Sex Dream - Lydia vs Daleks

  Sex Dream (https://www.facebook.com/sxdream/) are a Chicago based 4 piece who combine catchy pop tunes with the energy and punk attitude of The Ramones. Vocalist/bassist Maria Surfinbird is a familiar figure on the Ramonescore scene both with her solo releases, her Russian band Surfinbird  (https://ptica.bandcamp.com/) and with her guest appearances like the one I posted about a couple of years ago when she featured on The Bity's version of a Riverdales classic (https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-feat-maria-surfinbird-i-believe-in.html).

  As well as Maria, the band also features Zach (guitar/vocals), Tmmie (guitar/1234s) and Andrew (drums). They recently released a debut album, mixed & mastered by Marky Kobane and featuring 6 pop punk originals plus a beefed up version of Britney Spears' Oops I Did It Again. It's titled Candle On My Skin and it's sure to go down a storm with the bubblegum punk brigade. You can find it here https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/sexdream/candle-on-my-skin-2
https://sexxdream.bandcamp.com/releases

  When you listen to Maria singing, her voice is very beguiling and there's a definite frisson to be had from the title track. Other highlights include Don't Trust This Love and the fun, cat loving Meow Mix. The song you're getting today though is the opening track, it's all silky smooth vocals, gorgeous backing harmonies and a rocking beat. And it features a girl in danger of being exterminated! This is Lydia vs Daleks...

La Rabbia - Suspect

  La Rabbia are a London based band inspired by the likes of Crass, Crisis, The Mob, Eater, Wire etc. They're very much part of the No Front Teeth Records' (https://www.nofrontteeth.co.uk/) family fitting in well with that label's punk n roll sound and featuring members of bands such as The Gaggers and Miscalculations.

  Last year saw them release debut album Shock Tactics, an impressive political post punk calling card that caused a lot of discerning ears to prick up. They recently returned with follow up Consumed By Paranoia And Fear and it's every bit as vital as it's predecessor. The band's name translates from Italian to English as Anger and that's an emotion very much in evidence on this 14 track anarchic delight. The distinctive vocals of frontman Marco Palumbo will be familiar to many of you and combine well with music that acts as a bleak but inventive soundtrack to the era we're living in.

  You can get the album on both vinyl and digital download here :   https://larabbia.bandcamp.com/album/consumed-by-paranoia-and-fear

  If you find yourself wanting more, check out another new band featuring members of La Rabbia. They're called Sanguisuga and recently released a very good Self Titled debut album   https://sanguisuga.bandcamp.com/album/sanguisuga

  One of many highlights from Consumed By Paranoia And Fear, this track is called Suspect...

Duncan Reid And The Big Heads - To Live Or Live Not (Guest Review By Mike Patton)

  Vista Blue (https://www.facebook.com/wearevistablue/) frontman Mike Patton is certainly no stranger to this blog and if anyone should recognise a great power pop/pop punk tune when he hears it it's him so when I noticed him praising a new song he'd stumbled across I quickly pounced and asked him to share his thoughts with you guys.

  Cheers Mike...

  Duncan Reid is an original member of The Boys, so you'd expect to hear good songs from his current project, Duncan Reid and the Big Heads. But it goes even further than that. The band's new album, Don't Blame Yourself, is a collection of hooky songs that allows the pop in their pop punk to really shine.

https://duncanreidandthebigheads.bandcamp.com/album/dont-blame-yourself

The single "To Live or Live Not" is a power pop gem. It's starts simply enough, following a quick intro with a palm-muted verse and a catchy riff. But then some jangly guitars enter before the chorus explodes into wonderful three-part harmony. The middle of the song breaks down, as the band "oohs" over some synth and kick drum, but the chorus comes right back again, taking us to the end of the song. It's a fast 3:25, and you'll be playing it again as soon as it's over.

This is my introduction to this band, which has the two main ingredients that I look for in power pop and pop punk: melody and harmony. In this case, the production is slick, the melody is super catchy, and the harmonies are tight.

As a bonus, the video is very fun as well, showing the band members doing their best to have fun during the current quarantine we're all experiencing. There are shots on back patios, solo performances on park benches, and even toilet paper rolls transformed into drums. And if you weren't tapping your toes to the song already, you'll definitely be dancing along when you see the energy these guys and girls have, even while social distancing.

Thanks to Mick for allowing me to share my thoughts here, and thanks to Duncan Reid and the Big Heads for writing a killer song and album. You've got a new fan!

This is To Live Or Live Not...

Gonna rent my house out to a stranger
Gonna let them treat it like their own
Gonna move abroad and try some danger
Gonna try a taste of the unknown

I’ve spent my whole life being safe and steady
Now it's time to roll the dice

To live or live not
That is the question
To Love or love not
Before my times up
To lose the whole plot
Let's skip confession
To Sin or sin not
I've made my mind up

Gonna catch the first plane to Caracas
Why go somewhere that’s far too safe
Gonna find a girl who plays maracas
Gonna ask her out with all her mates

And we'll go dancing till the sun comes up
Sleep all day then start again

To live or live not
Start the ignition
To give all I've got
Let's seize the day
Let's stop the rot
C-carpe diem
To Dare or dare not
That's what I say

Slow Faction - 1945 (demo)

 

  If you love '77 influenced London punks Slow Faction (https://www.facebook.com/slow.faction/) as much as I do then you're in for a real treat today. Not only have they just shared with us the demo of a very impressive brand new song, they've also decided to celebrate their 7 years together by compiling a 20 song retrospective of some of the choicest cuts from their excellent back catalogue. 20 extremely well written political punk classics all for the very reasonable price of... name your price! You'll be daft not to take them up on the offer.

