| SNOTTINESS... Punk Rock Classic - World Contender - Worth A Listen - Average - Plastic - No Future |
| THE POSERS 'The Posers' (oinkO!10) 1999 CD 'I was really looking forward to this record after the brilliant 'Kill The Ravers' EP back in '98 but The Posers from Ontario, Canada seem to have gotten a bit slack and laid-back on this one. Their early snot and anger has taken a back seat to a more drunk punk kinda style which ain't half as rabid as their previous. Even the songs are pretty tame in comparison with only 'Town Drunks' being one particular highlight of the set, with it's antisocial attitude and those great slowed down vocals of "I said gimme the goddamn beer!" at the very end. You also get that raw, dirty riffing here and there, but it's broken up by that irritating stop-start hardcore style that spoils the meaty riffs no end. Particularly on the other standout track 'Better Off Dead'. Maybe it's coz there were a few lineup changes during the recording of this debut album? Coz they go through two guitarists! But even Rayney Forsters vocals get lazier as the album progresses and have totally lost that Keith Morris circa Black Flag snarl he had earlier! The Posers actually sound like fucking poseurs on this album and they even attempt a bit of back to basics Oi! on 'Threat'. Which no doubt pleases the boots 'n' braces brigade but it leaves us punks bored shit- less. They also slaughter Blitz's 'Someone's Gonna Die Tonight' which pales into insignificance alongside the original. Especially those vocals supplied by guitarist Luthor Heron (stick to the guitar mate!) They even attempt some thrash on 'Slumlord'. Talk about differing styles, sometimes a band is better sticking to what it does best! They do add a bit of comedy on the end with an acoustic 'Dragons', that was funny in a Monty Python kinda way. Also the fabulous long-running cover artwork was still intact, with more great cartoon mayhem. But little details like that couldn't save this album from being a major disappointment ...how the mighty have fallen! AVERAGE Available for $15.00 (worldwide) from Oink! Records, PO. Box 27813, Washington D.C., 20038-78, USA. Latest update the Poseurs have split and Rainy was last heard of drumming for the Clusterfux. |
| ICONS OF FILTH 'Show Us You Care' (BBP Records) 45 1999 I was pretty disappointed with this 6 tracker, taken from a live gig back in their heyday in the dark distant realm of 1984! Icons Of Filth (great name) were one of those Anarcho bands who made a name for themselves by nearly always being one of the opening bands for Conflict or some other bigger profiled protest band. But this EP was a real let down with it's typically trashy production and painfully tinny sound! A sound that was pretty rough! For a release back in '84 this would never have seen the light of day. But now it seems record labels will put out anything by a band who were always 3rd rate down on the bill. And we kid ourselves that some 16 years later, it's all gonna sound better than it ever really was! Gumby vocals are supplied by yet another Steve Ignorant clone. And are attached to yet more songs about nuclear destruction, religion, decay and the usual hell and damnation quotas we suffered all those years ago. It does come in a great package with fold out lyrics and artwork, which BBP Records should be proud of, but bending over backwards to get this really 3rd rate sound out is a disgrace to the fans and bands around today who could really knock out something good. I think their judgement and taste has seriously gone out the window on this release NO FUTURE BBP Records Box 81, 82 Coulston Street, Bristol, BS1 5BB, UK. |
| RED ALERT 'The Rarities' (ahoycd107) CD 1999 Finally getting back round to my big 2 year old CD review pile. I had to leave off from these when I moved sites 3 months ago. It's took me that long to review the Captain Oi! releases alone. So the label deemed me lazy enough to cut me off their list ha! Well first out the trap is this 'Rarities' album which is the only Red Alert album I own. They come from Sunny Sunderland in the UK and are one helluva hard band to understand lyrically? Lead vocalist Cast Iron Smith ain't exactly elocution in vogue but they produced a really lively early noise. So I was looking forward to this 22 track demo set. A demo might be a rough vision of any band, but demos are real. There ain't no studio trickery so it's Red Alert laid bare. Gotta admit Red Alert demos 1981-1982 are the songs that stand out for me. 