acoustic guitar, with occasional contributions from guest musicians, while the set is made-up almost entirely of cover-versions. But don’t expect the brash, humorous salvos that Snuff used to do so well, as the majority of songs come from the folk music scene, including artists such as Richard Thompson, Ted Hawkins and Ewan MacColl. That said, they’re far from the usual ‘diddley-diddley’ clichés that usually taint the folk-genre. These songs are either melodic, catchy and emotional, or quite dark and atmospheric. In contrast there are also covers of ‘Walking in the Sunshine’ by Bad Manners and ‘Do Nothing’ by the Specials (the only nod towards Snuff, although played in a very different way to their version.) The thing that brings all of the songs together is the way that Simon has adopted them and made them his own (something that has always been a tradition within the folk scene.) The one self-written song featured here, ‘Should’ve Done’, fits perfectly with the tone and intent of the covers and helps to make this work as a fine and solid album. It’s a perfect introduction to what Simon is doing these days and it leaves me curious to hear what he does next … a similar album but with more of his own songs, perhaps? We’ll have to wait and see but in the meantime, be sure to hear this album!

SINGING LUNGS / BEDFORD FALLS. split CD (Engineert) Singing Lungs are a band from Michigan while Bedford Falls are based in South Wales, so just why they came together for this joint-release is a bit of a mystery, but musically they’re pretty compatible / complimentary. Singing Lungs (not to be confused with The Singing Loins from Chatham or the Surfin’ Lungs from Berkshire… although having all three bands on the same billing would be an interesting idea…) start their ‘side’ with a brief acoustic song that reminds me of Lemonheads for some reason, before the whole band kicks-in for the rest of their set. The songs sound good, with elements of Sugar, Dinosaur Jnr, maybe some Jawbreaker… The songs are mid-paced and very catchy, with melodic guitar hooks and great harmonies / backing vocals adding to the overall results. Bedford Falls have a similar, mid-paced style with a noisy guitar sound carrying the tunes in an effective manner. One moment will have you thinking of Husker Du while the next might producesa grungey, almost Nirvana-ish sound or a slurred J Mascis style.. This is more in a Nineties ‘indie-rock’ direction rather than punk, but it still hits the mark and provides a fine balance alongside Singing Lungs. Nine songs in total (at a very reasonable price) makes this the perfect way to check out both bands.

SMALLTOWN TIGERS. Crush On You CD (Area Pirata) Smalltown Tigers are a three-piece, all-girl band from Rimini in Italy, who have toured in the UK several times already (as well as opening for The Damned on their recent Original Line-up reunion dates) so the chances are that you may have seen them already. If so, hopefully you were suitably impressed, but if you haven’t caught up with them yet, this is an ideal opportunity. ‘Crush on You’ is their second album and features ten catchy, raucous tracks that teeter on a tightrope between early Seventies Glam Rock (think of The Runaways and Suzi Quatro), early Punk Rock (somewhere between the Ramones and X-Ray Spex) and the better girl-bands from the early Nineties (L7, Babes in Toyland etc.) This is an album packed with songs that should all be getting airplay across the nations, but since radio stations are far too dull to take a chance on real music these days, you’ll have to get out there and seek it for yourselves. Trust me, the effort will be worth it. Play this loud to make your next party go with a blast!

SMOKERS. The Rat That Gnawed The Rope LP (Mouth Magazine) Forming in Oakland, California nearly a decade ago, Smokers have released various singles and digital releases, but this is the first album available on vinyl, Yayyy! Definitely no ‘pop-punk’, but their songs do have very catchy, melodic roots and certainly do take a few hints from classic Sixties and Seventies Pop. The songs vary quite considerably but tend to be ‘mid-paced’, something like a cross between Dag Nasty (‘Wig Out at Denkos’-era) and early Superchunk. They can be quite new wavey at times, whilst other tracks will have a much harder bite and it’s this contrast that’ll keep you on your toes. The vocals are clear in the mix and the lyrics are pretty interesting, adding more depth to the overall experience. I’m surprised that it’s taken the band so long to release this album because their songs seem very confident and effective, but now the album is here let’s be glad that we’re getting to hear them. Hopefully they won’t take so long to deliver the next one.

