Ambition Demolition - Eton Mess (Joint Guest Review By John Youens & Ashley Colman)

   

  A nice big update today. Ambition Demolition formed in 2016 and feature members from Gloucestershire and Worcestershire. They've just released a new album called Not Normal and this is a joint review by Slow Faction frontman John Youens and Ashley Colman (who contacted the band's drummer Al Stone to give some background info on the songwriting and making of the album). Thanks to all involved in making this update a good one. You can get the album on cd or digital download here : https://ambitiondemolition.bandcamp.com/album/not-normal

https://www.facebook.com/AmbitionDemolition/

Ashley Colman :

  After being sent the new Ambition Demolition CD, I asked Al Stone the drummer man, for a slice of background info which went into the songwriting and making of the album. Rather, I thought it maybe interesting coming from a pure DIY Punk band perspective, and not from me waffling through a gushing review, as you know i'm a big fan. Anyway's Al let rip....

  Not Normal the 2nd album by Ambition Demolition!! Recorded at Berry Hill Studio, Forest Dean, (as was the 1st album) in Oct 2019 and released in Nov 2019.

  All songs written by the affectionately known Alan and Alan writing team, but on the album booklet it says who wrote the music/lyrics to which song!! We always like to say it's a joint effort by the 3 of us, it just works that way, or maybe to the point, it wouldn't work any other way??!!

  We would like Buff to write some more tunes, but he says himself he's not quite a songwriter like me and Alan are, so he's happy for the Alan and Alan writing team to carry on with writing stuff!!

  But it has to be said that Buff is an underestimated bass player, mainly by himself!! But he really shouldn't as he's a grrrrreat bass player and sometimes we say that we just don't know where he finds all the notes he plays on the bass?!!! We all do our bit, which is why I think we've managed to release an ep and 2 albums in barely 3 years of gigging. Like the last album, the songs come from topics far and wide, with the uber catchy " Have you seen Dave"? To the dark matter of depression with " Black Dog". No topic should ever be off the table, and I like the fact that our culture can and does sing about such a variety of stuff, and that's no disrespect to any other musical culture, it's just the way it is, and following on from the aforementioned songs and their topics, we have our very own Punk Rock love song " You're The One" even though it's been re-recorded slightly different from the version on our 1st CD "Punk For Life" which is only available on the Bandcamp thingy through our website and Facebook pages!!  We also have a song called "Punk Handbook" which is about people moaning that you're not punk because of this or that, what punk should or shouldn't be??!! Oh yeah?? Well what's in the Punk Handbook then???!!

  We like to think that our particular style of punk rock appeals to the broader spectrum of our slice of rock 'n Roll and to prove a point, a very VERY happy point!! We've been asked to do Rebellion again next year, we didn't even have to officially put in for it!! We can't tell you just how flattering that is, talk about being over the moon!! So I guess we've appealed to enough people who want to see us there again, not to mention Daz Russell (and his girlfriend Ruth), who puts on Rebellion!! Humbled and flattered doesn't cover it!! The great thing about being on at Rebellion, is that their's punks and all-sorts of people from all over the world, and proving a point we had people from America, Germany, France and Brazil watching us!! So, along with that, we hope that this 2nd album will show people how far we've come in a short time, and that we're not standing still, the Alan and Alan writing team are constantly writing new material, and that we can share a stage with various styles of punk rock or even bands with a more metal or rock style!! Not gonna be down on anyone's age, but as we are all in our 50's, were just going to keep going for as long as we can!! My only regret, if you can call it that?! Is that I wish i'd have started this band sooner, but HEY! At least i'm doing it now!! And long may it continue, well it has to, I've got so many more songs that need to be jammed and recorded!! And I dare say that the other Alan has too, so watch this space.

John Youens : 

  Many thanks to Mick Fletcher for inviting me to submit a guest review for Just Some Punk Songs. My choice is from a brand-new album which has literally just dropped into my downloads folder this lunchtime. I’m no stranger to Ambition Demolition having all 3 of their releases to date; Punk For Life dropped at the end of 2016 and I was immediately struck by the great tunes, the vocal interplay and the classic, upfront punk rock sound. 

  Ambition Demolition only formed in April 2016, comprising Alan Cattermoul (guitars & vox), Clive Buff Cooper (bass & vocals) and Al Stone (drums). They’ve got to be one of the fastest-moving and hardest-working bands currently playing up and down this land. Following the 6 song EP Punk For Life came their first full-length album, Treason For Today. Recorded at Berry Hill Studios and produced by John David (well-known for his work with Status Quo and Shaking Stevens amongst many others) it confirmed that Ambition Demolition have a knack for great catchy riffs and tunes but also retain a great sense of humour and a sharp eye for the finer details of life (unlike some of these damn po-faced political bands – note to self).

  They are just as active on the gig circuit and in such a short time have played an impressive array of gigs with such stalwarts as the UK Subs, 999, The Lurkers, Subhumans, Vice Squad, Chelsea, The Members amongst many others.

  Their new album, Not Normal, has literally just been released digitally and the official CD release will come in December. Once again, recorded at Berry Hill studios, it shows the same commitment to fast, catchy songs which retain a punchy, exciting live feel. The album is available from Bandcamp at £10 and comes highly recommended.

  The song featured in this blog is Eton Mess – a rollicking tune about the absolute chaos those Bullingdon Boys have brought down on these fair isles and with 2 weeks to go to the General Election, as topical as you can currently get.

  See You Next Thursday, Boris, indeed!

Track Not Found - Everyone Hates Track Not Found

  "I'm always sick and tired of when the people criticise a thing that they don't even know a thing about, can you please do your research, please do a deep search"  

  I suppose I better double check my facts today...

