Obviously with so much great music being released during 2020, some bands were always going to slip under the radar and one band I missed out on were French feminist/queercore punks Radical Kitten (https://www.facebook.com/Radical-Kitten-2269316249827120). They're from Toulouse and last October saw them release an album called Silence Is Violence. They were brought to my attention by Jim Lachlan who said they had a hint of Perth's finest Cold Meat (https://staticshockrecords.bandcamp.com/album/hot-and-flustered) to their sound. I checked them out and was very impressed so asked him to say a few words.
Cheers Jim...
Radical Kitten - Toulouse trio (Marin : bass & vocals, Iso : guitar & vocals, Marion : drums) - Silence is Violence 12 track - Araki Records, Stonehenge Records, Domination Queer Records.
Interesting post-punk sound. Something for everyone here. Strong short shouty tracks ( I Can’t Deal and I’m Bored) to brooding building tracks (Silence, The One The First). Definite leanings towards the best of Au Pairs and early Gang of Four sound in both bass and guitar. Very strong lead female vocal drives each track on. Quality abrasive guitar throughout in a well honed minimalist style. Best track(s) for me ? The One The First, I’m Bored and Silence.
This is The One The First...
You've got be the one the first
you've got to fall
to fall to get up to fall
to be the one at first
You're down you're down you think you learn
but you hurt you loose you cry
you've tried you dance you fuck
you run you run !
You're down you're down you think you learn
but you hurt you loose you cry you've tried
you run away !
The Shit Missile are Oliwia (Guitar/Vocals) George (Guitar/Vocals), Angelito (Bass) and Ximo (Drums). They're from Germany (I think) and they've a debut single out on King Khan's Khannibalism Records.
It's 2 very good tracks which sound as though they're by different bands with one (Fuel Injected Dreams) featuring German accented female vocals by Oliwia and the other (What's The Score) boasting English accented male vocals courtesy of George Ramshaw. The single is titled The Secret Cult Of The Shit Missile and it's an extremely promising calling card. You can get it here : https://khannibalism.bandcamp.com/album/the-secret-cult-of-the-shit-missile
My favourite song is What's The Score (I'll be playing it on this week's Just Some Punk Songs show later today so listen in https://www.facebook.com/events/704615003489577) but I'm featuring the other one on here as they've made a video to accompany it.
This is Fuel Injected Dreams...
I hitched hiked with the devil
His boots were burning flames
I would tell him my desires
He would show me all the ways
The sky was glittery blue
Radio played only rock n roll bands
And I don’t care where we go
Cause nothing goes well
In the corn fields I met a man
He was born under the black sun
They said he’s forever cursed
They wanted him dead
So my gun got warm
My eyes turned black
We chained our souls together
But i am never coming back
I lost you in the land
over mountains and the seas
For years i tried to find you but
this place was only in my dreams
These are fuel injected dreams
They ain't worth anything
These fuel injected dreams
They will go to hell with me
Due to other commitments the band called it a day back in 2019 but they've left a "last will and testament" in the form of a 2 song ep which is out now on Pirates Press Records. The band has decided that all proceeds from the release will go to BOOM in Leeds. BOOM is a grassroots venue near and dear to the band’s hearts which has played host to many punk, metal, and rock gigs throughout the years, and like most independent music venues, can use help amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. BOOM LEEDS is now on the brink of permanent closure due to Covid-19 and needs to Crowdfund to survive. In the absence of any income and being unable to open - the venue has accrued substantial debts that will force the venue into permanent closure. Any profits from this release will help keep the wolves from the door. http://www.boomleeds.com/
Unsurprisingly, given the pedigree of the band members, the ep is a winner. Anthemic choruses and gang vocals abound. It's a fitting farewell that'll go down a storm with punks and skins everywhere. You can get it here : https://thestruggleuk.bandcamp.com/album/tension-rising-its-not-too-late
This is Tension Rising...
