| SNOTTYNESS... Punk Rock Classic - World Contender - Worth A Listen - Average - Plastic - No Future |
| THE ANTIBODIES 'The Glamour Of Backwardness' (diS001) Autumn 2001 The first Antibodies release of the millennium and despite the phoenix like rise from their inevitable '99 ashes and the none 'Abbey Road' quality that a 4 track porta studio allows (particularly on the vocals), 'The Glamour Of Backwardness' is still reason enough to check out this highly recommended punk band. For what's lacking in production sheen, they more than make up for in gut feeling and rabid angst. The Antibodies were never ones to hide from the truth and on here they throw it in our faces without time to take a breather. They embody frustration and the empty promises of 21st century English life to the max. This 18 track CD is a warts 'n' all back to basics 'take us as you find us' defiant, jagged outcrop of guitar, bass and drums. Which is especially scathing on songs like 'Spastilkkk' and it's no holds barred attack on the plastic society. I particularly like the way this song slows down into the resigned "no I don't believe in you" refrain before heading off back into a guitar frenzy. Antibodies own a very raw, dry sensa yuma, which is put over effectively by Pete Doff's gunpowder dry, course vocals. A style which has enough snotty spite in it to give you the feeling he's half taking the piss, which he probably is. But if your ever in doubt you can always take a gander at the fold out lyric poster to point you exactly to what's pissin em off in Harlow these days. Drummer and long serving collaborator Ian 'Warlock Murray, supply's the flexible drum beats and backing vocals that propel Pete's 'peeeeeeed-off' cut 'n' paste rants. Rants that are fueled by guitar flange and bass bombing. They excel best in their full out attacks or pointing things out like on the tongue in cheek 'Wot Happen'.... "Wot happen to - Barbarella" indeed? They create a very English sound which is original and rare in today's UK/Americanised punk scene. The Antibodies are totally homegrown from the overspill of London and it comes across no more so than in one of their best tracks 'England's Attocities' with that PIL bass intro and those sneering putdowns. The English are still the best at slagging ourselves off! These Harlow heretics seem to have an unhealthy interest in the handicapped if their song titles are a dip stick. But songs like 'Special Needs' are a play on words. And this ones really good in a bad sort of way. It's got doses of feedback and atmospheric backing vocals ready to smother ya with obscure lines like 'I go off just like a car bomb, I don't know where I went wrong...I've got, I've got special needs". Another favourite whipping post gets covered on probably their most commercial track 'Concrete Cancer', which is all about their hometown hamlet called Harlow. They take great glee as they shoot it down in flames..... it's terminal!. 'Viva Shoplifter' is another track to check out with some good moody guitar riffs which slice open the credit card debauchery. You can really smell the Epileptics influences with the subject matter and with hindsight is no bad thing. Coz like nearby neighbours the Antibodies, the Epileptics were (before transforming into Flux) another great band that never seemed to get the breaks..."don't forget the breaks!!!!" (snigger) We get a couple of diverse covers to end this glamour ride round the dingy world of UK Satellite towns. And Jimmy Cliffs - 'Harder They Come' and the Small Faces - 'Lazy Sunday' are systematically infected by the Antibodies. At the end of the day I'm always left wondering what if these ever got themselves into a 24 track studio and let leash these songs to full impact? Then I think we'd be seeing and hearing a lot more from the concrete shopping malls of Harlow. WORTH A LISTEN £5.00 from 74 Little Grove Field, Harlow, Essex, CM19 4BX, England or Antibodies |
| VARIOUS 'Unorganised Chaos' (disc00) CD 2001 A lot of the bands on here were either brand new to me or didn't look too exciting on paper. So it was good to be introduced and proved wrong on some tracks. 'Unorganised Chaos' kicks off with the hilarious sound bite - "My friend what are you doing?...You wanna know, I'm gonna kill ya bastard!!!!!"! 