Sharp/Shock - Dancing All Night

  Sharp/Shock are a Southern California 3 piece who's members hail from Britain, San Diego and New Zealand. Vocalist/guitarist Davey Warsop is one of the Brits and has previously graced bands such as Beat Union, Suedehead and he's also worked with Bad Cop/Bad Cop. Bass player Dan Smith is another Brit who came to the US via New Zealand and Australia and was in numerous bands including The Dear & Departed. Drummer Korey Kingston has more of a ska/reggae background and was also in Suedehead as well as The Aggrolites.

  Unsurprisingly, given their backgrounds, their sound is a mixture of classic UK and US punk (think The Jam meets The Descendents). Other influences include the likes of Elvis Costello, Madness, Royal Headache, The Beat etc.

  They released their debut album, Unlearn Everything, in 2016 on Heart & Skull Records and you can find it here :  https://sharpshockband.bandcamp.com/releases

  They've just released album number 2, It's called Youth Club and it's available from Mad Butcher Records  https://www.madbutcher.de/index.php/component/muscol/S/203-sharp-shock/393-youth-club

  You can get more info on Facebook :  https://www.facebook.com/sharpshockband/

  This song is called Dancing All Night.....

Half Man Half Biscuit - Knobheads on Quiz Shows

Photographer: Chris Bowley

  Birkenhead's greatest ever band are back, every 3 or 4 years they raise their heads above the parapet and fire off verbal volleys of amusing vitriol. I'm talking about Half Man Half Biscuit of course, those four lads who shook the Wirral and who should be bigger than The Beatles. Their new album is snappily titled No-one cares about your creative hub so get your fuckin' hedge cut and it's out now on Probe Plus.

  Forming in the early 80's and wowing a generation with the Back In The D.H.S.S. album (as well as classic songs such as Trumpton Riots, Dickie Davies Eyes, All I Want For Christmas Is A Dukla Prague Away Kit etc), the John Peel favourites have released consistently great music to the delight of a relatively small but extremely loyal fanbase ever since. Their unique brand of English humour even finds favour with fans around the world despite it being doubtful many of them have previously heard of much of what is referenced in the lyrics (Gubba Lookalikes, weighing in at Newton Abbot, Kendo Nagasaki, cresta, Gouranga, Gordon Burns etc etc etc....).

  If it ain't broke don't fix it so here we have another album that doesn't veer from their trademark sound. An album that is currently lighting up an otherwise dull UK album chart. Observational humour is married to indie rock guitars, everything is familiar and we're all happy about it. Themes touched upon unsurprisingly include football "oh let me gaze upon your curves, instead of Ipswich Town reserves", daytime tv "I'll just guess and hope I'm right, the first man into space was Captain Bligh", oddball characters "I don't think I've encountered a man so irate, you're a better man than I if you get past his gate"  and the disdain towards jobsworth's "who the fuck are you, trying to govern everybody's bat walks."

  It's a bit pointless writing about them to be honest, by now you'll already know if you love them or not just like you'll already know what to expect from the new album. They say familiarity breeds contempt. They're wrong. Here's hoping HMHB are still acerbically tickling our funny bones for many years to come.

  This is Knobheads On Quiz Shows.....

Fucked Up - High Rise

  If you're as old as me it's quite possible you'll remember a 1979 hit by The Trainspotters called High Rise. The band were the brainchild of Radio 1 dj Mike Read and the song was a catchy number with a tune based on his "Mike Read, Mike Read, National Radio 1" jingle. The band released a follow up single called Unfaithful but like most of the music he played on his show it it was bloody awful.

  Fast forward almost 40 years and High Rise is about to gain a bunch of new fans as Canadian hardcore outfit Fucked Up are releasing a new version. There'll be a 7" out via Tankcrimes on June 15th to celebrate Dreamsday and you can pre order it here :  https://tankcrimes.merchtable.com/tankcrimes-music/vinyl/fucked-up-high-rise-7/?no_redirect=true

  What's Dreamsday? I've no idea but I'm sure all will become clear eventually :  https://www.facebook.com/FUglassboys/

  Anyway, it's a joy to hear a new Fucked Up record that's not 20-30 minutes long so I'll be able to play it on today's Just Some Punk Songs show (starts at 8pm gmt https://www.facebook.com/events/168679093827829/ and also now airs on Thursday and Sunday on Hong Kong's Radio Lantau). There's not too many covers that are better than the original but this is one. High Rise.....