  The album contains all their best known should have been hits (A Little England, Woody Guthrie, Antifascist, The Breitbart Boys etc) alongside lesser well known but equally as great tracks such as 59 minutes past 11 and Live In Fear. If it wasn't a comp it'd probably already have secured a place as my album of the year.

  You can get it, the new demo and everything else they've released here :   https://slowfaction.bandcamp.com/

  Vocalist and song writer John Youens had this to say;

  Thought this whole lockdown thing is a good opportunity to take stock of certain things... We've had a brilliant 7 years since this incarnation of Slow Faction got together and when we emerge from the current situation and get back to playing, writing and recording, we'll be doing so with Gianfranco on drums, who joined us just before Christmas 2019.

  The demo is a withering put down of US foreign policy and asks why a country that claims to stand for peace is always waging war. I often get a little bit over enthusiastic about John's song writing skills but let's be honest, he's the best out there at the moment.

  This is 1945...

Harry was the one who had a great big bomb
He said he only dropped it so the war was won
Then he and General Ike, they simply carried on
Fighting in Korea, destabilise Iran
Feverish nights after Cold War days
So who's going to win the rearmament race?
Military complex, it's so industrial
Warnings ignored because it's profitable

Then came Johnny K, he had some funny ways
So the CIA made the problem go away
Lyndon was their man, he followed all their plans
He sent the boys to die out in Vietnam
Dicky was so tricky, always acting shifty
As he sought to undermine poor Allende down in Chile
Operation Charlie, Argentina
Sponsored regime change in Central America

Must it always stay the same?
Are you never going to change?
You say you stand for peace
Yet you're always waging war

You're killing all the time
So don't deny it
Cos your words don't mean a thing
Since 1945
You're killing all the time
So can't you see it?
Your guns have never brought peace
Since 1945

Ronnie didn't like his neighbours in the south
So he sent his advisors to flush them all out
Daniel Ortega, Nicaragua
Washington Bullets and the Sandinistas
The Star War years and SDI
Strategic defence to win the war up in the sky
Daddy George left it unfinished in Iraq
But don't worry Saddam, they'll soon be coming back...

Little Georgie came and went so much further
Doubling up the sins and the failings of his father
Obama thought himself so much better than the rest
But he bloodied his hands for US interests
Then here comes Donny, what a brilliant man
He's so brave to starve the poorest in Iran
He stands with Israel and Saudi Arabia
They can do what they want as they're Friends of America

Killed By Florida - My Vote Counts

  Killed By Florida (https://www.facebook.com/killedbyflorida/) are an energetic thrash punk 5 piece from West Palm Beach who were originally called Causeway Cannibal and who released a debut Self Titled album in 2017. They line up with Tard Nugent (Guitar), Dave Lee Tard (Vocals), Ricky Retardo (Bass), Leotardo DeCrapo (Drums) and Justard Timberfuck (Guitar) although I have my suspicions as to whether their mothers actually christened them with those names!

  Mixing speed, power and anger, they've recently released a sophomore album called Die Among Us and it's taking me back to the era when bands like the Dead Kennedys were ripping the establishment a new arsehole. Targets of their ire include homophobic Christians... those born with a silver spoon in their mouths... flag waving, gun toting, beer guzzling, God bothering assholes... and those that turn a blind eye to the creeping rise of the far right. The album is a blast and it's available on cd and digitally here : https://killedbyflorida.bandcamp.com/album/die-among-us

  This track is topical given as we're only a few months away from the US elections and the choice for voters seems to be hardly inspiring. They have a choice to vote for the lesser of two evils in the knowledge that not much is likely to change. It's called My Vote Counts...

Two party system rigged from the start
Two separate chambers of the same black heart
Two different ways to go get fucked
Two different options shoved down your throat
My vote counts !
You have no voice
Your outcome is chosen
You have no choice
Were winning is losing
You have no
dreams worth pursuing
Your Living a lie
Life is an illusion
The American Dream sold
to the highest bidder
You are a commodity
Prepare for nuclear winter
You are the Cattle
led to the slaughter
You are not a person
You are a number
Nothing will change
this upcoming November
Nothing will change
not now not ever
My vote counts

Yammerer - Life in the New Build

 (photo : Kevin Barrett)

  Based in Liverpool, Yammerer are a post punk band featuring Jason Corbett (vocals), Garvin Cosgrove (guitar), Steve Dee (guitar), Conor Simpson (bass) and Jason Dugdale (drums). They released their debut ep, Reality Escape Resort, last year on Chester label Restless Bear (https://restlessbear.bandcamp.com/album/reality-escape-resort-e-p) and it earned them plenty of gushing reviews and comparisons with the likes of The Fall, Can, Gang Of Four, Wire, Minutemen...

  They also released a record store day cassette which has recently been added to Bandcamp as a name your price download. Titled Donnay Death Housing Cryssis it features a couple of tracks that are both rambling and hypnotic. You can find it here :   https://restlessbear.bandcamp.com/album/donnay-death-housing-cryssis

  50HB is a 5 minute psychedelic trip that sees Corbett shouting "burn it to the ground" as the music weaves and warps it's way around him. The song you'll find below is a little more spiky with some great guitar meanderings but it's still dominated by the in your face vocals. It's called Life In The New Build...

SCIMMIA - Uptight

  I've been meaning to post this for a while now but it seems to have done a bit of shuffling down the "to do" list. It's a song that you'll find on a Demo by a band from Lyon called SCIMMIA (which seems to be the Italian name for a large monkey with little or no tail). They line up with Tom on vocals, Skub (guitar), Matteo (bass) and Thomas (drums) and as a knowledgeable punk enthusiast called Clint Parsons comments, they're the most British sounding French band he's heard!