'Intro' by Mafia Vs Ninja. The actual track is a fucking funny piss-take too. Aimed at I suspect all those hard knuckled gangsta rappers and skanksters. It swoops in with an addictive sinister skanking organ and those spooky wailing sounds you hear on Scooby Doo cartoons. First time I'd actually heard Kismet HC from Stoke, who are fast in your face duel vocaled hardcore done in an angry, ranty energetic kinda way. The tracks called 'Consume' by the way. Lightyear are also new to the Wolf's Lair sound system and now I know why. They play calypso styled Ska punk that I have absolutely nothin in common with now or then, but they manage to riff it up on the chorus and the crazy ending was funny. Dun2Def are your more traditional punk rock and this track 'Earnest Endeavour' shows em in a better light than on their pedestrian debut EP. I like the subterranean riffy production. Late 90's 'right on' kings of the UK punk polemics, Dog On A Rope give us their 'What Are We Waiting For' which isn't their best track off their debut LP. And I gotta admit this band seem stuck way back in the 90's which ain't a good sign. W.O.R.M. sound just like Dog On A Rope on the opening guitar intro but power into a rant about 'Shitty Scenes'. I always feel their vocals are too restricted, they just rattle off the lyrics which gives em a 'going through the motions' feel. Homebrew pour us their best track to date with 'Vic's Alright' . It's an every day tale of subterfuge, romance, greed and parasitic values straight from the streets of Harrogate.... streetpunk lives on Ha! Four Letter Word are another band who I've never heard before on record. They spit out a good, no messin attack on 'Unsung'. The angry vocals are direct to the point with a fierce tight guitar sound. Dogwalker scurry in with a jangling indie guitar sound and a big (dare I say it?) Phil Spector drum beat. Pretty novel move and it's a track that powers into a good riffing monster. Pity the weak vocals don't give it more depth, coz if they had more impact this would've been really good. Autonomists sound like early 80's protest punk in their snappy guitar riffing, but again the weak vocals (especially on the higher notes) let it down. FDK were a big surprise for me. Their slow unique skanking track 'Steven' has some great cheesy American vocals. But I suspect this is more of a piss-taker than an influence. The funny lyrics all about identity were great. I especially loved the addictive play school kinda guitar sound. This is followed by more good Ska!!! God!!!!!....am I slowly turning into Aaron Beatup!!! Well whatever, this time it's done in a more traditional way by the exceptional Mighty Snorting Powder Rangers. They are totally new to me but won me over care of the outstanding female vocalist who displayed enough raunch and character to punk it up in all the right places and give the backing track some clout. The songs called 'Shit Happens' and it's true! Joe Ninety who are a name well known on the UK hardcore scene bring to us pretty much what I was expecting from a million other outfits playing this sort of stuff. Strait forward pop punk done with emotional vocals that don't do much for me emotionally at all. Fucking hell whats this? Didn't expect my old mate Rob Filth to turn up on here with his other band the thrashy Ostracized. Not quite as extreme as T.B.A.C. and nowhere near as nasty to catch your attention, seems pretty fucking tame to me. So what the fucks wrong Rob?....I told ya not to compromise!!! Vehicle Derek have an absolutely fucking dire name and they seem to have an unhealthy fascination with Kenneth William's et all, giving the 'Carry On' films a nod, but that was about it. The Jones, keeping up the boring names style and are more Americanized bullshit with emo lyrics and a sound that's done a million times by a million bands, comes also with a third rate dubby Rut feel. Annalise all the way from Exeter are another band I ain't too familiar with on record, but every time I've heard em they give a good show. On 'Too Much Music Too Many Bands' they supply some interesting views on the different scenes, delivered with a powerful mid-paced punk sound that threatened impact. Dog On A Rope close things with a cloned cover of the Pogues 'Dirty Old Town'. Do I smell a tribute in the Leeds air? On the whole 'Unorganized Chaos' shines a spotlight on a good slice of the UK punk scene covering most corners and with 18 tracks is worth a listen and anyone's £3.00. WORTH A LISTEN Disclocate Records |
| ANARCHY SPANKY 'Sugar And Spice' CD 2001 I got this 9 -track mini CD from Jake outta Active Slaughter (cheers mate), and was totally knocked out by the opening track 'Violence Aggression' so much so it's a regular on my stereo. This is a fucking great sinister introduction to one of the UK's newer Anarcho combos. It kicks off with a doomy bass drum beat, before building up into a moody, guitar driven, atmospheric ride into the scary world of aggro. The track is interspersed by the powerful but brutal vocals of Ani, who runs a blade across the throat of senseless blood 'n' guts on our streets today. A splendid introduction and the pick of the bunch. They speed up on the next track 'Through The Night', which is less memorable. 