Chain Letters – Bad Reflection b/w Boulevard Girls 7” (Pogo Time Records)
Superior power-pop
punk by former front lady of Young People With Faces; the band also featured a
No Tomorrow Boy as well, if I’m not mistaken. Chain Letters have warm female
vocals laid gently like a soft blanket a top of melodic buzz saw guitars. Chain
Letters drum up some super fantastic Ramones-y sing-a-long songs about love and
longing. Is there a greater subject to sing Rock N’ Roll songs about? - Jay Castro
Chain Letters
exists in two cities Los Angeles and Toronto. So I’m guessing the time
travelling between the two cities is giving the band time to write catchy hooky
songs. Chain Letters features a very cool mix of Avengers, Zeros, and Ramones
style bubblegum punk pop that never goes out of style. The band features ex-members
of Young People With Faces and Tyranna
and is a band to definitely keep your eyes and ears on.
– Ed Stuart
Ballantynes - Liquor Store Gun Store Pawn Shop Church EP (La-Ti-Da Records)
As you know by
now, Canada is full of some of the best power-pop bands right now ranging from
Sonic Avenues to Needles//Pins, but if the Ballantynes have their way, Canada
will be spearheading the new Northern, geographically as well as musically,
Soul wave. When it comes down to it, I probably should be wearing a sharp, slim
Merc suit just reviewing Liquor Store Gun
Club Pawn Shop Church. Ballantynes have both sides of the Northern
Soul/Motown sound equation down. One part is the classic mid-to-up-tempo swing
with choppy guitar rhythm that had those late ‘60’s kids dancing on a song like
“No Love.” The other part is the slower soulful sound fueled by organ and
packed with emotional resonance like “Night Gospel” and “Black Magic.” Liquor Store is a gem of an EP and
required listening for fans of this genre. - Ed Stuart
Finally we have
more than a two song 7” by the fabulous Ballantynes! What you get here are six
magnificent songs of rowdy yet smooth, heartfelt mod/soul music to delight your
spirits. When I say smooth, I mean Motown heyday Smokey Robinson smooth! The
Ballantynes make you want to sit up straight, put on a vintage suit and soak it
with sweat from dancing in it all night long. I don’t dance mind you, but this
band have come the closest anyone ever has to make me want to. - Jay Castro
This is the
third LP from Ontario’s loud, feral 1960’s style garage punk band Strange Attractor. It’s reminiscent of that era’s more energetic
acts like The Sonics or the Monks with some contemporary influence like
Seattle’s Makers and even some Lost Sounds thrown in there to make things even
more on edge. At times it also reminds me of Shane MacGowan’s Nips/Nipple
Erectors or even Billy Childish at his most manic. Guitar is loud, drums set to
garbage lid bashing tone, and vocals are at shrill level. I like this record
more and more every time I hear it!
- Jay Castro
Strange
Attractor is equal parts Angry Samoans and Wire’s Pink Flag era with the, one take is all we need to record our songs
in the studio, spirit of The Fall. Sparse guitars, minimal riffs with short
sharp song lengths, none clocking in over two minutes. Back To The Cruel World is wholly reminiscent of when punk was
stripped down to its core, songs over with over four chords were tossed and
attitude meant everything. – Ed Stuart
The Black Cheers – The Cat, The Bat, The Rat, The Dog LP (Self Released)
The Black Cheers
are the type of band that isn’t afraid to add the rock part of punk rock into
their sound equation. Think New Bomb Turks, Humpers, Devil Dogs, Dillinger Four
and even hints of early Rocket From The Crypt. Ironically, Black Cheers have a
song called “1998” on The Cat, The Rat,
The Bat, The Dog, which seems to be the era that influenced their sound.
