Sunday 29 August 2021

Kiss Me, Killer - Ego Lycra Cycle Man

  


  One of the "hits" on last week's Just Some Punk Songs show was a song called Sports Direct by Bristol punx Kiss Me, Killer (https://www.facebook.com/kissmekillerband) (They take their name from the 70's movie directed by Jess Franco). The song is featured on a new album titled 2020 Vision and it's the first featuring their current line up of Cat, Nat, AJ & David. 



  The album has been released by the ever reliable Grow Your Own Records and fits in nicely with the label's back catalogue though this time around even though Kiss Me Killer still have something to say about things that concern them, there's a bit more humour involved than one might have come to expect from a label that champions bands such as Dogma, Pedagree Skum, Dogshite, Icons Of Filth etc. We're treated to 8 tracks on a green vinyl 10" and they throw in a lyric booklet as a bonus. You can get it here  https://anthraxuk.bandcamp.com/album/2020-vision

  I'm not going to post Sports Direct today, instead I'm going with the rather fun video they released earlier this year for another of the album's highlights. This makes a good companion piece to Wonk Unit's Cyclists (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8TFPmScni4) and it's called Ego Lycra Cycle Man... 

Outta my way, I wanna go fast Cos I'm the best, yes it's my path Kids and dogs, get outta my way I beat my personal best today I'll fix my bike with special spanners Got no grace, I got no manners I'll fix my bike with special spanners Got no grace, I got no manners Ego Lycra Cycle man Here e comes to ruin ur day Ego Lycra Cycle man Here e comes get outta the way High vis shorts and special shoes Wanna race, you're bound to loose Fancy drinks and protein bars I wanna go far, I wanna go far All the gear and no idear All the gear and no idear Ego Lycra Cycle man Here e comes to ruin ur day Ego Lycra Cycle man Here e comes get outta the way GET out of my way! I'm so important! Ill fix my bike with special spannners Got no grace, got no manners And all the gear and no idear. Ego Lycra Cycle man Here e comes to ruin ur day Ego Lycra Cycle man Here e comes get outta the way Ego Lycra Cycle man, ego lycra psycho man. Ego Lycra Cycle man, ego lycra cycle man Feck off!

Saturday 28 August 2021

The Dissidents - No Air

  


  Hey there fellow punk fans, you've probably noticed it's been a decent week for new releases. Plenty of big hitters (and Just Some Punk Songs' favourites) putting out new material. No doubt you've already come across new songs by Bob Vylan, Wonk Unit, Chubby And The Gang, Raging Nathans, Benefits, Wild Billy Childish etc so instead of featuring one of those on here, I think I'll just play something on this week's show (Sunday, 8pm UK time :  https://www.facebook.com/events/210359827728398/). 

  Instead, I'll point you in the direction of a rough and ready digital demo today ("tape coming soon"). It's by a new 4 piece from Philadelphia called The Dissidents who feature a line up comprising of members of bands such as The Brood, Mischief Brew, Witch Hunt, The Pist, Aus-Rotten, & Bong Daemon; Janine St Clair (bass & vocals), Rachel Courtney (vocals), Bill Chamberlain (guitar) and Shawn St Clair (drums). 

  The Demo boasts 5 tracks of pissed off punk which rage against the boys in blue ("all cops are culpable"), the treatment of immigrants ("crime against humanity"), unlawful killing by those in authority ("just another racist murder") etc. Hopefully just an introduction to a band we'll hear more from, you can find it here :  https://thedissidents.bandcamp.com/album/demo

  This is the lead track, it's titled No Air...

Thursday 26 August 2021

L.A. EXES - Skinny Dipping

   


  It's been a pretty decent week over in the UK as far as the weather goes, nice and warm with the sun breaking through more often than not and it's due to run over into the weekend. I wouldn't be surprised if it's going to be the last remnants of summer before the chill of autumn starts rolling in so let's celebrate with something that will bring a dash of summer sunshine into your lives no matter where you reside. 

  L.A. Exes (https://www.facebook.com/laexes69) are unsurprisingly from Los Angeles and line up with Steph Barker (drums), Jenny Owens Young (vocals/guitar), Sam Barbera (vocals/bass), and Rachel White (guitar). Jenny Owens Young was a name that rang a bell and a quick bit of research reminded me I'd been a fan of her song Fuck Was I song from her split ep with Dave House way back in 2007 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37Zn3cjNu58). 