'Extinction' brings us a duel vocal with guitarist Col joining in on the vocals. Reminds me a bit of H.C Kismet but less erratic and not so tight. I like Col's guitar work, a lot better than his vocal submissions. They keep up the momentum though for the next 4 tracks with 'Mommy's Soldier Boy' being another standout. Anarchy Spanky like to flex their muscles in the speed department which is OK, but in doing so they fail to harness the impact of their superior, less frantic opening track. 'The Cruelty Of Greed' boasts more superior guitarin', backed with a convincing war-drum beat as they take a shot at the wealthy. Ani's vocals are pretty restricted on the faster tracks, she ain't no songbird at the best of times, but makes up for it with her extremely potent pissed off approach. The title track 'Sugar And Spice' is the other highlight, and kicks off with a humourous Bart Simpson sound bite. This sets the scene for some feminist kickback! It's another broody slower track, with a good mix and a particularly neat guitar solo...shock horror! I reckon the slower buildup suits Anarchy Spanky a lot more than the heads down stuff. Ani sounds actually human for once on the spoken intro, before returning into her alter ego...the bad bitch of Bolton. She drags the pretty little girl syndrome back to the dark ages for good on this track! 'Web Cam' is another attack on web voyeurs out there! And they end the set by absolutely slaughtering X-Ray Spex's - 'Oh Bondage Up Yours', which musically was a nice touch, but Ani's strangled vocals are totally out her depth here. Anarchy Spanky could be really good with a more tighter rhythm section and more variation, which hopefully will come in time. They're definitely one to watch out for and a good new find. WORTH A LISTEN! Check out PO Box 152, Burton On Trent, DE14 1XX, England or visit www.rippingthrash.com |
| DERITA SISTERS 'My Bad!' (PBR003) CD 2001 This is the first Derita Sisters studio product I've heard since 'Nobody Cares' in 2000, and I actually thought they'd hit the bars for good. Well apparently not, seems they've been really busy with Euro tours and more releases (2 studio - 2 live) since that one hit the fan. So you can never fault this combo for being lazy, they have released product annually for the last ten years and some. 'My Bad' (what's this term mean?) is bought to us via the German punk label, Plastic Bomb Records. And comes in a pro-glossy full colour lyric booklet with suitable imagery. The German connection ain't no suprise, as the Derita Sisters from Santa Barbara, CA are a big hit in the German punk scene. 'My Bad' has all the familiar jibes you'd expect from these well seasoned, off the wall Californian punks. And you'll be sniggering throughout the 21 tracks of punk rock slapstick. But I gotta say a lotta the songs skipped over some of their more adventurous musical diversions, and don't seem as memorable as previous outings. They're good, short, fast blasts, but missing that unique Gilman/Smith arrangement on a lotta tracks. Maybe I've been spoilt by past glories and with a repertoire of over ten albums your bound to hit some average peaks. But they make up for it with the hilarious sound bite intro of...Boyfriend - "ohhhh I love it when you play with my ass" - Girlfriend: "I'm not playin with yer ass!!!" ....Boyfriend: "Ray!!!!!" Reads like shit so you'll just have to get this yourself to savour that particular moment. It's followed by the short instrumental, 'Homo Hawk' that sounds like a hyperactive Buzzcocks.bought up in LA instead of Manchester. The Deritas Sisters source of inspiration is endless, and they never fail to write songs about any situation or dilemma that life throws at em. Take wacky subjects like the pounding 'Middle East War Talks' or the black humoured 'Pushed Down The Stairs'. This is the band who could write songs about Greenland minimalism and still find something humorous to ponder. If you like your punk with buzzsaw riffing and melodic enough to not get too poncey, you'll love the frantic 'War Stories' and 'Trophy Wife'. Alas the Deritas don't seem quite as obnoxious as they once were. So this album may not be your best introduction. But whenever you put on a Deritas album there lurks inside a very snidey atmosphere which is a must if you like taking the piss. Good production makes things tick over nicely too, as 'We Don't Pose' slides in with the...'We don't pose, cant afford the clothes, punch you in the nose, step on all your toes' (tee hee), and makes hardcore punk bands like Total Chaos and their ilk more a joke than they really are. They seem to be going in a more political direction on this set, all be it sending it right up on songs like 'American Swastika' and 'Reversal Of Torture', all about the little Cuban kid who hit the news. Standout tracks come in the shape of the spiffing rifferama of 'Cedric Soft' and the blazing bonus track 'Wired Up' featuring Monkey out the Addicts on lead vocals. WORTH A LISTEN DERITA SISTERS AND JUNIOR |
