| COITUS 'Fucked Into Oblivion' (UNMOV015) 2XCD May 2009 Didn't really know what to expect from this a Coitus 20th Anniversary Anthology and I'm ashamed to admit I never actually got to hear em on record till now. Obviously I'd heard a lot about 'em in the fanzine press and knew they were very active from within the North London punk Squat scene with its predominant Irish connection (now European). A scene which can generate glaring rancid turds with unwashed frequency or spit out truly exceptional punk in the case of bands like the Restarts. And I gotta say this first encounter courtesy of my London drug (sorry punk dealer) Martin falls into the later category. It's an impressive encounter. Coitus reminds me of early Discharge but with a definite Restarts snarl, and with their own unique take on events. They have the same predicament for a tune amongst the onslaught of fuzz! Dirty fuzzy guitars in punk will never fail to ignite an audience, especially if its done with enough grime and passion coz we don't get too much of that these days. Especially with all the technical digitalised tools at even our squatters fingertips. But Coitus can do it brilliantly without sounding samey or heaven forbid posey. These are the real deal. This collection features a mammoth 40 tracks over two discs dating from 92-96. Tracks and material garnered from the bands early days to their implosion 1996. Disc one Rumbles in with an impressive instrumental intro that morphs into the title track 'Fucked Into Oblivion' belted out with gruff sincerity. 'Submission/ Domination' has elements of Rudimentary Peni on Ketamine within the backing vocals, but the overall assault features pure Discharge inspired rampaging guitars bass and drums, but without the nuclear threat subject matter. I like the way Coitus can create atmosphere in their compositions which I experienced in a similar vein listening to Kylesa particularly on 'Panic Screams' which takes the momentum out the rampage for a few minutes as the drums and guitars take control. In fact I much prefer Coitus instrumentals to their all out growlers, for they can create great background sound tracks for writing and absorbing punk to, be it reading a zine, cruisin the internet or just getting ready to hit the bars. And although the raw vocals are a commodity in this genre thats hard to differenciate on all the 40 tracks, it has to be said they ain't as rough or obese as some of the deplorable screamers in the scene. And do at least inject some kinda melody with the riffs. Talking of which 'Vacuum' is easily the most melodic 6 tracks in, and features a great rumbling riff with some dare I say it tuneful sequences....as they bawl "ten geezers standing against the wall". I like the bands grasp of playing it simple instead of heading for more metallic showboating which inevitably destroyed Discharge, but Coitus are better for it. They can still shoot off a guitar solo when required, but for the main keep it dirty and cheap which is how this kinda punk is best served. Nice to hear another bands version of the Ramones classic 'Commando' although not the best lol. 'Black Bart' however has elements of Turbo Negro with its slightly tongue in cheek nihilistic delivery and those "whooo yeah" vocals adds to the raunch. Followed by 'Real Cold Fear' which is a frantic cold ride into the dark world of fear. This being a double CD might be a bit much for one sitting, but I'm sure if its on in the background like most punk is heard its a soundtrack that will prime you for a night out. I doubt many people could fuck to it though? Although with a name like Coitus they do come exceedingly close on 'Distant Desire' which smacks of a song about romance, passion and lust which is executed brilliantly. This could be the crusty punk love song to grind to amongst the leather 'n' sweat and special brew. Another theme this band could be absorbed into is marauding vikings. Coz if ever punk was around in those days im sure Coitus would be blazing from their long ships as they lurched into battle. As i mentioned earlier, my only real weak link is the vocals. And wondered how these songs would sound if they had a say a Dick Lucas vocal or even a Stu Pid Idiot bawling em out, y'know someone without a growl but not a crooner. In reality thats pure conjecture to change what is set to become a blueprint for countless squatters the world over. They bounce back with 'When We Depart' which is a rip roaring bass throbbing grinder that I could listen too all night long and bids us a fond farewell to Disc 1, but not without one last track called 'Up The Punks (bunch of cunts)' which sounds like it comes from the bands very earliest demo days. You can still smell the glue and was reportedly recorded in a toilet ha! Disc 2 Gives us a more intense metallic vibe, which has elements of Motorhead coming into the sound and the gruff vocals would not be out of place with the metal heads out there, particularly on the impressive 'Darkness On The Streets'. This progression does have its negative points if your listening from a punk perspective as my idea of punk ain't what the squatter kids gloat over these days. However the songs are a lot more involved and seem a lot longer with the Discharge vibe slowing ebbing away for more metallic excursions which can become a little boring as it sounds like a million other bands who litter the pages of Terrorizer magazine. They do hark back to the more pro-active territory during 'Forward Blade' which comes with an addictive chugging grindy riff complete with rip curdling solo. 