This is no frills punk from guys who believe in punk rock in equal measure and
mixture. – Ed Stuart
So you know that
feeling you get when you hear the first 5 seconds of a record and you know it’s
going to knock you off your easy chair? That’s what I got when I heard Boston’s
Black Cheers. It sounds like a mixture of 1990’s Chicago pop punk heroes The
Vindictives and Vancouver’s Black Haloes. They’ve got a brilliant mix of
melodic pop punk guts fused with a gritty back alley temper. The singer sounds
like he gargles Kerosene with bits of glass in it as a morning ritual! Great
record! - Jay Castro
Headspins – Spinster LP (Self Released)
From the windy
city came this wonderful LP that blew the doors off of the Audio Ammunition
stronghold. Superb ear pleasing power-pop with punk jabs peppered throughout. The
music has hints of The Muffs and The Fastbacks. Their Facebook page says they formed in 2005 but this is
their debut record. I surely hope
there are more tunes lying in wait out there ready for us to ferociously gobble
up! - Jay Castro
Headspins band
description describes them as “70's
punk rock tunes laced with Ace Frehley style lead guitar[,]” which really isn’t a bad description
except that I hear more late 80’s-90’s punk influence than ‘70’s. Spinister is a mix of Muffs, Toy Dolls,
early to mid period Lookout bands like Screeching Weasel, The Queers and Mr. T
Experience, specifically come to mind. If this is your scene, this is your
band. – Ed Stuart
Voice of Addiction - Modern Day Meltdown EP (Self Released)
If Voice of
Addiction were around twenty years ago, they most likely would have had a deal
with Epitaph or Fat Wreck Chords, but that doesn’t stop them from incorporating
that era into their sound. Modern Day
Meltdown is the fifth release from this Chicago trio. The title track “Modern Day Meltdown” sounds like a lost Bad
Religion track with pieces of Rise Against thrown in for good measure. Voice of
Addiction is a politically minded punk/melodic hardcore from the Bad
Religion/Rise Against/Pennywise camp that is filled with lyrical angst and
frustration. For fans of the aforementioned bands, Modern Day Meltdown won’t disappoint. – Ed Stuart
This Chicago three
piece delivers melodic brawny rock punk with thick guitars, dueling lead vocals
and lots of oohs and aahs in the background. Anyone that reads my reviews knows
I am not a fan of bands that force feed their political agendas down people’s
throats. VOA however is not entirely like one of those groups. The lyrics do have a socially cognizant
theme, but the songs on this 7” talk about staying young at heart and finding
the strength to survive the daily grind. These are timeless subject matters
that anyone with a pulse can relate to. - Jay Castro
Vegas With Randolph – Rings Around The Sun LP (Caged Giant
Records)
From Washington,
DC comes the third record by Vegas With Randolph and it’s a power-pop
paradise. It's so pressure packed
with tremendously catchy melodies and amusing lyrics that I found myself
immediately replaying this record as soon as it was over. I hear ‘90's power
pop influences like Material Issue and Jellyfish as well as The Knack and The
Beat, which gives some of the songs a more Rock N’ Roll kick to them. Audio
Ammunition didn’t do a year’s best records list for 2013, but if I did, this
record would have easily been one of the top! - Jay Castro
Rising Around The Sun is the third LP from the ever-prolific
Vegas With Randolph. On Rising, Vegas
With Randolph writes an LP of power-pop songs, but not of the 1977-1981
variety, but of the ‘90’s variety. Rising
Around the Sun is an ode to bands like Matthew Sweet, Guided By Voices and
Fountains of Wayne even New Pornographers. Bands that wrote pop songs filled
with hooks and a clean production sound that leans more towards the slick than
the raw. – Ed Stuart
Adam Widener – Vesuvio Nights LP (Speakertree Records)
Ex-Bare Wires
bass player, Adam Widener has released a hidden gem with Vesuvio Nights. Widener much like Rikk Agnew before him has
recorded this LP all by himself, but that is where the similarities between the
two end. On Vesuvio Nights, Widener
has crafted an LP full of ’79-’80 era power-pop with hints of Merseybeat/Mod
revival and garage sprinkled throughout. A refreshing mixture of bands like
Paul Collins Beat, The Toms, The Modernettes, Circles and others from the This Is Mod compilations. Widener’s
debut is the kind of stepping stone that might get him the same attention level
as another ex-Bare Wires member who went on to form Warm Soda. – Ed Stuart
This debut album
from the San Francisco singer/songwriter gives us a glimpse of what Wavves or
The Jacuzzi Boys would be like if they listened to late ‘70’s British mod
revival bands. Adam Widener musically captures the similar sounds of fellow Bay
Area psychedelic garage rockers Thee Oh Sees and Ty Segall with the song
structures and melodies of Paul Weller tacked on. Pretty good stuff I must say.