Peach Kelli Pop - Black Magic

  A few days ago I featured a song by Wild Animals and called it a perfect soundtrack for the summer. The same could easily be said for the new album from Peach Kelli Pop. When I featured a song from them on last week's Just Some Punk Songs show (https://www.mixcloud.com/mick-fletcher/just-some-punk-songs-200518/) I commented that they were probably too cute to be called punk but were far too catchy not to play. The song I played was Hello Kitty Knife and I was going to feature it on here but as there's a video for a different song I've decided to go with that. The album as a whole is full of catchy gems, it's titled Gentle Leader and you can check it out here :  https://peachkellipop.bandcamp.com/album/gentle-leader-2

  Founded by Allie Hanlon and based in Los Angeles, Peach Kelli Pop are the aural equivilant of plunging a syringe full of sunshine into your vein. They might not be the listening choice of those of you who like their music to be hard hitting but for anyone who enjoys a good tune they're extremely moreish. They featured on here a few years back with a song that was "jangly, catchy as hell garage pop" (http://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/peach-kelli-pop-dreamphone.html) and Gentle Leader certainly won't disappoint any long term fans.

https://www.facebook.com/peachkellipopmusic/

  They've certainly cast a spell over me, I love them. This is Black Magic....

Hood Rats - Hostile Takeover

 

  One of my favourite releases of 2018 so far is Target Earth, the excellent recent album by New Zealand kings of garage rock n roll The Cavemen. It's packed with primitive stompers that are both "batshit crazy" and very tuneful (https://slovenly.bandcamp.com/album/the-cavemen-nuke-earth-lp). The band that feature on today's update compare very favourably to them (which is as good a compliment as I can think of).

  Hood Rats are from Montreal and they're bringing out a new album titled Trash Party. It's going to be on one of the year's most exciting labels, Girlsville (I recently featured their reissue of Coachwhip's Night Train album and they also released a couple of excllent demos and rarities comps by The Pristeens).

  Described as a mixture of 80's hardcore and skate punk mixed with Motorhead's shredding and Rip Off Records' snottiness the album is truely wonderful. The band are a 3 piece featuring Tony Salador (drums/vocals), Troy Lockard (guitar) and JF Simoneau (bass) and boy do they kick up a racket. They're loud, fast and energetic. Their songs are short and catchy and the album will leave you panting, sweaty but baying for more. The cassette is due out on August 3rd (pre order now) but if that's too long to wait there's 10 tracks to check out on Bandcamp :  https://girlsville.bandcamp.com/album/hood-rats-trash-party

  You can also download their Digital Wasteland album (which 50THIRDAND3RD described as "balls to the wall, cut throat rock n roll") free here :  https://hoodrats.bandcamp.com/releases

  Whilst you're at it, give them a like on Facebook. They deserve your love :  https://www.facebook.com/HoodRatsMtl/

  It didn't really matter which song I posted below, they're all great but I have to choose one so this is Hostile Takeover....

Condo fever spead the virus
The upper class live right beside us
Gentrification is here to stay
Take everything I like and throw them all away

Hostile Takeover
With a bulldozer

The cost of living goes through the roof
The poor get poorer ignore the truth
Don't need no lineups and disco bars
Can't spend my welfare on caviar

Egg Men - Outside The Shell

  Hey guys, there's a new band in town. They're called Egg Men, they feature a couple of members of Baltimore hardcore punk band Turnstile (Brendan Yates on vocals & Dan Fang on drums). Also involved are Krimewatch bassist Emma Hendry, Fury drumer Alex Samayoa and Big Bite's Allen Trainer.

  They've only released one song so far, it's on Maryland label Pop Wig Records and you can check it out here : https://popwigrecords.bandcamp.com/album/egg-men-outside-the-shell

  I played the song on last week's Just Some Punk Songs show and one chatroom regular asked if the band featured classic crooner Roger Whittaker (he had hits many years ago with songs such as Durham Town and New World In The Morning). The (tongue in cheek) question was asked due to the whistling on the song. There's not usually a great deal of whistling in the hardcore genre but on the evidence of this, maybe there should be!

   Anyway, scramble to the bottom of the page and check it out. Hopefully they'll have more music to come (fingers crossed for an albumen!). This is eggcellent and will take some beating. It's called Outside The Shell....

Wild Animals - Interrupted Girl

 

  I tried my best to get a guest review for you today but I think all the people that said they would do one have been lying out in the sun topping up their tans (summer only usually lasts for a week in the UK so I can hardly blame them). This means you're stuck with me again but fear not, I've got a great song for you. It's by Wild Animals, they're from Madrid (a place where summer lasts for much longer than a week) and they're pretty damn awesome.

  An easy tag to bestow upon them is power pop but they also incorporate elements of pop punk, indie, emo, rock etc so maybe I should just describe them as a catchy as fuck trio who's members are Jamie R Green (guitar/vocals), Paula Sanchez-Lafuente (drums/vocals) and Fon Alvarez (bass). They formed in 2014 and the following year released the First Songs ep. 2016 saw the release of debut album Basements : Music To Fight Hypocrisy (excellent opening track Sleepless Sundays was the song that brought them to my attention) and now they're back with new album The Hoax. Co-released by several labels worldwide (including Lauren Records and Waterslide Records) it's also available name your price on Bandcamp : https://wildanimalsmusic.bandcamp.com/album/the-hoax  You really need to snap it up.