'We Despair' picks up the speed and is an all out no compromise retort as is another good number called 'Outsider'. We then get a surreal piano inclusion during 'Squeeze The Trigger' which has a sinister quality and sounds like its been nicked from some movie soundtrack, before you hear the booming "blam blam" sounds of gunshot as the track rips into a chugging grinder which could've stole the best track on disc 2 had it not been for the slightly less inspiring vocal. Loved the one note solo in 'The Hated Flesh' which is another grinding instrumental that only has a few lines grunted as the Coitus monster careers ahead. We get a reprise of 'Real Cold Fear' from disc one which shows how good this song is as its re recorded. Not sure which version I like best as they're both good. They then give us a neat cover of Fear's 'I Love Livin In The City' before waving goodbye with an hilarious version of the Steptoe and son theme tune entitled 'Dirty Little Old Man' which begs the question why don't punk bands do more of these kinda covers instead of the regulation punk covers. WORTH A LISTEN |
| ABRASIVE WHEELS 'Skum' (Crashed Out Recordings) CD 12th October 2009 The Abrasive Wheels, Leeds best named punk outfit by a long shot, return with an effective if somewhat contrived release. This is not the original line-up it's all new members with only singer Shonna remaining from the 80's era. You can tell they've been listening to their Rancid albums and have adopted that modern Southern Californian gloss into their songs. Well they did ape GBH and others in the early 80's, so no change there. It does sound good though, with a lot more variation than their earlier material and I was surprised how much I found myself playing 'Skum' outside of review time. This is classed as the follow up to their popular debut album 'When The Punks Go Marchin In', which was a dreadful thought and title. At least 'Skum' trips off the tongue more easily and the recent group cover shot does in fact look the part. Despite all these positive factors, I did find Shonna's vocal struggling with the ranges these days. Maybe he should put on his Rolling Stones albums again. There's nowhere left to hide when there's no more fast chants we and he was accustomed to. These complex songs require quite a bit of vocal variation and that's where he fails to convince us. You find yerself cringing as he stumbles through certain sections on this album. His voice isn't unique enough to pull off a non singing punk role no more. You know when punks try to actually sing, some can pull it off, others fail miserably. To be fair he does hold his own most of the other times though. The musicianship however is very good, with 12 tracks of original songs that sound like they've been lovingly cast inside the Leeds ghetto instead of just jumping in and giving us filler on a brand 'band' name adopted onto kids leathers. Subject matter is still naive, they sing about kids 'fightin and uniting' which I personally find sickening. Wasnt/isn't punk about bein' an outcast? Not forming movements. And whats worse is, it's done by middle aged blokes ha! But uniting was what this band were all about in the old days and the youth who brought into that are the same old geezers you see at Rebellion festivals today. A glimpse of ya fewcha there for ya kids! It certainly is a vicious circle as 'Class Of 82' complete with militaristic "hey hey hey" could've come out the punk bunker back then, and if you close your eyes you could even be in downtown Albany. With a lot of reformed punk bands you get a certain metal sheen creeping in as the guitarists have learnt all those solo's, but they do work well amongst the heavy duty punk rifferama. The gruff voiced 'Bornloser' is a case in question with an addictive chorus that is aimed at the American market, but works well even in the Peacock I bet? 'Survivors' shows the Abrasive Wheels in their most potent form, a song which incorporates a good gang chorus, melodic twists and neat mid-paced guitar shots to the bows. GBH comparisons may be evident, but the kids who love the Brummies will also like these, same sort of mindset. Standout track for me had to be 'Breadline' an earthy true grit dose of reality, which concentrates on issues we can all empathise with. I believe this band work best when they forget about aiming at a specific audience and just play what comes naturally, this track sounds the most authentic and looks set to become another anthem for da kids of all ages. 'Soldiers Prayer' is poignant if your Saturday night off is a night in Camp Bastion and a major leap from 'Army Song. 'Out Of Control' gives us a rare taste of the old Abrasive Wheels sound. 