| DERITA SISTERS 'Whore Stories' (PBR003) CD 2001 "Wow, you got a dead Hooker in the trunk!"...that hilarious observation introduces this, the latest release from these Santa Barbara piss takers. And I gotta say they are firing on all cylinders this time around, with 20 hit 'n' run fast, blasts of sexual innuendo's and tales of depravity to boast about down the pub to your mates. They've regained their knack for the ultra catchy, short, sharp, shock of tunes and witty putdowns. And it all comes at us via another new Record label. These label whores must've been through every indie punker on the block, from the CA strips to the ghettos of Germany and back again. This time it's the turn of the Las Vegas based Big Lizard Records to do the honours. Good to see they have faith in these very cheeky fuckers. Song titles like 'Whore Stories, 'Drive Thru Screw', 'I-Tie 69' etc. gives you the gist of this blatantly sexist platter. They're never gonna win accolades for contributions to feminism. But you know what?, the Derita Sisters deliver it with such a devilish sensa yuma, and without even the slightest tinge of a nasty streak in em. You couldn't help but see the funny side of this, man, woman or child. And anyone who don't is either a Taliban extremist or plays in Harum Scarum. We don't get the lyrics this time around (booo hissss!) so I can't fire some off to you, but they're loud n clear! They are spread generously amidst the buzz saw guitars, that have lost that poppier Buzzcocks influence. 'Whore Stories' has a more back to basics heads down Ramonesy ambiance this time around, and I reckon it suits 'em just fine. As always the quips are sneered in our direction with that by now trademark snidey vocal from Mr Mark Gilman and to a lesser degree his Ho - Jay Smith. Who are both rapidly becoming the Shelley/Devoto of the fun punk league of songwriters. 'Dad And Lad' all about losing your cherry around the bars with your Dad, was a right laff. They slow things down with the bass driven 'Five Floors Of Fun', which signals the regular instrumental that they bring out on each release, before going back into overdrive. 'Centipede' was another sinister sounding black humoured ditty, but ain't too sure what it's all about? As they say ...'You don't know what's in store, when you enter the chamber of Whores' and I recommend any punk with an open mind to enter into the realm of this particular funny punk band. Play it at your sister, your mom, or better still at ya bird...they'll fucking love it! US CONTENDER! DERITA SISTERS AND JUNIOR |
| SCROTUM GRINDER 'The Greatest Sonic Abomination Ever' (prank044) CD 2001 This hilariously named combo maybe some distant cousin to a band that was once called Scrotum Axe Grinder? I may be well of the mark in that assumption as they hail from Tampa Bay, Florida but I suspect it's some distant relation? They sound similar? Well some of you may have heard this band before, I never did but remember thinking what a great fucking band name.(Hey..."Stop reminiscing don't care it don't suit ya!"- annoyed reader) Ok apologies, lets get down to the CD. Scrotum Grinder remind me of the Napalm Death genre that resided in the UK late 80's scene (urrrgghhhh!!!!). Y'know that dark, gloomy, and powerful shouty, screamy thing they called thrash/grindcore. And those fucking vocals that really ain't my cup of sulphur at all, as you probably guessed by the adjacent reviews. And guess what Scrotum Grinder have not one but two of the bastards, one of which is a bird called Michelle!!...gawd blimey I'm shocked!!! I wouldn't wanna meet her in a dark alley she sounds well scary. The Linda Blairisms are delivered over fast, short, guitar attacks...18 in all. They sound crusty incorporated with a dreaded and matted demeanor. And on closer inspection this album has got loads of flies crawling around it's sonic ring piece in a grungey/grebo kinda way, which is all the things I hate in punk. Did the kids really get off on this shite back then or even now? However the maggots ain't eaten away everything that's not beyond a salvage operation coz Scrotum Grinder to give em their due can boom out some good doom laden, heavy sonic thrash which sounds on the odd occasion very good. But yet again the tranquility of those guitars is spoiled beyond belief by those raspy fuckin vocals. Without fail time and time again all those shouty fucking ranters sound the fucking same to me. However they come up trumps on the hilarious end of the 'Big Brother' track (tee hee). And ending with the standout cover of Slapshots 'No Friend Of Mine'. Which was easily the best track on here coz they actually tried a different approach and it worked. But as I've said before if your best songs are covers, you need taking outside and shooting for conspiring with the enemy. We get a Ronald Reagan portrait on the inside cover coz the band think he's the anti-christ incarnate no doubt ha! And maybe I'm feeling the effects of a post Christmas depression coming on but all this meant to me was boring Siderneee ... boring! AVERAGE PRANK RECORDS |