Tension rising a hot summers night
On the British streets the time was right
Get taste of your own medicine
From the people you look at with disdain
Tension rising
British youth
At the bottom
Accepted by none
Rise up, riot
British youth
Too much pressure that was the truth
A forgotten generation that didn’t fit in
Stop and search and don’t question
We got you now man we got S.U.S
You don’t fit in and you’re not like us
Tension rising
British youth
At the bottom
Accepted by none
Riot riot
British youth
Too much pressure that was the truth
Complete control with a push and a shove
Following the orders from above
Too much pressure
What did they expect
From the detached youth what happened next
It didn’t work out they saw through the shit
And a petrol bomb destroyed their dream
A burnt out car and anarchy
A suppressed but united community
I've got to be honest, after enjoying plenty of oi releases over the last few years, I didn't hear too much from that genre during 2020 that excited me. Hopefully it was Just a case of the bands I like preparing new material for release this year. I think I'd choose Takers 'N' Users' Tales Of This Town as my favourite oi album of the year but a new band that also impressed were Bent Out Of Shape (https://www.facebook.com/BentOutOfShapeOi). They're from The Netherlands and they released an impressive demo back in April (which I described as hard as nails bovver boy music : https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2020/05/bent-out-of-shape-divide-and-conquer.html).
It's 4 tracks that'll appeal to fans of Blitz, Cock Sparrer, The Beltones etc with the title track revealing that though this is a new project, the members of the band are genre veterans who have carried on with their passion of making music despite being told they'd be better off getting proper jobs. Lost In The System is about struggling to get by and how we should pull together to survive whilst the closing track is a love letter to their home of Fryslân.
This song is about being proud of their skinhead roots and it's called Paying Tribute...
Music for hooligans
And the oppressed
Skinheads on the rampage
Skinheads in sta-press
Up to evil conduct
Razorblades in the night
We fight to live - We got a fight!
The culture, the classics
And all of the above
It's the style that we like
And the music that we love
Don't forget the struggle
Avenues and alleyways
We're paying tribute
To those glory days!
Bloodshed on the street
The city's in a jam
Won't say sorry to anyone
I'm proud of who I am
Suburban rebels
Who never fall
So join the rejects and
Let’s take ‘em all!
CHORUS
State of emergency
We're infa riot
Backstreet kids
Can't stand the peace and quiet
It’s gang warfare
In garageland
All coppers are bastards
They don’t understand!
CHORUS
Ralph returns today to sing the praises of a band that he thinks everyone should hear. They're a 4 piece pop punk band called Lettermans (https://www.facebook.com/LettermansOfficial) and they've been around for a couple of years. They released their debut album towards the end of 2020 and though it escaped my attention until Ralph started raving about it, I'm now a convert.
Over to Ralph...
So after 2 amazing EP's, Philadelphia's favourite sons of Pop Punk have dropped their full length CD "It's Not Me, It's You". Back in February of 2020 before everything went to hell I watched these guys and Radio Blast hold their own against scene veterans! I became an instant fan and let me tell you this - THIS is not your standard Pop Punk! This album blends obvious Beach Boys influences with more traditional Power Pop leanings to make it a stand out in the field. You got amazing songs like "How Could She" and "To Be A Gentleman" but being the Surf Punk I am I'm gonna post the video for "Surf's Up" because it just flat out rules!
Accompanied by a fun video (good looking young people having fun at the beach with sunshine aplenty looks so inviting when your stuck indoors due to Covid induced lockdown), this is one hell of an earworm. Surfs Up...
I was wondering what to post today and then I came across this really cool UK Subs cover and my search quickly came to an end.
The Wraith (https://www.facebook.com/TheWraithPunk) are a dark punk/deathrock band from Los Angeles and line up with Kaz Alvis (guitar/vocals), Davey Bales (vocals), Anatolii Lövochkin (drums) and Paul Rogers (bass/vocals). Their sound mixes up elements of 80's UK post punk (Death Cult, Killing Joke, Chameleons) with Southern Californian deathrock (T.S.O.L., Samhain) and their 2019 debut album, Gloom Ballet (https://thewraithsl.bandcamp.com/album/gloom-ballet), saw critics hurling glowing reviews in their direction.
And now they're back with a split cassette with Cheltenham horror punks, Screaming Dead, who contribute a song called Pretty Mess (https://screamingdead.bandcamp.com/track/pretty-mess). It's the first release in a series of monthly split cassingles from Plain Disguise records and it's a very impressive opening instalment.