'Jonny Law' is more homegrown and has influences from the Clash through to SLF. It's surprising that getting nicked can still sound good on record. Cringe-worthy moment comes on the intro to title track 'Skum' when Shonna does his level best to portray a piece of shit hanging from the heel of ya shoe. You'll have to hear the track yerself to see if he succeeds, can't wait to hear that live! They regain face with final track 'Crashed Out And Wasted' that ends the album on a rowdy high with its big singalong .... "were gonna hit them pubs and hit them clubs tonight". They also list a load of bands who they were inspired by, but no Mick Jagger, Pizza Delivery or Rancid? If you want a re-run from the 80's you'll be very surprised at what you get, and if you want a decent comeback album from one of ya faves you'll be surprised and very impressed. Ends with a sneaky punk radio insert of jocks slagging em off..."its dated!" US ignorance is bliss! Cheers to Kaz for passing this on. WORTH A LISTEN Abrasive Wheels |
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| DECONTROL 'Inner City Riots' (Up Against It All) CDEP 2009 You'd think with a name like Decontrol these Scots punks would be Discharge clones. As we all know Discharge clones can vary in power and malice. Most fall between a pale imitation or an excruciating noise. Luckily for us Decontrol are far from any of those descriptions and offer instead an authentic display of early 80's punk with inventive tunes on this neat black 'n' white package. An EP to entice us outta the clonedom which is quite addictive and healthy after a few plays. Decontrol you may recall 18 months ago, were a dodgy covers band but are now thankfully writing and performing in their own right. Sirens blare out, drums roll in and the bass rumbles through feedback as guitars resonate from your speakers. Even Snaba's vocals have become less of a joke and seem more confident on these 4 songs. The opening track called 'Decontrolled' owns a rabid riff and has signs of good things to come from these Fraserburgh punks, whose ages range from 16 to early 40's. The scuzzy riff on 'Societies Scum' is worth your time and energy and maybe could've only been improved by a slightly more rabid vocal. All the song titles could've come straight off a 'No Future' compilation, but don't let that put you off coz this sounds amazingly fresh in 2009 and the playing is tight and profficient enough to be worthy of a bigger audience. Lets face it 'Inner City Riots' are a definite possibility with this bunch of fucking crooks who run our affairs in Government, as the title track is unleashed. Decontrol have a neat songwriting ability at their disposal with some interesting song structures and the production is crisp and clear. It will be interesting to see what the next 12 months will throw up for Decontrol. Im sure gigs will be secured and if they can make this much progress who knows? Final track the monsterous 'Lifes Blood' continues the medium paced punk rock that would've been snapped up easily 20 years ago but the band are finding it hard to get a snifter from labels today? They most definitely make a great foil for all the noise and hardcore punk bands out there today. WORTH A LISTEN www.myspace.com/decontrol_scotland |
| RANCID 'Let The Dominoes Fall' CD (Epitaph) June 2009 Rancid are back with tours and a new album, that upon first listening was pretty much expected of what we know as Rancid. But please keep with it coz upon further investigation it's one helluva grower and my fave Rancid album since the classic 'Out Come The Wolves'. 19 songs of short, sharp and decidedly fresh sounding punk snapshots and ska-rred perspectives as Rancid take a long hard look at themselves and their surroundings. Opening track 'East Bay Night' sees Rancid herald the virtues of San Francisco bay nights spent on the porch watching the Albany landfill. Clash comparisons may rise once more, but Rancid do it good and in their own way. The cheeky skanking of 'Up To No Good' has some classic Rancid observations as they incorporate Hammond organs and horns into this skanking upbeat glorification of thievery and survival. Check out the neat lyrics like "quick like a snake he's good at stealing, he'll even steal the plaster off the ceiling". They may glorify the punk rock lifestyle, but its easy to do that when your getting paid good money to do it. And anyone with an ounce of suss knows this fact, so do Rancid... "that's just the way things are, that's just the way it is now' . Which has to be said Rancid were once upon a time very poor! The epic single and guaranteed new live fave 'Last One To Die' is Rancid at their most impressive with some powerful duel guitars as they tell us how they survived the last 18 years years and defied their critics..."through the storms and the gigs and the good and the bad there ain't no doubt, we knew from the very first show what it was all about". 