SNOTTY CHEEKBONES. A Broken Nose and the Good Fight LP (Monster Zero) This is the sixth album from these Swiss punkers and if this is any indication, I can only say that I’m surprised it’s taken me so long to hear them. Their songs are catchy and melodic, but also have a really big, gutsy sound that’s kind of reminiscent of The Clash (‘Give ‘em Enough Rope’/’London Calling’ era.) There are elements of early Lookout bands (Operation Ivy, Crimpshrine etc) but they toughen it up to create a sound that owes more to late-Seventies UK punk. It’s this combination that helps the record to stand-out, as it adds a twist to usual sounds you’d expect from either of these genres. The album is well-produced and the band are obviously adept at delivering this style of music, but it never gets too slick or technical and maintains a raw spirit that propels it along at a healthy pace. This is an album that you really ought to investigate.

SONS OF ALPHA CENTAURI. Pull CD (Exile on Mainstream) SOAC are a hard rock band who formed in North Kent during 2001, although they would not release their debut album until 2007. At the time, the band played instrumental music only and, in that format, went on to release several collaborations with bands such as Karma to Burn. It would not be until 2018 that they released their second full album, ‘Continuum’, and another gap ensued until the 2021 release of their next record, ‘Push’. This broke tradition with the past by introducing a vocalist, (Jonah Matranga, of the bands Far and Gratitude) as well as a guest drummer (Mitch Wheeler of Will Haven.) And now, a further three years along, the same line-up have reconvened to release this album. The first song, ’Ephemeral’, starts with a snarling, Killing Joke-style guitar riff which certainly sets things off on the right track. The vocals start in an understated style which allows the tension to grow, until they reach the chorus which, instead of delivering a real punch to the proceedings, is a bit of a let-down. Unfortunately, it’s all a bit too ‘emo-goth’ for me, although I’m sure that fans will love it. Second track, ‘Ease’, follows in a similar fashion, starting with a very enticing bass riff and noisy guitars, before the vocals appear in an almost underwhelming style. As the album progresses, it delivers some really great music… the riffs are very powerful, while the production and arrangements are highly effective, but I can’t get past the vocal style. It just doesn’t work for me and I’m afraid, to my ears, it holds back the momentum of the record. Perhaps this is just me, and if you’ve enjoyed their previous albums, you’ll probably like this one as well. I'm afraid you'll just have to hear it for yourself!

SPLEEN. Dystopic School EP (Contempo) Three track single from this young Italian band who seem intent on combining early Punk Rock and Grunge in a vibrant, attitude-busting burst of energy. There are a few moments that betray their influences, but mostly what we get are snotty, adrenalin-infused chunks of rock’n’roll with all the commitments that it entails. If you want further comparisons, there’s definitely some Nirvana in here but probably just as much Mudhoney and maybe even hints of The Wipers and Kyuss. But the important thing is that these guys are young, yet looking outside of their immediate generation to find and play a style that they can believe in. This is their debut release and it’s sounding good, but from this point onwards they’ve got the chance to create something truly great. Keep your fingers crossed and your ears open!

SPLINTERED. Between Scylla and Charybdis CD (Fourth Dimension) Splintered went into hibernation back in 1997, but after a series of occasional live performances almost two decades later, they found that something of the chemistry that originally propelled the band was still evident and so, over a period of time between 2021-24, they decided to work on new material which has eventually resulted in this album. It’s nearly an hour long and mostly instrumental, with the sparse vocals remaining cryptic and giving very little away in the mix, but presenting a very atmospheric, repetitive and, at times, almost drone-like set of music which is unsettling and sinister but also very compelling. As with their earlier releases, this album is held together by the solid rhythm section, even though here the drum patterns are more varied and the bass sounds are darker. But it’s this driving force that allows the guitars and electronics to create the (relatively) subtle anomalies to create the soundscapes which develop and demand your attention as the album progresses. It’s difficult to try to describe or explain what Splintered have created here, because much of this works at a gut-level and that means you have to experience it for yourself. It’s noticeably different to anything they’ve released before, but something that takes a bold and logical step forward from their pr3evious work (as you’d expect after such a lengthy break!) For me, it’s probably the most impressive album they’ve made to date and I really hope that they are able to take this direction further. Even if you’ve never heard them before, or disliked their older material, this is a record that needs to be heard. I have to give credit where it’s due, and this is a really interesting and enjoyable album.