So the UK Subs cover; it's a darkly delicious take on a classic. It's called Warhead...
Occasionally I'll start these write ups by saying something like "Here's a band that always go down well when I play them on the show" but if I'm honest, I find that whenever I play Nottingham electro post-punk duo Sleaford Mods (https://www.facebook.com/SleafordModsOfficial/) the chatroom is split down the middle between lovers and haters (with hardly anyone not having a strong opinion). Not sure why so many punks don't get them as personally I think they're great and have much more in common with the spirit of punk rock than may punk bands do. But fuck you chatroom naysayers, even though I love you and respect your opinions, you're wrong. And you'll have to put up with them again on next week's show!
Lead single Mork N Mindy (which featured a guest appearance from hot newcomer Billy Nomates (https://invada.bandcamp.com/album/billy-nomates) and 2nd teaser track Shortcummings presented evidence that the album would be up there with their best and now they present one final submission in the form of a collaboration with Amy Taylor (who you'll know from Amyl And The Sniffers https://amylandthesniffers.bandcamp.com/).
I'm sure that when Spare Ribs is delivered on Friday, the jury will return a very positive verdict.
A band that never disappoint, they kick off 2021 in grand style with the release of a new single on the equally reliable Slovenly Recordings.
The band just managed to get the single recorded before Covid restrictions put an end to their activity for the year but they claim the resulting 2 tracks are amongst the best they've ever done and I'm not going to disagree with them. Dulcina Gonzalez is a great vocalist and she's on top form here whilst sterling backing is provided by Chris (guitar), Camylle (bass) & Sammy (drums).
I mention them today as I recently saw the respective hosts, Paul Jones & Steven Milton naming the song I'm featuring today as being amongst their favourite releases of 2020 ("it's my fave 7" of last year" "...my favourite song of the year").
I'd not heard it before but had to agree with them that it's damn good and so it's getting shared today.
Fast forward to November 2020 and they returned with a new ep titled No.
It features 6 tracks "about medication, bleak vulnerability and jabs at existence expressed in short, frantic exclamations." It's short, sharp and jagged bursts of garage influenced punk that'll have you thinking of Hank Wood And The Hammerheads. Not sure if there's any left but it was available from Neon Taste on pink or black vinyl and as a download : https://neontasterecords.bandcamp.com/album/no-e-p
The song that gets Paul and Steve excited, this is City Wide...
The Sorels hail from Winnipeg and are a glam rock n roll trio who released a brilliant debut single in 2019 titled She's In The Gang (if you missed it check it out here : https://retarecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-sorels-ep).
They (Joanne “Jo Jo” Rodriguez (vocals/bass), Jennifer Alexander (guitar) and Jill Lynott (drums)) return soon with a follow up 7" and happily it's every bit as impressive. Side A features the song you'll find below (accompanied with a very cool Jem and the Holograms meets Saturday morning cartoon fantasy style video). The flip side is titled Palo Santo and it's somewhat of a glam rock stomper.
Both tracks are winners and the single will be available in 3 fun vinyl colours via Reta Records and Surfin Ki Records (Pre orders taken from Jan 15th, release date Feb 2nd).
As we're currently in the middle of winter and the Covid pandemic is keeping us all locked down we could do with a break in the clouds and with Spring Break The Sorels give us an early dose of summer sun...
Moron are a hardcore punk 4 piece from Berlin (Fabi, Guy, Marc, Ina) who released a demo a couple of years ago and returned last month with a 7 track Self Titled cassette. They rattle through frantic female fronted songs about headless chickens, ants crawling around in your undies and how eating spinach will help you live longer. It's all a bit bonkers but very enjoyable. They aren't a million miles away from the same ballpark in which Sniffany And The Nits are playing in.