'Disconnected' is another strong contender about the state of the USA and would've been even better if Matt Freeman's embarrassing attempt at singing was cut from the mix. Just play the bass man, coz your singing is fucking deplorable! He even scuppers the organ filled 'I Ain't Worried' where the band take it in turns to sing a verse and give the Specials a run for their money with this atmospheric skanking track. Rancid like Wolves, so do I, but does that make us lycanthropic? Answers on a postcard to Campbell CA please. Suprisingly punk mafioso Lars Frederikson sings less on this album than previous, but he makes his mark on the more sentimental tunes like 'New Orleans' where it rains all night especially on his tattooed brow. I still think Tim Armstrong is the Joe Strummer of the new generation in delivery and empathy with his punk rock audience. Doubt whether Josh Homme would ignite such sentiment though. Rancid's view is still ..."black brown white were all punk rock, were the kings of our low income block!" but its hard to feel that's totally genuine when you know they're now "rich men" singing about poor kids which seems so patronising, but does sound great on this record. However its exactly why bands like the Clash had to move on swiftly, song writing wise and bow out releasing increasingly inferior product. Rancid on this release are very much back in contention, so their staying power is guaranteed. Sure they are still making a good living out of punk rock but I think they should sing about stuff that effects them now, not then. They do try, but can't help throwing in the "punk rock" number for street cred or youngsters who won't question why? They are also flexing their musical muscle a lot more these days and gradually moving away from their teenage punk soundtrack. Well Tim is in his early 40's these days. Rancid to me are first and foremost a bunch of talented musicians who ensnare influences from real life. Some good, some not so good. Especially on tracks like 'Civilian Ways' which is Rancid discovering their acoustic roots (oh gawd). This track was only included at the request of producer Brett Gurewitz, so say no more! Its funny how punk musos merge into other once rejected musical genres with ease once they've gotten their sneakers under the table.. They're like modern day hippies with tattoos which is pretty scary for any punk who still wants to take on the world, but I'm afraid so inevitable when you make it big! If me or you was a musician maybe we'd be more understanding, but I'm not, I'm just a fan of punk rock! I do think Rancid's faster numbers ain't quite as effective these days, although songs like 'The Bravest Kids' are really good as they sound out the perils of kids who are out in Afghanistan facing death on a daily basis, which needs saying. In the meantime Rancid are a band who appreciate the female form in songs like 'Skull City' which is apparently inspired by Northern Soul and alongside 'Lu Lu'' where the single parent families get a respectful nod you get the impression they'd buy you a beer if you were broke. 'La River' has a fantastic chorus but yet again is sabotaged by bass player Freeman's irritating vocal, pity really coz his bass playing is still impeccable. The title track wasn't really as good as most, but had some good creative organ. They also write of Locomotives but I bet they all drive cars and Tim Armstrong's vocals can come off annoying sometimes, especially when he goes all fucking gospel or even worse Woody Guthrie on us! Check out the final track 'The Highway'. But even so with all these quibles its still getting played regularly in the Wolf's Lair! You know a band like Rancid were destined to be punk whatever your views on their transition to middle-age this album is a very welcome return to favour and might even tempt you to check em out on their worldwide tours. Comes with a gate fold sleeve with a fold out poster and lyric sheet. Black and very red! US CONTENDER www.myspace.com/rancid |
| RUNNIN RIOT 'Boots & Ballads' CD (Dead Lamb) 2009 3 years since Runnin Riot released a full length and having not heard the previously 'Built In Belfast' (slated for poor production in some corners) 'Boots & Ballads' certainly comes with enough angst and aggro in the production to dismiss its predecessor (courtesy of Bangor Tech). You can also tell by now the band are tight and industrious in their compositions of life on the streets of Belfast. It's good to hear a street punk/oi! band who can actually write a decent tune these days. Kicking off in fine form with the Rejects inspired chugging guitar on 'Lost Generation' ..."bringing the sounds of the street to you". Violence is never far away from this crew, although seeing them live you'd be mistaken for thinking they're such a nice bunch of blokes. However even nice blokes get steamed by Spides on the streets of Belfast. Musically I thought 'When The Boots Fly In' was a little light for an aggro song, especially with its r 'n' b soundtrack. However Runnin Riot are still one of the few street punk bands who write songs about where they come from instead of romanticising it like so many career hooligan bands try to. You can't beat first hand knowledge, and you can tell its all from the heart with this band. I gotta say Colin Riot's gruff sawdust delivery can sometimes get a little tedious, making you wanna give him a BIG bottle of cough medicine, not to get him off his head round the back of Giros, but to clear the frog in his throat. His predominant Belfast brogue was the secret weapon on the debut album adding to the bands attack, but 12 years on afters years of roll ups and a few Shandy's its becoming more of a croak than the growl it once was. But Runnin Riot are Belfast ambassadors and it just wouldn't be the same without him at the helm. 