  There's 8 tracks on the Demo, I noticed in a recent interview another excellent French band Litige described them as pure punk rock and whilst I certainly wouldn't disagree I'm also picking up a strong post-punk vibe. They sound extremely promising and I look forward to hearing more. You can snap up the Demo as a name your price download here : https://scimmia.bandcamp.com/album/demo

  This is the opening track, a spoken word intro leads into an bruising attack of angular guitars, pounding drum and choppy vocals. I'm predicting a place in the Just Some Punk Songs' end of year chart. It's called Uptight...

The Sewer Rats - I Don't Wanna Go To The Dentist No More

 

  I don't care for the rest of the year This is what I wanna do The sun is out The feelings right It's all up to you....

  Lyrics from a rather fine 1980 hit single by The Barracudas which I'm borrowing to announce that top European pop punk label Monster Zero are bringing a little sunshine into our lives with 3 new releases. There's Battlestar Galactica which is a new album by Italian veterans Riccobellis ("14 tracks with classic themes like lost loves, addiction, science-fiction, horror, anxiety and more stuff that Ramones would also sing about") and a fun split album which features 6 tracks each from Austrian pairing Dorkatron and 7 Years Bad Luck. Plus there's the album I'm highlighting below.

  The Sewer Rats hail from Cologne, sport 50's haircuts, watch 80's movies and play 90's style punk rock. 12 catchy tunes which having been produced by Brown Barcella (Apers, Manges, Peawees) and mastered by Jason Livermore at The Blasting Room (Descendents, Teenage Bottlerocket, NOFX) were always going to sound great but when played by a band this talented are guaranteed to get the pop punk fraternity talking.

  The line up is Chris Gin, Schorni Walker, Dom Aqua and Archi Appleyard, their influences include Lillingtons, Face to Face, Stray Cats, Rancid, Social Distortion, The Clash, Hank Williams, Methadones etc and the buzzword is FUN! The album is titled Magic Summer and it features tracks about wanting more than the shitty 9-5 lifestyle, knowing your girl is having fun at the punk festival whilst you're all alone and sad and feeling nostalgic for the blood, sweat and beers of the good old days. You can get the album on ltd edition vinyl and cd here   https://monsterzerorecords.com/products/sewer-rats-the-magic-summer

  and all Monster Zero releases are streaming here :   https://monsterzerorecords.bandcamp.com/album/magic-summer

  With a title straight out of the Ramones songbook, this is  I Don't Wanna Go To The Dentist No More...

The Биты - Hey I Gonna Be Your Girl (The Donnas cover)

  Hey! Ho!, do you like The Donnas? Ukraine's top Ramonescore band The Биты (The Bity) certainly do. Down the years their lengthy back catalogue has expanded to include tribute albums to many of their favourite artists (Ramones, Misfits, Queers, Beach Boys, Riverdales, Screeching Weasel, Mr T Experience etc). This week, Palo Alto's finest all girl rock n rollers were added to that list.

  The Donnas Tribute features 10 tracks that appeared on the 1998 re release of The Donnas debut studio album. Classics like Teenage Runaway, I Wanna Be A Unabomber and their cover of Da Doo Ron Ron receive loving makeovers, the male vocals and Ramones style backing distinguishing them from the originals. The album's available as a name your price download here :   https://bitytheband.bandcamp.com/album/the-donnas-tribute-2

  This is the opening track, Hey I Gonna Be Your Girl...

Hey hey hey
Hey hey hey
Hey hey hey
Hey hey hey

Hey, pretty boy, what's your name?
You're just making me go insane.
I see you sitting there--don't know what to do
'Cause I just wanna french kiss you!

Hey, I'm gonna be your girl
Hey, I'm gonna be your girl
Hey, I'm gonna be your girl
And are you gonna be my guy?
And are you gonna be my guy?

Wednesday night and we're at paco's
Teaching all of them to pogo.
I see you sitting there--don't know what to do
'Cause everytime I see you I go cuckoo

Hey, I'm gonna be your girl
Hey, I'm gonna be your girl
Hey, I'm gonna be your girl
And are you gonna be my guy?
And are you gonna be my guy?

Come on, baby, rab with me
You're the best dressed in pali
You can make me go go go
Let's go to my room and blow!

Hey hey hey
Hey hey hey
Hey…

The Fallout - The Times Have Never Changed (Guest Review By Ashley Colman)

  Another guest review today, this one by Ashley Colman. He''s a massive fan of  Canadian political 3 piece The Fallout (https://www.facebook.com/TheFalloutToronto/) so as they've just released an excellent new album I thought I'd ask him to say a few words. The album's called The Times Have Never Changed and it's out now as a joint release from Discos Machete (a new label started up by Victor of Brigada Flores Magon fame) and the ever reliable Rebel Time Records...   https://rebeltimerecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-fallout-the-times-have-never-changed-2

  Over to Ash...

  The Fallout are angry, passionate and committed to the numerous causes they support, like many a punk band. However, what sets them apart from the pack? TUNES my friends that's what. These political savvy punks have been railing against the tide since 2004 with a handful of releases which thankfully have been made available on their Bandcamp page, remastered, remixed and not to be missed. Also, pay what you want, or free? Nah, scrap free, because we know what work goes into getting underground music out there don't we?

  Anyways, what do you get from The Fallout, 15 tracks of pacey, tuneful, fist pumping anthems, with their interpretations of this fucked up world chronicled into the biting lyrics, with Lord Byron's distinctive vocals to the fore. Patty 'O' Lantern (bass) he of Brutal Youth and Class War Kids infamy handles the vocals on 'Can't Take It',  'Invincible', 'Red Light Union', & 'Turn It Down', with him adding a new dimension as well  with his backing vocals throughout this great album. The Class War Kids classic  One Last Struggle is covered within the album.

   Comparisons... don't we love 'em. Think of early SLF, Newtown Neurotics and fellow Canadians The Subhumans and your getting there and like the afore-mentioned, TUNES my friends in abundance. File under absolutely essential.