  


  Anyway, the quartet have been busy this year. After releasing debut single, Temporary Goodbye, in February, they've drip fed a bunch of songs in the run up to the release of debut album Get Some. If 60's influenced indie pop with just that bit of an edge and plenty of melody is your thing then I think you'll be a fan. You can find it here : https://laexes.bandcamp.com/album/get-some 


  The song that's stuck in my head and the one that had me enthusing about the weather earlier on is this irresistibly bright and breezy 2 minutes of pure pleasure. It's called Skinny Dipping... 

Wednesday 25 August 2021

SEX WORK - Dennis Rodman

    

  For those like me who don't follow American sports, Dennis Rodman is a former professional basketball player. Nicknamed the worm, he was obviously one of the best in his field as even I've heard of him (though this is possibly more to do with his friendship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un). His retirement from the sport was followed by numerous tv appearances and a couple of action movies. The reason I'm writing about him is that I know very little about the band I'm posting today so I need a paragraph of waffle to pad things out.

  SEX TAPE are a quartet from Berlin who are trying (pretty damn successfully) to create a new and unconventional sound that pays homage to the records they have in their record collections. Think angry 90's post hardcore with snotty vocals, noisy guitars and driving drums & basslines. 




  They released a single last year titled Nasal Spray and have just followed it up with a Demo cassette. 3 new songs "tributing Dennis Rodman, liftboys and truthtelling" with the addition of the songs from the single on the flip side. It's lively, heavy but very accessible and you can get it here (though there's only 2 copies left as I write this so you might have to settle for the digital download) : 

  There's lots of interesting things going on on this track, I think you'll like it. It's called Dennis Rodman... 

  

Tuesday 24 August 2021

Pack Rat - Two Sides Of Your Heart

  


  Pack Rat is the new solo project from Canadian man of many talents Patrick Bertrand (aka Patrick McEachnie). You may recognise him as he's featured on here previously with both Corner Boys (https://cornerboys.bandcamp.com/) and Chain Whip (https://chainwhip.bandcamp.com/).

  With lockdown leading to boredom, he bought himself a guitar and started writing his own songs and now he's in a position to go it alone by not only playing everything and singing but also recording the results himself. 

  Those results take the form of a debut album titled Glad To Be Forgotten, it'll be released in December on Drunken Sailor Records (https://www.drunkensailorrecords.co.uk/) and going off the evidence of this teaser single it'll be up their with his previous work. 

  A lively love song that features a healthy dose of budget synth, it's a garage banger with pop sensibilities that more than does the job of raising hopes for a killer lp. It's called Two Sides Of Your Heart... 

Sunday 22 August 2021

Mujeres Podridas - Muerte en ParaĆ­so

  


  Un dos tres cuatro...

  Hailing from Austin, Texas, Mujeres Podridas (it translates to Rotten Women) are a hardcore punk quartet featuring members of the likes of Criaturas, Vaaska, Kurraka, Crooked Bangs etc. They released a demo in 2017 and followed it a year later with an ep titled Sobredosis. 2020 ended with them releasing a debut album titled Muerte En ParaĆ­so and this lp has just been given the vinyl treatment by Beach Impediment Records. 


   Translating as Death In Paradise, it features 11 raw and energetic punk bangers which stand out largely due to a bravura vocal performance from Spanish singing Dru Molina. She's more than ably backed by Eddie Leal, John Morales & Phillip Gonzalez. You can get it here :   https://beachimpedimentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/muerte-en-para-so


  A consistently impressive album throughout, I may as well pick the title track to highlight, this is Muerte en ParaĆ­so... 

Saturday 21 August 2021

Mystery Girl - Dialtones

  


  Another one from No Front Teeth Records today...

  Mystery Girl (https://www.facebook.com/MysteryGirl518/) are a power pop/punk quartet from Albany, New York, featuring members of bands such as Bourbon Scum, Neutron Rats, Scuzz, The Rigs, and The Mistake. The line up is Thomas Race (guitar/vocals), August Spataro (guitar/vocals), Eric Pressman (bass) & Dan Crampton (drums).