  Track Not Found are a duo from Guernsey featuring Grace Tayler (Guitar/Vocals) and Maisie Bisson (Bass/Vocals). Straight away I feel as though I've fucked up my fact checking mission as live videos of the band clearly show them as a 3 piece and that damn drumkit doesn't play itself but I'm getting my info from their Facebook page so blame them not me! They've both a distinctive look and a distinctive sound and "pull on influences from classic jazz to grime, smooth-ass funk to metal from our emo days and this has resulted in riff-lead grungy songs with the occasional rap and/or kazoo." They've been together since 2016 and have released an ep titled The Only Way Is Lost and a single called Science (Gone Wrong), you can find them here :   https://tracknotfound.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/tracknotfound/

  Recently they returned with a new single and it's a shout out to anyone who may have been less than complimentary about their music. This is Everyone Hates Track Not Found...

Skint & Demoralised - #RefugeesWelcome

(photo : Richard Ellis Media)

  Another political one today....

  Skint & Demoralised are Matt Abbott and David Gledhill, a duo from Yorkshire who recently returned following a 6 year hiatus to release their 4th album. A couple of spells as a volunteer at the Calais Jungle in 2016 seem to have led spoken word artist and vocalist Matt to making this album more of a reflection on what's going on around us (listen to album closer Superheroes for a touching account of what I presume is a real life encounter he had there?). Titled We Are Humans, it deals with the state Britain finds itself in as Brexit divides opinion and the gap between left and right grows ever wider and more volatile. It's about Austerity, frustration, immigration, the hardships faced by the working class and the loss of trust in Parliament. It's a marked departure from their earlier output and it's required listening. Often I'll say on here that a song or an album is timeless, this album however is very much a product of it's time. Very definitely fresh and vibrant 21st century punk that displays a wide range of influences and comes with a message you need to hear. It's available on coloured vinyl from Fierce Panda Records  http://fiercepanda.co.uk/shop.php?release=658  and it's on Bandcamp :   https://nymphsandthugs.bandcamp.com/album/we-are-humans

  They've a few UK gigs lined up before the end of the year and you can check out details here :   https://www.facebook.com/skintanddem/

  This song is a particular favourite. No comment required, just read the lyrics and wonder how so many people can turn their backs on desperate people. It's called #RefugeesWelcome...

Those Fucking Snowflakes - Stop Being Dickheads To Each Other

  Today I'm posting the song that got the most positive reaction when I played it on Sunday's Just Some Punk Songs show. It's a topical plea that asks, as we all live together under the same sun, can we possibly be a little nicer towards each other. It also asks if we can stop voting Tory. Hopefully you'll all do both.

  Those Fucking Snowflakes are a 3 piece noisy post-hardcore band from Blackpool who formed in 2018 and features members of Dinosaurs Are Shit Dragons, Litterbug, Uncle Paul, Oceans Over Alderaan, Goonies Never Say Die and "a shitload of other abhorrent bands." Those members are Lord Barquin Parkinson-Mumbang (vocals & guitar), Caspian-Johnson III (drums & vocals) and Sexy Lumberjack Dan (bass & vocals). You can get more info here :   https://www.facebook.com/thosesnowflakes/

  This song is the lead track on their upcoming debut ep, You Ok Hun? It'll be released on December 6th and I'm guessing it'll be well worth checking out. They've just released another video for the ep's second song, Vegan Sausage Rolls VS Gammon Faced Vampires, and you can find that here :    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BW-TttWp30

 The ep is up for pre order on Bandcamp : https://thosefuckingsnowflakes.bandcamp.com/album/u-ok-hun

  Shouty political punk at it's finest, this is called Stop Being Dickheads To Each Other...

There's no black
There’s no white
There’s just people, there’s just people
There’s no gay
There’s no straight
There’s just people, there’s just people
There’s no men
There’s no women
There’s just people, there’s just people
There’s no east
There’s no west
There’s just people, there’s just people

There’s no bi
There’s no a
There’s just people, there’s just people
No christian
No muslim
There’s just people, there’s just people
There’s no rich
there’s no poor
There’s just people, there’s just people
There’s no cats
There’s no dogs
There’s just people, there’s just people

Stop being dickheads to each other
We all exist under the same sun
Stop being dickheads to each other
We’re all bags of emotion
Stop being dickheads to each other
Stop voting tory
Stop being dickheads to each other
Stop being stop being

Atomic Eater - Hope U Die Too

  Cast your minds back to September. Do you remember a "71 second blast of scratchy, lo fi nihilism  courtesy of the wonderfully named Kool & the Gang Bangers."  They're from Little Rock, Arkansas and reminded me of Buck Biloxi And The Fucks. If you don't fear not, you can check it out here :   https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2019/09/kool-gang-bangers-hate-world.html

  I didn't know much about them at the time (and still don't) but I got a message last week from someone called Vince Cent who said "Hey you're the guy who did the review of Kool & the Gang Bangers tape I put out few months ago?? Here's another project I put out the same week I think you'll like it" And he was right, I do. Despite Kool & the Gang Bangers hailing from Arkansas, this new project hails from Sweden and are called Atomic Eater. I asked Vince for a little info and he says "the first 4 song tape I wrote and recorded one day in my kitchen in Sweden a few months ago and call it 'apocalypse rock' and the new demo I put out yesterday. I'm looking at putting out an LP early next year when I got the time between other projects." I'm assuming one of those other projects are another band that recently featured on here, Suicide Generation, as Vince plays guitar for them :   https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2019/10/suicide-generation-prisoner-of-love.html

  Anyway, the new demo he mentions is called We're All Dying (On The Inside) and you can find it on Bandcamp along with the song I'm posting today : https://atomiceater.bandcamp.com/

  This is the opening track from the ep, again reminding me of Buck Biloxi And The Fucks, and it's titled Hope U Die Too...

Liquids - Don't Wanna Get To Know You

  It was only last month that I brought you a case of terminal diarrhea from Indiana's Liquids (https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2019/10/liquids-youre-punk.html) but they're back already with a track from brand new ep 2 Soft Serves and a Hard Rock. Once again former Conehead Mat Williams has smashed it out of the park. Last time around I compared their song with Devo, The Dickies & The Spits but on the song I'm posting today I'm picking up more of a gloriously sloppy early Buzzcocks vibe. It's the sound of someone who's got a headful of killer tunes bursting to get out and who wants to release them in all their manic glory. It's a don't give a fuck energetic slice of timeless punk that leaves you demanding more. You can snap up the ep "name your price" here :   https://liquids1.bandcamp.com/album/2-soft-serves-and-a-hard-rock

  This is the lead track, it's titled I Don't Wanna Get To Know You....