'We Got The Power' and the rowdy 'Its The Boys' are great slabs of youthful Rejects/Clash sounding punk. But this was short-lived I'm afraid and the band went downhill pretty fast after track 5. It's surprising what 2 years in a bands shelf life can produce. From that rough 'n' ready spirited honest style they turn into a cheapskate, third rate version of Give Em Enough Rope era Clash. Although they still created some good songs like 'One Mans Resistance', 'Dreams From The Ghetto'. And their structures were a lot more creative like on the skanking '24 Hours In London' it just didn't do it for me. Their main culprit seemed to be guitar hero Tony Van Frater. When he started introducing acoustic guitar it went plastic. Their version of 'White Man In Hammersmith Palais' was a good cover though. By 1990 the band had split for two years but reformed and come out with 3 demos which were even more jangly and as far away from their Sunderland bunker punk roots as you could get. Red Alert admit in the sleeve notes that 'The Light Has Gone' has never been heard before and I can see why... more jangling boredom. There's something about Geordies that when they get all serious and sentimental they sound like cunts ha! Upstarts et all went through it so it looks like it's Red Alerts period. Jump to 1992 and Red Alert finally shake off their pretentious bender and knock out 'Across The Lake' which shows guts and don't sound like they're acting or entering MOR rock territory only just. The next demos come from their 'Blood, Sweat & Beer' album which weren't thankfully used and they admit they were the worst experiences in a studio ha! Although 'Still Burning' was rough as fuck it was a great song. And more like what you'd expect from em at this stage in their career. Mr Van Frater actually produces some long sought after power chords. Fair play to em for including 'The Face Of My Shadow' which has gotta be Red Alerts most out of depth track on the album. It had to be rescued by some female session singer who was paid to take Mr Smith to the cleaners, and you can see why. They do end on a high with a blinding cover of Shams 'If the Kids Are United' and 'England' by the Upstarts which must've been pretty embarrassing even for Cast Iron Smith. AVERAGE Captain Oi! Records |
| P.A.I.N. featuring Howard Marks 'Lets Grow More Weed' (musicmedia) CD/45 1999 This is a funny release as it's aimed at a mass popular market and Top Of The Pops!!!!, but who are they really kidding? This just ain't catchy enough for a crossover audience let alone a punk one. Using some hippy writer from Loaded mag sure ain't the best way to put over the delights of Cannabis. If anything this will make the kids think... "fucking hell is that what we'll end up like after years of draw!" No thanks! Everyone knows dope blurs yours energy and this kinda dub folky track blurred mine. I dunno about P.A.I.N. getting involved with this joker Howard Marks, I thought they had more suss! It sure don't help their more angry sounding niche. They are eventually let loose from the ''ippy trail on the final two better tracks coz it's what they do best...protest!!! In fact they'd have more chance of radio play with their own songs, at least they ain't contrived. 'P.A.I.N' is the bands anthem and 'Road Rage' paints a vivid picture of going for a nice Sunday drive tooled up to the eyeballs!!! One thing that did let the 2 punk tracks down, was the predictable use of a saxophone!!! Why do punk bands only let the sax blurt out at specified moments in the song? They could sure take a leaf from X-Ray Spex or Neon Hearts to realise the full use a sax in a punk sound can ignite. Comes with a lyric sleeve and a pontificating picture of the Hippy in question! Title track NO FUTURE the rest AVERAGE P.A.I.N. |
| CONCRETE SOX 99 'The New EP' (Data008) 45 1999 Derby's other name band from the 80's is resurrected here with 4 tracks of speedy, doom laden basic hardcore. Sean C's vocals are average growls and accompanied by some raging guitar at times. But does verge onto heavy metal territory in parts. I seen these in a Derby pub one Sunday afternoon. And I wondered why most of the local crowd all went outside? Now I know why!!! This EP is a lot better than that stale live performance but only just. It's far too one dimensional and has been done a thousand times before by more original and better bands. Some of the sinister guitar rifts are good but the overall appeal was dated. They look a right sorry bunch on the cover and perhaps Concrete Sox Anita the right description for these gloomy fakers! Maybe a concrete overcoat would do the trick. AVERAGE Available from Data Records now defunct. |