  This is the title track, The Times Have Never Changed... 

Don’t care about the Bob Dylan you quote
Books you’ve read or poems you wrote
I see suffering I see no hope

The times have never changed
That’s what drove Phil Ochs insane
The times have never changed

Protest songs of ’67
Against a war you never ended
All that posing and pretending

The times have never changed
That’s what drove Phil Ochs insane
The times have never changed

The more things change
The more they stay the same
Happens time and time and time again
All I know for sure is we have endless, endless war
The times have never changed


One thing I don’t understand
From Iraq to Afghanistan
It just keeps happening again and again


The times have never changed
That’s what drove Phil Ochs insane
The times have never changed

Emily And The Blackouts - Dead Eyes (Guest Review by Ralph J Rivera)

  When I saw music connoisseur Ralph J Rivera rabidly enthusing about a band called Emily And The Blackouts I thought I'd better investigate. He's got damn good taste and as he's been writing about and interviewing bands since 1988 I thought I'd ask him to share his thoughts with you guys. As well as putting out a couple of his own zines in the 90's/00's (Honey Dungeon & Screwed And Tattooed) he's also had pieces published in Flipside, Fizz, The Hit List and Razorcake.

   Forming in 2016, Emily And The Blackouts are from Riverside, California and feature a couple of original members of Voodoo Glow Skulls (Eddie Casillas on guitar and Jerry O’Neill on drums) as well as Emily Allin (vocals) and Johnny Poison (bass). They recently released a Self Titled album :   https://emilyandtheblackouts1.bandcamp.com/album/emily-and-the-blackouts

  This is Ralph's opinion...

Well this was just what I needed to find today. An honest to goodness TRUE Rock and Roll Punk band with a totally kick ass female singer. Namely one Emily Allin. This girl's vocal range fits this music so perfectly it's probably natural to her. These guys hit so many marks on bands from the late 90's/early 2000's. At first I thought "Holy Crap - The Candy Snatchers with a chick singer" but NO! - After a couple spot on covers of GG and Rose Tattoo - they shift gears into Post Punk/Goth territory!

 This track "Dead Eyes" instantly made me think of all the great California Death Rock bands from the 80's. And again Emily's voice could be a dead ringer for the late, great Kat Arthur from Legal Weapon. Like I said if you miss what they called "Punk and Roll" from the bygone days of the 90's/00's this is a dream come true. Straight up pint of California Kick Ass!

  This is Dead Eyes...

Crash and burning never one for learning. Falling for the same old line. Sitting all alone and wasting all your time you’ll always be the lonely one. You got all the scares and you know all the lies and you don’t know what’s right for you. spending all your times with an idle mind and everyone’s to blame but you.
Look at your with your dead eyes crying alone on a Friday night. Waiting for Mr. Right look at you with your dead eyes. Crying alone on a Friday night look at you with your dead eyes. Waiting for Mr. right look at you with your dead eyes.
Once again you missed your turn she got their first you’ll never learn. One of these days you’ll get it right. Wondering where you’ll sleep tonight. Left alone another wasted night and how much did you compromise missed your turn you’ll never learn and now here comes the day light.
Look at you with your dead eyes crying alone on a Friday night. Waiting for Mr. Right look at you with your dead eyes. Crying alone on a Friday night look at you with your dead eyes. Waiting for Mr. right look at you with your dead eyes.
Look at you.
Look at your dead eyes.
Wasted fake it. Look at your dead eyes. Wasted fake it
Look at your dead eyes.

Riskee & The Ridicule - Blue Jacket

  It was only 6 months ago that no one had heard of Corvid 19. We didn't know what the Corona Virus was and we certainly didn't think our economy was going to be trashed by a flu like, invisible killer. Instead we were setting sail on the good ship UK heading away from Europe towards an exciting new tomorrow. Or we were if you ever thought Brexit was anything other than false promises and the chance for certain well to dos to keep their fortunes safely squirrelled away in shady tax havens. Watch out for that iceberg Captain Boris!

  Last year also saw the release of Body Bag Your Scene, an impressive genre straddling album from Kent band Riskee & The Ridicule (https://www.facebook.com/RiskeeandtheRidicule/). I described it as being "full of big catchy singalong choruses which despite the anger in many of the lyrics is very definitely upbeat" (https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2019/07/riskee-ridicule-millwall-brick-glasgow.html). Almost a year on and they're back with more of the same; catchy hooks, political barbs, an iron hand in a velvet fist.

  Their new single touches on both Brexit and pandemic. The lunatics have staggered out of the asylum clutching their shiny new passports into a landscape laid waste by the effects of the pandemic. Will they seek to band together with their neighbours to restore society or will they carry on regardless with Churchillian spirit and a smug sense of superiority?

  As the Down And Outs put it so well, you can have your country back cos it doesn’t mean a fucking thing to me.

  This is Blue Jacket...

Britain’s sold me a brand new Blue Jacket The sleeves are too long and the arms wrap round my back I never noticed the buckles on my brand new blue jacket I don’t know from who but I’ve got my country back An Irishman, a Scotsman and a Welshman join me in a bar We show each other memes on a screen, humour is an art My blood is half-Scottish, half-Irish, got an English beating heart My family ain’t from round here but trace us back we probably are Oh you’re a pure breed? No, you’re an inbred You’re a joke, you ain’t woke. You’ve always been dead So, come on zombie, put it on me. I’m all blotchy and now my skin's red So, I’m gonna go infect everyone, affect everything it’s an outbreak No lime in my Corona? E.U bureaucrats you’re an outrage! "Honey, I’m home! What’s for tea darling?" I feel like chlorinated chicken tonight just ain’t got the same ring Britain’s sold me a brand new Blue Jacket The sleeves are too long and the arms wrap round my back I never noticed the buckles on my brand new blue jacket I don’t know from who but I’ve got my country back You blue passport prick, have you got your country back? And your arsehole kids are gonna spout the same shit as their dad Yeah, you got past those fibs that were fed to you like broth. You took your share out of the pot now you’ll eat water from the trough. Starve piggy, oh you look so malnourished I’ve never wanted to say I told you so any less I’ll drop you like the pound and depart with a parting kiss If they ruin us we riot all day I raise your fist Britain’s sold me a brand new Blue Jacket The sleeves are too long and the arms wrap round my back I never noticed the buckles on my brand new blue jacket I don’t know from who but I’ve got my country back