After all, what bands wouldn’t benefit by sprinkling some second wave maximum
rhythm and blues in their tunes! - Jay Castro
Big Itch Club Compilation 7” (Bachelor Records)
A marvelous
compilation put together by Austrian record label Bachelor records! According to the press release it was
put together to celebrate a music club in Dublin Ireland that gets together and
listens to records and sees live bands. It starts off with 2 gems by The # 1’s,
a melodic ruckus of mod Rock N’ Roll bliss. Next up is September Girls doing
fun, catchy ‘60’s jangly garage pop. Bringing it all home is the Faux Kings
presenting to us a rollicking hillbilly stomp-o-rama called “Luchadora,” which
sounds a lot like The Ramones “Ramona,” but
highly entertaining none the less. If this is an example of what those Irish
cats get together and listen to, how do I go about starting an AZ chapter of a
Big Itch Club! - Jay Castro
The idea behind
the Big Itch Club Compilation single is to celebrate The Big Itch Club bar in
Ireland and some of the bands that play there. Three different bands, The #1’s,
September Girls, and Faux Kings, give us a total of four songs to listen to.
First off are The #1’s, who get the entire A-side of this compilation and I can
see why on the strength of their song “16.” “16” is a spot on ode that could
have a rightful place on the late ‘70’s Good Vibrations compilation and had
them open up for The Undertones or Rudi. “Tell Me Why” is a slower punk-pop
equally influenced by The Boys and The Undertones. Second band on this Compilation is September Girls. Their
song “Gay Bar” starts off with a Go-Go’s style intro before it launches into a
fun garage-pop that sounds like early B-52’s. Last are Faux Kings with
“Luchadora” which is equal parts surf, rockabilly and ‘50’s Rock N’ Roll soaked
in treble and reverb. Overall, Big Itch Club has done what every compilation
aspires to which is for it’s listeners to go out and search for other material
by each band that is a part of it. – Ed Stuart
Teledrome – Teledrome (FDH/Mammoth
Cave Recording Co./P. Trash Records)
It would be easy
to write off Teledrome as a mid-80’s
throwback band and give them no further attention, but then you would be
missing out on one surprise of an LP. Yes, Teledrome at its core are synth-pop,
but the path they choose is that of Ultravox, Joy Division, The Normal and
Tubeway Army. Teledrome has learned
the lessons of those bands too. Teledrome
is full of catchy pop hooks without losing its dark rhythm and otherworld
atmosphere and charm. If you liked songs like “Cars” and “Warm Leatherette,”
then Teledrome should be given a listen. – Ed Stuart
WOW, what a great
record from start to finish! Synth-pop, new wave sounds with New Romantic
melodies thrown in there. Some of their older releases have a rawer production;
this LP here is a bit more produced, which is totally fine. Both sounds suit
the band quite well, which is pretty unusual. The band does have some punkier
sounding numbers found in the middle of the disc like the songs “Antenna” and “Blood Dips.” If you love bands like Echo and The Bunnymen, Human League or even
Duran Duran, then this record is going to put a big smile on your face for
sure, it did to me! - Jay Castro
Mad Doctors - Fuzz Tonic EP (Self Released)
This Brooklyn,
NY trio set free rowdy and thick, lo-fi Rock N’ Roll. Judging by the album
cover and their Facebook profile, these guys don’t take themselves too
seriously. However with songs
slathered in this much swagger and downright charisma, it’s hard for a listener
not to. Some of the songs lean into a swampy blues sound and also into sludgy psychedelic,
but wherever these guys may roam they never falter from their Rock N’ Roll
roots and the good times are sure to follow! - Jay Castro
If
you want fuzz, you got it. The Mad Doctors a garage, punk, surf, psych, and