STEVE GRANTLEY & THE ZED HEDZ. Poison Ivy, Where Did You Go? CD/EP (Hypermania) I have to admit, this is a question that I’ve pondered over recent years (check my interview with Kid Congo, for example.) Ivy was an outstanding guitar player, not just as a member of The Cramps but in her own right as a rock’n’roll musician. She had a natural understanding of the musicl and, onstage, a cool presence which provided the perfect foil for Lux Interiors’ more excessive antics. I’ve really hoped along the way that she would play and record again, but so far it hasn’t happened and unless she finds the right people, I can’t imagine that she will. We can only live in hope. This record addresses the fact that Cramps fans still miss the band and Ivy in particular, hoping that we’ll see or hear her again but also just appreciating what she did in the past. Steve Grantley is probably best known as the drummer for Belfast punk legends Stiff Little Fingers, but his own band RT Zed (recently updated as the Zed Heds) have also received positive response from critics and audiences. This tribute to Poison Ivy is a sincere paean to a musician and icon who doesn’t receive the wider acclaim that she deserves and who is genuinely missed by her fans. That said, instead of just trying to copycat Ivy’s style, this track adopts a stompin’ early Seventies Glam-style (think of New York Dolls or T-Rex) that refers to shared influences rather than mere imitation. The results provide a great record that stands alone but also shares what many of us are feeling. I can’t recommend this enough!

SUBURBAN STUDS. Slam CD (Captain Oi!) The Suburban Studs were one of the first Punk bands in Birmingham, forming in 1976. The advantage of this was that, with so few Punk bands up and running at that point, they were invited to play alongside bands like the Sex Pistols and The Clash, as well as less-likely gigs with the likes of AC/DC and Judas Priest! Musically, their songs were usually pretty fast, had catchy hooks and suitably snotty vocals, even if there was a noticeable Pub Rock and Glam influence to many of them (they had originally formed as a rock covers band before becoming Suburban Studs.) They played live a lot and signed to the independent ‘Pogo’ label who released two singles and this album, which led to them being invited to record a session for John Peel in late ’77 and appearing on the ‘Live at the Hope & Anchor’ album. However, due to poor advertising and possibly the fact that they didn’t live in London, the album didn’t sell well at the time and they didn’t release any further records. They shortened their name to ‘The Studs’ for a while and continued to play live, but with no further label interest, they eventually split. However, they did leave behind a set of demo’s featuring songs intended for a second album which were a lot more varied and accomplished, heading in a more powerpop direction. Alongside the John Peel session, the demo’s are all included in this double CD set, making it a very thorough collection. Suburban Studs may not have been destined for the big time (even in Punk terms) but the ensuing years have treated them well and, despite the lack of enthusiasm from the music press back at the time, ‘Slam’ and its’ accompanying singles have become much more respected over the decades and interest in the band has continued to grow. This latest reissue gathers together the bands’ complete recordings and, particularly when you hear the demos, gives you a chance to hear how the band developed in a relatively short period of time. They really do sound better than ever!

TESS & THE DETAILS. Runaway LP (Double Helix/ Engineer) Here’s a band that started when Tess Stevens set out to record some of her solo songs. Her potential producer introduced her to a drummer and, after that first recording session, they started writing songs together. Eventually they decided to enlist a guitarist and bass player to fill out their sound onstage and the new songs came together (minus time-out for Covid..) Things went well and soon enough they were able to record this album... And it’s a really enjoyable piece of vinyl, indeed. Punk-pop rather than Pop-punk (think about it… there’s a big difference between Buzzcocks and Blink 182.) This record is all about the songs, they’re short and snappy, but fill out their allotted time with just the right amount of everything. Great melodies, catchy choruses, thoughtful lyrics and a production that captures all of their energy, while, just as importantly, there’s nothing unnecessary cluttering the mix. I could make comparisons to bands like The Avengers, the Fastbacks, The Muffs, even some early Bad Religion, but really, this is a step aside from anyone else and ought to be heard on its’ own terms. Tess obviously has her own vision and plenty of attitude, which it what propels this album above the rest. She also has a great voice with a range that can handle both the pop moments, like the opener ‘Blondie’s Gonna Die’ (not a reference to the band, I’m glad to say) the faster punkier songs like ‘Take a Number’ and their harder, more rocky songs like the excellent finale, ‘No Grave’. Apparently the band play live pretty regularly around California and now that the album is out they may start playing further afield. So buy this record, play it loud and cross your fingers that they may even end-up in a venue near you!