Cash Registers - My Destructive Personality

 

  It's early Sunday morning as I sit here typing this, my head hurts as a result of a heavy night (far too many cans of Stella chased down with several vodkas) and my throat tastes like the bottom of the cat's litter tray. But I need a blog update for you guys so I check the playlist for this week's Just Some Punk Songs show and decide to highlight a song by one of the bands on it. It's a song that even in my fragile state sounds great as it plays through my headphones. I think you'll enjoy it...

  Cash Registers were born in the gutters of New York City and play a melodic and frenetic style of stripped-down classic punk that's indebted to the likes of The Ramones, Buzzcocks, Black Flag, Dead Kennedys, Circle Jerks etc. The line up of the band is John Bendik (guitar/vocals), Mark Zadroga (bass/vocals), Matt Ernst (drums) and Rob Carter (guitar/vocals). They've been around since the 90's though there was a long period of inactivity before frontman John discovered a hidden treasure trove of demos which were remixed, remastered and released on Million Dollar Records in 2014 as the album Context Demos. A couple of years later we were treated to a bunch of new songs when they released the 20th Century Eyes album and now they're back with an excellent new single. It's available as a name your price download here : https://cashregistersnyc.bandcamp.com/album/lets-be-bad-b-w-my-destructive-personality

  You can find out more on the band here : https://www.facebook.com/cashregistersnyc/

  Both of the new songs are great, they sound to me a little like Superchunk at their punked up best. I'll play Let's Be Bad on the show later today (https://www.facebook.com/events/2346976162281365/) but on here, just before I head off to the kitchen in search of headache tablets, I'll leave you with the flip side. This is My Destructive Personality...

Capital Youth - Farewell

 

  (Photo : Mehdi Benkler / Analog photography)

  Today the search for great new punk music takes us to Switzerland and Geneva band Capital Youth. I don't know much about them but they've put out some very good music. They're a young band who play a mix of catchy '77 style punk rock, power pop and garage punk and I've managed to track down these releases by them; Lemonade ep and a song called Holiday In The Sun   https://capitalyouth.bandcamp.com/

  A song called City Drip, an ep called Mixtape Vol. 1 and a couple of tracks off the new ep, Mixtape Vol. 2. These are available from Roosevelt Records and you can check them out here :   https://rooseveltrecords.bandcamp.com/

  It's catchy stuff, highly recommended and in one other bit of news, they'll shortly be setting out on tour with Lyon band Not Scientists and you can check out dates here :   https://www.facebook.com/capitalyouthgva/

  This song is one of the new ones, it's an up tempo toe tapper (in the vein of Marked Men/Radioactivity at their most urgent) that should be enjoyed by pretty much everyone who visits this blog. Hopefully it's your introduction to a new favourite band. It's called Farewell... 

The Wilful Boys - Summers Over

  The Wilful Boys are Eric Lau (Bass), Johnny Provenzano (Lead Guitar), Nick Isles (Guitar) and Steven Fisher (vocals/Drums) and they're from New York (although their singer hails from Australia). They released their debut album, Rough As Guts in 2016 (https://thewilfulboys.bandcamp.com/album/rough-as-guts).

  They've just released sophomore album Life Lessons and it's my introduction to the band. There's only 5 songs streaming but I'm liking what I'm hearing. It's available from Australian label Homeless Records on ltd edition vinyl (100 "golden rule", 200 black) and digital download :   https://homelessrecords.bandcamp.com/album/life-lessons

  I don't know much about them but you can investigate further if you want on Facebook :   https://www.facebook.com/thewilfulboys/

  Initial impressions on their music, it's noisy and although quotes from reviews had me expecting a more Aussie flavoured dish, I'm picking up similarities in sound to Stevenage band Bad Breeding (https://badbreeding.bandcamp.com/). Maybe I should wash my ears out? Anyway, it's good stuff. This is my favourite so far by them. My ears certainly should get cleaned as amidst the pounding drums, grumbling basslines and occasional guitar break I'm not getting the full lyrics but it's something to do with jumping off roofs, taking medication and running out of time. I'm going back in for another listen, you should join me. It's called Summers Over...

Sad Neutrino Bitches - VW-Bus-Asis

  Sad Neutrino Bitches are from Jena/Germany and play "fast trash punk" mixed with garage and hardcore. They list amongst their influences the likes of The Gories, Oblivians, Zeke and Angry Samoans. They've been together since 2000 and feature a line up of Highestvoiceonearth (guitar/ highest voice on earth), Glorylory (drums/ punk voice) and Bodo Barilla (bass). They recently released a ltd edition (200 copies) 7" ep titled Weltraumendspurt (Space Ending Spurt) which you can get from Spastic Fantastic Records https://www.spasticfantastic.cool/sad-neutrino-bitches-weltraumschrott-7-limited-200.html or snap up name your price on Bandcamp https://spasticfantastic.bandcamp.com/album/sad-neutrino-bitches-weltraumendspurt-7

  You can find more info here : https://www.facebook.com/sadneutrinos/

  The first thing you notice when you listen to the band are the vocals. They're pretty distinctive and help the band stand out from the crowd. Expect guttural yelpings that remind you slightly of bands from back in the day like Kleenex (even though the singer is male not female the vocals are similar in style to these ears). No idea what he's singing about but it's all good rambunctious fun.

  This song is called VW Bus Asis...

Dry Cleaning - Goodnight

  "She said have you ever spat cum onto the carpet of a Travel Lodge?"