fuzz machine complete with reverb guitar, effected vocals, and interspersed
audio clips. Fuzz Tonic provides a
good introduction into what The Mad Doctors are all about. Mad Doctors combine
all those aforementioned genres, but with the production of a late ‘90’s budget
rock band, think Rip Off Records. If you crave this kind of music, The Mad
Doctors definitely have the cure. – Ed Stuart
The Cry –Dangerous Game LP (Top Shelf Records/Taken
by Surprise Records)
On the first day
of the year, Lord Rutledge, of Faster Louder fame, proclaimed Dangerous Game to the album of the year
and he is definitely on to something. Now, I’m not making that kind of bold
prediction, but I’m pretty sure this will end up on quite a few “Best of” LP
lists at the end of the year. The Cry!, on Dangerous
Game, have solidified their claim as The Exploding Hearts heir apparent.
They effortlessly mix The Boys, Sweet, Slade, Cheap Trick, glam, glitter, and
power-pop with enough hooks that they probably have a hook stockpile that they
could loan some out to other bands. Their recent Banana Stand performance only
proves that live, The CRY! are just as entertaining as live as they are on wax.
My only wonder is why a bigger label hasn’t jumped all over this band yet,
looking at you Dirtnap. – Ed Stuart
These Portland,
Oregon lads seem to be everywhere right now. This is the band’s second LP and
these young guys really know how to hit the PR trail for themselves. The band
plays a version of infectious glam, glitter, Rock N’ Roll that typically has a
sleazy, shady undertone to it; see Biters. However these four guys play like a
Bay City Rollers version of it. Which is not a bad thing by any means; it lends
their music a wonderful and unique quality. Sleaze you can fake, a true and
honest heart is an impossibility to counterfeit.
- Jay Castro
The Rebel Set – How To Make A Monster LP (Silver Hornet/Burger Records)
The Rebel Set
unleashes their second LP on us and it’s everything I was hoping it would
be. Much like their last LP Poison Arrow, it’s a tapestry woven with
swirling surf guitar and lo-fi frenzy set in the background of a 1950’s noir
crime movie. The music has an
element of fun and danger, but manages not to get cartoon-y. Lesser folk would
drop the ball juggling so much into a Rock N’ Roll band, but Joe Zimmerman and
his band sound like they’re quite comfortable surrounded by the bedlam. - Jay Castro
The Rebel Set is
a hot commodity right now. How To Make A
Monster! is one of Burger’s new releases, which, if previous releases are
any indication, Burger’s Twitter army will be all over this release and with
good reason. Rebel Set takes their surf, garage sound to the party, adds a
full-time keyboard player for this LP and the result is something special. On How To, the guitar and keys don’t compete
for the main stage, but work in a musical call and response while the bass and
drums keep it simple and moving. The guitar player always had a knack for
channeling both Dick Dale and Link Wray reverb soaked riffs without being a
knockoff. How To Make A Monster!
could be the game changer for Rebel Set creating a lo-fi, surf, dark wave sound
that is both memorable and catchy at the same time. – Ed Stuart
Scorpion Vs Tarantula – Claim To Fame LP (Self Released)
On their third
full length, SVT continue their path of destruction all around the Phoenix metropolitan
area, stomping on all of us puny humans like the Hulk on a rampage. They distribute
their brand of bold Rock N’ Roll loud and fast: like a cannonball shot to the
chest. Monster guitar hooks are still plentiful, drums and bass still set at
thunder clap levels and the vocals are once again violently spewed all over
your face. Raging Rock N’ Roll that will surely crack earth beneath the feet of
where ever you happen to be listening to it!