THEREMIN MAN. Songs for The Future This is a solo project from Canadian musician Stephen Hamm and although his iphotos usually show him in the type of elaborate robes and costumes that would be usually associated with the more pompous side of Prog-rock, the music he creates is more in line with new wave and electronica. Mostly based around the theremin and synthesisers, the obvious comparison point has to be Devo, like a mix between their early pre-‘Are We Not Men’ experiments and the much-slicker pop that they produced on the ‘Freedom of Choice’ and ‘New Traditionalists’ albums. The lyrics have a leaning towards sci-fi imagery although, I’m guessing they’re usually sung with tongue firmly-placed in cheek. It’s an entertaining album even if the concept is quite consciously-retro, but there are some great melodies, it’s pretty danceable and knowingly witty.

U.K.SUBS. The Albums, 1979-82. CD box-set (Captain Oi!) Ian Mackaye (Minor Threat, Fugazi etc) was once asked who his favourite British punk band were and he promptly replied, ‘UK Subs’. Asked what was his favourite album was, he came back with ‘A-E… they’re pretty much perfect’. So I’m sure he’ll be keen to get this box-set, featuring those five albums plus all of the assorted singles and rare tracks that accompanied them. And, yeah, they are pretty much perfect… It’s strange to look back and consider just how popular the Subs were during this period. Not only were they comfortably headlining large venues like The Lyceum, they recorded three sessions for John Peel and scored seven Top Forty singles and four Top Forty albums… not bad at a time when ‘punk’ was supposed to be dead! They also regularly appeared on TV shows like ‘Top of the Pops’ without having to compromise their sound or integrity at all. The band line-ups were a bit erratic during this period, with only Charlie Harper and Nicky Garrett remaining constant, but somehow they always managed to find suitable replacements and maintained their momentum and creativity. The first album. ‘Another Kind of Blues’, did betray some of Charlie’s R’N’B roots, but at the same time it also established the bands’ own sound, mixing a super-tight rhythm section, Nicky’s instantly recognisable guitar sound and Charlie’s growling vocal delivery. But as they moved onto ‘Brand New Age’, their music and lyrics became even more inventive and adventurous, resulting in what many consider to be their best album. It was quickly followed by ‘Crash Course’, which presented a live recording made at the legendary Rainbow, which would prove to be the final appearance of the ‘classic’ line-up (Charlie, Nicky, Paul Slack and Pete Davies.) Paul and Pete left the band following the extensive touring that the band undertook. But were quickly replaced by Alvin Gibbs and Steve Roberts, bringing even further depth to the band. The ensuing album, ‘Diminished Responsibility’, proved to be another successful release, spawning two further hits with the highly underrated ‘Party in Paris’ and ‘Keep on Running’. However, they then left the GEM label and returned to the independent realm, switching to the NEMS label for ‘Endangered Species’, which included the single ‘Countdown’. It’s proven to be an enduring favourite amongst fans as well as the band themselves and it also included the track ‘Down on the Farm’ which would later be covered by Guns & Roses and bring them to the attention of a whole new audience! Of course, these albums don’t account for the whole of the Subs career and further line-up changes meant that the band continued with Charlie as the only consistent member. Some line-ups may not have been as good as others, but there are still plenty of good records to find along the way and in recent years, the band have returned to steadier line-ups and re-captured their original focus. But if you want to hear how they originally established themselves, you need to look no further than this collection. If you don’t already have these albums, it really is essential stuff!