'Double The Pain' sees him redeem himself as they tell of a poignant descent into the realms of alcoholism, with some neat musical interludes. 'Ode To The Working Man' tells the story of unemployment. Which shares a lot more insight than geezers like Billy Bragg who I bet has never had blisters on his mitts through work. Gang chorus's, despair and a jolly good tune to slash yer wrists to. The mood is uplifting as the addictive 'Bold As Brass' tells the story of outcasts in "bold as brass Belfast punk rocker, he's the underclass so you really can't knock him". 'King Of The Swig' maintains the momentum as the band add yet another song about the booze but like their others, its well worth your consumption. Just a pity out of all the lyrics produced this song wasn't included in the booklet, coz I bet theres a few gems on here. Fave track has gotta be the defiant 'Ballad Of A Glue sniffer' with its ultra raw riff and infectious rowdy chorus of "half a pint of time bomb, me and me mates are gonna get fucked up". They close with another depressing, but highly amusing economic casualty of our times during '16 On The Dole' which has some brilliant observations of life on dole with "he was 16 years a schoolkid, now hes 16 on the dole". Finally there's a hidden bonus track called 'Oi Oi Angel' which feature's Belfast's punk/fashion starlet Cushla duetting on guest vocals. Sorta beauty and beast across the buckfast debris as cherry reds glisten and testosterone fizzles. Comes in a great sleeve shot from the Belfast city archives of some big kid getting battered by some young scrammels and a lyric booklet, but strangely no band pics. Cheers to Billy Riot for chucking this in the review pile. WORTH A LISTEN www.riotbois.com |
| THE SNAZZY BOYS S/T LP (Pure Punk Records) 2009 Forget the cheesy cover or the throwaway name, coz the Snazzy Boys debut album comes dressed up with some good snotty punk rock in the vein of the Briefs, or closer to home the Shocks. They sound and look like they just stepped out the late 70's UK punk scene instead of 21st century Italian suburbia. Especially armed with that authentic sounding Brit vocal and a polyurethene magazine of short, sharp, snazzy punk tunes. You certainly won't be disappointed with this 11 tracker if that's yer bag. This white vinyl slab maybe a little short on quantity (only 11 tracks), but its high on quality! The clean, gritty guitar riffs give it a quirky vibe which can sometimes get slightly annoying for a whole album, as they relentlessly jump into one abstract scenario after another. Rarely moving away from the banal subject matter or rampant pace. But this is pogo punk in the classic mould. No intricate complexity's or 6 minute solos here, just simple, abrasive punk rock. Which could mean the difference between global domination or just another support slot on the next Cute Lepers tour. The Briefs bench marked this kinda punk to mass appeal but also confronted serious issues in their own ingenious way. Where as the Snazzy Boys ain't quite grasped that concept yet. However given time who knows? You certainly can't take away their obvious knack for creating kitsch, short blasts of escapist punk rock, which is something we all need in these grey times. Resplendent in retro punk shades and pulling faces the Snazzy Boys have only been around since 2005 but seem set on filling in the Briefs creeper print by kicking off with the ultra scratchy 'Bbq Party' that features slashing guitars and lets rip at a breakneck pace, together with a pounding beat. 'Rockin In The Streets' has more mass appeal and with a harder polished edge could see em really infiltrating the space left vacant by the Seattle crew. They are a band who has that cheeky vibe the Boys gave us, only with a lot more energy. 'Dear Mayor' has a classic '77 touch with its vintage guitar overdubs. But I think there's a reason the lyrics weren't included, coz they're basically throw away. These boys are certainly audio based and concentrate solely on the tunes and excitement, with any message if any, left as an after thought. 'Carpentier' is the only native Italian sung track and sounds just as good as the rest. 'Punk Rock Girls' opens side 2 and is another standout as it chugs to a dramatic close. 'Organized Octopus' seems to confirm a disturbing fixation with a slippery Octopus. Which incidentally features on the sleeve artwork in lurid green. Of course no trashy punk rock album is complete with out some kinda Alien reference and 'They Came From Outta Space' does its very neatly indeed. Closing our first encounter with one of Italy's more exhilarating b-movie punk exports. WORTH A LISTEN www.myspace.com/snazzyboys www.purepunk.it |