- Jay Castro
What if Joan
Jett fronted the Dead Boys? If you have ever wondered the answer to that
question, Scorpion vs Tarantula just might be answer. Claim To Fame, the third LP by SvT, is full of raw Rock N’ Roll
energy, which is combination of the first two Dead Boys LP’s with some Bon
Scott-era AC/DC thrown in for good measure. This band is the brainchild of
ex-Chinese Millionaires guitar player and the singer, who looks like a Mad Max
extra on stage, but together they lead the charge for this Rock N’ Roll foursome
that clearly goes for the throat. – Ed Stuart
Toy Guitar – S/T EP (Adeline Records)
Toy Guitar is
Jack from One Man Army and Dead To Me new band and this might be his best one
yet. Yes, you read that right One Man Army fans. Toy Guitar is a stunning mix of Ramones, The Boys, Rezillos and
Buzzcocks punk-pop with guitar and vocal melodies lifted from ’79 power-pop
bands to seal the deal. Jack has left behind the street punk leanings of One
Man Army and went straight for the catchy simplicity of ’77 Saints style punk
and added pop, which makes this, albeit hyped, a very well done debut. – Ed
Stuart
I first heard of
this band when Johnny “Peebucks” Bonnel mentioned them as one of the current
bands that inspire him. So when I looked them up, I expected good, but not
colossally brilliant! Jack Dalrymple of One Man Army recruits some Bay Area
buddies and shoots out some of the catchiest punk rock I’ve heard in a long
time. It’s hard to pinpoint direct influences, but there are hints of late ‘70’s
punk bluster, ‘60’s garage stomp fun, and power-pop energy. This would be right
at home on Dirtnap Records. - Jay Castro
The Monsters - Nightmare 7” (Bachelor Archives/Bachelor Records)
This record
contains some campy fun Monster Mash style
ookie spooky tune-age ready to coax the Bat-tootsy out of your next Halloween
party guests. The Monsters were a boisterous garage, trash, rock-a billy band
from Bern, Switzerland and this record originally came out in 1988. Bachelor
has reissued it to a 300-copy run. So if you’re a fan of 1960’s retro/vintage
style Rock N’ Roll with an injection of The Cramps thrown in, you better act
fast! - Jay Castro
From the
Bachelor Archives comes this re-issue of The Monsters first single Nightmare. The Monsters originated from
Sweden in 1986 and originally released this single in 1988. The Monsters
are/were a garage/trash punk band who sound is born from the sounds of early
Stray Cats, Cramps, rockabilly, swamp, and those underground ‘50’s and ‘60’s
Rock N’ Roll/early punk compilations like Back
From the Grave. This single is full of ‘50’s raw guitar treble and twang
that could appeal to fans of No Tomorrow Boys. It’s a shame these guys weren’t
around five years earlier to possibly open up for Stray Cats when they toured
Europe. Nightmare is a solid debut
from a band that could have possibly been forgotten, but has the chance to be
re-discovered again. – Ed Stuart
The Bloodtypes – Johnny 7” (Bomb Pop Records)
After reading
The Bloodtypes bio, I learned the band has two missions. First, to keep new
wave alive in a city, Portland, probably more known for it’s bearded indie
scene than it’s wonderful punk/power-pop/new wave scene. Second, to save
everyone “single-handedly, one new-wave-garage punk song at a time.” While, I can’t monitor the progress
against the bearded folk, I would say The Bloodtypes have a good start on the
second goal. On first listen, this reminded me of the Epoxies and it would make
sense because one of the Epoxies ex-members is in the band. Imagine Kim Wilde
singing with members of Rezillos and Devo as her backing band. – Ed Stuart
There is such an
appealing quality about this band that grabs you upon first listen to their
record. I will attempt to explain. Female singer Schnek Tourniquet has a
sparkling charisma to her new wave style vocals, fun yet urgent, the guitars
are turned up loud and peppered with fuzz tone, and all the while the rhythm
section booms away in the back.