  As an opening to a blog update it's a pretty eye catching first paragraph (designed to draw you in) and it's just a small part of  the lyrics which are spoke/sung by Dry Cleaning vocalist Flo Shaw on the lead track on their fab debut ep Sweet Princess. The band are from London and also includes Lewis Maynard, Tom Dowse and Nick Buxton. They've been together since 2017 and are picking up plenty of praise from mainstream outlets such as Radio 6 and the NME but that's no reason why little old Just Some Punk Songs shouldn't recommend you check them out too. Rather than a traditional punk rock aural assault you can expect witty and often acerbic treatises on subjects such as Flo's admiration for Meghan Markle, Youtube comments and "the good old days." You can find the ep on Bandcamp and whilst you're there you'll notice how I'm a little late to the party as their follow up ep, Boundary Road Snacks and Drinks, is available there too.  https://drycleaning.bandcamp.com/

   You can get more info on them here : https://www.facebook.com/drycleaningband/

  So the song that contains the line in the opening paragraph. This is Goodnight...

Gino And The Goons - Pills In MY Pocket

  Budget rock 'n' rollers Gino And The Goons return today for their 3rd JSPS appearance with a new song that's every bit as good (and if the reaction in the chatroom was anything to go by when I played it on this week's show is anything to go by, probably even better) as the 2 that previously featured (Got The Skinny & She Was Crushed). The band was formed in 2007 by vocalist/guitarist Gino Bambino and are indebted in their sound to all your favourite 50's, 60's and 70's rock n roll acts (think Chuck Berry, think Nuggets box sets, think MC5, think The Ramones etc). It's good old fashioned trashy garage with swagger and killer tunes. Swiping a quote from the press release it's "snot, snarl and serious sass."

  They've just released a new album titled Do The Get Around, it's on Drunken Sailor Records and it's 10 bona fide crowd pleasers guaranteed to get the sweat flying when played live. Slip on your battered leather jacket and then go check it out...   https://drunkensailorrecords.bandcamp.com/album/do-the-get-around-lp

  This is an early contender for my album high point, it's a timeless rocker called Pills In MY Pocket...

CLCKWS - Sheep (Guest Review By Billy Ouka)

  Billy Ouka (aka Simon Geddes) returns today with a recommendation for a song he heard on a recent Just Some Punk Songs show. You can check out more of the music he loves at his Youth Club Disco : https://www.facebook.com/billy.ouka/

  CLCKWS are a "four piece human-fronted hardcore punk band" from Zoersel & Antwerp featuring a line up of Jef Krieckemans (drums), Damien Gillain (bass), Neb Provo  (guitar) and Seppe Van Ael (vocals). Since their 2018 debut release, Counter Clockwise, it's been turbulent times for the band with the departure of vocalist Eva Van der Schoot (her replacement Seppe stepping up from bass duties) and drummer Carlos Verbruggen but this doesn't appear to have knocked them out of their stride as recent album Popular Polarization proves. 10 tracks of top notch Belgian punk that's available on tape from Nosebleed Records, vinyl from Nosebleed Records, Mosh Potatoes, Loner Cult Records, Dead Punx Records & Smithsfoodgroup DIY and digitally from Bandcamp :   https://clckws.bandcamp.com/album/popular-polarization

  And now over to Billy for a few words on the song that's getting highlighted today....

  CLCKWS Sheep is a burst of energy, comprising of quick, sharp guitar riffs and a drum assault, half way through the song stops, slows down, add some baa's, went down well in the chat room, before speeding up to a climatic end, reminded me very much of the underground bands on the squat scene, late 80's early 90's, (Suicidal Supermarket Trolleys especially) a Belgium band playing a brutal hardcore punk at breakneck speeds. A part of the Brutal Belgium scene, (unable to find any info, good name though) so if you want a quick burst of punk rock energy, give it a blast!

  This is Sheep...

Believe in just one man, with one mighty show plan.
Built by lost stories, for men only glory.
To follow his voice, no other right choices.
Now kneel on your knees, for power he pleads.

Religion, the herder, of sheep.
Your god, your master, skindeep.
Religion, the herder, of sheep.
Your god, your master, asleep.

Wake up, wake up, it's losing control.
Divided by dogmas will fuck up us all.
Let people be human, why ruin our free speech.
I don't need this treason, god's life-sucking leech.

Religion, the herder, of sheep.
Your god, your master, skindeep.
Religion, the herder, of sheep.
Your god, your master, your almighty chief!

No invisible man could say what I should do, not even if he wrote it in a book.
You know cinema is fiction, it's the same with religion.
You're creating distance, get out of our system!

Ex-White - Hooray Henry

  Punks dead? Bollocks to that guvnor! There's so much great music out there if you look around. I'd never heard of Ex-White till recently and I know very little about them, but their album Disco is somewhat of a revelation. 9 tracks of whacked out punk that gets under your skin and demands repeat plays. It's available on cassette as a joint release from Pifia Records, Phantom Records, Ubac and Bleacher Records and it's also a name your price download on Bandcamp :   https://bleacherrecords.bandcamp.com/album/disco-cs

  The info given is that it's self-recorded by "Fry" (the new Alter Ego of Fireball aka Jonas from Russe). There's name your price eps by both Russe and Fireball on that Bandcamp link. I think they're from Germany. And that's about all I can dredge up on them but who cares, the music can speak for itself.

  I'm going to play BeachBoyKiller on this week's show (tonight at 8pm gmt if anyone fancies listening to an hour of cool new punk releases :   https://www.facebook.com/events/481679592700819/) so today I'll highlight the song they made a video for (I suppose it'd be rude not to). This is Hooray Henry...