| VARIOUS 'Punk Shit' Vol 1. CD 2001 I bought this at a recent gig for £3.00. It boasts a massive 40 tracks, which is a good value for money teaser, for anyone interested in hearing some of the newer bands out there today. Mainly taken from a large slice of the UK punk scene, but there's quite a few international acts on display too. The CD's compiler Rich Lard singer outta DogShit Sandwich opens the score with the manic 'Punk Shit' that boasts a great Irish brogue with a G.B.H. disposition. Steam Pig from Dublin keep the Fenian momentum flowing with their catchy 'Putting out The Bins'. The Restarts from London boast a great beefy guitar sound, but those shouty vocals are a downer. Anti-Dote from Holland produce one the snottiest piss takes on here, it's called 'I Don't Care' tee hee! Sick On The Bus who are a big fave in most punk circles, and their performance fee reflects that, but to me they never seem to produce the goods, and 'Law And Order' don't change my view. Hippy War Generals all the way from Oz are spoilt by a shit singer. The Wernt create a fucking monster with the sing-along 'Pig Dog Killer'..."your going home in a fuckin ambulance!" Broken from Connecticut were absolutely defunct and boring. Bug Central from North London, remind us why they're still a force to be reckoned with on 'Android Games'. Runnin Riot from Belfast create a skin anthem on 'Way Of Life'. Zero Tolerance from Acne do themselves proud with 'Don't Conform'. Stress from Eire who I hated on a previous compilation, redeem themselves slightly with 'Stations'. The Rong Uns from Leicester have improved no end from the last time I heard em, and give us an in your face 'Cold Sweat'. Scotland's 4 Past Midnight creep out the grave with a cover of the Partisans 'Police Story'. Eastfield give us their Brummy anthem 'Come To Bevland'. Greenland Whalefishers who are big in Pineapple Rd and hail from Norway, are The Pogues tribute pure 'n' simple. Hotwired from the wilds of Norfuck have totally transformed themselves for the better on 'This Time Stay Dead', this is their best deadpan number to date! Blood Or Whisky from County Kildare, Eire give us a traditional Irish track with 'Galway City'. Sensa Yuma from Stafford suffer from a low mixed vocal. Thuggers from Belgium sound very average. Flyboy from Rugby, confirm my live suspicions, they sound better on record. Fake Patriots from Scotland sound oh so predictable. D.T.M. from Redditch drag up an old 'un with the snottyish 'I don't Wanna Be Nice'. Sex Willer...where do they get these names from?, make up for it with the humourous 'Toto Is A Punk'. Wat Tyler outta London regurgitate their barber shop nursery rhyme 'Londons Burning'. Shatterhand from Falkirk hand over a poppy protest song. Gobble And The Cocks from fishy smelling Hull sadly don't live up to their ingenious name. The Begrudgers are more Paddies this time with the ska tinged 'Streets'. Intention from Birmingham supply more screamy Hardcore on 'Here Goes Nothing'. Machine Gun Etiquette outta Scotland continue to produce good tuneful punk on 'Peer Pressure'. More Brummies jump in with Rotunda and their impressive 'My Only Weapon'. Stricknein DC from Dublin supply predictable stop/start Hardcore on 'Rising Hatred'. The Hot Tortoise has gotta be the worst named band on here and there's a few, they produce 'Hardcore By Numbers' literally. Belgium is represented once more by The Pride, who give us their BIG sound on 'War Games' which has touches of HM guitar licks, sacre bleur! Hatework from Telford, UK have a very work shy singer. Nerdlinger from Eire create an OK 'Roadkill Stew'. Out Of Use are in a hurry to get somewhere, but where? Clydebanks, Red Eyes are more poppier punk done with tunes. Lawndog cut a song called 'Kamikaze' which bores you to death. Last and definitely one of the lesser tracks, Leash continue onto that stale poppy route. Well an eclectic collection some good, some bad but a good shop window for the smaller bands. A great idea with some good artwork done by Boz outta SteamPig. Just a pity bands like Sad Society, MDM, The Dangerfields, Active Slaughter or Anarchy Spanky to name but a few didn't have a crack...maybe next time eh Rich? WORTH A LISTEN! Any bands who wanna contribute tracks or if you wanna check it out yerself email Rich at PUNKSHIT RECORDS |