Think The Go Go’s, blended with The Pretenders and cut with The
Avengers.
- Jay Castro
Makeouts - Back to Sleep LP (Bachelor Records)
This is the 2nd
LP from this Stockholm band on Bachelor Records. This is high-quality Rock N’ Roll
wax that sounds like it was recorded by a bunch of fun drunken rogues! It
ranges from hard quick tempo beasts to slower, a tad more introspective numbers
and a lot of times the songs fall in between even that. Apparently they’ve
played in Europe with a virtual who’s who of American garage acts like No Bunny
and The Dirtbombs. Hope they make it over to the States soon where I’m sure
they will be welcomed with open arms. - Jay Castro
The
self-described “worst band ever,” has just made one hell of a garage-pop
record. Back To Sleep, nominated for
best rock LP in Sweden, might be on to something, a hodge-podge mish-mash of
several influences to make one LP. This idea is nothing new, but Makeouts are
able to pull it off effortlessly on Back
To Sleep. Songs like “Bringin Out The Stars” is unabashed power-pop
smothered in lo-fi garage pop production. Makeouts mix of ’77 punk, new wave,
lo-fi, garage and power-pop begs the question how can an LP this good be made
by the “worst band ever?” – Ed Stuart
The Ladykillers - Introducing The Ladykillers LP (No Front Teeth Records)
Ladykillers were
originally a 4-piece rockabilly influenced band who had opened up for the likes
Jim Jones Revue and others, but Introducing
The Ladykillers has the band moving towards early Hives territory which
sound good to me. Frankly, I missed the early Hives and I’m glad someone has
decided to take up the mantle of simple catchy, lo-fi, garage Rock N’ Roll.
This release is a re-issue, but NFT has released it in 7 inch packaging for a
twist. If this full-length, originally released in 2012, has your interest
piqued, the band has since released three singles of the same caliber.
No Front Teeth Records
have such a great reputation of putting out brilliant punk records. A label that I will just blindly buy
whatever they put out. This record easily falls in with that luminous
reputation. This punk rock fire-breathing beast comes at us out of London, and
it sounds like it’s from Cleveland, OH. There is a certain sound that defines
Midwest punk and this record is slathered in it. Tough, bold and melodic: much
like their forefathers The Pagans or Dead Boys/Rocket from the Tombs. - Jay Castro
Plain Dealers – Terminal Darkness 7” (No Front Teeth Records)
This record
nearly melted my speakers into mere puddles of smoldering plastic! Ferocious late ‘70’s style Killed By
Death type roaring punkers. Plain Dealers lie a bit more on the melodic side of
peripheral punk bands of the late ‘70’s like the criminally underrated German
punk band PVC mixed with the nasty temperament of say The Jerks or The Rotters.
Great tunes, but beware: stuff will get stolen or broken when this record gets
played, and yes somehow this happens even when you're listening by
yourself!
- Jay Castro
Plain Dealers
are pure Cleveland and punk Rock N’ Roll. They are the kind of band that
believes in the power of it; it’s not a passing fad. On their song “Terminal
Darkness,” they have fused the high energy of the Pagans with the Rock N’ Roll
grit of the Dead Boys to create one white-hot song. The B-side, the more
melodic “Die With Me” is a gritty melodic tune that holds its own against anything
the Dead Boys, Stiv Bators or Thunders ever wrote. Dagger, who used to be the
singer for Teenage Knockouts, or TKO’s, along with the rest of The Plain
Dealers are in top form on this single. – Ed Stuart
Brandy Row/Brandy Row & Truebadours -
Split 7” (No Front Teeth)
Right out at the
bell comes the new Brandy Row song The
Drifter swingin’ at you like an old Johnny Thunders tune or even a Jessie
Malin style acoustic jam with that suave vagabond sheik feel. On the B side we got The Truebadours,
an all star gaggle of Brit punks from The Gaggers, Rick C Quartet and a few
other bands in the NFT roster.