VACATION. Worlds in Motion LP (Feel It) This is a rather peculiar album, combining an almost art-rock approach with elements of melodic punk, indie and even some trad-rock. Based in Cincinnati, this is apparently their ninth album, so I suspect you’d need at least some knowledge of their previous work to fully appreciate this latest offering. That’s not to say that the songs aren’t catchy or accessible, but they certainly do have their own quirks and eccentricities which may not be instantly enjoyable for everyone and will probably take at least a few listens before you make your decision. I would possibly suggest the likes of Pavement, Modern Lovers and perhaps Sebadoh as possible reference points, but their overall sound is far too involved to allow specific comparisons. Sometimes you just have to go outside, track-down a copy for yourself and make up your own mind about it. One way or the other, it’ll be worth your participation.

THE VAXXINES. California Screamin’ EP (CDC) Not to be confused with the insipid UK indie band with a similar name, these vaxxers are a female-fronted, high energy punk rock band from Oakland, CA who deliver a much more enjoyable experience altogether. This is their second EP and they’re already establishing their style and sound with plenty of panache. They’ve recently toured with bands like The Avengers and Channel 3, which should give you some idea of the musical direction they’re coming from, but I’d also suggest bands like White Flag or The Briefs for further comparisons. Fast, melodic and instantly memorable, this band are producing songs that stand-up alongside some of my all-time favourite American punkers, so really, what’s not to like. These four tracks have a great sound and vocalist KC has a powerful voice that recalls a mix of Exene Cervenka and Kim Shattuck. Seriously, if these tracks are anything to go by, this is a band that we can expect great things from over the next few years. Check them out now and make sure you don’t miss anything!

THE VIBRATORS. The Singles 1976-2017 3CD (Captain Oi!) The Vibrators took a rather erratic route through their 45-year career. They didn’t really fit-in with the media-perception of punk rock and so were accused of jumping on the bandwagon, but as I’ve said before… Their first single was actually released before ‘Anarchy in the UK’, so there wasn’t a bandwagon at that point! Admittedly, the band members may have already been playing for a while but so had most of the original punk bands (they just tried to keep it quiet…) But however you want to look at it, it would take a complete charlatan to try and deny that the bands’ string of singles between 1976 and 1978 were anything short of superb. ‘We Vibrate’, ‘Baby Baby’, ‘London Girls’. ‘Automatic Lover’, ‘Judy Says’… and the b-sides were often just as great! However, line-up changes led to a virtually new band in 1980 who would release a cover of ‘Gimme Some Lovin’. Their new sound was more like trad-rock and fortunately didn’t last too long, followed by the return of the original line-up in 1982 (heralded by an update of ‘Baby Baby’.) The next few singles featured different styles, but the real classic of the era (strangely enough, a b-side) was ‘Amphetamine Blue’, a frantic, catchy song which would prove to be a live-favourite for years to come. Singles of varying quality (depending on your taste) continued to be released on a fairly regular basis, but the next truly outstanding EP was the re-working of ‘Troops of Tomorrow’ in 1992. Having already appeared on the ‘V2’ album, the song had also been covered by The Exploited for their second album (a surprisingly effective interpretation!) This new version saw The Vibrators develop the track even further, making this EP rather essential. The ensuing years saw plenty more singles, some great some not, including more re-workings of their own songs, cover versions and even a Christmas EP, so it’s great to have them all here in one place rather than having to track them down individually. The compilation ends with Knox’s two solo singles, ‘Gigolo Aunt’ and ‘She’s So Goodlooking’, from 1980… A bit out of sync, time wise, but as Knox was always an essential member of the band, these records deserve their place here. Inevitably over such a long period, the styles change and develop and sometimes a song isn’t as great as the others, but when they were on form, The Vibrators delivered some true classics. You really wouldn’t want to miss that!