  The first verse of this song is a very decent opening but once Paula's vocals kick in and things go up a notch, the hairs on my arms stand up. It's that good. In fact it's a perfect summer soundtrack that those lazy sunbathers should have blasting out as they slowly cook. This is Interrupted Girl....

2005 hearing voices that screamed: 
“kid you’re looking depressed”, this one’s not about me 

It’s about a girl on the coast at the age of sixteen, 
feeling shameful and somewhat confused: 


One night after a party waiting for a cab, 
3 girls pulled up next to me I thought it was rad, 
I was supposed to get home later I don’t know how 
but we drove off nothing to lose

 

Yesterday’s fear has passed 
today’s here,
 
now I see no gender
 only joy 



After that morning the days passed quite slow 
I was hanging up posters for a shitty show 
On the street where she worked and I hung out in hope 
of seeing her sometime soon 

I had some doubts about telling my Mum 
and I found myself hiding it from my closest ones 
Even when they found out I didn’t kiss her when about
 
I was just interrupting myself 


Yesterday’s fear has passed 
today’s here,
 
now I see no gender 
only love 

Years tumble down now I shout it out loud 
There’s just one flag of which I’m proud 
They fill their mouths with “normality”, 
but I’m not sure of what that really means 
Years tumble down now I shout it out loud 

2018, I still don’t get why 
you can still be judged on who you wanna fuck

 

Yesterday’s fear has passed 
today’s here,
 
now I see no gender
 only joy
 
now I see no gender
 only love


dragSTER - Damned

 

  First up, a quick apology. If you're one of the lovely people that listens live to the Just Some Punk Songs show, you'll possibly know there was lots of love for the songs that featured from the chatroom folk.  If however you're one of the equally lovely people who catch up with the show when it gets saved to Mixcloud you may be wondering where it is. The reason it's not been uploaded yet is that from this week forward (till they realise I'm a crap dj or I sneak in too many songs with cunt in the title!) the shows will be broadcast by Radio Lantau ("Hong Kong's Number 1 Radio Station" http://radiolantau.com/). As far as I know, the show will air on a Thursday and repeat on a Sunday so it will go on Mixcloud after that). As today is Thursday, it's showday so if you want to listen to punk bands from places like Coventry, Scarborough, Whitehaven etc getting played to the residents of Hong Kong, click the link to Radio Lantau at 3pm UK time (in fact, tune in at 2pm as Wayne Elliott's excellent Pulsebeat show is on before (same excellent kind of punk tunes but with a much better dj). The 2 shows go out at 9pm and 10 pm Hong Kong time so will hopefully get new Uk (and other deserving bands from around the world) talent noticed by a wider audience. 

  And now the explanation for the absence of the show from Mixcloud is out of the way, here's the bit you've come for. Today's song.....

  Possibly the song that went down the best on this week's show is from Coventry band dragSTER (I think i said on the show that they were from Blackpool, not sure where I got that from but I'll correct it here). Forming in 2004, they're a 5 piece featuring Fi Dragster (vocals), Diesel (rhythm guitar), Ben Kelly (lead guitar), Tom AK (bass) and Ryan Murphy (drums). They're about to release their 4th album (previously there's been Step Into The Deathray 2006, Here Come The Meat Robots 2010 and Dead Punk 2014.... You can find them here :   https://dragsteruk.bandcamp.com/).

  The new album is called Anti-Everything and it'll be on Louder Than War records http://louderthanwar.com/shop/cd-albums/dragster-anti-everything-cd-edition/

  There'll also be a full UK tour on the horizon and you can get details here :   https://www.facebook.com/dragSTERUK/
 http://www.dragsteruk.com/

 
  Dark and ferocious, this suggests the album will be a belter. It's called Damned..... 

Sex Tourists - Guts

 

  A song today from a Self Titled album that when I first came across it I wasn't at all sure about but which has definitely grown on me and is now a firm favourite. I played a song from it on the recent Just Some Punk Songs Drunken Sailor Records special and it stuck out like a sore thumb but went down extremely well with the folk in the chatroom (The show got as high as number 4 in a Mixcloud punk chart that often sees shows playing golden era oldies clogging up it's upper echelons so thanks to those that have checked it out  https://www.mixcloud.com/mick-fletcher/just-some-punk-songs-drunken-sailor-special/).

  The song is by Sex Tourists, they're a "downer synth-pop" outfit from Sydney who's line up features members of bands such as Aloha Units, Natalia And Her Naptime and Houseband and they appear to have been influenced far more by early New Order and Vietnamese funeral music! than by any of the usual likely suspects. That line up is Darius Ottignon, Ewan Finlay and Nicola Babbage.