This song is called Dirty Street
and it’s a more up tempo Pogues influenced jangly number. It has a similar vibe as the wise,
philosophizing barroom patron with the dark, traveling carnival worker
mystique. Perfect songs for the weary
rock n roller that just wants something to wind down. - Jay Castro
In a way, this
really is tale of two different sides with one common denominator, Brandy Row.
On one side, Brandy Row, of Gaggers fame, is performing under his own name,
while on the other side; he has a backing band alongside him. If you might be
thinking this single will sound like any band you have heard Row play in,
Gaggers, Seminals, and The Hateful, you will be dead wrong. This is a whole
other side of him. “The Drifter” is a reminiscent of Thunders solo stuff, while
“Dirty Street” takes heavy Pogues influenced and mixes an early Dexy’s Midnight
Runners for good measure. Personally, I like the “Dirty Street” side better and
think Row should do a full time band with The Truebadours, which I believe is a
collection of his London/NFT buddies. The ramshackle new coming of The Pogues
is so catchy and has so much energy, I think Row and gang can pull it off. – Ed
Stuart
Miscalculations - Asbestos City 7” (No Front Teeth)
Asbsetos City is a great example of the A-side of a
single being so good, I almost didn’t care what the B-Side sounded like. In
some ways, this could have been a one-side single and I would have been fine.
“Asbestos City” is a Devo meets Epoxies meets Tubeway Army meets The Normal
winner. Don’t get wrong “Live With Myself” is a cool song too, but is more a
straight ahead ’77 punk than the keyboard infused “Asbsetos City.”
Miscalculations are Terminal Gagger and Shaun from The Ladykillers new band,
which already has a new split single and LP in the can. This is only the
beginning and so far, so good – Ed Stuart
Miscalculations
capture the electro punk angular desperation of late 1970’s San Francisco bands
like The Units and Screamers rather terrifically. These London inhabitants however add some of their own lo-fi
agitation into the mix. This
record sounds like something that was recorded after the bombs all dropped,
half the world is dead or dying, and some anxious youths found a 4track
recording device beneath a pile of smoldering rubble and begin to do their
thing. Start fortifying your
vehicles and grabbing whatever provisions you can carry, this record will
validate your post apocalyptic angst! - Jay Castro
Instigation - No Way Out 7” (Self
Released)
The energy
starts burning out of this record the very moment your measly listening device
registers what you’re trying to cram through its scrawny copper wires. Blazing fast and shouted in your face
punk rock with a capitol P! I hear
elements of British Oi! & Street Punk like Abrasive Wheels and Varukers
mixed with the speed and primal ferocity of early 80’s American Hardcore. Songs about desperation, anarchy and a
Reagan Youth cover (Degenerated), all of this under 7 minutes. This record will make you take your
shirt off and start slamming into whatever passerby happens to be in your
vicinity!
- Jay Castro
Instigation is Japanese
punk/hardcore that are in the same ballpark as Regulations, Henry Fiat’s Open
Sore and Reagan Youth, which makes since Instigation covers “Degenerated.” No Way Out is no nonsense ‘80’s
punk/hardcore full of frustration and fury. No
Way Out is the band’s second release and the recipe is still the same as it
was on the first single, high energy sonic blasts that frequently don’t pass
the ninety-minute mark. – Ed Stuart
Dot Dash - Half Remembered Dream LP (The Beautiful Music)
This Washington,
DC quartet exist in a time capsule where ‘80’s melodic post-punk never ended.
Dot Dash, comprising of members from Youth Brigade, Julie Ocean and Saturday
People, are from the school of Echo and The Bunnymen, Jesus and Mary Chain,
Psychedelic Furs and the soundtracks of John Hughes movies. Half-Remembered Dream is the third LP in
two years from this ever-prolific band. In the ‘80’s, Dot Dash would be a
contender for radio staple, but now they are just living in a post-punk pocket
where the melody hooks never end. – Ed Stuart
With their third
album, Washington DC’s Dot Dash graciously offers us a set of beautifully
constructed 1980’s post punk style dark and delicate songs. This band consists of former Youth
Brigade and Saturday People folks.