THE VIBRATORS.The Epic Years1976-1978 CD boxset (Anagram) Much that they’d produce some great records later on in their career, I expect most fans would agree that the material they released in their early years still stands up as their best. Their first two albums, ‘Pure Mania’ and ‘V2’, contained so many great songs that they’re still pretty essential listening for any serious fan of the original punk scene in London. Like the Stranglers, they may have received criticism for being around on the pub rock circuit before Punk emerged, but then again, so had members of The Clash and many others. The important thing was that they sensed the zeitgeist of the oncoming era and became one of its’ earliest proponents. ‘Pure Mania’ appropriately opened with ‘Into the Future’ before delivering classics like ‘Whips & Furs’, ‘Sweet Sweet Heart’ and their should-have-been-hit ‘Baby Baby’, while ‘V2’ contained their actual hit ‘Automatic Lover’, alongside further favourites like ‘Flying Duck Theory’, ‘War Zone’ and ‘Troops of Tomorrow’. Each of these disks contain extra tracks from contemporary singles, but the real bonus comes in the two additional CDs. ‘Live at the Marquee 1977’ is exactly what it says it is, and also features the full 19 track recording rather than the shorter, edited versions that have been available before now. Featuring otherwise-unreleased songs and some cool covers, this is fine representation of what the band were like in their early years. Finally, we get ‘In Session at the BBC’ a CD that includes their three John Peel sessions (1976, ’77 and ’78) as well as the four tracks they recorded for the BBC TV show, Old Grey Whistle Test, in 1977. This gives the best indication of how the band developed during those two short years. The first session doesn’t have the more aggressive sound that their albums would have and does betray their pub rock roots, but over the course of the ensuing sessions they became more confident and direct, while the songs become more inventive and intriguing (listen to the version of ‘Troops of Tomorrow’ to hear what I’m talking about.) They certainly weren’t sticking to the same three chords as many bands were, and seemed intent on making the most of their talents. The results are here to be heard and, if you can’t appreciate them you’re simply missing the point. If you only ever buy one release by The Vibrators, this is the one to go for. But be warned, once you have this you’ll be wanting to hear more!

WiMP. Black Sheep CD (Rum Bar) Over the past few years, Rum Bar have become the primary source for punky powerpop and long may they continue to wear that crown! As soon as you hear WiMP, you’ll realise why they are such a perfect fit for the RB roster, playing loud, brash, uptempo rock’n’roll tempered with hunts of Sixties Pop and Seventies Glam. Originating in Rockford, Illonois, they’ve obviously learned their lessons from home-town heroes Cheap Trick, but also mixed-in the same sort of sounds that have fuelled bands like The Briefs, Buzzcocks and Ramones along the way. Pretty much every song on this album could be a single and should be played on the radio around the world, but since things like that rarely happen these days, just be sure that you hear them for yourself.

WOLFWOLF. Totentanz LP (Lux Noise) Switzerland seems to have a great underground punk/rock’n’roll/garage band scene these days. What with all the stuff that comes out on Voodoo Rhythm records, I seem to get to hear another great band every week. They mostly lean towards the garage/trash angle but are never afraid to borrow the most unlikely influences and are definitely not scared of indulging any of their eccentric urges. WolfWolf are a duo who have been around for more than a decade and this is their fourth full-length album. They start from a trashy, bluesy place but they go wherever they want. Opening track ‘Heidi is Alive’, sounds like Suicide making a heavy rock record, while ‘The Falcon’ is underpinned with a drum beat that could have been borrowed from Adam and the Ants and the guitars seem to have been nabbed from a Grunge band. There are a few songs that actually sound the way you’d expect from a two-piece Blues band (‘Holy Water’, ‘The Devil Knows’ and ‘Vampire Love’) but for most of the album, you really don’t know what you’re going to get next… chunks of electro-pop with sci-fi guitars, lo-fi Hard Rock, or even Blues played as if written by Brecht! ‘It’s Hot in Hell’ sounds like Tom Waits on a mellow day and final track ‘Slaves of the Universe’ is a downbeat crooner telling a tale that ligers in the shadows. Surprisingly, with so much going on, this is a very solid and coherent album and perhaps it won’t appeal to everyone, but you really ought to hear it and find out for yourself.

ZERO COST. Mouths to Feed CD (Engineer) This is a relatively new band from the Hull area who play their own brand of melodic punk/hardcore. There’s a few moments that’ll recall bands like Bad Religion, SNFU, maybe even early Greenday (and there’s also a sneaky nod towards Bad Brains) but really, they’ve honed their own style and, as the CD plays-through, I found myself enjoying it more and more. Catchy, smart and plenty of energy, I could see this band really making a name for themselves. They just need to get out there and make sure that everyone hears these songs, because they’ve got the sort of insistence that’ll have you singing along instantly. Seriously, be sure not to miss this one!