Boyracer - Hit And Miss

  Boyracer have just released their 13th album. They were founded back in 1990 by ever present vocalist/guitarist Stuart Anderson and they're a band who's music I've found myself dipping in and out of down the years whether it was hearing them on the John Peel show or when I was compiling indie mixtapes to listen to on my night shifts at work (tracks like I've Got It And It's Not Worth Having, He Gets Me So Hard and Jump being particular favourites).

  There's been numerous line up changes along the way and it's still a large cast of contributors this time around though the addition of Christina Riley (Artsick, Burnt Palms) looks to be more permanent. The album has been in the gestation period for a couple of years with recording taking place in Flagstaff Arizona, Sydney Australia, Berlin Germany, and Scarborough UK. Titled On A Promise, it's available on vinyl (with a ltd edition yellow flexidisc) via Emotional Response Records   https://emotionalresponserecords.com/collections/frontpage/products/boyracer-on-a-promise and as a digital download : https://emotional-response-recs.bandcamp.com/album/on-a-promise

  There's some very good tracks on there, initial highlights include Bunk Off Work Today, Girl In A Soul Band and the single Bored and Lonely but it's an all over consistently good album.

  This track comes with a video and it's an upbeat pop delight so that's the one I'm posting today. It's titled Hit And Miss...

Snuff - Drink Freely From The Chalice Of Lunacy

  New music by legendary London punks Snuff (https://www.facebook.com/snuffukband/) is always worth shouting about and that's what I'm going to be doing today as they've just released a mightily impressive new 6 track ep titled The Wrath Of Thoth. I had no idea what Thoth was until I enlisted the aid of Google and now I'm assuming it's all to do with the Egyptian god of writing, magic, wisdom and the moon. He had the body of a man and the head of an ibis and he did cool shit like the judgement of the dead and maintaining the universe. I'm not sure however how wrathful he was but I did discover a book by Esther Schrader in which a professor of antiquities tried to get Thoth to aid him in becoming a best selling author so maybe Snuff frontman Duncan Redmonds was staring at his bookshelf looking for inspiration and he had a Eureka moment?

  Anyway, now I've guessed at the origin of the title, let me write a short paragraph about the band. Formed in Hendon in 1986, split up in '91, got back together in 94 and they're responsible for some of the best punk music to come from the UK. But you already know that... 

  ...So onto the ep. Recorded during the sessions for last year's album There's A Lot Of It About and originally intended to be sold on their May tour, it's got a bit of everything we've come to expect from the band. Opener Drink Freely From The Chalice Of Lunacy is mid paced, melodic and very catchy (in the style of Take Me Home). I played it on this week's Just Some Punk Songs show, the chatroom folk loved it and so will you. Next up is Nothing To See Here, it's a little more urgent, features a Ba Ba Ba Ba Ba Ba Ba Ba Ba Ba Ba Ba chorus and some brass and bemoans a broken heart. So far so good. Track 3 is the Vada version of Conductor 71, a track that appeared on 2016's No Biting ep. Not a massive departure from the original truth be told but a damn good pounding punk song that showcases the band's harder edge. Supposedly FUWOAGORR! is up next but that wasn't with the preview new bassist Dan Goatham (he from Spoilers) sent me so your guess is a good as mine. I assume it's only on the vinyl version? Poetic Nonsense is another delightfully mid paced beauty about being alone together "Up with the seagulls shouting, Down where the mud larks sing, Off where the bumble bees hum..."

  And I've decided to start a new paragraph for the last 2 tracks as they're wonderful examples of classic Snuff singalongs. When we get live gigs back there'll be sweaty crowds grinning ear to ear and shouting along to these. The Bells Of Hell Go Ting-A-Ling-A-Ling is an infectious cover of a British airmen's song from World War 1 which featured in the 1969 movie Oh! What A Lovely War. I'll warn you now, once you hear it you won't be able to get it out of your head. Proceedings are wrapped up with King Of The Wild Frontier.  Another fun ear worm which starts off with Duncan asking if we think he gives a shit about us before it turns into an Arsehole type knees up with raspberries blown, more brass than you can shake a stick at and profoundly deep lyrics such as "Chuck it on the backseat, whack it up your jaxxy Where will it lead from here? Elephant and castle, stick it up your arsehole! Does nana know you're here? Now you fucking broke it, in your pipe and smoke it." It's glorious.

  A joint release between the band's own label 10 past 12 Records and Unless You Try Records (http://unlessyoutryrecords.limitedrun.com/products/663318-snuff-the-wrath-of-thoth-12-ep), the vinyl version has already sold out but fear nor it's being repressed and will be available again soon in a new colour. Digitally, it's available here : https://ditto.fm/the-wrath-of-throf?fbclid=IwAR2_1c1SSUNGT3bHELS_SMYTlDSH81Mbc4qFpmjrz9oywh6Ur19szPPP1DI

  This is Drink Freely From The Chalice Of Lunacy...

Donald Duck, if you're on the flight, please quack your heart out
Give us all a laugh
We need one

A snotty nose seems to be de rigueur tonight?
Can someone spill the beans and tell me what I'm missing?