  The album was originally released last November by local diy label Paradise Daily Records but was quickly picked up by that bastion of good taste Juice who quickly added it to the impressive roster on his Drunken Sailor label. There were a limited number of copies available on vinyl and it's also here digitally :  https://drunkensailorrecords.bandcamp.com/album/st-lp-3

  You may also be interested in the "name your price" demo that came out 3 years ago on the band's own Trackside Records :  https://tracksiderecords.bandcamp.com/album/sex-tourists-demo

  If, after your first listen to Sex Tourists, you're like me and aren't sure, don't give up. They'll soon drill through that initial resistance and firmly implant their nagging earworms inside your head. If, like Juice and the majority of the JSPS chatroom you fall in love straight away then make sure you snap up the album. Damn this is good, it's called Guts....

 

Karkki & The Car Keys - Bankrobber (Of Your Heart) (Demo)

  It's always good to catch a promising new band just as they're getting going and on today's update we'll be doing just that as I post a song from the very first demo release by Karkki & The Car Keys. Besides the song you'll find below, there's another 2 tracks on the 3 Hits From Heaven demo cassette, just enough to whet appetites ahead of a proper release (the band will be recording their debut 7" later in the summer).

  Also this summer (July 27th/28th) is the Hori Smoku Summer Boogalo in Helsinki in which the band will be playing alongside other cool acts such as The Mummies, Marked Men, King Khan & The Shrines etc.

  The band are a Finnish 5 piece featuring Jesse from The Everybody Knows on drums (they featured on here a few weeks ago  http://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.co.uk/2018/05/the-everybody-knows-hello-hello.html) as well as Candy Lee (vocals). Jok (guitar), Pet (guitar) and Jo (bass). Think power pop, think rock n roll, think Nikki & The Corvettes and you won't be far off.

  This is Bankrobbber (Of Your Heart).... 
 

The Filaments - Look To The Skies

  Today you're getting the song that kicked off last night's Just Some Punk Songs show. It's the title track from the new album by Chelmsford punks The Filaments. The album will be titled Look To The Skies and it's out on the 15th June on Pirates Press Records.

  It's been 17 years since they released debut album Skull And Trombones. Album number 2, What's Next? came out in 2004 and number 3, Land Of Lions was 2013. You can check them all out here : https://thefilaments.bandcamp.com/
They previously appeared on here in 2014 with classic track B.P.C. (http://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/the-filaments-bpc.html).

  There's a release party for the new album at The Underworld Camden on June 16th at which they'll be joined by Lion's Law, The Restarts and Knuckledust. Details here : https://www.facebook.com/thefilaments/

  So what can we expect from the new album? I'm assuming it's the usual mix of great song writing, energetic punk beats augmented by trombone, sax and trumpet though on the evidence of the song below we may be getting something slightly more polished. I'm guessing fans of Rancid's Life Won't Wait may well lap it up, I'm also guessing it's going to be very good indeed.

  Drone warfare seems very much the topic under discussion here, a timely subject and one that suggests the album will get you thinking as well as dancing (as is par for the course with this band). This is called Look To The Skies...

Nancy No Shoes - Crimes Against Humonarchy

 

  So did you all enjoy the Royal wedding????? I'm guessing the band I'm featuring today weren't glued to their tv sets.

  Nancy No Shoes hail from South Wales and are a fast & frantic hardcore punk band who feature amongst their ranks Jimbob Logan from Pizzatramp and Nicola Hardy from Brassick. They're a new band that I know pretty much nothing about, I can't even find a decent photo to post at the top of this update. What I do know, after listening to the song you'll find below, is that they're bloody good, extremely pissed off and the joint male & female vocals remind me a little of Huntington Beach hardcore heroes F Minus.

  The only track I've heard by them so far is the one you'll find below. It definitely leaves me wanting more (especially as Jimbob describes it as "not even the best song on the EP! Some smashers on there!"). Very timely it is too, revealing how the MP for Windsor, Simon Dudley, decided it would be a good idea to coerce the police into removing the homeless from the streets in order to make the town look pretty for the world's cameras. Homeless people were to be kept out of sight though you were seemingly perfectly fine to sleep rough if wrapped in Union Jack flags and were there go catch a glimpse of the happy couple. In the words of Nancy No Shoes, "fuck Simon Dudley, fuck the Royal family and fuck the elitist tories too".

  This is Crimes Against Humonarchy....

Crimes
You just cant sweep them into the gutter You're disconnected Can't even see it Face of a charity You dont even feel it Need some work done And tourisms fun But think where we'd be If you werent thinking of one Here comes the day Tax paid parade Just smile and wave boys Keep up the charade Straight off the streets Straight out of Windsor Like shovelling shit With a spoon made of silver Where's your empathy Where's you heart Dont know why we're asking We knew from the start Crimes Against Humonarchy If a lion could speak Cant tell it dont eat No frame of reference

The Chromosomes - Watchin' airplanes

pic by Silvy Silvicious

  The Chromosomes are a 3 piece pop punk band from Livorno in Italy who formed in 1993 and who are influenced by The Ramones and The Beach Boys etc. Their line up features Massimiliano Morandi (vocals/guitar), Luca Sardi (bass/vocals) and Matteo Paganelli (drums).