V/A. JUST WANT TO BE MYSELF LP (Cherry Red) Double-album collection of tracks taken from singles released in the 1977-79 period. Although none of these records ever reached the Top 40 (and some of them certainly deserved to) there are plenty of songs here that you should be familiar with, such as the Spizzenergi classic ‘Where’s Captain Kirk?’, ATV’s ‘Action Time Vision’, UK Subs ‘CID’ and The Rezillos ‘I Can’t Stand My Baby’. All of these records sold enough copies to reach the mainstream charts, but just not in the rice, respectable ‘chart-return’ shops, so they didn’t get counted! It’s these unsung heroes that this album celebrates, bands who embraced the Punk ethos, learned three chords and got up to do something for themselves. Many lasted just long enough to release one or two records, whilst others, like The Fall, 999, and The Adicts, would go on to establish themselves as long-lasting stalwarts of the independent scene. Many of the original releases are now highly collectable, such as The Outsiders ‘One to Infinity’, self-released in 1977 and featuring Adrian Borland on guitar and vocals before he went on to form The Sound. Puncture’s ‘Mucky Pup’ has the distinction of being the first release on the wonderful Small Wonder label. It was also their only record, leaving the band steeped in mystery! ‘O Level’ was another short-lived band, but various members would go on to join TV Personalities, making their ‘Pseudo Punk’ single another item of deserved-interest. But collectable or not, there are so many great songs on this album, with classic tracks by Eater, The Carpettes, The Wasps, Patrik Fitzgerald, Electric Chairs (featuring Wayne County) The Ruts, Cockney Rejects and Angelic Upstarts. It’s a varied selection of styles but that’s how it was at the times. Bands formed to do something different, not to sound like everyone else, and as a result you really had to pay attention to make sure you didn’t miss something special. Perhaps the bands featured here didn’t enjoy the commercial success of the ‘big names’ of the punk era, but they left behind a legacy that’s more than respectable. Play this album loud and discover some new favourites for yourself!

V/A. Last Man Standing – A New York Dolls Tribute CD (Time to Be Proud) Considering the amount of bands who have covered songs by the New York Dolls in the past, I’m surprised that this is the first ‘tribute’ album I’ve ever come across. There are only eight band featured on this compilation, but it’s clear that they’ve put some effort in to their tracks as the selection of songs isn’t just the obvious ones and the recordings aren’t just Dolls-by-numbers. The Phobics start proceedings with a swaggering, high-energy version of ‘Chatterbox’, quickly followed by Brian Young (Sabrejets, ex-Rudi) delivering an acoustic version of ‘Don’t Mess With Cupid’. Shock Treatment take ‘Babylon’ and strip it down to its’ raw, Bluesy elements, while Los Reyes offer an octane-fuelled, surf-guitar version of the ‘Courageous Cat Theme’. The Shangrilads play a suitably-snotty 1977-style cover of ‘Trash’, Protex delve into Sixties Girl-group influences for their version of ‘Subway Train, and The Goon Squad give us a surprisingly hard-rockin’ version of ‘Cuz I Sez So’ from the 2004 ‘reunion’ album. Finally, Crackhead Control bring the album to its’ conclusion with a fast, sneering cover of ‘Pills’ (incorporating a sneaky hint of the Ramones.) Basically, if you’re a real fan of the Dolls, you’ll probably love this, but if you’re someone who’d rather wear the t-shirt than buy a record, you won’t get it at all. And if the latter applies, fuck you anyway.