This song is called Light Bulbs (I'm not sure why they spelled it Blubs on Bandcamp)...
pieces of metal cut from the car washing down with some water 18 bicycles, 15 shopping carts, 7 televisions, 6 chandeliers, 2 beds, 1 pair of ski, 1 chessna aircraft and 1 waterbed he dosen't like the orange ones attention he eats light bulbs for dinner take care of your benz when Lotito is around
When you see a band receiving the accolade of Band Of The Year by top reviewer Lord Rutledge in his Faster And Louder Best Of 2020 awards (http://fasterandlouderblog.blogspot.com/2020/12/f-l-best-of-2020.html) and that same band is also being feted by the likes of the legendary Rodney Bingenheimer and world famous dj Mike Rogers then you can pretty much guarantee they're a little bit special. I'm gonna jump on that bandwagon today and tell you about the new single from them.
Poolside glitter trash trio Hayley And The Crushers (https://www.facebook.com/hayleyandthecrushers/) hail from the Californian city of San Luis Obispo and line up with Hayley "Crusher" Cain (guitar/vocals), Reid "Dr" Cain (bass) and Dougie Tangent (him from The Putz & Devious Ones on drums). 2016 saw them release a debut album titled Jewel Case ("pulpy songs about mermaids, comebacks to riotous bad boys, and straight up rock n roll anthems that conjure up the vision of Joan Jett on a surf board. Sassy, sexy, furious, and fun!") and a couple of years later they followed it up with Cool/Lame ("The trio's syrupy garage-tinged pop has been descried as "like Bazooka Joe bubblegum stuck to the bottom of your combat boot"). Last January album number 3, Vintage Millennial, was described by the aforementioned Lord Rutledge as being "...everything I love about punk, pop, surf, new wave, and rock and roll combined into one band." There's also been a number of catchy eps and singles, the most recent featuring the song you'll find below.
Church Of Flag is a homage to growing old and staying punk. It's dedicated to the elder rockers who never forgot the power of three chords cranked loud. It's a melodic love letter to the scene we love. Some of us stumbled and fell along the way but this song goes out to those that are still rocking. The flip side features the song with male vocals courtesy of Dr Cain. It's a cool counterpoint to Hayley's version. You can get it on cassette or as a digital download here : https://hayleyandthecrushers.bandcamp.com/album/church-of-flag
Can I also draw your attention to a cd that Rum Bar Records are releasing in February. It's a Fun Sized pick and mix of half a dozen of Hayley And The Crushers' tastiest recent songs and you can pre order it on cd here : https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/fun-sized
One album I've been listening to lots this week is Save The World by pop punk legends The Queers (https://www.facebook.com/thequeers). I first listened to some of the tracks from it a couple of months ago and played a song (Nightmare To Deal With) on the show but it's only just recently that I've had a proper sit down with it. I didn't think they'd match their very best albums (Love Songs For The Retarded, Don't Back Down) and to be honest, it'll be months if not years before Save The World can be properly ranked, but they've certainly put out an album that doesn't pale in comparison to Move Back Home & Punk Rock Confidential.
Lining up with Joe Queer (guitar/vocals), Ginger Fanculo (guitar), Cheeto (bass) and Hoglog (drums), the band treat us to 15 timeless sounding winners such as the humorous Shirley Needs A Dildo, topical White Power Feud In Atlanta and romantic My Heart's In The Right Place. They even finish things off by declaring We Love Our Fans ("They're always kind of smelly but we love them just the same").
This is one of their classic love songs and it features great backing vocals from Kelly Ogden (The Dollyrots). It's called Let The Rain Wash Away My Tears...
NVS (https://www.facebook.com/OfficiallyNVS) are a 70's style punk rock 5 piece from Wales featuring a line up of Joe Mort (Vocals/Guitar), Christian Jones (Guitar), Christan Kelleher (Lead Guitar), Samuel Tayler (Bass) and Harvey Watmore (drums). They spent 2020 drip feeding us a few songs on their Bandcamp page before finishing the year collecting them together (and bunging in a couple more) onto a very decent ep titled Your So Lazy. (Not only are they heavily influenced by the 70's they don't care about punctuation!)
Channelling the spirit of Sid Vicious, the guys knock out 6 tracks of old school, quintessentially British punk. Think leather jackets, pogoing and singalong choruses. Think spit, snarl and attitude. Think of the bands you used to write on your school books a few decades ago when you still had enough hair to dye it and spike it up.