  As well as a bunch of eps and split releases they've also released several albums. You can find a number of these releases on Bandcamp. More band info is available on Facebook and on their blog :

 https://thechromosomes.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/TheChromosomesband/
http://thechromosomes.blogspot.co.uk/

  Their most recent release was last year's Losing Eleven. An album with cool cover art and 11 songs about goalkeepers in padded shirts, teddy bear cuddling heavy metal kids, pretty girls on late night tv shows, rowdy hula dancers etc, it's great fun. As well as the digital version, there's a cd available from Striped Music.... http://www.stripedmusic.com/

  There's loads of bands playing this kind of music but on the evidence of Losing Eleven I think it's fair to say The Chromosomes are Champions League class (if they were a football team they'd be battling away with the likes of The Manges, The Apers and DeeCracks in Europes biggest competition. Check them out.

  Looking out of my window as I type this, the sun's out, the mercury is rising, it's gonna be a great day. Perfect for lying back and Watchin' Airplanes....

Airplanes 
cruisin' above our heads 
here on our favourite spot 
lyin' on the hood of my car 
You and me 
starin' at the blue sky 
tryin' to guess where they come from 
with a load of stories 

And if the rain falls down 
we don't care at all - just 'cause 

we're watchin' airplanes 
wonderin' places 
lookin' up straight in the blue 
we're watchin' airplanes 
stories and faces 
flyin' up deep in the blue 

Who's up there? 
Are they scared to watch down? 
From those little windows 
Maybe they could see us 
You and me 
starin' at the blue sky 
tryin' to guess where they come from 
with a load of stories 

And if the wind blows strong 
we don't care at all - just cause 

we're watchin' airplanes 
wonderin' places 
lookin' up straight in the blue 
we're watchin' airplanes 
stories and faces 
flyin' up deep in the blue 

I must tell you I was afraid to fly 
that I could not breathe 
You give me strength I'm lucky 
to have you here with me

Colour Me Wednesday - Sunriser (Review By Martin Edmunds)

photo : Katie Gatt 

  Back when he was making music, Martin "Ed" Edmunds was in a number of UK bands including Wordbug and Annalise. Nowadays you'll find him co hosting punk show Generating Steam Heat (https://www.mixcloud.com/generatingsteamheat/). The show features an eclectic selection of punk, post-punk, indie, bovver beat, experimental, hardcore, garage, glam etc andis well worth checking out.

  He asked me if he could review the new album by top UK indie band Colour Me Wednesday. The album is titled Counting Pennies In The Afterlife and is available now from Dovetown Records and KROD.

http://www.dovetownrecords.com/

http://krodrecords.eu/product/colour-me-wednesday-new-album

https://colourmewednesday.bandcamp.com/album/counting-pennies-in-the-afterlife

  Over to Ed.....

Colour Me Wednesday-Counting Pennies In The Afterlife 

  Lets get this out in the open straight away, Colour Me Wednesdays 2013 debut album ‘I Thought It Was Morning’ is a classic; hitting the perfect sweet spot between C86 indie pop and melodic punk. The bands identikit, zero musical progression side of their split release with Spoonboy that followed the album was equally as good. Any review of this second album is going to be coloured (coloured-get it!) by either disappointment or relief that they’ve either matched or not a set of songs that I love.

  So, how have CMW negotiated the notoriously difficult second album syndrome? They’ve certainly taken their time; since the first couple of releases mentioned new music has been released at a trickle, digital tracks here (including a great version of Demi Lovatos ‘Cruel For The Summer’) and a 7’’ there (the slightly underwhelming ‘Don’t Tell Anyone’ EP) with guitarist/vocalist Harriet Dovetown also recording and touring with The Tuts and her sister, vocalist Jennifer, releasing solo material as Baby Arms. There have also been numerous line up changes with just Harriet and Jennifer remaining from the line up that recorded the debut album.

  The passing years and change in personal, for better or worse, has definitely resulted in a change in sound for CMW. They’ve not gone free jazz quite yet but the sound on ‘Counting Pennies In The Afterlife’ has moved away from the saccharine melodies and adrenalin rush delivery of their earlier releases to something more measured. Jennifers fantastic vocals are still present and correct but generally the pace of the songs is slower, the melodies less ‘obvious’ and the arrangements more complex. The punk attitude is still there with the bands usual smart lyrics but musically this largely moves away from indie pop to an early 90s indie rock sound. Think Juliana Hatfield rather than the Flatmates.