Scooby doo, where are you?
Can you kindly present yourself to the Captain

Watch your step 'round here
Take a wrong turn and they'll have the clothes right off your back
And leave you for dead

Drink from the chalice of lunacy
Norwegian eyes are shining
We'll reap just what we sow, still
I love you

So drink freely from the chalice of lunacy
Makkem Marras bawling
We'll reap just what we sow, still
I love you now

A nice crisp sunny Autumn morning
You could hear the South West calling
From Prout Lane to Newell Road
Deck chair and a flask
You could be under Heathrow flight path right now
Drink from the chalice of lunacy
Norwegian eyes are shining
We'll reap just what we sow, still
I love you

So drink freely from the chalice of lunacy
Makkem marras bowling
We'll reap just what we sow, still
I love you right now

Mau Maus - Same Circus Different Clowns

   Mau Maus (https://www.facebook.com/MauMaus2018/) are a hardcore punk band from Sheffield who formed back in 1979 with an initial line up of Chris Taylor (vocals), Andy 'Lev' Levick (guitar), Kevin 'Bunny' Warren (bass) and Paul 'Podge' Barker (drums). They released a bunch of eps plus the albums Live At The Marples (1983) and Fear No Evil (1985) before the law of diminishing returns led to them calling it a day.

  Fast forward 34 years and they rose like a phoenix from the flames with original members Andy Levick and Kevin Warren joined by W.O.R.M. frontman Danny Clark (vocals) and Dave Roberts (drums). Last year saw the release of a collection of their material in the form of the 21 track compilation album Society's Rejects but it's only now that the new line up have released their first post reformation track. More new music will follow once they can all get together to record.

  You can get the new song here : https://maumaus1979.bandcamp.com/releases

  Taking aim at world leaders both past and present as well as the system that puts them in charge of the asylum, this is a fast aggressive winner that gives us another reason to hope we get back to some kind of normality soon. More songs like this are definitely desirable. It's called Same Circus Different Clowns...

Stalones - White Power Is Fucking Stupid

 

  Stalones hail from Milwaukee and feature ex members of a bunch of bands I'm unfamiliar with such as 57s, Scornbread, Pizza Cowboys, Ray, Factor and YZ. There's not much info on them but they released a 3 track ep last year that has a cover very similar to an old NOFX fave and is titled 3 White Trashes and a German. You won't be surprised to hear it's snotty, old school pop punk with both serious moments (Death.Protest.Riot.Repeat) and bursts of irreverence (We Don't Care).

  They recently returned with an 8 track ep titled Thank You Satan. It's more polished than the debut but otherwise not much has changed. The songs are mainly short, the influences are old school and the songs are both catchy and hard hitting. The lyrics are more towards the political than the knockabout but still seem to have been written by a band more interested in having a good time than letting world events get them down.

  It's a fun release that deals with serious matters (both pizzas and rapists get their time in the spotlight!) and you can snap it up name your price here :   https://stalones.bandcamp.com/album/thank-you-satan

  This is the lead track, it's called White Power Is Fucking Stupid...

The KKK came for me
They want to hang me from a tree
While chanting words of tyranny
The KKK came for me

Chorus
You think you're better due to ancestral geographic location
All men were created equal per the constitution and the emancipation proclamation

MC16 - Brave New Word

  It's always great to see a band that you've been shouting about for a while doing well and looking at the quality of the latest video by Shropshire trio MC16 (https://www.facebook.com/MC16band/) not only is their music very impressive, they also have the wherewithal to promote it with a very polished visual accompaniment. I was going to comment how much their sound has progressed and how tight they now sound but listening back to the first song I heard by them it's pretty clear they were fully formed right from the start (https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2018/08/mc16-sleeping-on-cardboard.html).


  It's no surprise their new single is great, everything they've released thus far has been top notch. I hope we get an album in due course but until then I suggest you head over to Bandcamp and check out their small but stellar back catalogue : https://mc16band.bandcamp.com/

  Available as a name your price download, Brave New Word describes how once we could bullshit in the school playground about how our dad was bigger than your dad, how he was in the SAS or was a member of the IRA. Nowadays we can just make up false identities for ourselves online. The internet has become the playground. There's so much sensationalism about that we're numbed to real world events as very little shocks anymore. Not only do they write a good tune, MC16 are a band with relevant things to say....

Karate Kid - Football Suckers

  I'm sure you all know that The Karate Kid is a very popular 1984 movie starring Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita, well it's now also a name appropriated by a new band from Tokyo. They feature a line up of FxZxKxN (vocals), Yoji Taguchi (guitar), Kentaro Nishida (bass) and Tatsuhiro Taku (drums). They play fast paced hardcore punk and profess an admiration for bands such as Vitamin X, Razors Edge, Spazz, Jodie Faster, Descendents etc...

  They formed earlier this year and have already treated us to a demo featuring 9 "short, fast & cheap" cuts of energetic thrashing around. There's two intros before we get into shouty punk territory. Not sure what the hell they're singing about even though the song titles are in English but it makes me want to run around smashing things up. There's a cassette version and it's also available digitally here :  https://karatexkidx.bandcamp.com/album/demo-2020

  The song that's worked it's way into my brain and refuses to leave is this bundle of chanty fun. It's called Football Suckers...

Jeffrey Thunders & The Scabs - Still Bleeding

  Jeffrey Thunders & The Scabs are getting through these difficult times by releasing music. There seems to be something new by them every other week. Their latest single dropped a couple of days ago and I'd say it's their best yet.

  Jeffrey's no stranger to this blog, he's featured with The Lost Riots and The Ratz but being in 2 bands obviously isn't enough. When I interviewed him back in December (https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2019/12/interview-with-jeffrey-thunders-lost_28.html) he told me that The Scabs were basically just him and Scott Fitch writing songs for fun and that they were a once in a blue moon kind of thing with there being no intention of it being a full blown band. Obviously those blue moons are coming round a little more regularly nowadays.