| CHELSEA Punk Rock Rarities' ahoycd106) CD 1999 Fucking hell yet more Chelsea. The Captain Oi! label sure know how to top a group in cold blood. If the whole band were just a bunch cunts, instead of Gene October. Then this would be laughed out the punk arena as sad old punks going through the motions. But you gotta admit they're still a good live prospect even today, despite Genes chip on his shoulder. And Chelsea for all their faults had the ability to write some great anthems for a while. However I can't say this gets much play in the Wolf's Lair. And as I'm a '77 despot and a big fan of the singles this band put out. It's only good for the taste of the sweaty vibes that summer of hate bought out in punk band on a shoestring budget. This is pure rough cut '77 punk rock for all you record hunters. Sort of sluggish in today's scene. But at the time was an enormous kick in the bollocks to anything musical that preceded it!!!! Everyone of the bands anthems are on here... some twice! Which is pretty much pollyfilla territory, coz there ain't a lot between each version. So will only benefit Chelsea completeists no doubt. These demos and remixes sure don't beat the final mix versions that hit the street. And by the way you can find all those on the 'Punk Singles Collection' released on this same label. But even so, along with 'Right To Work' and gutter anthems like 'No Admission' and 'High-rise Living' it's gotta be worth one listen. Biggest suprise was getting to hear the ultra rare 'Blind Date' which is a great full on song. And not too dissimilar to the Damned's 'Sick Of Being Sick' riff. Hence the "eat your heart out Rat Scabies" yell before it kicks in. We do get quite a few of the bands more average tracks along the way. So beware new listeners. Maybe this is a good blueprint for a young punk band who don't wanna scream or preach politics. Or maybe it's just a cash in? Who knows and who cares? If original punk rocks your thaaang look here or better still try the Pistols for the real snot. And lastly the sleeve notes give you the definitive Chelsea discography. AVERAGE Captain Oi! Records |
| DEHUMANIZED 'Problems First' (newredarchives) CD 1999 Dehumanized are a promising new signing to the reliable NRA label. They hail from the streets of New Jersey. And have an interesting debut release in 'Problems First'. This full length has over 14 tracks of angst ridden, energetic guitar punk. A sound that has an East coast feel to it. Songs like 'Mommy's Killin' has an infectious chorus with a memorable reprise of what's coming down on the streets today. With that infectious guitar riffing ringing out towards the end. Their well thought out song structures has an almost suffocating feel to em. There's that much to take in! These are traded in with a more basic sound on 'Fuck You Where's My Brew'. Which seems totally out of character and has gotta be more of a piss-take than an actual ode to the demon drink! I like the hum drum 'Coo- Coos' track with it's 'cuckoo' sound bite and 'Better Later Days' with a skanking atmospheric. The one thing I couldn't really get my head around was some of the cryptic lyrics, which were hard to fathom? And with so many chord changes in some of the songs made em jagged! Best track however for me had to be the final catchy speed of light 'Gimme The Scoop' and it's "social anaconda" lyric that bastardized the lying, cheating critics and general bandophiles who love a name and drop em when the next big thing hits town!...a bit like me (ha ha) Good stuff though!! Oh before I forget right at the end I discovered after only about 25 plays plays that there's a secret hidden track which is probably great in recording and record company post production ideas department. But is a right bastard for us impatient punks! Still this is WORTH A LISTEN. www.newredarchives.com |
| THE EXPELLED 'A Punk Rock Collection' (ahoy105) CD 1999 Police sirens drag this 17 song compilation into the 21st century as the early 80's get revisited once more by Captain Oi! records. The Expelled a four-piece from Leeds, UK who existed between 1981-84 were one of many UK punk outfits who made a small dent on the scene in the second wave of punk. They had numerous lead singers, but their main weapon on this session being the original and cuddly big Jo ball. She gave the Expelled that Vice Squad touch but without quite as much power and attitude of Miss Bondage. The Expelled were a band truly walking in Vice Squads stiletto heels. And using the Vice Squad drummer as producer/guru made it all the more obvious. The song structures and style are so close on these recordings it's eery. But they did manage to create their own sound on songs like 'Government Policy' , 'No Life No Future' and 'Blown Away'. Basic rifferama guitars backed by adequate bass 'n' drums powered em along in the early 80's but 20 years on they don't half sound tame. By 1982 big Jo the Bodacea of the Leeds punk scene made her exit from the Expelled punk rock arena and opted for married bliss to a British Squaddy. We are then given the next best thing which turned out to be Bristolian punkette Penny, who does a pretty good job in the studio at short notice on 'Cider' (the humourous amber nectar song) and 'Violent minds'. But for some dubious reason the compilers fail to include any tracks featuring the other girl vocalist who actually gigged with the band, the raven haired Jewelie. She was apparently inadequate for our ears but done a Peel