| DUANE PETERS AND THE HUNNS 'Tickets To Heaven' (052-2) CD September 2001 I have my doubts about side projects particularly within the punk scene. They always seem diluted efforts. So when this arrived I was in two minds whether I was gonna be dealing with the inflated ego of a champ skater and semi LA punk legend, or something far worse? So what a relief to be proved wrong in thinking 'Tickets To Heaven' is just that. In actual fact this 13 tracker lives up to what Duane Peters (singer in the US Bombs) has left behind in his other more volatile and less focused combo. However there's no escaping the big Bombs influence. This album sounds pretty much like the US Bombs would sound if the band hadnt drug habits lurking in every corner, with maybe a more restrained sub-Pistols sound. And is a bit of a let down in that it don't create a totally different approach. But why fix something that ain't broke eh? I still wonder if only those dual guitars by a couple of ex-Pushers were more intense and up a notch in the mix, then this would've had a load more intensity. Anyway they start off confidently with the 'Hunns Anthem', a mid-paced, drum pounding, beefy instrumental which was a good introduction to the new family. Not bad at all!!! And when the vocals are spit out, they soon take charge and become the dominant force in this collection. However there's still something just not quite right about bands that have 'the Singer and the so and so's' on the cover. It sounds a bit fake to me, a bit showbizzy, but thankfully this ain't gonna ever be that way with Mr Peters toothless delivery in vogue. As he spits out lines with contempt like "he's only got the answers to anything but the truthhhtsssh!" on 'Hymn Of Attila'. It's done with so much conviction your left totally convinced ha! Yeah there's plenty of snot and attitude on this platter, and loads of swagger with a life times worth of vibe. It ain't a classic by any means, and this album takes a few plays to really crawl under your skin, but once it's infected your system it sits 'n' festers and you start scratching and discover new sores with each listen. Unlike the Bombs who have their own character vying for position, the Hunns seem to hold back a bit and let Duane take full control on all the songs, which is a pity musically, coz their little pockets of musical rebellion deserve more space. Songs like the bass driven 'Hate 'N' Love' and the title track 'Tickets To Heaven' are really worth your attention, as Mr Peters reeeches for the sarcy malarky in that typical wino fashion. Duane always reminds me of an old Prison lag or piss head reciting tales of life and death on the main drag set to punk rock, which is his best factor. 'Fire Sports' has some great guitar licks as the story of methadone addiction on the cold dark streets of life are played out. Wish I had a copy of the lyrics to get the real picture? But you certainly catch more than a glimpse and maybe his saliver soaked vocals are an acquired taste, especially when the spittle hits you in the eye. So these odes may not be to every punks taste, but he ain't a bullshitter and he's got character which is a load more interesting than a machine gunned rant any day of the week! Sometimes we need to know how bleak life can be, coz it keeps us real and in touch. It ain't all doom 'n' gloom though, coz there's loads of dry humour lurking around. Take 'Wild Card' which is my favourite track. It's another gritty tale of bravado and bottle amidst the backdrop of LA street fights....the atmosphere is tense before our hero informs us "We brought knives to the gunfight' tee hee. Whatever you say about Duane Peters, he certainly has a lot of views on all sorts of themes which is good enough reason to front 2 bands and keeps his pen in action thank gawd. WORTH A LISTEN I Used To Fuck People Like You In Prison Records |
| CHURCH OF CONFIDENCE 'Teaching The Children The Blues' (044-2) CD November 2001 Hate the name of this Berlin three-piece! It's nearly as bad as Smooth & Greedy, and it brings to mind visions of the dreaded punk/metal crossover from the late 80's. But thankfully that's where the similarities cease, coz Church Of Confidence produce 13 tracks of tight, powerful and melodic punk rock. That aside, 'Teaching The Children The Blues' is another bad move boys! Any punk band who has 'Blues' in the title of an album that ain't some kind of drug reference, is decidedly suspicious in my book. What the fuck have the 'Blues' got to do with Punk Rock I ask ya? Meanwhile back to the album... on a plus point Church Of Confidence are a confident trio that own a singer/ guitarist called Uli who has got a distinctly well cloned English accent. Hardly spotted one clue to his true identity on the whole album. His textbook style sounds like a young Knox from the Vibrators crossed with Alice Cooper ....yeah it's true! Track 2 called 'Holy Land' had some hilariously corny lyrics as he croons..."were going down, on a one way road, gonna shoot our load, shift a gear between her thigh" (snigger) ... but