  Influenced by New York Dolls, Replacements, Rancid etc, the new single is a short blast of tuneful old school punk. The production is spot on and Jeffrey's distinctive snotty vocals are backed by a cool as fuck sounding organ played by Vinnie Pecoraro (Sonorous Rising, ex Dead City Riot). It's timeless stuff and you can grab it "name your price" here :   https://jeffreythundersandthescabs.bandcamp.com/album/still-bleeding

  Still Bleeding...

Active Minds - Another Peasant Valley Slum Day

  Hailing from Scarborough, Active Minds (https://www.facebook.com/Active-Minds-438472032865450/) have been releasing hard hitting punk rock music for donkeys years and have built up an impressive back catalogue. It's a body of work that has been recently expanded with the release of a new ep titled Two Sides Of The Same Coin. Presumably though they're a bunch of ugly buggers as they haven't any band photos on Facebook or Bandcamp so you're having to make do with this update starting with a picture of the ep cover! It's a good cover though which sums up the ep well.

  As was the case with the split that I featured yesterday, they were intending to release it on 7" vinyl but the Corona Virus has caused that to be delayed. They have however stuck it on Bandcamp and very impressive it is too. Themes covered are our changing world ("It’s a very different place to the one where they grew up, And the new world is not so kind To the ones who are left behind"), the pursuit of material wealth & the ever expanding gap between the haves and the have nots and how we should resist the slide from angry youth towards apathetic middle age. It's political punk with bite and you can check it out here : https://activeminds1.bandcamp.com/album/two-sides-of-the-same-coin

  This track reminds us how well off we are compared with many of those in far away lands and it's called Another Peasant Valley Slum Day...

The reality of global economics
Is that some will go without,
And we are amongst the fortunate ones –
You shouldn’t have any doubt.

Far away from the tabloid pages
People are forced to live in squalor –
Living each day from hand to mouth,
Not daring to think of tomorrow.

Out there, it’s another peasant valley slum day
Back in exploitation land.
We don’t leave enough to make their ends meet.
When will we start to understand?

If we want to make to make poverty history
We must tackle the excesses of greed,
Where a minority have stockpiles of wealth
Far greater than anyone could need.

Meanwhile, it’s another peasant valley slum day
Back in exploitation land.
We don’t leave enough to make their ends meet.
When will we start to understand?

Dogtown Rebels - Tears of a Nation

 

  If you've been visiting Just Some Punk Songs for a while and you've got a good memory it's possible you may remember me posting a song back in 2015 called Song For The Fallen (https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-dogtown-rebels-song-for-fallen.html). It was an excellent tribute to the punks who are sadly no longer with us and I'm pleased to say it was recently covered by Norwich 4 piece Braindance  (https://www.facebook.com/BraindancePunk/). It's one of the two songs that they've contributed to an impressive split ep with fellow Norwich punks, The Dogtown Rebels (https://www.facebook.com/DogtownRebels/) and it was originally on that band's Brave New World album. Their other contribution to the ep is a lively track about "just another human being dying on the street alone." It's called Cold Case and it's another winner. Despite having been around for many years, the band were new to me but I'll be keeping an eye on them from now on. 

  So on to the Dogtown Rebels' half of the ep. The band still boast the same line up as 5 years ago; Dave Sadler (vocals/bass), John "Fanny" Adams (lead guitar), Chris Lloyd (lead guitar) and Wal Jarvis (drums) and happily they're still more than capable of mixing grit and melody to cook up a catchy tune. First up they tackle the subject of our dangerous society in a song called Streets Of Violence. It's a cover of a Braindance track from 1993 and you can compare and contrast here :   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRBDjiLpb9Q

  Their other track is a self penned affair about the everyday struggles of the working class and how taking your own life can be a grim option. I've seen it compared with Stiff Little Fingers and it does have a similar anthemic quality about it. They were planning to release the ep as a ltd edition 7" and whilst that's now on hold due to the pandemic but it is available name your price here :   https://braindancedogtownrebels.bandcamp.com/releases 

  This is Tears Of A Nation... 

The Virus - Total Destruction

  The Virus (https://www.facebook.com/viruspunks/) are Paul Sorrels (vocals), Dave Preno (guitar), Josh Howard (bass), Zach Kolodziejski (guitar) and Tyler Capone (drums) and they're from Philadelphia. They formed in 1998, split in 2004 and got back together in 2013. There's been numerous line up changes down the years but things have been stable as of late with no changes since I featured a song from their last album, 2017's System Failure.

  They'll soon be releasing a new split 4 track 12" with New York hardcore outfit Thulsa Doom and they've released a single from it which you can grab "name your price" here :   https://thevirus.bandcamp.com/

  The human race is hurtling rapidly to it's demise unless we can sort out our act and start behaving in a way that protects our planet and ourselves (and I think we know there's fat chance of that happening anytime soon!). Rising sea levels due to climate change are going to effect everyone's lives over the next few decades though a more immediate change to lives is already upon us due to the current situation with Corvid 19. It's the end of an era and it's covered at breakneck speed by a band that sound better than ever. This is Total Destruction...

The Kopek Millionaires - It Could Happen To You

  The Kopek Millionaires are from Manchester and are fronted by Johnny Skullknuckles  (Goldblade/Anti Nowhere League/The Business) with sterling support from Mike Lea (Bass & Vocals), Daniel Garthwright (aka Corporal Vinnie) (drums) and  Andy Scollick (Lead Guitar & Vocals). They announced themselves with 2012's debut mini lp Heartaches And Hardons, released the Dirty Beef Hands ep (2014) and an album titled Hopes And Dreams And Goldfish (2016). They've been fairly quiet since though Johnny did put out a solo album last year titled A Face Made For Radio. Live appearances have been somewhat scarce though a rousing reception at last Year's Rebellion Festival showed they can wow a crowd when the mood takes. They recently returned with a new 6 track mini album titled Love And Loud Guitars.