session with the band which of course makes you wanna hear her all the more if she was really that bad! But hey what do you expect from biased producers wielding their control. And the inclusion of some obvious filler tracks was a bit of a let down as far as us completists are concerned. Near the end of the bands career, the bass player Macca takes over vocal duties which works really well on the epic 'Waiting For Tomorrow' probably their most intricate piece. Although the other numbers he sung on were pretty dull in comparison. We then retreated back to some Jo fronted demos with the 45 'Army Life' adding to their better numbers. Apparently bands like the Expelled are now big influences on newer all-female punk outfits like the Devotchkas from New Yoik???, which only leads us into one conclusion.....hope they sound more powerful. AVERAGE www.captainoi.com |
| SLUDGEFEST 'Baby You Fuck Me Up' (dlp20006) CD 1999 This is like a bad Stooges tribute rolled into Black Sabbath, especially on the guitar sound. The vocals are screaming, Americanised, spandex theatrics which I fucking hate with a vengeance. What is novel about this 4-tracker is the length of the tracks, the whole four tracks are under 5 minutes... so no time to get that bored! The 'Instrumental #4' track boasts a harmonica in the set-up but this is just too metalhead for my punk rock needs. Sludgefest (the name really gives the game away) bring to mind failed studio technicians fucking around with some spare studio time on their hands! NO FUTURE |
| IN THE SHIT 'The Fall Of The Damned' (mass013) 45 1999 5 songs about revenge, being force-fed to conform, paedophile vicars and saving the planet are pretty diverse subject matter for one EP. But they all appear on here in one shape or form, but this subject matter was let down badly by the way it was put over and a big disappointment in the Wolf's Lair! I'd heard a track here and there from this band before which sounded pretty interesting so was expecting some good in your face stuff here. And yeah it's in your face but was pretty bleak in the covering new ground section. Lets give a bit of history on the band first to put you in the picture. In The Shit hail from Methyr Tydfil which is a pretty rough dog hole in South Wales (well it was about 15 years ago!) So I can see the anger coming out, but it's the way it comes out that bugs me! It's so predictable, so monotonous and has been done so many times before! That it becomes pretty fucking boring after 5 tracks. Thrashing guitars, screaming one dimensional vocals and angry lyrics maybe some punks kind of fun but it ain't mine...if it don't grab ya. This is definitely 'topping yourself' music, so maybe they have succeeded and found a nice little niche for themselves! The production didn't help either. It's got more mud on tape than you'd find on the boots of some shellshocked cannon fodder squaddie from the first world war! Splendid art cover though and lyric insert by local artist Welly doing em proud, but we ain't here to review the fucking art are we? What's a good cover without a good record inside?....a bit of PLASTIC. Suprisingly it took two record companies (Mass Products and Inflammable Material) to come up with this white elephant... makes you question or wonder about their taste in fucking music! Mass Products Records |
| BUG CENTRAL 'The Meek Will Inherit Nothing' CD 1999 Anarcho punk incorporated! Well that's the impression that most reviewers seem to spout off about this band. But I must admit that tag doesn't do Bug Central justice. Yeah they're raw, yeah they're angry and they bombard us with a wide range of systematic failings. But what I get from hearing these rabid, raucous Londoners is some- thing a little bit more than yer average Anarcho combo of today has to offer! And that something is suss! By reading the lyrics y'know, that they know the score all too well. And they don't just pack a punch to go with their angry pissed off demeanour. They've got some blitzing tunes to send their bomb on it's way! Bug Central have now got a new bass- player in their lineup which will hopefully give em chance of more gigs under their trio of studded belts. Pity coz I thought Paul Pot played a blinder on this album. This debut however kicks off in fine style with the 'Queens English' and the trademark buzz- saw guitars, driving bass and pounding drums propel us through their 13-song rampage. As I said this ain't your usual run of the mill rant 'n' rave fair here. Oh no...they have some great sarcastic lyrics that not only spell out the trials and tribulations this life has for us. But it's conveyed in a strangulated take no prisoners kinda way. 