joking aside, these boys know how to harness powerful punk tunes into some good clean catchy tunes. They sound very polished indeed a bit too polished in some cases, but that might be due to the 'Berlin' in em? Whatever the case, this is a well produced release. They've been around since 1995 so got a few K under their belts. My only major criticism is the songs have no real strong message. They're all sort of good time, have fun type of rockers which sound great as background music but ultimately nothing really grabs you. It only leaves you looking to the track list for confirmation. Their best couple of songs are the more restrained but anthemic 'Words That Come Out Wrong' which has a Social Distortion play on chords and arrangement. And 'American Zone' is the other number which owns a good chorus and a closing refrain that throws some powerful riffs around. They close with 'Walking In The Rain' and some hilariously contrived lyrics about being on the dole which bought a snigger to my face. These geezers sound like they're a rock 'n' roll punk band and dream of tours, birds and having fun, so good luck to em!! This is their third release so they are doing something right but what it is I don't rightly know? They just don't teach me or expose me to anything I ain't heard already. AVERAGE I Used To Fuck People Like You In Prison Records |
| SADO-NATION 'The Teal Project' CDEP 2001 My first real taste of Sado-Nation on CD. Yeah they're still going after 25 years of burning icons and taking no shit amongst the Portland punk scene. Although this 4 track CDEP ain't really the official face of Sado-Nation's sound, which is potentially way more manic and in your face. It does however feature a couple of the bands more recent recordings. They kick off with the sinister, mid-paced Wolfs Lair fave of 'Nuke Up Now', which sees the no messin Mish Bondage on lead vocal giving us her vexed and often controversial views on the Nuclear Rage. She needs power to run her amps and that's good enough for me! Backed by a careering Corboy riff that sends this bomb of a song ticking away to Armageddon...Kaboom!! Second track 'Insomnia Insomniac' is sung by a crooning Dave Corboy (guitarist and founder member of Sado) with Mish supplying backup. It's a slow burning grower of a track, with big power chord buildups aplenty and a solitary solo to chew on in those darkly hours. They up the anti for 'When The Sun Stops' which has less impact but shows off Corboy's outside rock 'n' roll influences. They end on a youthful sounding '16 Again' which can also be heard in their current set. It's an OK song but don't own the same sense of presence that the first two impressive tracks represent. Early Sado-Nation bassist Steve Casamo makes a welcome cameo appearance with Robert Parker in the drum stool. This EP was recorded by current drummer Mike Teal who produced it for his recording finals. WORTH A LISTEN www.sado-nation.com |
| GUYANA PUNCH LINE 'Irritainment' (prank041) CD 2001 A totally new band to my ears, they come at us with this epic 21 song blast of anger and hate. The fucking hilarious bi-line of 'Songs to Disturb the comfortable, songs to comfort the disturbed' had me reeling and it was looking to be great entertainment on first impressions. But from the opening tracks of 'Better Off Dead' - #1 and #2, I knew this was gonna be a hard one to get into. Guyana Punch Line are extreme as in screammmmmm. They have a manic Nic Blinko (Rudimentary Peni) clone of a singer called Chris, who does his best to scare us and maim us which is no bad thing. But hey Chris how about a bit more diversity in the rawness stakes or delivery? After all even Nic Blinko had that. The music is pretty much what you'd expect to carry this angry mad fucker off to the lunatic asylum. I like some of the manic, intense riffs but those freeform jam sessions and maddening twists 'n' turns ain't nowhere near as anthemic or addictive as Rudimentary Peni, who are without a doubt their biggest influence. G.P.L are trying too damn hard to shock us and it just don't work no more. And hey boys the Peni were and still are the best at this kinda psychotic punk. Which I'm sure G.P.L. will hate me for pointing out (tee hee). 'Irritainment' is peppered with fragmented lyrical attacks that are scrawled and scribbled across a perpetually negative landscape. So not much time for black humour with this band unless your thing is scream after scream again, then maybe this is for you. I fucking can't stand the stop/start generic attack of the music although I really wanted too coz I know a lot of work has gone into this release.This band could by far excel themselves with more continuation of the better songs instead of cutting em short in their tracks. 