  

  They've just released a debut Self Titled album, limited to 300 copies on vinyl and available from No Front Teeth Records (UK) & Boulevard Trash (US). Pitched at fans of The Undertones, Dead Boys, Exploding Hearts etc, it'll go down a storm with fans of their earlier eps. 11 tracks of catchy pop and roll tunes that will worm their way into your consciousness. I can imagine Josh over at Faster And Louder going wild over this album. You can go wild yourselves by clicking here :  https://mysterygirl518.bandcamp.com/album/s-t-lp

  A definite highlight from the album and one they released a video for, this is an upbeat burst of infectious energy called Dialtones... 

Friday 20 August 2021

EEL MEN - Are You There God It’s Me

  


  Another new band for you today. 

  EEL MEN are a 4 piece from London who feature members of bands such as Ten-O-Sevens, Dead Meat, Thee Spivs, Dying Shames, Atomic Suplex, and Slugga. They've just released a debut 7" on No Front Teeth Records https://www.nofrontteeth.co.uk/

  It boasts 2 tracks of mid paced post punk that remind me a little of the much missed Love Triangle (https://staticshockrecords.bandcamp.com/album/clever-clever). Another great find by No Front Teeth and you can check the single out here : https://eelmen.bandcamp.com/album/are-you-there-god-its-me-meantime







  This is the lead track, it's called Are You There God It's Me... 

Thursday 19 August 2021

S.O.H - [you] Don't Have to Wait

  


  A big thank you today to occasional Just Some Punk Songs contributor Ralph J Rivera for pointing me in the direction of a new band from Los Angeles called S.O.H.

  I know nothing about them other than that they're a noisy bunch and boast a vocalist with a terrifically powerful voice. Last week saw them release a (presumably) debut 6 track ep titled Life On Edge and it's a wonderfully energetic and raucous 10 minutes of raging hardcore punk. All fury, all tautly wound, pedal to the metal pummelling noise but with enough melody buried in there to make it palatable to a wuss like me. You can find it here :  https://sohsystemofhate.bandcamp.com/album/life-on-edge

  I was going to highlight Radiation on here today (a couple of people on the Bandcamp page have chosen it as their favourite track) but instead I'll play that on this week's show and go with a different one. This one's called [you] Don't Have to Wait... 

We don’t have prove we’ve won Bleeding wounds with the guns - take place Darker skin gets all the sprayed mace / freedom? What’s a fight if were all erased Freedom We don’t have to wait Freedom We don’t have to wait Shoot our sons to get your pay Kill the system we’ve obeyed Death so close it’s just a taste - freedom No choice give them all brigade Icarus Destruct the ones we’ve just begun Power only makes them use hate Give them what we made of -freedom So close so we don’t have to wait

Wednesday 18 August 2021

The Meffs - Football

  


  The Meffs (https://www.facebook.com/Themeffsuk) are Essex duo Lily Hopkins (vocals/guitar) and Lewis Copsey (drums). Hopefully you're already familiar with them but if not can I recommend their very good Self Titled debut album which impressed a lot of people when it was released last year  https://themeffs.bandcamp.com/album/the-meffs 

  They're currently impressing lots more people with the video release for their recent single, Football. The video features footage from last Saturday's hometown gig at Three Wise Monkeys, Colchester. Their energetic and noisy eruptions of erudite punk rock got the crowd moving and the single has us gagging for more. 

  This is Football... 

Sunday 15 August 2021

The Control Freaks - Gonna Be A Riot

  


  Something trashy and lots of fun today as The Control Freaks (https://www.facebook.com/ControlFreaksSF) return with an outrider for their highly anticipated 3rd album, Get Some Help. 

  The latest excellent project from the legendary Greg Lowery (Rip Off Records, Supercharger, The Rip Offs, Zodiac Killers etc), The Control Freaks hail from San Francisco and play vibrant, simplistic but extremely moresome garage punk. Imagine 50's b-movie sci fi flicks filmed in technicolour with a low budget but plenty of juvenile talent and enthusiasm and you'll hopefully get the vibe given off by these guys.