  They make catchy punk tunes that seem to find most reviewers throwing around comparisons with The Boys and Buzzcocks. The opening track on the mini album doffs it's cap to another classic era punk icon as the titular Sidney yearns to be a little more vicious. A good old fashioned slice of punk n roll is up next as they attempt the impossible...trying to decipher the thoughts of a woman! Punk Girl From Another World follows, it's a slower (and rather dreamy) Manchester love song about our protagonist aiming to prove to Janet from another planet that he's not like those other guys. Track 4 you'll find below, 5 is a piano led ballad that reminded me somewhat of Spear Of Destiny's Mickey. They round things off with an upbeat look back at lost youth and swiftly passing time.

  A really good release that you can get on cd and digital download here :   https://thekopekmillionaires.bandcamp.com/album/love-and-loud-guitars-limited-edition-digipak-version

  This track is an infectious rocker, it's another love song with a chorus to die for and a closing riff pilfered from Complete Control. It's called It Could Happen To You...

It could happen to you it could happen to me it could happen any old time now.

Well there she is at the bus stop, oh sh'e so beautiful
She makes me yearn makes me wanna learn her name.
Will she sit next to me (I don't think so) will she smile
Should I say hello oh no I don't know

Oh I shouldn't be so fickle hearted

When you're in love but you fall in lust - and I'm falling


Oh I shouldn't be so fickle hearted
Oh but you could be the one
Oh but this is where my trouble started
  

Bent Out Of Shape - Divide and Conquer

  I've another debut release for you today, this time it's a track from a demo by oi/streetpunk 4 piece Bent Out Of Shape. They hail from Fryslân in The Netherlands and feature former members of Icepick, Spirit 84, DSS and No Denial to name but a few. The ep was scheduled for release this weekend at their planned show with Bishops Green and Arch Rivals but the Corona Virus put the kibosh on that so I'll give it a plug on here instead. You can get it on cd or digitally (name your price) here : https://bentoutofshape.bandcamp.com/

 

    There's 7 tracks of hard as nails bovver boy music. The opener is an eponymous track about societies rules and the assholes that impose them. Other tracks deal with the betrayal of a friend, boozed up bust ups on a Saturday night, giving up your mates for the "love of your life", refusing to be pushed around and they round things off with a joyful track about the buzz that you get from going to your football team's packed stadium with a scarf around your neck.

  It's an impressive debut by a band that arrive fully formed.

  This song is about how the rich create targets for the poor to blame for their ills as a distraction to the big picture. It's called Divide And Conquer...

The poor stay poor and the rich stay rich,
It's been that way forever.
And when it comes to placing blame,
The rich are really clever.
They emphasize our differences,
Sow hate between you and me.
So instead of the fucking system,
You blame some poor refugee.

DIVIDE AND CONQUER, that's their fucking plan.
DON'T FIGHT EACH OTHER, Fight- the man.
There's more than enough, for us to go around.
But the higher ups, wanna keep us down.

They take the best years of your life,
And then your pension and your health.
And while you're barely getting by,
You create their wealth.
They control the media,
And play a nasty game.
So we fight amongst ourselves,
Even though we are the same.

Bipolar - War Propaganda

 

  Bipolar are from Brooklyn and line up thus; Pouya (vox/guitar), Obash (vox/bass), Brandon (drums) and Wisha (keyboard). They recently released a debut ep titled 1-(800)-CALL-ICE, 4 tracks of energetic synth infused garage punk covering themes of depression and anxiety with lyrics such as "Sometimes when I get up, when I get out of bed, I go look out the window and I wish I was dead" and "Mothers crying babies dying..." It's grim but pulses with manic energy. I've played a couple of tracks from it on recent Just Some Punk Songs shows and the chatroom reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. A novice band with plenty of promise haring out of the starting gate in the style of a seasoned veteran. You can grab it as a name your price download here : https://bipolarr.bandcamp.com/album/1-800-call-ice

  Starting off with a wailing intro that reminds me of the harmonica riff from Sergio Leone's Once Upon A Time In The West this is a track that crackles with energy and deals with western backed insurgency. It's called War Propaganda... 

Las Ratapunks - Ministerio

  Las Ratapunks (https://www.facebook.com/lasratapunks/) are from Cajamarca in Peru and formed when friends Anabel (YK) Rojas, Kiara Lozano Núñez and Irma Cabrera Abanto decided they wanted to make some noise and despite not really knowing how to play their instruments started rehearsing and quickly (within a week) found themselves playing a gig. Soon after they replaced original bassist Vani with Wendi Galleta and things began to come together.

  They released an ep in 2017 titled Ratas de Ciudad (City Rats) and have recently followed it up with another titled Fracaso, año de la rata 2020 (Failure, Year Of The Rat 2020). Lyrics are in their native tongue but themes dealt with are universal; political corruption, exploitation, shattered childhood, sexism etc. Possibly a new band to many of you but one that you should embrace.

  You can check out the ep here : https://lasratapunks.bandcamp.com/album/fracaso-a-o-de-la-rata-2020

  This track sees them fighting against the avoidance of punishment offered up to a genocidal state and is called Ministerio...

El estado genocida nos quiere matar
Estado feminicida nos va a atacar
Ministerio de injusticia no haces nada
Ministerio de injusticia de impunidad x2

Vamos a luchar contra la impunidad
Vamos a gritar la realidad
Miles de casos sin solución
Y todo tan lleno de corrupción x2

Ministerio de injusticia x4
Impunidad x3