'Punk Rock Sloganeering' did make some attempt. But it's songs (or should I say performances) like the piss taking 'Skins And Punx', recorded live in 1999, or the grand finale of 'Seven Bowls' that really show some melody and gives the band a better edge. However the best track for me was their short but sharp 'My Idea Of A Joke'...so maybe I'm just an "old guy in the pit" these days? And it's way too intelektuwell for the bands good and ours coz we don't wanna summon up a degree or doctorate to follow the lyric sheets do we? Maybe I'm just a dumb cunt who gets bored too easily? Coz if punk ain't easily accessible these days I soon lose interest. I mean sure show us your anger, your bloodlust or your kinks but don't expect wild applause if there's only painful noises and dislocated lyrics to tempt us away from our basic instincts. I still like the disturbed feel of 'Irritainment', coz this album is like peering into a mental ward with mini soundtracks. So it's ideal in very small doses but I won't be playing this 'whole' album in one sitting again. Best thing about this is the lyric sheet artwork which I like a lot. AVERAGE PRANK RECORDS |
| THUG MURDER 'The 13th Round' (88041-2) CD June 2001 Wow fucking wee!!! Ain't it great to be knocked back in your seat by a brand new punk band! You get so far down the punk road and think well we've seen or heard the best punk has to offer, so lets just get on with it! How wrong can a punk get? Straight outta the land of the Rising Sun (probably the last place you'd look) comes the street punkette trio of Thug Murder. Don't let size or gender mislead you here coz these diminutive Japanese punkettes can sure mean business. They make one hell of a fucking noise and create a sound that's demanding your attention. They're angry, snotty and very fucking good! Thug Murder have been likened to early Rancid and Shonen Knife ha! These vixens would have Shonen Knife squealing in their dressing room and leave Tim Armstrong screaming for a throat lozenge. They do have lots of influences, take a pinch of Andi Beltramo-Shay's vocals, a dose of Anti Flags flair and some of Dropkick Murphy's more boisterous compositions then add a load of attitude and energy and you got Thug Murder! They're young, they're fresh and they're making their own sound. Take track 3 'Mie Chan' that spits in your face from the off with a ripping addictive tune to bounce off the walls to. It's followed by the creative 'Calling' with it's scaling chanting chorus that you can see all the kids singing too this time next year. Don't ask me what the songs are about? Coz this promo copy sadly didn't include the lyrics. But even though they're all sung in English I somehow doubt any of us would be any the wiser? That broken English delivery is a must anyway and gives this band X appeal in a rough sort of way. You know a song is good when you can't shake it from your subconscious as it buzzes around your brain. And these vipers have tunes and songs in abundance. They ain't just an all out attack band either, they can slow things down without losing the momentum. Take 'Bus' for instance that combines power with suss as they build up the pace. Thug Murder sure can play their instruments with proficiency and would take a lotta hardcore bands to the cleaners. These birds own enough confidence to get it all on tape making for a great debut. The rock 'n' roll feel of 'Right Back' proves they are open to lots more influence than the restricted 'street punk' tag implies. The gifted Mohawked lead singer/guitarist Ryoka, is destined to own her own label one day just like her heroes, and is definitely the powerhouse behind Thug Murders outbursts. Plus she is ably supported on bass with the equally ambidextrous Chisato. And the tiny (even by Japanese standards) Yurrie pounds the drums with style and enough stamina to give Bruce Lee palpitations. Their best track for me is the 5.22 minute epic of 'Restart' that has some novel touches with a mass oriental folk inspired chorus and some atmospheric dropouts. Showing Ryoka's more melodic side as she carry's "a guitar on my shoulder". There are a few mediocre tracks on here too, but even these are pretty fucking good as the quality on this 15 track release is very high indeed. I'm sure by the time they hit a studio again these glitches will be gone and they'll be loading a battery of modern day anthems. They've already scored a support slot on a Murphy's US tour earlier this year. So fair play to Ken Casey from the Dropkick Murphy's for discovering em. And with high profile gigs like that they can only get tighter, harder and more important. Leaving us with the conclusion there must be one helluva buzz on the streets of Tokyo these days, with bands like Thug Murder coming out to greet us. For Thug Murder however...world domination is a foregone conclusion. WORLD CONTENDER I Used To Fuck People Like You In Prison Records |