  When it works it works fantastically well. The slowed down and atmospheric ‘Disown’ is a beautiful song while ‘Not My Turf’ covers similar ground with the added bonus of some noise guitar. It’s also great to see the tried and tested indie influence of the Phil Spector/60’s girl group thud make an appearance on ’Boyfriends Car’. If you’re expecting the instant hits of the past you might be left to scratch your head (although ‘Heathers Left For Dead’ comes close) as this album takes time to work it’s magic.

  There’s a cliche that says something along the lines of you have all your life to write your first album and things get really tricky with the second. In a nutshell, this is the sound of CMW ‘growing up’, trying new ideas and developing as a band. This album isn’t as immediate as the debut but give it time and gems like ‘Take What You Want (And Then Leave) reveal themselves. 

  So am I relieved or disappointed? Certainly not disappointed. I’m happy to be hearing the sound of CMW moving forward and I’ve got a feeling that sticking with ‘Counting Pennies In The Afterlife’ there’s much more to come. I already like this a lot but give it a week or so and I’ve got a feeling that I’ll be hooked.    

Ed X

@gensteamheat

  This is the new video, the song is called Sunriser.....

Top 10 Songs Chosen By Stuart Diggle (Litterbug)

  Another great Top 10 for you today courtesy of Litterbug guitarist/vocalist Stuart Diggle. You may have seen Litterbug feature on here a few days ago with a song from their highly rated new album, Countdown To Schadenfreude. Whilst chatting about his Top 10, Stuart told me this, "We probably released the 2nd album 6 months too early, as the last one came out in only June last year, but this was originally going to be an ep on vinyl only. We got carried away and I got impatient with release date as the last album has gotten very good reviews and responses so we tried to back it up to keep interest and allow new found followers to hear new songs and back track on some of our older stuff."

https://litterbug.bandcamp.com/album/countdown-to-schadenfreude

    https://www.facebook.com/litterbugblackpool/

  Not only does he select 10 cracking songs he also writes plenty of commentary to flesh out his selections "I always like geeky stuff like that..."

  Cheers Stuart, over to you....


1. The Damned - New Rose ..

As regularly discussed with my mates, this track is the only song that can outshine some tracks on Never Mind the Bollocks. New Rose being the first punk record and somehow the greatest . The drum intro just literally kicks everything else into touch

2.Sex Pistols - Bodies .. 

As a young kid hearing this for the first time, it was like seeing that horror movie that disturbs you and will probably last a lifetime in the back of your mind. The intro sounds off kilter and awkward, akin to the shower scene in Psycho or the classic Jaws theme tune. When the violent feel accompanied by industrial language is unleashed, you knew something so out there was happening. It was like the epitome of everything that Punk once upset society with.

3. Ramones - Teenage Lobotomy ..

Simply because I have to pick one classic punk pop tune by them. It’s Alive transformed the Band as a live act, whilst the studio production often searched for the perfect radio friendly pop song. There are so many to choose from, but I love the drum start and rhyming tell ‘em with cerebellum is classic da Brudders stuff.

4. Pixies - Tame ..

It would be easy to just stick with straight up punk rock labelled bands, but the dynamics on this track of the quiet loud genre they basically stumbled across and invented is at its peak with this track. The album Doolittle is possibly my fav all time record. The way the whole album ebbs and flows through the fast to slow and the wild to calm is all born out in Tame. So diverse in sound but definitively the Pixies. They are unique to this day and a shining example of being creatively leftfield whilst mastering the underground. A genius song writer that is Frank Black, Black Francis.

5. Stiff Little Fingers - Suspect Device ..

If there is nothing surprising about these old school classics, it’s because that’s exactly what they are. I could easily have opted for the B side Wasted Life, which I nearly did. SLF brought politics into their songs and also unified a city in the best possible and positive way. Through their art. Alternative Ulster is also a fantastic song with classic intro, if not over played. That’s probably why this track edges it, apart from the fact I remember my mum saying she loved the bass on Suspect Device's production. The Stranglers were her fav punk act by the way.

6. PIL - Death Disco ..

Just for the pure bloody cheek of Lydon coming up with something most wouldn’t have expected. The voice has changed as dramatically as the music, but Wobble's bass line alongside Levene’s stunt guitar sounds, just sounded alien to everything at the time. It probably wouldn’t have got beyond the garden gate if it wasn’t for the music press and business awaiting anything the new Mr Rotten could deliver, but thankfully it came through. Metal Box was a pretentious work of art.

7. Buzzcocks - Times Up ..

They wrote brilliant pop songs filled with romantic failure that everyone could and still can relate too, but this is the track I always wait for a their live show, and sometimes don’t get. We totally ripped off the guitar intro riff for one of our songs, I Will Not Explain. Shameless plagiarism that i’m not going to apologise for.