  As is becoming a regular occurrence, bassist/vocalist Greg's been changing the line up so this time around female vocals (and guitar) come courtesy of Amy Munoz whilst Rob Liebsch takes over on drums). Rob Vastano remains on guitar. The album's out on 30th September on vinyl, cd & digital and you can pre order it here :  https://thecontrolfreaksband.bandcamp.com/album/get-some-help-2


  With a video that reminds me a little of the cover to the Rip Offs' classic Got A Record album, this is Gonna Be A Riot... 

Saturday 14 August 2021

Unsound Advice - Robotic Insanity

  


  Unsound Advice (https://www.facebook.com/unsoundadvice) are Jay (Guitar/Vocals), Ben (Bass/Vocals) & Brett (Drums), a trio from Brisbane who play an energetic mix of rock, punk and grunge. 

  They've just released a new 6 track ep titled Surprise Party For Psychics. The name came about because it seems that no psychics predicted the Covid pandemic, You can get it here :  https://unsoundadvice.bandcamp.com/

  This is the lead track and somewhat of a live fan favourite. It's about following the herd and stifling your own creativity in order to fit in. It's called Robot Insanity...

They're all obeying the signs
Swimming with the stream
Your sons and daughters
They're all falling in line
They all dress the same
And follow orders
Come on and join the parade
Go with the flow
You know you wanna
Fit the pattern they made
Conform to their rules
Or you're a goner

They want robots, robots
Robotic Insanity
They want robots, robots
No creativity, It's Robotic Insanity

They made a tracking device
We gave to ourselves
No reservation
And now we're paying the price
The algorithms feed them information
And they keep selling their lies
Distorting everything that they inform us
But all you do is comply
Your thoughts aren't your own
You are conformist



Friday 13 August 2021

Dead Sheeran - World Beating

  


  Hot off the presses, here's the world beating new video from a man born out of lockdown frustration. 

  Hopefully you'll have already discovered the the work of Paul Catten's shouty alter ego Dead Sheeran (https://www.facebook.com/deadsheeran). If you missed the couple of songs I featured on here last year (https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2020/09/dead-sheeran-keep-your-distance.html)
(https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2020/06/dead-sheeran-things-were-better-in.html) I'm sure you came across him elsewhere. His part angry, part humorous ranting seemed to strike a chord with physical releases quickly selling out. If Covid drove you under a rock then you can catch up here :  https://deadsheeran.bandcamp.com/releases 

  Now that things are opening up and we're being encouraged to venture back out into the world, you'd think he'd be mellowing but actually, is he fuck. His new single boasts 2 brilliant new tracks, both laced with plenty of trademark wry observationalism but on which he sounds more pissed off than ever. 

  Brexit Beach Party bursts out of the gate with the line of "What a time to be alive" before laying into smirking, uncaring Tory fuckwits, Nigel Farage and self induced empty supermarket shelves. Bread and earwax anyone? A definite winner but not the one a video was made for. 

  That's this beauty, more taking to task of a government totally out of their depth trying their best to paint a picture of record mass testing whilst the real story should be of record mass graves. It's a song that dredges up a conflict of emotions; both humour and horror battle with each other as we wonder if we should laugh or cry. Great art provokes a reaction, see how this works on you. 

  World Beating...  

Thursday 12 August 2021

MESS - Fire Fire Fire!

  


(photo : @nashphoto)

  Mess (https://www.facebook.com/MESStheterribles/) are the UK '82 influenced oi band from Guadalajara, Mexico, who featured on here almost exactly a year ago (https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2020/08/mess-street-boys.html) with a track from their very promising debut ep, Intercity (https://messtheterribles.bandcamp.com/releases).

  They return today with another highly inflammable song in the form of a new single. It's the first to be taken from an upcoming sophomore ep which will be titled Fuego, Fuego, Fuego. It's the sound of a band at the top of their game, still displaying plenty of their trademark Blitz spirit and ready to scorch your ears. In a year that I've been slightly disappointed in the lack of top quality oi releases, these guys are burning bright.

  The song's called Fire Fire Fire! 

The streets are burning now The lads are ready now The conflict is outside This is no time to hide People are on a dead end street with nothing to compete No more future for you No more Jobs for you ... now Fire fire fire in the city Fire fire fire fire on our streets You aren't going to win No money coming in The government is lying No time to be crying There is blood on the floor What are you waiting for No chance to immigrate You are old its too late ... now

Tuesday 10 August 2021

Slow Faction - La Commune

 


  I think it's fair to say this lot never let us down...