The Zips - State

(photo : Miff Morris)

  Do you remember The Zips? The Glasgow punk band from way back in the 70's who put out a couple of classic singles before splitting up? I'm guessing if you're old enough to have been about back then you'll at least remember the name? Maybe you even know they got back together again in 2001. Many bands from punk's "glory days" have got back together, not all of them are as good as they were first time around but The Zips definitely are and 40+ years down the line they've just released a new album and it's bloody wonderful. It's called HUH!? and they describe it as "Punk rock and roll with a message and a toon you can whistle!" What more does a punk lover want? You can get the cd from the band (https://www.facebook.com/thezipsuk/) or if you prefer digital, then go here :   https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/thezips15

  The band line up with Jonzip (lead vocals/rhythm guitar), Phil Volume (bass guitar/vocals), Fred-X (lead guitar/vocals) and Buddie Poor (drums). They released a single from the album a while ago and it's one of the best of the year (the video's brilliant too, check it out (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4Giww0O9jY). The rest of HUH!? is equally as catchy. It's timeless punk rock just like they used to make back in the 70's (and which happily they're still making in 2019!).

  This track is a good old singalong telling us how the welfare state don't care about you and me and how even when they're fucking up the economy the bankers are still collecting their bonuses. Those in power comfortably ride out the crisis they create whilst the rest of us are left to pick up the pieces. The Future's Never Underwritten.... It's a call to rise up and don't let the state dictate how things should be, we need to declare a state of emergency. This is State....

tunic - Nylon

  "Nothing but feedback laden filth. Abrupt and dissonant arrangements, beneath abrasive screams of endless disappointment. This is pure arty noise punk."  Sounds interesting, yeah?

  tunic (no capital T for these guys!) are Rory Ellis (bass/vocals), Dan Unger (drums) & David Schellenberg (vocals/guitar), a noise punk trio from Winnipeg, Manitoba who've been around since 2014 and though I only recently came across them a quick flick through their back catalogue shows that they're not lying with the above description of their agreeably shouty squalls of punky dischord.

  You can get more info on them here : https://www.facebook.com/tunicband/

  On a recent Just Some Punk Songs show I played a song ( Nothing Nothing) from the Complexion album they released earlier this year. The chatroom folk were impressed. I said it reminded me a bit of Girls In Synthesis but someone made a better comparison, with Bad Breeding. Anyway, I made a note to get something by them on here and here it is. It's the digital only single they released a couple of months ago and you can find it on Bandcamp : https://tunicband.bandcamp.com/track/nylon

  Abrupt, tick. Abrasive, tick. Shouty, tick. Arty, tick. Dissonant, tick. Yep, it ticks all the boxes. It's called Nylon...

Vista Blue - Big Stars

  You should have all heard of Vista Blue by now, they're the power pop and pop punk loving band from Nashville fronted by the 2nd most famous (but most talented!) Mike Patton in music. They've probably been on here more often than any other group but they are very prolific in their output and they don't half have the knack of penning a catchy tune.

  This time they feature with a track from their latest ep, Hit The Floor! They tried something a little differently this time around and decided to crowdfund the ep in order to be able to get it recorded at a "proper" studio. That studio was Ardent Studios in Memphis (famous acts to record there include the likes of Led Zeppelin, Isaac Hayes, Big Star, Cheap Trick, The Cramps, REM etc etc etc...). The results speak for themselves as the band have never sounded better. With a line up of Mike Patton (vocals, guitar, organ), Richard Bates (guitar, vocals) Reese Chism (drums, vocals), Mark Crowley (bass, vocals) and (on the song you'll find below) Perry Leenhouts (vocals, tambourine), they've knocked it out of the park. There's a couple of original compositions plus a cover of Three Chord City, a song originally recorded by early 80's New Orleans band The Cold. You can pre order the coloured vinyl from Radiant Radish Records  http://radiantradish.storenvy.com/products/28939873-vista-blue-hit-the-floor-7-inch or download it now from Bandcamp :   https://wearevistablue.bandcamp.com/album/hit-the-floor

  This is my favourite song, it's described by musician/songwriter/producer Wyatt Funderbunk as "a not so subtle nod to Ardent Studios' most famous clients which also pays tribute to Mike’s DIY values that brought him to this point. It also features some fantastic soaring harmonies from Perry Leenhouts of the Travoltas. A brilliant collaboration." and it's titled Big Stars...

Warp - Baby Chihuahua

  

Bark at the TV, woof woof woof.

  So go the lyrics to today's rather fab song by San Francisco band Warp. They formed in 2017, feature members of Flesh World, Mallard and Blank Square and they've got a new 12" out on Thrilling Living Records. The label has been putting out some great music recently by the likes of Judy And The Jerks, Scrap Brain, BB And The Blips etc and they're onto another winner with Warp. There'll be 400 vinyl copies and you can grab one or get the digital version here :         https://thrillingliving.bandcamp.com/album/traffic-control-12

  I missed their 2017 debut ep (https://warpsf.bandcamp.com/releases) but am making up for it with repeat spins of the album. It's 10 tracks of gloriously ramshackle banging and bashing fronted by vocalist Tika Hall shout singing about boneheads, chapsticks, butter bricks and goats. It's all very enjoyable.

  Size doesn't matter, you can still make a hell of a racket. This is Baby Chihuahua...

The Fallout - Set Us Up

  There's quite a few great political punk bands out there, bands that not only write intelligent lyrics commenting on the state of the world that we live in but who also manage to compliment their message with a catchy as hell soundtrack. Toronto 3 piece The Fallout are one of the very best. No strangers to this blog, Byron Pickles (guitar/Vocals), Dr. Bob (drums/vocals) and Patty O'Lantern (bass/vocals) have released some killer songs of unity, inclusion, solidarity and struggle during the course of the band's 15 year history. Taking their cue from Pete Seeger’s quote “the people are on the march and must have songs to sing” they've been responsible for a back catalogue which has seen them described by Exclaim as "kind of like a street-punk version of Woody Guthrie.” There's been 5 albums thus far and rather excitingly number 6 will be with us shortly. It'll be called The Times Have Never Changed and if the teaser track that I'm posting today is any indication it's going to be another modern day classic. You can stream it here (check out their other releases whilst you're there, most of them are remixed, remastered and available name your price) :   https://thefalloutcanada.bandcamp.com/

  You can get more info on them here : https://www.facebook.com/TheFalloutToronto/

  With a video featuring footage of an anti-austerity demo in Montreal from March 27th 2015, this song is a working class anthem, a call to arms. It's called Set Us Up...