V/A. LEATHER JACKETS AND DIESEL SMOKE CD (Righteous) Here’s the latest double-disk collection of ‘gems and oddities from Lux and Ivy’s vault’. This one really is a pleasure to play, featuring a great mix of raucous rock’n’roll, raw rockabilly, peculiar pop and mutant musicals. Just listen to the first two tracks… if you’re not hooked in those first five minutes, you have no heart! ‘Shot Rod’ by Conny and the Bellhops, and ‘You’re Gone, I’m Left’ by Tyrone Schmidling (also featured on the recent ‘Greetings from Death Row’ compilation, but it’s such a great song that I wouldn’t object to it being on every CD I receive…) These two tracks really set you up and ensure that you’re gonna want to hear everything else. There’s a variety of styles but the energy and eccentricities of the individual tracks create an atmosphere that compliments each and every artist. Hot Rods play quite a big part in this presentation, with tracks from the likes of Ray Burden and Charlie Ryan narrating the infatuation with nasty motors. There are plenty of twangin’ guitars, big beats and crazy rhythms, making sure it’ll be carnage on the dance-floor. But however heavy it gets, this is always gonna be a lot of fun. Do you dig good music, regardless of the genre? And can you love a song even if none of your friends have ever heard of it? If that’s the case, this record is really going to make your day as it blows you away!

V/A. MEJOR DE LOS NUGGETZ – 60’S GARAGE AND PSYCH CD (Liberation Hall) A great collection of songs recorded by various Spanish-speaking bands during the Sixties. The tracks are all taken from the box-set ‘Los Nuggetz’, released in 2013 by Rockbeat records. This selection serves as a great introduction to the original set and all the songs featured are covers of hits from the time, reinterpreted both lyrically and musically to create something closer to the bands’ Latin roots. The choice of songs include tracks from big names like The Beatles, The Who and Rolling Stones through to lesser known cult faves like ’96 Tears’, ‘Nobody But Me’ and ‘Wooly Bully’. I have no idea if the song-words are accurately translated, but the music is often ‘modified’ by the bands, sometimes to good effect, other times rather less so, but it’s always interesting and usually a lot of fun to hear. Anyone with a knowledge of Sixties music is going to recognise most, if not all, of these tracks and that familiarity will result in a lot of double takes as the songs play through, bringing you face-to-face with bands like Los Apson, Los Belmonts, Los Shain and Los Salvajes. Interspersed with original radio commercials (making it sound like some kind of warped Mexican pirate broadcast) this is a lot of fun and, in most cases, played surprisingly well, capturing the true spirit of the scene. Give this a good listen because I’m sure you’ll find some gems to tempt you into further investigations…

V/A. NEW GUITARS IN TOWN CD boxset (Cherry Red) Subtitled ‘Power Pop 1978-82’, this three CD set is packed with songs (75 in total) from bands who emerged in the period that followed the initial UK punk rock explosion. They embraced the energy and excitement of the punk movement but at the same time forged sounds that were more commercial and radio-friendly, with influences also including Sixties pop and Seventies Glam (Cheap Trick, Sparks etc.) Some people looked-down on bands like these for those very reasons, but in reality it was a pretty natural progression after punk had happened, just in the same way that ‘New Wave’ and ‘Post-Punk’ (similarly vague genres) were inevitable. It’s best not to judge these bands as a ‘genre’, but rather listen to them individually and appreciate them on their own merits. Many of the tracks featured here were successful and even reached the national charts, with some bands establishing pretty healthy careers (Boomtown Rats, Elvis Costello, Buzzcocks, The Jam, Squeeze, the Undertones, 999 etc.) Others really should have been massive hits but somehow missed out (The Boys, Eddie and the Hot Rods, Carpettes, Rich Kids,…) and there are also plenty of great songs, from the likes of Neon Hearts, The Quads, The Donkeys, The Stiffs, that still sound amazing but were just a bit too quirky or edgy to gain the sort of radio-play that could have propelled then further. Also of interest to fans of this era, there are a few intriguing oddities: The Rollers’ single ‘Turn on the Radio’ was actually the Bay City Rollers taking a new approach following the departure of their original singer, Les McKeown. Jo Callis released the ‘Woah Yeah’ 7” inbetween his stints with The Rezillos and Human League, while The Aces were members of Menace who took a more melodic direction after losing their original singer. Unashamedly catchy and upbeat, these are songs that celebrated the good times, even if the outside world was pretty grim. Perfect Pop? Well, not every track, but there are plenty that meet the criteria. Play loud and get the party moving!