  London's finest Slow Faction (https://www.facebook.com/slow.faction) are back with somewhat of an epic. The erudite, old school politically charged 4 piece are no strangers to this blog and hopefully no strangers to your heart so I don't need to write a lengthy intro, lets just move onto the song (the lyrics are lengthy enough to fill up this update and much more interesting than anything I could write!). 

  This is my take on it what John Youens is writing about this time around; he's showing us that history repeats. He's writing about the Paris Commune (the main insurrectionary commune of France in 1870-1871) and how it seized control of the city and governed Paris for two months, establishing policies that tended toward a progressive, anti-religious system of social democracy, including the separation of church and state, self-policing, the remission of rent during the siege, the abolition of child labour, and the right of employees to take over an enterprise deserted by its owner. Feminists, socialists and anarchists played an important role but before they could fully implement their ideals they were suppressed by the national French Army during 'the bloody week' with thousands of Communards being either killed or executed. 

  I assume that John's drawing parallels between the time of The French Revolution and the state of the UK today with the first part of the song pretty accurately describing where we're at now. It doesn't seem as though this country's population is ready to rise up en masse as of yet (we seem much more restrained than the French when it comes to widespread civil unrest) but maybe the tide is beginning to turn? 

  You can get the song as a name your price download here : https://slowfaction.bandcamp.com/track/la-commune-demo

  It's called La Commune...

Night falls and the city sleeps
But I'm awake, I know what dawn brings
Dark forces are gathering
Just waiting for the morning's first light
The nations we were taught to hate
Sit this one out, they're just observers
New enemies are circling now
Even though they wear our colours

Election won then power seized
Autocratic, entitled ambition
Brought up in such privilege
Born to rule, as if it's a birthright
They stoked the fires of national pride
That only led to humiliation
Support was high in the provinces
So, they sold us out and our great city

They've split the country up in two
And we'll never surrender
To the forces of reaction
And the memories of faded empire

This is where we live and die
This is our city
Just faded photographs
Show the world that we were once here
And who will sing this song again?
This is our city
Will the next generations
Take up the fight to set themselves free?

So, we ran them out of town
The police, the army and the ruling classes
We made our own government
One for us all, the forgotten masses
Universal suffrage and equal pay and education
The dispossessed and refugees
Everyone was welcome in here....


Calling every city, calling every nation
Can't you see what they're doing to us
So, won't you come and help us fight back?
Calling every city, calling every nation
Sending out an SOS
So, won't somebody please save our souls


So the state came for revenge
They couldn't allow us to have our city
A provincial dictatorship
Dissention crushed, no toleration
So we gathered one last time
And sang the Internationale
Then we went to our families
To say goodbye before they came

So the state had its revenge
And when they came they showed no mercy
20,000 women and men took up arms and died for this city



Monday 9 August 2021

Be Fair - Cero Deniro

  


  As enjoyable as it is to post a song by an established and popular artist, there's something a little bit special about stumbling across and then sharing something by a new band that you know nothing about but who sound very promising indeed. Ladies and gentlemen, today I'm introducing Be Fair. 

  They're a Sheffield/Leeds based outfit, delivering, catchy, fast-paced, no-nonsense punk and they've just uploaded a debut 5 track demo to Bandcamp. It's self recorded and they admit it's a bit rough but it sounds pretty damn good to these grizzled old ears. They're looking for gigs if anyone can help, I think they're a band that deserve a bit of encouragement so go on Bandcamp and download the demo. It's titled But can we do it on a wet Tuesday night in Stoke? (which sounds as though it's something a fat, tired old English football manager might ask about an Argentinian god!) and it's name your price here :  https://befair.bandcamp.com/album/but-can-we-do-it-on-a-wet-tuesday-night-in-stoke

  All 5 tracks are worthy of your attention, good old school shouty UK punk with the odd gang chorus, I look forward to hearing more. 

  This is the opening track, in Spanish it means zero money, it's a rowdy singalong with none of the edges smoothed down. It's called Cero Deniro...  