Dead eyes with a cold blank stare
Black heart doesn’t feel or care
Driven only by market share and a need to survive
Figure heads full of shit and lies
When are we gonna realize
We don’t have any rights if we don’t organize

Set us up, set us up just to knock us down
Gotta run, gotta run run you out of town

Gotta gotta gotta gotta get rid of you
There’s only one thing left to do
Gotta gotta gotta gotta get rid of you

Profits first and people last
Take advantage of the working class
Hysteria created en masse to conquer and divide
Lapdog with authority
A governing minority
Save money through austerity so viscous and bile

Some day we’ll finally see
Damage and depravity
We’ll drag you through the streets as you beg for mercy
In the rubble and the decay
As your system fades away
We’ll rebuild the ash and clay in solidarity

Last Reserves - Pink Bits

  Wow! Today's song is both very impressive and very powerful. It's the new single by Last Reserves and it deals with growing up in a society in which we're bombarded with misogynistic attitudes and told what we can and can't do. It tells us that no matter what we're led to believe, we're all special in our own way, we can all be and do what we want. Whatever gender we are, we don't need to compete for validation, we can use that energy to build each other up instead. It's an angry song with a positive message and it's possibly the band's best release yet.

  Last Reserves formed in 2014 and they're from St Helens. They line up with Alice Nancy (Vocals), Jack Rothwell (Lead Guitar), Matt Bonnell (Bass Guitar) and Phil Shacklady (Drums). They list amongst their influences the likes of Sex Pistols, Dead Boys and The Stooges and you can find out more info on them here : https://www.facebook.com/LastReservesBand/

  The new single, their 2nd single this year, is available on cd for a couple of quid and it's also streaming so get yourselves over to Bandcamp and snap it up :   https://lastreserves.bandcamp.com/track/pink-bits

  It's called Pink Bits...

I’m sitting on my garden wall
Watching the girls from next door but one
Play curby in the road
They wear camo shorts, converse,
T-shirts with skulls on and LFC tops
Gerrard is the coolest one to have
Especially after that 3 all penalty win
Against AC Milan last week
I got a Dudek kit
But just because I like the song
I think I like the song more than I like the football
To be honest
Then one of the girls asks me to join in and
I say “I’m not very good at football”
And she picks up the ball and looks at me and says
“You’re not good at football
Because you’re a girly girl”
I say “I’m not!”
She says “you are. I saw you wear
a dress the other day and there’s pink bits on your trainers”
I say “I’m not a girly girl!”
But I’m already crying
Just like a girl
And I feel the shame
Rise up inside of me
And my stomach drops
As I think


Guess I’m nothing special after all
Well what a fucking shame
What a disappointment
And what the fuck’s the point
If I’m the same
As all the other girls
Weak, pathetic, fragile birds
Fuck it all
I’ll wear the skulls
Anything to prove I’m not
Exactly like the other girls
The other girls
Girls


I started getting older
And meeting loads of new people
Some girls really hated pop music
And makeup and the colour pink
Just like me
And they were really, really cool
But some other girls like summer dresses
And ABBA and fake tan
And I realised that they were pretty cool too
And I started to realise
Maybe I just wanted to be a little bit more
Like all the girls I met
And I thought


Guess there’s something special in us all
Well what a fucking shame
What a disappointment
Can’t believe I wasted all these years
On this misogynistic
Toxic and divisive shit
Well I won’t do it any more
Cause really I just wanna be
Exactly like the other girls
The other girls
Girls


I’m standing behind the bar
Watching people poke their heads in
Momentarily
Before deciding to try somewhere
With windows
There’s not that much to do
So I’m chatting to some guy around my age
Says he’s in a band
And he’s quite funny to be honest
We’re getting along well and he says
“I like you
You’re not like the other girls
Caked in makeup
Scantily clad
Tottering around in six inch heels
You’re different
You’re not like the other girls”
And I think
Hang on, mate
What do you mean
“Not like the other girls?”
I’m EXACTLY like the other girls
I’m the amalgamation of EVERY girl
I EVER thought was cool
So if YOU think I’m gonna step
On my sisters
To clamber up onto your pedestal
You can get to FUCK!

Berlin Blackouts - Anti-Cap. Messiah

  Berlin Blackouts are a German punk band from Berlin (unsurprisingly) who formed as a 5 piece in 2014 but at the moment seem to be down to 3 members, founders Bev (vocals/guitar) and Katja (bass/vocals) plus recent recruit Chris Kotze (drums). Their back catalogue includes a couple of albums, Bonehouse Rendevous (2015) and Kissed By The Gutter (2016 https://berlin-blackouts.bandcamp.com/album/kissedbythegutter ) plus split singles with Gang Zero and Streetlight Saints. Now they're back with a brand new album titled Nastygram Sedition and damn, it's bloody good.

  In support of the album they've a bunch of gigs lined up, not only in their native country but also one in The Netherlands and several over in the UK. You can check out dates here :   https://www.facebook.com/Berlinblackouts/

  You may have noticed one of those dates, on the 13th of December in Berlin, sees them sharing a stage with legendary Peacehaven punks Peter And The Test Tube Babies and that band's frontman Peter Bywaters makes a guest appearance on Nastygram Sedition lending his vocals to a track titled Make Punk Rock Great Again. It's a title that sums up the Berlin Blackouts, they're a band that evoke memories of classic acts of yesteryear. They take from the likes of The Heartbreakers, The Boys, The Pistols etc and add their own unique twist to produce timeless sounding punk rock. Highlights from the album include infectious singalong Dead Dogs Dancin' In My Eyes, mission statement We've Come To Destroy and the first single (see below). 10 songs, 10 hits....track it down!

https://coretexrecords.com/Berlin-Blackouts-nastygram-sedition_1

  This is Anti-Cap. Messiah... 

