Black Heart Breakers – Rotting Out EP (Self Released)
Almost
squeezing out an LP, this record contains 6 songs from this band of young
Australian upstarts. I don’t know if it’s just because I know they’re from
Australia, but I can’t shake the Radio Birdman comparisons. The second song of
this record is total Ramones greatness though. Black Heart Breakers don’t
solely warship rock gods form yesteryear however. While taking nods from the
past, the songs all have a contemporary feel to them. In particular the tunes
“Angles Take Me Away” and “Save Me” have a strong mid 1990’s Green Day/Rancid
allure. –
JC
Cheap Cassettes – Worse N’ Better b/w Hieroglyphics in
Lipstick EP (Cassettes on Record)
I’ve
been a fan of this band since their 2017 debut LP All Anxious All The Time came out. I’m hesitant to call Cheap
Cassettes “power pop” but if you hear that anywhere else, remember the emphasis
is on the power. This Seattle band plays exquisite guitar driven, melodic rock
n roll with a punk punch. The A-Side and title track of this record is my favorite
Cheap Cassettes song so far and it was recorded and mixed by Kurt Blotch! A
match made in rock n roll heaven! If you’re into late 70’s punk bands like
Teenage Head, The Boys, Real Kids, Generation X, bands that had equal parts
heart and fire, then you’ll dig these guys a lot. – JC
C.H.E.W. – Feeding Frenzy LP (Drunken Sailor/Iron Lung)
Chicago’s
C.H.E.W. play blazing fast, rapid punch to the face hardcore that gives you the
dizzying feeling of someone swinging you around the room by the ankles. First
thing that stood out to me was the production of this record. It’s slightly
under produced, giving the music an edge. To be honest though, anyone that
reads this blog on a regular basis knows this kind of music is not my cuppa. Not
that I dislike it or anything, I just rarely get in the mood for it. When I do
I’ll usually put on G.L.O.S.S. or Ceremony’s first record. But C.H.E.W. will
certainly be added to that short list of “go to” records of this sort as of today. – JC
Columna – Las Cosas Que Perdemos LP (Dirt Cult/Last Hour/Sabotage)
Columna
are a female fronted band from Spain and this here is their debut LP. The
lyrics are sung in Spanish as you’re hopefully not surprised or deterred by
this. The band plays sharp, shadowy yet melodic punky, indie rock/post punk not
unlike Sleater Kinney, Pretty Girls Make Graves or Savages. The songs are right
up there in quality with all of those afore mentioned groups too. The tunes are
tight and the production compliments the style of music Columna play. The
guitars and bass lines burn bright, keeping everything moving at a good pace
and not allowing the music to totally sink into murky darkness. Good stuff! – JC
Crack Pipes – Fake Eyelashes LP (Super Secret)
This
band has been playing around Austin TX since the late 1990’s. If this album is
any indication, these guys play a really eclectic style of rock. At times they
sound like they could have been from Athens, GA in the mid 80’s, other times
they can be found worshiping at the Flamin Groovies alter. They also have a
heavy Chicago Blues and Motown feel to their songs. Sometimes they even come
off as a supped up Doors. Now try to imagine all of the above with a singer
that sounds like David Johansen mixed with Iggy Pop. Yes, this band has all that and yes it’s a
lot of fun to listen to. You never know what you’ll get next! – JC
This
band if from Washington DC and play Beatle boot heel stomping, organ pounding
garage rock n roll whose songs stick and move with fury and style effortlessly
like a heavyweight prizefighter. The A-Side and title track is a swirling fever
dream of sound that’ll enter your brain and commandeer your senses. The B-Side
is more of a head on organ/guitar tandem assault on your skull. This 7” is an extension of their impressive
2017 self-titled debut LP. Both songs are exclusive to this record though. So if you dug their full length, this is
essential. If you’ve never heard this band, this is a good place to start. – JC
Leftover Crack – Leftover Leftover Crack: The E-Sides and F-Sides LP (Fat Wreck
Chords)
I’m
not sure if I’m the one best suited to review this record since I can barely
choke down this band in small doses as it is much less 30 glorious songs of
“outtakes” gold. Because everyone knows bands save their best songs for comp
records like this. This here record contains more throaty pissed off vocals
over “Fat Wreck Chords” type metal guitar punk. If you are new to this band,
their ska stuff may come as a stunner, they switch to upstroke gear faster than
a Le Mans Ferrari. As most of their label mates, these guys hate religion,
Nazis, and probably Republicans and all that punk cliché crap. I can’t really
listen intently enough to music like this to really care what I’m supposed to
hate this month anymore. – JC
Th’ Losin’ Streaks – This Band Will Self-Destruct in T-Minus
LP (Slovenly/Black Gladiator)
This
band has been around since the early 2000’s and this is barley their second
album, the first being 2004’s underrated garage stunner The Sounds of Violence. But why rush creativity right? I always
thought how difficult it would be being a musician under contract forced to
pump out records every couple of years. But Sacramento’s Losin’ Streaks took
their time and did it right. These guys play loud, rowdy, energetic rock n roll
with 60’s fringe dangling all around. After putting on this record, if it’s not
the band that “Self-Destructs,” something in the room will. Standout track for me is “Room and Board” – it’s
got in your face guitar hooks for days! – JC
Mystery Girl – Wild and Mean EP (Feral Kid)
YES!