Sunday 8 August 2021

Wild Billy Childish & CTMF - Where the Wild Purple Iris Grows

  


  As if releasing half a dozen albums in the last few months with his latest project The William Loveday Intention (and suffering a debilitating Covid infection) wasn't enough, Steven John Hamper (aka Wild Billy Childish) is back with a new album in collaboration with CTMF. It's titled Where The Wild Purple Iris Grows and it's the first CTMF album since 2019's Last Punk Standing (a track from which featured here : https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2019/07/wild-billy-childish-ctmf-some-unknown_24.html). 

  The album's available from Damaged Goods Records on vinyl & cd and you can get it here :  https://damagedgoods.greedbag.com/buy/where-the-wild-purple-iris-grows/

  Returning to territory closer to his garage roots as opposed to the recent folk and Bob Dylan inspired work, the album seems to be going down very well with fans, I've been listening to it on Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kNIwI-rJ9roGY5ktSC7XTIwin-x5bZTpk) and I won't argue with them. 

  This is the title track, it's "about a river on the fens long ago. The last of the traditional eel catchers, and the wild iris growing on the fenland banks." It's called Where The Wild Purple Iris Grows... 

Saturday 7 August 2021

Leper - Suckling pigs

  


  Leper are a hardcore punk 4 piece from UmeĆ„ in Sweden featuring a line up of TB (vocals), Mackan (guitar), John (bass) and Mange (drums). They've been around since 2017 and came to my attention last year with an impressively hard hitting (name your price) album titled Frail Life. 




  They returned last week with an equally raucous 5 track ep on Kink Records titled Ć–gat​/​/​The Eye. It's also available as a name your price download but if vinyl's your thing then snap up the ltd edition turquoise version (black is also available) https://leperhc.bandcamp.com/album/gat-the-eye-ep



  I'm going to play the fast and furious Turn To Dust on this week's Just Some Punk Songs show (you're all invited : https://www.facebook.com/events/558113251977750/) but for the blog today I'm going with the opening track. This is Suckling Pigs... 

Licking your lips, it’s delicious Force-fed delight But the apples and raisins put in your mouth Won’t be yours in the end Like suckling pigs fattened for a feast X 2 The debt will be paid When it has marinated long enough We’ll claim our prime cut Like suckling pigs fattened for a feast X 2 All the piggies are here now They got fat for their feast Look how they're smiling The pigs are all here
  

Friday 6 August 2021

Star Party - Thru The Flowers

  


  What a day to be alive! 

  It's 07.53 as I type this, as usual I'm up early so I can write out today's blog entry before I set off for work. And today's blog entry is one of those that has me buzzing. Before I went to bed last night I saw the tracklist for a new compilation album from Portland, Oregon label Girlsville Records (https://www.facebook.com/GirlsvilleRecords) and I was excited to discover that amongst the tracks that jumped out at me was a cover of The Primitives' 1986 debut single Thru The Flowers. It's reimagined by Washington State trio Star Party, a band that put out one of last year's best eps, an ep which featured a wonderful Shop Assistants cover (https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2020/11/star-party-something-to-do.html), an equally wonderful Bob Dylan cover and, remarkably, 2 original tracks that were the equal of the covers (get the ep as a name your price download here : https://starpartyrocks.bandcamp.com/album/demo-2020).

  So whilst eagerly adding the Primitives' cover to JSPS, I'm sitting here listening to more tracks from the comp. It's called Paid By Rock (it's a follow up to 2020's Be Gay, Do Crime!) and it features some totally terrific music. Amongst the treasures to jump out at me on first play are a great cover of Patrick Fitzgerald's Safety Pin Stuck In My Heart by Fun Time Objects, The Maxines' demo of Drugstore, Adulkt Life's gnarly Lower Dens and Mr. And The Mrs.' raging Fuck Cops. It's a highly recommended release, a joy to listen to even at this time in the morning on a work day, and you can get it here on either cassette or digital download :  https://girlsville.bandcamp.com/album/paid-by-rock

  This is Star Party bringing plenty of fuzzy distortion (or misty coastal rock as they describe it) with Thru The Flowers... 