For those of you that remember DC’s Saturday’s People: Dot Dash’s formula doesn’t stray too
far from that. DD throw in some
Psychedelic Furs and Darklands era
Jesus and Mary Chain for a highly enjoyable collection of songs radiating
melody and melancholy. - Jay
Castro
Average Times – S/T LP (Hosehead)
Well look who
comes waltzing into the room thinking they own the place?! These lads boldly parade on in with a
dazzling debut LP. Monumentally
catchy and loud punk rock bursts in the tradition of The Briefs with some
Descendents bratty-ness thrown in for even more entertainment. The song I Hate Tomato Juice and I Hate You
pretty much sums it all up! It’s
so rare that a band can come out with a tremendous debut record that exudes
both confidence and well crafted songs.
It sounds like Average Times know exactly what they want and have the
capacity to achieve it. - Jay
Castro
Recently, aux.tv
wrote an article 17 Canadian garage punk and power pop bands you
should listen to, which
featured Average Times and after listening to their debut LP, I can see why. Average Times picks up were Jay Reatard
and The Oblivians left off. Keeping the aforementioned bands tradition of
mixing blues, garage, raw distortion and spreading it over a simple pop song
hidden underneath. Average Times are not content to stop there as they take on
Ramones/’77 punk-pop inspiration with a sing-a-long party feel much like Mean
Jeans do too. Is there no part of Canada that isn’t red hot with punk and
power-pop bands right now? Not sure, at this point, but Ottawa is covered with
Average Times. – Ed Stuart
The Elsinores – Dreams of Youth (Dead Tank)
Dreams of Youth definitely has a wide range of
influences from Husker Du to Echo and The Bunnymen to Joy Division to Dinosaur
Jr. to mid-period Dischord bands. The Elsinores have culled those influences,
picked and chose what they wanted to make a sound that has is uniquely melodic
and dark. Imagine the late ‘80’s/90’s alternative bands that used to populate
shows like 120 Minutes. – Ed Stuart
Out of Lexington
KY comes to us yet another release by brooding rock quartet The
Elsionores. A lot of the band’s
other media reviews compare them to a pop punk sound. Although the band’s songs are definitely rooted in punk and
post punk, I hear a lot of early 1990’s Sub Pop influence in here. I detect hints of bands like Seaweed
and Afghan Whigs woven through this record’s cavernous and slightly washed out
production. Whatever their
influences may be, they create some solid songs and package them together for a
consistently enjoyable record through and through. - Jay Castro
Jesus Sons – Jesus Sons – (Mock Records)
Listening to
this record makes me want to sit in a dimly lit, smoke filled bar with wood
floors in the middle of nowhere Texas. Always keeping one eye peeled out the
window for the local sheriff and keeping one hand on that six-shooter. Just in
case any of the local patrons make you and decide to be do-gooders. That’s the
kind of atmosphere this music conjures up. This album is a rollicking, dark and
ominous country/ blues bonanza of greatness. It’s dark but not depressing with
an ever so slight hint of psychedelia thrown in some songs. Imagine if Roky
Erickson, Johnny Cash and Greg Allman had been band mates, this might get you a
tad closer to Jesus Sons sound. Here’s hoping that “Johnny Law” never catches
up to Jesus Sons! – Jay Castro
Jesus Sons look
like they time warped to the present from 1969. For all I know, they could have
been at Altamont judging by the band’s look and sound. Jesus Sons is a late
‘60’s Rock N’ Roll cocktail with blues and garage as a chaser. Jesus Sons is
already on a few “bands to watch” lists so the future seems to be looking
bright for a band that has one foot firmly rooted in the past. – Ed Stuart