The New Rochelles - Love Kills

 

  Most bands record the odd cover version but not many go the whole hog and cover a full album. New York trio The New Rochelles have, reinterpreting Animal Boy, the 9th studio album by The Ramones. Released on May 19th 1986 on Sire Records it saw Forest Hills' finest trying to expand their sound a little with the use of synthesizers and keyboards. Internal conflict within the band meant we had less of a contribution than normal from Joey and Johnny (but more from Dee Dee) and it received mixed reviews (PunkNews.org  commented "While nowhere near as bad as the triumvirate of tripe that would follow, this album's lack of an organic sound quality hinders it in the long run") but it did contain some very good songs (including 4 singles) though many didn't like the album's production. It's not easy covering a full Ramones album, a few other bands have tried, with mixed results, but I think The New Rochelles have made a very decent fist of things.

  The band line up with Ronnie Rochelle (Electric Guitar and Vocals), Ricky Rochelle (Drums and Backup Vocals) and Rookie Rochelle (Bass Guitar and Gang Vocals). A couple of them are also members of The Young Rochelles (https://www.facebook.com/TheYoungRochelles/). They play catchy old school pop punk and hopefully you're already familiar with them but if not you can get more info here : https://www.facebook.com/thenewrochelles/

  Animal Boy was released yesterday, it features faithful to the original versions of songs you'll no doubt know such as Somebody Put Something In My Drink, My Brain Is Hanging Upside Down (Bonzo Goes To Bitburg) and Something To Believe In as well as others you may have forgotten (Crummy Stuff? Mental Hell?) It's available on vinyl from new label, Hey! Pizza records   https://www.heypizzarecords.com/product/new-rochelles-animal-boy-lp and you can compare and contrast with the original here : https://thenewrochelles1.bandcamp.com/

  My pick of the bunch? I'm going with Love Kills....

Sid was a punk rock king
Nancy was a broken queen
Their lives were so glamorous
Sid and Nancy were a mess

When you're hooked on heroin
Don't you know you'll never win
Drugs don't ever pay
You really did it your way

Love kills 

We still believe in anarchy
It makes me so damn angry
Sid and Nancy meant a lot to me
You may be dead but your souls are free
Like Romeo and Juliet
You two made a pact of death
Like the needle that ya used
Sid and Nancy were born to lose

Love kills

Sid never meant any harm
He shot some dope into his arm
All he wanted was some fun
Now she's lying in a pool of blood
Always loaded, always high
Why did you have to die?
I'll say one thing is
It leaves me with a bitter taste

Love kills

The Staples - Heart Stops Beating (Guest Review By Tyler Boots (Phone Jerks))

  In an attempt to stop you getting bored with me doing all the write ups I reached out to a few people from various cool bands that have featured on here this year and asked if they knew of a new(ish) release they'd like to draw to the attention of the fine visitors to this blog. The results were mixed, a Wonk Uniter was very keen but forgot, a Slow Factioner is away abroad but will be doing something upon his return but a Phone Jerk came up with the goods.

  Hopefully you've all checked out the excellent new 10" by Phone Jerks by now but just in case I'll post a link to it and then I'll leave you in the capable hands of Tyler Boots who thinks you should be pointed in the direction of a new 7 track ep by Nova Scotia band The Staples...

https://aliensnatch.bandcamp.com/album/phone-jerks-10x10


  Holy shite! The Staples!

Torn is the name of the new EP from this great new Halifax band featuring members of Tongan Death Grip, Fat Stupids and Future Girls. Apparently they had everything recorded and mixed around 3 to 4 years ago! So what was the friggin' hold-up?! Unfortunately, the hard drive with all their vocals bit the dust. Cripes! After a few years, Craig Hamlin finally re-did the vocals over the old mp3s (using a $14 desktop mic from The Source! (y'know, Radio Shack!)
It was well worth the wait! Songs like "Starry Skies" and "Heart Stops Beating" have a Primitives feel. "I'm Trash" reminds me of something from that first GG King record, Estoteric Lore. 90s Moncton and Halifax pop influences really come through on songs like "So Bad". There's even a creepy instrumental called "Christmas at the Forum" that perfectly captures the feeling of dread every maritime kid feels when their parents guilt them into attending one of those insufferable events! Hey, everybody likes an underdog story, so go give The Staples a listen and download!

You can snap it up name your price here : https://thestaples77.bandcamp.com/releases 

  This song is called Heart Stops Beating...

Bombardement - Wheel Of Destruction

  "Whats D-beat?" someone recently asked me. I replied it's the kind of heavy pounding punk rock that was made popular in the 80's by Discharge and other bands of that ilk, it's similar to what people call crust punk. If that person asked the same question today I'd just reply, "listen to these mate......"

  Bombardement are from Bordeaux and they feature members of Gasmask Terror, Monarch, Shock, Diktat, Endless Floods and more. The line up is Emilie "Milia" Bresson (vocals), Nicolas "Nico" Lambert (bass), Benjamin Sablon (guitar) and Luc Ardilouze (drums). They released an 8 track demo cassette back in 2016 which I didn't hear it till recently but it's well worth checking out on Bandcamp (name your price). What brought them to my attention is their recent blistering Self Titled album. It's 8 tracks of female fronted noise that'll peel the paint from your walls. At times releases like this are just a bit too extreme for my delicate ears but Bombardement are very accessible. Complimenting the ferocity are tunes. Granted those tunes are getting the shit pummelled out of them by a band that ain't reining anything in but they're there nevertheless. Straight from the opening track (you'll find it below) you'll know you're in for a treat. I played one of the songs, Brink Of Collapse, on a recent show and an enthusiastic chatroom confirmed it wasn't just me that the band were impressing. If you like your music fast and loud then what are you waiting for, either grab the vinyl     http://www.destructure.org/store/bombardement-st-lp or snap it up name your price :   https://bombardement.bandcamp.com/album/bombardement

  As openers go, this is some introduction. It's called Wheel Of Destruction...