Do not think "ah, it's a bunch of old blokes going through the motions." They look pretty fresh faced to these wrinkly old eyes and should therefore be encouraged. You can get the ep on cd and as a digital download here : https://nvspunk.bandcamp.com/album/your-so-lazy-ep
This is the title track, it's called Your So Lazy...
You won't do anything anymore
You find everything such a chore
You won't do anything for me
I won't ask again, I won't ask twice
I aint' gonna be too damn nice
You find something new to do
You quit that too, you can't do it
It is way too hard for you!
Oh Yeah!
And Your So Lazy
Your So Lazy
Your So Lazy
Your So L-l-l-l-l-l-l
Lazy!
Your So Lazy
Your So Lazy
Your So L-l-l-l-l-l-l
Lazy!
Your So Lazy
Your So Lazy
Your So L-l-l-l-l-l-l
Lazy!
Your So Lazy
Your So...
Oh Lazy...
Get out of bed! Move your Head!
Move your arse! Did you hear what I said?
Get it in your silly head!
All of the house chores you dread!
There's nothing round this house to do
You can't be bothered! We don't want you!
You can't be bothered! It won't get done!
All you want it to have fun!
Oh Yeah!
And Your So Lazy
Your So Lazy
Your So Lazy
Your So L-l-l-l-l-l-l
Lazy!
Your So Lazy
Your So Lazy
Your So L-l-l-l-l-l-l
Lazy!
Your So Lazy
Your So Lazy
Your So L-l-l-l-l-l-l
Lazy!
Your So Lazy
Your So...
Oh Lazy... You won't do anything anymore
You find everything such a chore
You won't do anything for me
I won't ask again, I won't ask twice
I aint' gonna be too damn nice
You find something new to do
You quit that too, you can't do it
It is way too hard for you!
Oh Yeah!
And Your So Lazy
Your So Lazy
Your So Lazy
Your So L-l-l-l-l-l-l
Lazy!
Your So Lazy
Your So Lazy
Your So L-l-l-l-l-l-l
Lazy!
Your So Lazy
Your So Lazy
Your So L-l-l-l-l-l-l
Lazy!
Your So Lazy
Your So...
Oh Lazy...
"Politically inclined, socially awkward, lyrically explicit DIY punk rock from London, UK, with a focus on creating community through music."
That's the description given by Joe Strummer loving Chris Goode to his musical project What Did You Expect? He's been releasing DIY political punk for a couple of years and his latest release is a song called A.C.A.B. which is a rip roaring singalong bolstered by backing vocals from Mike McKinnon, Afro Hamurai, Sober Dave & Beck Butler. It's a brief but energetic put down of police brutality and all proceeds go towards funding Black Lives Matter, Stand Against Racism & Inequality NAACP Legal Defense Fund. It makes me want to say it's like Anti Flag getting down with Leftover Crack but I'll let you make your own comparisons.
“Stop resisting, and don’t you fucking run”
Said "Officer, I’m not resisting anyone"
Mr Policeman, won’t you please lower that gun?
I’m just a poor boy and I’m not hurting anyone
And now I’m choking and I’m face down on the floor,
Handcuffs cutting through, please don’t hurt me anymore.
Hands up, don’t shoot, please officer today
Put your gun away, I’d like to live another day
Don’t want to read another headline on a page
That says unarmed kid shot dead by police again
The streets are smoking from the barrel of a gun
Police corruption, pull the curtain down at once
No more questions, another false display:
Show fake empathy, suspended still getting paid.
Tell me more about how you’ve been victimised,
How an unarmed man made you fear for your fucking life,
This one’s for all those that we’ve lost but never forgot,
“Black Lives Matter” and this needs to fucking stop.
Hands up, don’t shoot, please officer today,
Put your gun away, I’d like to live another day.
Don’t want to read another headline on a page,
That says unarmed kid shot dead by police again
Hands up, don’t shoot, fuck police brutality,
Take their guns away, your kids will live another day.
Won’t let them be another headline on a page,
That reads unarmed kid shot dead by police again.