This band had me at very beginning with the guttural guitar sound of the title
track! This band are currently from Albany NY but sound like they could have been
from NYC in the mid 1970’s. They ooze New York Dolls sleaze, Dead Boys fury and
Real Kids charisma but have the gall to give you a middle finger and call it
their own. The only bad part about this 4 song EP is that it’s only 4 songs! I
need me a Mystery Girl LP now damn you! This
is my first time hearing this band but I’ve already listened to this record
about 25 times. Easily one of the best bands around still carrying the torch
for this type of music and they’re on an uphill battle with high winds. – JC
Priors – New Pleasure LP (Slovenly)
Listening
to this record for the first time feels similar to what I imagine it would be like
to drive thought that Willy Wonka tunnel of psychedelic horror at 150 mph in an
F1 racing boat. This album drips equal parts desperation and chutzpah wrapped
in boss garage punk guitar riffs. It’s
really strange to me how Priors music is so minimalistic yet they make it sound
so big at the same time. New Pleasures is an appropriate title
for this record indeed. The music is macabre/post-apocalyptic garage punk with
keyboard noodling swirling about. Kind of like Lost Sounds or Spits doused with
gasoline. Get the oven mitts out kids, this one’s a bonafide cooker! – JC
Radon – More of Their Lies LP (Tiger Force Ultra/Rubber Factory/Dirt Cult)
Gainesville
Florida’s longtime resident punks Radon play a style of punk rock that falls
somewhere between 7 Seconds and Face to Face. The guitars are loud and melodic
and the socially conscious lyrics are riddled with humor and irony but
delivered earnestly none the less, I can’t speak for any other of Radon’s
records, since this is my first time hearing them but this record has a sense
of scrappy charisma to it. Every time I listen to it I like it more and more.
The production compliments the music well. It reminds me of pop punk in the
early 1990’s, before big time produces, studios and labels got involved. For more from Radon go to Facebook.com/radonradon and Instagram: @Radon_Gaineville – JC
Savage Beat – Wired LP (Rebellion/LSM)
Rocketing
out of the Netherlands comes this quintet of, well I think the name of the band
pretty much says it all. Amsterdam’s Savage Beat play fast driven, hard
drinking, two fists in the air ready to brawl rock n’ roll. The songs on this
record hit with power and ferocity. The singer sounds like he gargles glass
shards every morning and breathes fire on command. These guys remind me of
bands like Candy Snatchers or a more stripped down Glucifer. With songs like
“So Much Hate”, “Man’s Thunder”, and “Leather On Leather”, it’s best if you
don’t understand to just stay out of the way.
– JC
Slovenians – Al Dente LP (Pogo)
Pretty
cool debut LP from these Belgians who play quick, hard pounding punk similar to
Suffer era Bad Religion or other
Epitaph bands from the mid 1990’s like Offspring or Pennywise. The singer has a
voice that’s kind of on the deeper side, sometimes sounding like Glen Danzig or
Interpol’s Paul Banks. The drums on this
record can seriously turn boulders into powder. The bass and guitars sear the
air around them doing a good job of staying out of the way, yet causing a
substantial amount of damage on their own.
Standout track: a tune titled “I’m Not Batman”. And no, I don’t like it
just because it mentions Batman, it is a pretty cool tune none the less. –
JC
Mark Sultan – Let Me Out LP (Modern Sky/Dirty Water/Burger)
Mark
Sultan (AKA BBQ) from the famed King Khan & BBQ Show once again displays
his song writing talents on this, his 6th LP. The songs on this
record are pretty cool, straight forward organ driven, tambourine on the hip sassy
smacking 1960’s rock. It reminds me of bands like The Seeds or Question Mark
and the Mysterians, more the latter than the former. This collection of tunes
collected here are a lot more polished up than the rawer, gritty garage stuff
from his stellar debut The Sultanic
Verses (2007) which was mastered by Jay Reatard. Still a good record though, don’t get me
wrong. – JC
Vegas with Randolph – Legs and Luggage LP (Caged Giant)
I
remember reviewing a VWR’s 2013 LP Rings
Around The Sun years ago and being really surprised that a band this good
could exist without more people knowing about them! This Washington D.C. band
plays contemporary lovelorn power pop with a punk-y twist that reminds me of
groups like The Parasites mixed with Dramarama. This is the bands fourth LP and
they just seem to get better with age. Stand out track for me is the 4th
song in titled “You Could Say Yes.” Just the title alone pretty much embodies
what Vegas with Randolph is all about. The next song called “Three Red Hooks” is
really cool too, this one radiating a Mathew Sweet vibe. – JC
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