| CHOCKING SUSAN 'Detroit Punk' CD 2009 Chocking Susan remind me of the sleazy swagger of the 70's era of punk. Sort of Wayne County and Iggy combined with later elements of Texas Terri Bomb, but with a way more feminine edge. In today's punk age, it's such a novel approach as these Detroit flag bearers rub shoulders with the countless spiky hordes or pop punkers. They stick out like a proverbial sore thumb with an urban real world charm about 'em. Attitude wise there's no global histrionics, no party political bullshit, just real life trials and tribulations you deal with from a deranged Chocking Susan perspective. They have been around since 2000 in one shape or form, and this CD is only their 3rd official release and probably their most infectious to date! The band have toured extensively playing DIY dives worldwide and with no record company backing have hauled their asses through word of mouth. They have however gained momentum and respect in far flung corners of the globe. Which is radiated on stage and in the studio by lead singer, the well informed Colleen Caffeine, whose already a bona fide star on the underground punk circuit. 'Detroit Punk' is certainly accessible in all the right places if you know where to look. I picked this CD up in Birmingham at a warm up gig to their by now annual appearance at the UK Rebellion festival. At which by all accounts they triumphed. This disc features quite a few numbers from their current set, but even more we never got to hear live. So there's plenty of ammo left in their Motor City tank. As well as being the bands main focal point and all round courteous ambassador. Down to earth Colleen is a charming poetess as she introduces this 9 tracker with the spoken 'Word Maggot'. An introductory piece where she wraps words up, conjures up innuendo and resoundingly draws us in for the spectacle of a true wordsmith. She would make a great narrator if ever the live work drys up! Drums roll and 'Forever Free' comes racing out the ghetto with a Heartbreakers glare guitar wise and Colleens distinct delivery. Not a profanity in sight, but Chocking Susan don't need to spit 'n' swear to make a point. They merely drench your emotions with invective and raunchy punk rock instead. 'Lemon And The Tramps' is a quirky besotted courtship song in a vivid "lemon hue". 'Necklace Of Violence' has white trash credentials, some sinister guitars and along with the mesmerising "oooohhs" gives this anti domestic violence track that subtle twist. Probably the most memorable of the bunch is the zany 'Dolly Parton' with even more majestic word play. 'I'll Love You Lonely' is their closest to a regular love song, but has that Michigan off the wall appeal. Another fave and the rather good 'Anorexia' is as mouth watering as Bulimia or as attractive as a craving disorder is ever gonna get. More women's issues are explored on 'Silicone Chest', which could probably reach more than a million 'riot grrrl' era feminist rants on the female figure could ever achieve. It's armed with some highly amusing facts without boring you. Ending with 'Sleazy Girl' that grinds in on a riff to ferment yr juices and brings this album to a seedy close. WORTH A LISTEN Sadly since penning this review the band are on the lookout for a new rhythm section and I'm sure they will have dates on offer this summer. So if you live in the Detroit metro area and fancy playing in a real punk rock band who tour both home and abroad, apply below. Chocking Susan |
| HARD CASE 'Ain't No Hiding' CDEP 2009 It's hard to keep a good man down, and since the Violent Fuckwits entered the Belfast scene back in 2003 and duly imploded last year. Lead singer Billy Riot seems determined to reignite the adrenalin rush of a live performance when he ain't busy scribbling in his legendary fanzine. Yeah the spit 'n' sawdust glare was just too much to resist, so he quickly formed a new combo called Hard Case with waifs 'n' strays from local bands like the Troubles and Spastik Dockters. So are we in for a more serious approach? I doubt that's an optimistic hope? But Hard Case do seem to be heading in a more restrained Oi/street punk direction on the studio tracks hastily put together for this Christmas debut. 'Welcome To The Romper Room' is a song about local drug dealers getting 'some' on the streets of Belfast. Gritty urban lyrics sung to a basic but menacing riff with a token guitar solo plus gang chorus. Followed by band signature tune 'Hardcase' which is coming at us in the same direction and vibe, but the sloppy chorus lets this down and is even more belligerent than the last. Billy's vocals sound determined and a little more adventurous on this outing, but the band need to get their chanting act in time to do some serious damage. 'Please Come Back Mr Mellor' (a tribute to Joe Strummer) shows a little extra musical deviation with some skanky tinges on the intro and seems to be their most confident song, music wise. Not sure the band were ready for recording just yet? Maybe another 3 months and I bet the violence in their minds would've been way more excessive. They do add 3 live rowdy covers on at the end which shows on stage is where Hard Case are doing the real damage, leaving the studio tracks a wee bit tame. We get live cuts from a gig they recorded in Kelly's Cellar on September 2009 including - The Exploited's 'Dog Of War' which has a load more energy, plus some hilarious pre song banter. 'Beat On The Brat' by the Ramones is resurrected once more and particularly impressive with its manic outbursts. Seems to be a big fave with the local crowd too. They end things chaotically with a brave attempt at the Pistols 'Bodies' which ends up in an unpredictable bloody mess! They did have the courtesy to warn us before hand though lol. An album is reportedly in the making. Hard Case seem to be in it for fun, but do need more practice if they wanna keep us rolling in aisles or cowering in the corner. AVERAGE Hard Case |