I don't think I've made any secret of the fact that I think much of the best punk music in recent times has been coming out of Australia so I'm always trying to keep an eye on up and coming new bands from Down Under and one release I'm particularly looking forward to is a debut 7" ep titled Vol. 1 from Brisbane synth punks Headlice. I noticed them popping up on gig posters for cool bands such as The Chats, Dennis Cometti and The Unknowns and decided to check them out.
I've not unearthed much info on them yet but did find this snippet... "their snotty brand of synth punk can be blamed on the Spits, Jay Reatard, and Ausmuteants. Although a relatively new band, Headlice have begun making a name for themselves locally through high-energy live shows and allegedly mugging fans outside gigs."
Boasting titles such as Auto-Erotic Asphyxiation, I Hope You Get Injured & Bomb In My Backpack and going off the evidence of the track that features below, there's really no way the ep can be anything less than wonderful. As well as 7" vinyl, it'll be available on cassette and as a digital download. You can check it out here : https://headlice1.bandcamp.com/album/vol-1
One of the most productive labels during 2020 must have been Sunderland based Serial Bowl Records. Proudly DIY, they put out some great releases by bands of the calibre of HDQ, Born Shit Stirrers, Ballpeen, Jaded Eyes, Beat Combo, Daiei Spray, Anti-Social, Destinazione Finale etc...
As 2021 begins, they ain't fucking about. They've just unleased a blistering mini album by Cleveland, Ohio 4 piece, TV Drugs (Matt (vocals), Zach G (guitar), Joey (bass) & Rick (drums)). It's 7 short, sharp sonic assaults of vicious old school punk rock that's influenced by the likes of MDC, Flipper, Germs, Poison Idea etc. If you like your music uncompromising then this will pummel you into a state of aural ecstasy. Lyrics deal with issues such as mental health, mindless consumerism, police oppression, misanthropy etc
Duncan Redmonds returns this month with an album of his trademark melodic punk rock but it isn't a new Snuff lp. It's a new long player by Billy No Mates called S.F. Sourdough and it's bloody wonderful guvnor!
It's been pretty much a decade in the pipeline as back in November 2010 Duncan decided that there should be an American based line up of the band that'd already put out releases by a UK/European line up and a Far East/Japan one. If you check on Discogs it says
Billy no mates started in 2004 as the solo project of Duncan Redmonds (Snuff, Guns 'n' Wankers, Duncans Diva's, The Toy Dolls). While Snuff snoozed, the first album "We Are Legion" was recorded late 2004 and released early 2005 on Ten Past Twelve Records. Duncan recorded everything thus the "Billy no mates" tag. Later it was decided to try to put three bands together to play the songs live; one in Britain/Europe, one in Japan, and one in the USA. The one in the USA didn't work (yet)...
The US line up actually played one gig together (on Nov 26th 2010 at Thee Parkside in San Francisco) but now their music will get a wider audience.
Fast forward to the present day and it's time to shine a spotlight on that US incarnation. Recorded in 2010 in San Francisco's Motor Studios, Duncan's supported by the stellar line up of Joey Cape (Lagwagon, Me First And The Gimme Gimmes), Tyson 'Chicken' Annicharico (Dead To Me, Western Addiction) and Sergie Loobkoff (Samiam, Knapsack) the album features 6 re recordings of previously available tracks and 6 unreleased ones.
Was it worth the wait? Hell Yeah!
What does it sound like? To be honest, it sounds like Snuff without the cover versions or the comedy singalongs (although the title track is presumably a genuine advertisement for San Francisco Sourdough Bread enhanced with a punk rock backbeat and you'll certainly still find yourself singing along throughout). It's extremely catchy, it's Duncan cementing his place as the king of the UK melodic punk scene. It's a release you won't want to miss. I was going to list my favourite songs but it was turning into a long list so I haven't bothered.
It's out on January 29th via Unless You Try Records and on Snuff's own 10 Past 12 Records. You can pre order it now (on colour vinyl or bundled with a set of fancy new tees) : https://www.snuffband.com/home
This is the opening track and it serves as a great way to whet your appetite for the full album. It's called If These Streets Could Talk...