'Sick (again)' is one of their best tirades and shows they know a few tricks of the trade in song structure. For instance slowing down and speeding up as the fully aware lyrics sums up this system, that has it's slimey hands around all our necks! Ending with that stand- out yobbo sounding "I'm gonna be a problem" end refrain, courtesy of Paul Pot followed by Noodles Romanov's (singer/guitarist) gut wrenched (snigger)..."you make me fucking sick!" epitaph! 'Moment of Clarity' is another good track from a clever debut. I like the way Bug Central have an everyday punk on the street look at life. Something too many of the preaching bands forget about or know nothing of? I do think Noodles Romanov's vocals (similar in style to Justin Sane's from Anti- Flags, scrawl) could do with a bit more variation in em. Coz their Jack Russell ranting quality can get a message over loud and clear but can also get a bit monotonous after 13 tracks! However their clever use of sound bites to introduce some of the tracks were well picked. And yeah not one guitar solo in the whole album!!! Comes with a great production, nothing tinny or transistorized on 'ere! Plus some great artwork and the full dirty lyrics spelt out for you yanks. UK CONTENDER BUG CENTRAL |
| THE TWINKLES 'Dancing With The Pogo Kids' (soda1) 45 1999 This 45 takes yer back to the time when bands like Tonight, The Pleasers etc.(who? you may ask) were chalking up hits in the UK Top 30 back in '78. They all came under the new wave/ power pop bracket and this record could've easily have been released at the same time, even down to the tacky cover artwork! Italian punk rock always had a different sqew on things, and the way they perceive the UK punk sound seems evident on this release. The Twinkles all the way from Italia seem to head far more for the tuneful pop-punk sort of sound. And by pop-punk I mean a highly influenced '78 sound, not it's late 90's counterpart! Their name does absolutely nothing for me and on first impressions the vocals are pretty weak too. But their guitar sound is infectious with a great high standard production. The Twinkles reckon they are influenced by The Boys, but as far as record label logo's go that's about it. The title track 'Dancing With The Pogo Kids' is a rather happy go lucky kinda ditty that will probably go down well with college radio stations and kids into the music rather than the lifestyle. It's a bit too nice for me though and lead singer/guitarist and main songwriter Nick Mess's high octane vocals sound strangely as though he's got a bag full of helium on permanent standby or he's been jamming along to the Smurfs records far too long! (snigger) But his Micky Mouse tones are if anything original in the way they are put over! I suppose this is what real pop-punk should sound like instead of being copied, diluted and manufactured like the other version seems to be. This 45 at least has it's own sound all through the 3 tracks on show. But dump the fucking band name quick, coz it sucks nearly as much as Dogshit Sandwich! WORTH A LISTEN THE TWINKLES |
| I.D.K. 'Abnormal Position' Demo CD 1999 An albums worth of demo's here just goes to prove that some bands are really getting up there with the technology on offer. I.D.K.'s offer of 11 tracks of recordings for demo's just proves how the state of a rehearsal room tape has come on in today's climate. I.D.K come across as a bunch of bored ex-skinheads from the lower East End, who one day while sitting in some boozer decided to book a jam session for a laugh and decided they liked the noise they banged out. So they produced this demo! Perhaps not quite true...coz they actually make a pretty decent racket on some of the 11 tracks (even if Trev Hagl doesn't think so!) They are influenced by the early punk giants but it's hard to weigh up what influences they actually picked up? They have a slight indie sound on some of the tracks and Dave M their blonde designer punk tone deaf singer keeps that in the back of our minds on most of the tracks with some very sloppy singing. Dougie the guitarist is a big Rejects fan so there's bits of them in here as well, mainly in attitude! The guitars are a bit tinny, sort of like early Skrewdriver with a bit of Menace thrown in on the riffs. But the guitar is the bands saving grace, coz their message (wot message?) wasn't in evidence and some good licks saved the day. Standout tracks 'Keep On Rocking In The Free World' were catchy enough to warrant more attention. I.D.K. ain't scared to experiment either, which on say the brooding 'Anyday Now' plus the love sick 'Cool Off' comes up with some flange inspired riffs. They end things with a predictable sing-a-long theme tune 'Theme From IDK'. For a very new street punk band there's plenty of room for improvement, like some really in your face tunes. But they seem to have the means. All they need now is more gigs and a tighter sound. They are always after gigs and want a label to release their stuff on ...join the fucking queue boys!!! Oh yeah I never did find out what I.D.K. stood for??? AVERAGE Contact idk.@talk21.com |