| GREEN DAY '21st Century Breakdown' (Reprise Records) CD May 15th 2009 A crackly radio creaks out our speakers as little Billie Joe serenades us in his most sickly Disney tones during 'Song Of The Century'. On this the 8th Green Day studio album. 21st Century Breakdown is the most recent platter from the band. I never heard it's highly rated predecessor American Idiot, which bought the band back into the mega selling spotlight and was the first Green Day 'rock opera'. 21st Century Breakdown follows suit and is shockingly melodic. After a few plays I nearly binned this as a band who had truly lost touch with their quirky, catchy, punk edge. Glad I didn't, coz it does eventually sink into your aural requirements. Green Day do bring melody to the punk scene, but it was the kinda melody riddled with enough snarly punk attitude and creativity that it scored a hit over many generations. Crossing over the punk wasteland into the pop mainstream. Singer Billy Joe Armstrong sure don't make it easy for his punkier brethren as he does his level best to become the Judy Garland of the pop punk scene. Something about his crooning vocal gives off a 50's veneer. And it has to be said he makes a very fetching Miss Garland clone in his tone and black eyeliner/kiss curls and those twinkling blue eyes. So if its just punk rock you want to hear from Green Day these days you'll need to head back to the more rabid sounds of Dookie, coz they are moving in totally different circles. They're showing us all the signs of being a classic MOR rock 'n' roll band. Their brand of 'safe' populist punk is despite anything else annoyingly addictive. Its surprising how creating music with almost limitless success can also make it sound so contrived. As they unleash a set of songs which comes in 3 acts. This album reminds me of what a band like Queen would have sounded like if they were born in Berkeley, listened to Operation Ivy and smoked too much weed instead of snorting coke. This album has that same expanse of majestic rock god sound and splendour. Which for a punk band shouldn't be sniffed at. 21st Century Breakdown is a massive piece of work with anthems, hooks and trite syrupy toons which no doubt has given them a new lineage of acceptance and admission to a fan base who rates his/her Kaiser Chiefs along with ELO. Opening tracks '21st Century Breakdown' and the relentless 'Know Your Enemy' hark back to the Gilman St. day's of yore, with an addictive jerky riff and pounding drums. 'Viva La Gloria' introduces strings and a piano accompaniment, which fits rather too neatly into the Green Day spec, before morphing into some kinda religious epiphany. Lyric wise they return to the well trodden path of mixed up misfit persona's during 'Before The Lobotomy'. Which is a gigantic eulogy towards mental illness, but done with great haunting effect. 'Christians Inferno' was a weak track in comparison till it really kicked in, but was ambushed by irritating segments. 'Last Night On Earth' is squeaky clean and shows the alarming way Green Day have fit into mainstream music culture on this conceptual love song. This album is way too sanctimonious for my Catholic tastes. And of the 20 or so tracks it's difficult to find a recurring theme you can put your finger on in our estranged lovers Christian and Gloria's vague story. Which leave us the listener with a confusing lyric on the whole, but sound wise it has plenty of highs that blur the lows. Green Day still say in their interviews they're a punk band with ideals, but their street credibility has by now been flushed down the 924 pan never to resurface again. However who actually needs punk credibility in this day 'n' age? Lets face most die hard punks are a bunch of fakes anyway. And if your audience spans across the board with groups of kids and adults alike, who cares? I think they should leave all that 'punk rock forever' diatribe to bands like Rancid who remain punk devotees in spirit at least. Meanwhile Green Day have stepped onto the mega bucks circuit with positive ease and continue to produce interesting if not classic pop punk albums. For instance the notable 'Peacemaker' is a flamenco of obscenely addictive punk with an incisive chorus you could be singing for a long time. Billie Joe's vocals are still as mesmeric as ever when he gets it right, its spot on! 'Last Of The American Girls' is purportedly written about his wife Adrienne and ends in a great bit of feedback before moving into one of the other albums highlights. 