8. Killing Joke - Pssyche ..

For me, Killing Joke are the best live act from the old school bands. Still creating , still passionately meaning every word and the original line up too. Hypnotic live act. I was tempted to plump for a lighter sentimental track, like Love Like Blood or the more recent and brilliant track In Cythera, but this track summed up the bands tribal feel and sharing the lyrics between band Members was a winning idea.

9. Nine Black Alps - Buy Nothing ..

I could have strayed into softer music , which I have penchant for, like Grandaddy, Eels or Weezer, or something from another culture perhaps, but it’s edginess and controlled anger in music that has influenced and disciplined me throughout life. This band appeared on the scene in 2005 I think. They had a few albums, but the debut, Everything Is, was a classic. This track, however, was from the second album. It’s fairly ferocious in its message and poignant in an age where corporates cash in on people’s misfortune or find other corrupt methods of beating a system “legally“ whilst hanging out the consumer to dry. Remember the day you could miss a train and jump in the next for free? Not now, you get punished even if it’s not your fault and it will cost you more when buy that second ticket. Or simply go back to the Day credit or debit card charges came in and added and inflated unnecessary postage costs for anything you bought. The flirting with false advertisement and basic rip off ventures in today’s society are far too saturated for anyone to take on the bigger guy. It’s fairly disgusting. I’ve gone off track there, but not really, if you listen to this song. I recommend listening to the first album Everything Is. Great lyrics from Sam Forrest. I could have gone for a Nirvana track, but their legacy doesn’t need to hitch a ride.

10. Cyanide Pills - Alone Tonight ..

Got to go for at least one outsider / unknown band in the top 10. Cyanide Pills, from Leeds, have 3 albums and a plethora of power pop punk singles. They are possibly the best live act of the recent 21st century punk bands. They take their image from the Ramones and stage antics from Johnny Thunders. Some argue it’s choreographed, but it’s entertaining and whilst some acts are trapped in a shell on stage a little bit, like our good selves, it’s good to see a band using presentation as an important part of their performance. It does give them an edge. They have many good songs to choose from and I don’t mind admitting that Litterbug at times, aspire to reciprocate similar ideas tunes wise. You could select a brilliant 20 track album from their back catalogue, but I’ve opted for this more gentle track for its simplistic feel and fantastic backing vocals. I was close to picking Big Mistake, also from the 3rd album. They are great tunesmiths, plain and simple.

Coachwhips - Hey Fanny

  Coachwhips were a rambunctious garage punk band from San Francisco comprising John Dwyer (vocals/guitar), John Harlow (drums) and Ann McNamara (keyboards/backing vocals/tambourine). A later incarnation of the band saw Matt Hartman take over on drums and Val-Tronic on keyboards & tambourine. They formed in 2001 and split in 2005 (though there were reunion shows a few years ago). Dwyer is now frontman of Thee Oh Sees.

  So why does today's update feature a song that first surfaced on a 2003 7" split with Trin Tran? Well, firstly because it's a damn good song (the purpose of this blog being to draw attention to damn good songs) and secondly because it's reappeared again on the reissue of Coachwhips' Night Train compilation. Comprised of outtakes, demos and other choice cuts, the album was originally released in 2017 but is now available in expanded form on the excellent Chicago label Girlsville....   https://girlsville.bandcamp.com/album/coachwhips-night-train-2

  Girlsville's Courtney DelMar gives more details on the album in this article :  http://www.50thirdand3rd.com/john-dwyers-pre-oh-sees-band-coachwhips-ready-expanded-reissue-of-night-train-girlsville/

  If 21 tracks of primitive garage/blues punk n roll sounds like your thing then this album would be an invaluable addition to your collection. It's the perfect antidote to the anodyne pap that far too often passes for modern music.

  This song is called Hey Fanny....   

Top 10 Songs Chosen By Sarah Williams (Shout Louder webzine)

  There's not been a Top 10 for a while so this week I'll be posting two. The first one has kindly been chosen by Sarah Williams. From Manchester, Sarah's definitely into her music, not only has she seen around 150 different bands already in 2018 she also has her own webzine, Shout Louder.

https://shout-louder.com/
https://www.facebook.com/shoutlouderpunk/
https://twitter.com/shoutlouderpunk
https://www.instagram.com/shoutlouderzine/
https://shout-louder.com/category/podcast/

  With the introductions complete I'll hand you over to Sarah. There doesn't appear to be videos to all the songs but we'll link to them as best we can....


  Top 10 Punk Songs feels like an intimidatingly wide remit, so for simplicity I’ve chosen to select ten punk songs that I’m obsessing over right this second.

Over the years, I’ve been a fan of a variety of different punk subgenres and we cover the whole range at my webzine, www.shout-louder.com, however currently I’m really on a melodic hardcore bender. My passion lies in the urgency, the hooky melodies, layers of guitar and sheer wealth of skill that goes into creating it. That combination may not appeal to all punk fans, particularly those into the more ‘traditional’ punk, but there’s a thriving DIY skate-punk scene in Europe that’s just begging to be discovered. Along with that, I’m really into my melodic punk with dark lyrics and gruff vocals right now, especially anything that’s catchier than chlamydia.

