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SNOTTYNESS... Punk Rock Classic - World Contender - Worth A Listen - Average - Plastic - No Future
| GIRLFIXER 3 TRACK PROMO CD 2008 Gotta emphasise this 3 tracker is the older Girlfixer sound (well 2 years to be precise) but its the only release I had after picking it up at a gig last winter. It'll certainly fix you right up on a cold winters night, and along with their live performance later on that evening, gimme a good primer for what this band are capable of. Since this release they've gigged loads and earned their spurs in no hope punk bastions across the UK. Giving short but impressive confident sets that only early support slots offer. Took a long time but now the band have finally been seen by a reputable booking agency who has seen their potential, and they secured a significant support on the Street Dogs (former Dropkick Murphy's front-man Mike McColgan’s band) imminent UK tour. Maybe Hellcat Records are sniffin' too? Comparisons between the two bands are poles apart, coz Girlfixer (apparently named after a street term for 'hardcore girls' who like a bit of bovver) are coming from a different angle. Opening track 'Regret' introduces the power Girlfixer have at their fingertips. This young 2 girl/2 guy line up from Nottingham show a lot of older bands how's it can be done with enough imagination. The chunky production sees em firing on all 4 cylinders with the defiant "you will live to regret this" installed in your memory. Combined with big beefy riffs by Antony the track rides in very confidently. Natalie's unique (in punk circles) vocals are deep, sexy and seem more akin to the Metal market than the hardcore punk sound they dispatch with precision. I might be old enough to remember Janis Joplin blasting out the jukebox of a rock bar I frequented in the late 70's, but the comparisons are quite startling. The band also possess a competent powerful drummer in Nicola which adds to the dynamics of this band as she's rhythmically entwined with the intricate bass-work by Lance. Making for a good all round package. 'Blackout' is a mid-paced potent grinder as they wait for the city to blackout. 'Human Pollution' sees Girlfixer flex their musical muscle with impressive instrument focus that adds a great backdrop for Natalie's rawest vocal to date leading up into an impressive finale. Girlfixer are definitely one to watch out for. The only thing missing is a definitive chorus in some of the songs to really captivate our audio pleasure. I'm sure they'll be big on the Kerrang punk/rock crossover circuit. Then who knows what lies in wait? WORTH A LISTEN www.myspace.com/girlfixermusic |
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| DISCHARGE 'Disensatise' CD 2008 Here we are in the 21st century and we have a Discharge album that boasts 3 of the main 4 main original ingrediants of guitar, bass and drums. Although by looking at Rainy these days those hard cold nights slumming it round the pottery back streets smoking dope and growing his beard has taken a severe toll on his once bohemian punk appearance. No ripped up zipped leather, no axle grease on his jeans these days. He looks like he just crawled outta some Canadian trapper sketch, but his bass playing is still as menacing if a little low in the mix on this album. Tez Roberts who once sung for the band back in the days before Cal reverts back to his drum stool and certainly fits the bill and seems to have gotten the lions share of the mix on this recording, which ain't always a good sign. On vocals in Cal's place we have Rat from the Varukers who is possibly the only serious contender having made his name in a band who were the first Discharge clones back in 1980. Musically the Discharge battalion of riffs is still present and correct but seems to have made a pact with speed rather than power and the devil. And sounds not quite so rabid and raw in todays digital studio confines. But thats more down to technology than Bones amps or attitude i reckon. The power is still there in their artilliary for 3 of the numbers which come unnervingly close to the original Discharge sound we all loved. But if you didn't know who was playing on the rest of the disc you'd probably just accept it as yet another d-beat outfit from the dark corners of Europe. It strange and a little sad that the pioneers of this genre don't seem so unmistakable or as aggressive as some of their clones. Maybe middle aged punks can't tap into that youthful power these days? But Discharge are a gigging entity so maybe next time in a studio we will get a totally recorded and all gears oiled engine to dole out some turbo power! Opening track 'The Blood Of The Innocence' makes for a considerably loud and powerful entrance and gives the listener the hope that they really have recreated the original essence with those unmistakable riffs. It's followed by 'CCTV' with even more neat dischordant guitar. However 'They Lie You Die' is by far the very best of these outstanding Discharge tracks that could keep the Discharge legacy roaming well into the 21st century if they create more anthems on this scale. It boasts all the great riffs you associate with Discharge those chugging refrains and those excellent guitar overdubs that were so much part of the 'Why' era. Even Rat's minimal vocals bring back the ghost of Cal!!! Well WORTH A LISTEN for the outstanding 3 tracks mentioned above. The rest were OK but nothing you ain't heard a million times before. Maybe they should draft Mike Stone in if his ears ain't shot to produce the next album? There are no other benchmarks on this record its just a regular run through and could possibly pass off as a new Varukers album if we wanted to be cruel. DISCHARGE |