'Murder City' which owns the most memorable line on the album "desperate but not hopeless", which is hard to believe on both counts. I suspect we will be hearing a lot more albums outta Green Day yet. Unlike contemporaries like Offspring who seem to have totally burnt out creatively. Green Day certainly ain't run outta material. However they do seem destined to never retain the charm and downright addictiveness of those early classic albums as they pursue a more creative career than an undying hungry love. The final act 'Horseshoes And Hand Grenades' signals the most raw version of songs on the album, with a heavy demolition attack and the single '21 Guns' which has rock anthem written all over it. 'Mass Hysteria' is another fantastic Green Day classic though 'Modern World' was a little infuriating, especially the shitty vocals. 'See The Light' closes the album which is yer average Green Day toon that they seem so good at but can sometimes also become grating. The packaging is simple but neat with a great chunky lyric book done in pen and stencils on brick backdrops. Overall the music is a bit too clean to be classed as punk rock, although drummer Tre Cool stated punk was their religion. Produced by Butch Vig so its guaranteed a great sound and he seems to have captured their grand illusion perfectly. Maybe I should check out American Idiot after all? The band are currently recording their 9th studio album which reportedly contains a mammoth 30 new songs. WORTH A LISTEN £7.99 greenday.com/ |
| RED FLAG 77 'Rotten On The Inside (Red Flag Records) CD 2009 Rikki Flag shoved this CD in my skyrocket on a rare appearance in Brum last year. I feel nearly as guilty in the delay in reviewing this CD as I did to miss his bands performance later evening. What a fucking cunt I am! Whatever the case, the Flag are one of those bands who can still produce exciting punk rock'n'roll sounds in an age of hardcore mojo or brass necked ska. They never falter to keep it punk and entertaining. Its certainly been a long time since I last heard the band on record, and I have to say the decline that has hit a lot of bands who formed in that early 90's era, certainly ain't happening with RF77. They still have that punk rock passion for a tune and with enough expetise and on the road experience make sure its recorded spot on in their beloved Suffuck! Passionate Ipswich Town fans whose team maybe peddling in the championship, but Red Flag 77 the band are as good as bands like the UK Subs or GBH for instance. They just don't have as much pedigree or history, but that's certainly clocking up fast. 'Insane People'..."insane lives" greets us in an energetic start to Rotten On The Inside. With those prominent scrunchy guitars that I love, and Rikki's by now distinctive "Gravelly Hill" vocal Delivery. With 21 years under their studded belts Red Flag 77 are a tight proficient punk rock outfit with lots of ideas to make their songs interesting without actually veering off the by now formularic punk route. 'Tomorrow Never Comes' has more darker overtone as they explore the disturbing side of human nature. 'Coming To The USA' sees a change in attitude, coz 3 decades on UK punk bands are itching the play the USA, instead of being bored with it or deriding its existence. But can you blame 'em for wanting to taste it, as it does from personal experience have a healthier punk scene compared to the tiny UK's pockets of resistance. And in the American scene I reckon a band like Red Flag 77 would go down a treat. Although the lyrics about "sweet liberty" on this track seems a teeny bit naive in retrospect lol. 'Stormy Weather' is more rock 'n' roll and less interesting. 'Hard Men' however has a certain Gaelic feel as the guitars offer a Dropkick Murphy's style twang as Rikardo spits out a tale about a local heavy with a neat catchy chorus and interesting storyline. The Flag certainly have an ear for a tune and would, you imagine, be open to a bigger exploration of their sound given half a chance. 'For All Eternity' boasts a rare bass solo which hasn't a whiff of those nauseating taught hardcore tones which is refreshing. 'You Wont Get Me' is the potential anthem of this set as they veer towards a more rowdy Sham 69 posture with the most addictive chanting chorus on this album. And destined to become a live fave. On a critical note Red Flag 77 are a band who seem to have their brothel creepers dipped into a lot of different elements of punk, but neither sound completely convincing. You get the feeling they aim to please everyone. Like on songs like 'The Crest Of A Wave' which is really strong musically, but suffers from a weak hook line. 'Why You Do It' however posts an animal abuse message in the lyrics with a much needed tuneful sound scape that always works better than the usual noisy ranty diatribes on this subject matter, by less imaginative outfits. 'If God Cares' offers the band a chance to flex that theatrical musical edge that seems to emerge from the Ippo bands DNA on a regular basis as they ponder the meaning of life. It's a thoughtful end to the album. As a bonus track they chuck in a cover of 'Nice Boys' by Rose Tattoo. Comes with a Hammy horror cover and neat professional glossy booklet with the full lyrics printed and a centre spread photo montage of the Flag and fans doing rotten things. WORTH A LISTEN www.redflag77.co.uk |