Here are my current 10 punk songs to obsess over:

Darko - Lifeblood

Released last year, Darko’s album Bonsai Mammoth cemented their position as the best melodic hardcore band in the UK. Standout tracks for me include Lifeforms and I Should Have Taken That Left Turn At Albuquerque, however Lifeblood is one of the tracks that made me realise there’s more to this band than shreddy hi-octane fast punk. It’s a thoughtful polemic on the subject of work that they’ve recently made a great new video for.

The Burnt Tapes - Things Get Weird

The DIY scene’s answer to emotional behemoths like Iron Chic and Polar Bear Club, The Burnt Tapes have invented an irresistible take on sad punk. Things Get Weird is this band at their gritty, melodic best, showcasing their signature dual gruff vocals and an unmatched capacity for evocative, gut-wrenching lyrics. They’re poised to explode this year: get on the bandwagon now.

Goodbye Blue Monday - Take Your Pills

This is the second track from a glorious EP about bipolar disorder from Scottish gravelly pop-punks Goodbye Blue Monday. When I first got my hands on this I listened to it 10 times on repeat; it’s a lively little banger. Graham Lough is a sad-punk songwriting genius. “Choke ‘em all fucking down.” Hands down the best thing you’ll hear all year.

https://goodbye-blue-monday-1.bandcamp.com/track/take-your-pills

Youth Avoiders - Ghostland

I saw Youth Avoiders in January and was absolutely blown away. Live, it came across like Descendents dallying in hardcore - tight, energetic and heavy as hell. On record it’s a slightly cleaner but nonetheless a frantic, sonically mesmerising experience. They’re Parisian and I’m literally begging people to book them in the UK at the moment - so far there’s one show in Brighton on June 22nd and one in Hastings on December 1st. More please!

https://youthavoiders.bandcamp.com/track/ghostland

A Wilhelm Scream - Boat Builders

To say that I’m obsessed with Partycrasher at the moment would be a significant understatement. I literally spent 24 embarrassing hours repeatedly drunk-singing the chorus this weekend, it’s that firmly lodged in my head. Far from just a rad melodic hardcore band, these guys are technical wizards with inspiring lyrics. In a bit of a personal wet dream-made-reality scenario, they’re touring the UK with Darko in June, including an appearance at Polite Riot festival down at the New Cross Inn on June 24th.

Polar Bear Club - Hollow Place

There is a brutal lack of hope in this song, which appeals to me in the deepest, darkest kind of way. I feel like Polar Bear Club speak to my soul in a way that other bands can’t and the guitars on each song kill me every time. If you’re not familiar with Polar Bear Club, they’re an American band that play hooky post-hardcore who are now sadly on hiatus. These are songs that you can lose yourself in, so a girl can still dream on seeing them live one day.

Call Me Malcolm - There’s No ‘I’ In Apocalypse

The new Call Me Malcolm album I Was Broken When You Got Here is getting a lot of well-deserved hype at the moment. They’ve taken ska punk and perfected it, throwing in a dose of anxiety and depression to keep it modern. It was an instant hit at Shout Louder HQ and is due for repetition all summer.

Triple Sundae - Fabricated

This will be a winning discovery for fans of The Menzingers. London’s Triple Sundae have killed it with their stupendous EP Peace Of Mind, but this is my top tune on it. I had bloody lovely time shouting along to it at the record release show and I can’t wait for them to make a full album now.

https://triplesundae.bandcamp.com/track/fabricated

Forever Unclean - Words

I’m a big fan of Danish pop/skate/indie-punks Forever Unclean so I was seriously excited to hear a new tune from them. It doesn’t hurt that it’s even grittier and more Gnarwolves-esque than their other recent material. Like everything they release, it’s catchy with gripping, fake-messy guitar work. Enjoy.

https://open.spotify.com/album/2i6S9qHaKwXY0zeeTiK5a3

PMX - Another Day

This is a band that I’ve loved for a long time, but I got a bit re-obsessed with this year. It’s pretty rare to see these strapping Scottish lads down South, but I’ve managed to catch them four times so far this year and I’m hoping they’ll treat us to some more epic shows if they’re not too busy recording their new album. They’re masters of tight, technical melodic hardcore, buoyed by Chic’s clean, soaring vocal, yet another staggering hub of songwriting talent.

Like what you heard, or want to read more of my semi-inebriated ramblings? Come check out my webzine over at www.shout-louder.com. We’re a music zine for punks who don’t like paper cuts, covering all kinds of genres in a personal, off-hand style. We’ve even just started a new podcast, if that’s your bag.

In the meantime, I’ll see you down the front!