Sapphire Blues - Good Morning Britain

  Another exciting young band today, they're called Sapphire Blues and they hail from Bristol. They tag themselves as a "Pre-Brexit" trio and line up with Sam Lance Jones (vocals/guitar), Harry Beaver (bass) and Chris Thompson (drums). Later this month they'll be releasing their debut ep, Sundays Of Life, and to help promote it they've numerous gigs lined up. Check them out here :   https://www.facebook.com/sapphirebluesuk/

  They've recently released a video for a new song that they say is "an unapologetic, topical, politically charged punk anthem which speaks from the heart, and which in less that three direct and menacing punk rocking minutes manages to epitomize a whole era of instability, dubiety and the wariness that's all over Britain's political climate at the moment."

  As well as the wet weather, we also have to get up in the mornings to depressing news of the latest corrupt and incompetent shenanigans occurring in The Commons as pasty faced gammon Piers Morgan and his ilk stir up the easily led. It's enough to make you want to leave the country.

  This is Good Morning Britain....

RATS NEST - The Kids

  RATS NEST are a street punk trio from Thanet in Kent with a line up of Stick (guitar/vocals), Skunk (bass/vocals) and Kaos (drums/backing vocals). They boast fast drums, mad guitar solos and aggressive vocals complaining about the corruption of society and other social affairs. Their debut ep, the snappily titled EP #1 came out in Jan 2018 and it was followed in August of that year with the equally snappily titled EP #2. I've checked them out and they're impressive enough but I think it's fair to say they've just upped their game with their debut video....

  It's for their new song, The Kids. It's their awakening from a period of hibernation in which they've been working on their debut album, if this teaser release was meant to stoke up anticipation then it's job done. You can tell they like Rancid but they've also been no doubt been listening to plenty of UK bands such as Grade 2, The Mistakes, Kill The Collossi, Knock Off etc. Young guys with catchy tunes and an abundance of energy, the album's titled State Of Suspicion and it drops at the end of this month. You can get more info here : https://www.facebook.com/RatsNestOfficial/ and snap up the 2 eps and new song here : https://ratsnestofficial.bandcamp.com/

  This is The Kids...

Scabz - Feel Good Summer

  I assume that Newtown in Australia has plenty of bands. Today I'm featuring a song by a 3 piece who claim to be the shittiest band in that suburb of Sydney's inner west. They're called SCABZ. They feature Siobhan Poynton, Lozzy and Kane. They're making quite a few waves so if you've not yet come across them then today is your lucky day. You can get more info on them here :   https://www.facebook.com/SCABZBAND/

  One quote that stood out for me on their Facebook page was this one : "Sometimes there’s so many shitty things happening to the world all you can do is scream really loud about it into a microphone and hope for the best." That's exactly what vocalist Siobhan is doing on their new single. It's a song that mixes it's anger with rapier wit. It scathingly takes the piss out of selfish fuckers who don't care that they're helping to ruin the planet for future generations. Climate change might be a concern but fuck it, "I work hard mate...I deserve my cars....fuck the planet, it might be getting hotter and hotter but I've got nothing to lose."

  This is great, it's called Feel Good Summer...

World War IX - Fired for Partying

  As you may have noticed, not being a proper writer I don't really do reviews. These few paragraphs are more introductions to the day's song than a review but nevertheless there's still a little bit of added pressure on me today to write something decent as the last time I featured Brooklyn punks World War IX on here they used part of my write up to promote their new ep. I called them "an adrenaline rush, a band with fire in their veins. A throwback to the 80's when the term faster and louder reigned supreme" which isn't exactly exactly going to have proper reviewers worrying about their jobs being under threat but wasn't bad for me. This time round I'm going to have to reinforce that 80's hardcore punk vibe I get from these guys and tell you that the 5 track Phoning It In ep is akin to getting into Dr Emmett L. Brown's retrofitted DMC Delorean and heading back to an era when throughout a Reagan led country, sweaty teens were going wild down their local flea pits to some of that period's most beloved bands. Those teens might be a little older and greyer now, and their t shirt sizes a little larger, but they'll still be working up a sweat as they mix with an appreciative younger generation as World War IX give it their best shot at carrying on the legacy of their heroes. In Johnny C they've a frontman with a perfect voice for this kind of thing. He definitely brings to mind the likes of Jello Biafra or Henry Rollins (I doubt very much it's coincidental that the song you'll find at the bottom of this update reminds you so much of Black Flag's TV Party). He's ably backed by a band that's both talented and energetic; Justin (guitar), Mike Moosehead (guitar) Brian 'Chinatown' Jackson (bass) and Jon (drums).

  Don't listen to the reviewer though, no matter how much he's flailing around trying to paint you an accurate picture, just click on the link to the music and make your own mind up :   https://worldwarix.bandcamp.com/

  So, here's the raison d' etre for this blog, the song. They've just released a video to accompany it and if any of you guys are a member of the Just Some Punk Songs group on Facebook the graphics may look a little familiar (https://www.facebook.com/justsomepunksongs/). The band's guitarist Justin Melkmann is a talented artist who not only produces his own comic books but who kindly contributed the artwork for the JSPS page. Now his work graces the new video. If you've read Justin's illustrated history of the band in the comic books you'll know it's quite possible this song is autobiographical. It's called Fired For Partying...

GEE TEE - FBI

  Damn, whacked out Aussie synth punks GEE TEE are back today less than 6 months after I featured their 86 second masterpiece I'm A Germ (https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2019/05/gee-tee-im-germ.html). Now they return with a track from their excellent new ep, Chromo-Zone. The line up on the cd sees founder and ex Draggs member (https://draggs.bandcamp.com/) Kel Mason on vocals, guitar, bass & synth whilst more than able back up is provided on drums, bass & lead by Ishka Edmeades (Warttmann Inc Records owner https://warttmanninc.bandcamp.com/ and member of bands like Set-Top Box, Satanic Togas etc...).

  Comprising 5 tracks which are all more than worthy of your attention, the ep is an infectious lo-fi garage delight. There's tunes aplenty, there's even handclaps on the song I'll be playing on tomorrow's Just Some Punk Songs show. It's fun, poppy, budget rock at it's best. I'm a fan.

  This is the opening track, it's called FBI...