Feel the sun burning bright
I'm cut loose, out of sight
Slipping through shadows
You won't find me
Found myself all at sea
And you won't see me, no, no
And you won't see me, no, no
And you will never know
What it took to let you go
If I could only make you see
Then you could follow me
Through the flowers
Through the flowers
Feel the sun burning bright
I'm cut loose, out of sight
Singing in the daises
You won't find me
Found myself all at sea
And you won't see me, no, no
And you won't see me, no, no
And you will never know
What it took to let you go
If I could only make you see
Then you could follow me
Through the flowers
Through the flowers

Thursday 5 August 2021

ESSES - Little Mouse

  


  ESSES (https://www.facebook.com/essesoakland) are an atmospheric post punk quintet from Oakland, California, who formed in 2014 and feature a line up of  Miss Kel (Vocals), Dawn Hills (Guitars), Skot B (Guitars), Scout Leight (Bass) & Kevin Brown (Drums). They've just premiered their new album,  Bloodletting For The Lonely, via a Twitch TV livestream party which featured a video for each of the songs giving a visual as well as an audio experience. If you missed it, it gets rebroadcast tomorrow (check out their Facebook page for details). 




  The album is out tomorrow on coloured and standard vinyl plus cd and digital download. You can get it here : https://essesoakland.bandcamp.com/album/bloodletting-for-the-lonely

  The album "centres around the topics of mental health, memory, and trauma, roaming over the events that are internalized into an unconscious space like a lucid dream and the world around which we cannot escape. The record interprets the psychology of moving through this comatose space as two separate beings inhabiting the same body and archetypal imagery. Emerging with “The Source” and culminating in “Schism,” the record progresses with a continuous storytelling approach throughout the nine meticulously ordered numbers." 

  They promise that this sophomore release will see them gloomier and heavier than ever with the press pack throwing out words such as emotional, haunting, bewitching, evocative etc...

  If you're into lovingly crafted gothic punk than this is for you. 

  This track is called Little Mouse...

Wednesday 4 August 2021

Chubby and the Gang - I Hate the Radio

    


  So I'll assume you all know of London 5 piece Chubby And The Gang (https://www.facebook.com/Chubbyandthegang/). 

  Maybe some of you first discovered them via this blog? Back in 2019 I first featured them on here when I enthused about stumbling upon a stunning new song called All Along The Uxbridge Road (https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2019/06/chubby-and-gang-all-along-uxbridge-road.html). At that point the song wasn't even on Youtube so I had to stick it there myself (it's racked up a decent 3721 views despite an official video subsequently being released and making my upload redundant). The song was so good, it ended 2019 topping the annual Just Some Punk Songs end of year chart  https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2019/12/top-50-songs-of-2019.html 

  So I'm claiming this blog brought Chubby And The Gang to the masses! 

  Although in reality, they've morphed into one of this country's best bands because they're bloody brilliant. Their status as punk icons was confirmed with the release of debut album Speed Kills and that position is going to be solidified with the August 27th sophomore lp The Mutt's Nuts. Telling stories of modern London and "marinating speed and sick-of-it-all energy in a mixture of 50s pop sounds"  Charlie Manning Walker (aka Chubby Charles) and "The Gang" (Tom ‘Razor’ Hardwick, Meg Brooks Mills, Ethan Stahl and Joe McMahon) look to have another winner up their sleeves. 

  The release of a video yesterday means we've now heard 4 tracks from the album and you can stream them here (as well as pre order the vinyl, cd cassette & digital versions)  https://chubbyandthegang.bandcamp.com/album/the-mutts-nuts

  Possibly my favourite of the 4 tracks so far, this veers more towards the 50's pop sound of their musical spectrum. It's a naggingly beautiful mid tempo song called I Hate The Radio... 

Important talks we need to have. I sit and think of what to say. Stare at a lonely cup of tea. As speakers echo through the cafĆ©. Melody, so soft. Makes it better? Not so much. After that day I always find those tunes repeating in my mind. Now all the violins and choirs don't sound the same. Every time I hear that beat, that tune once, “oh so sweet” I say. I hate the radio. They always play the songs we used to know. Hello heartbreak my old friend. It's been a while since I’ve seen your face. But you always stop to say hello. Same old time. Same old place. Now all the violins and choirs don't sound the same. And every time I hear that beat, that tune once, “oh so sweet” I say. I hate the radio. They always play the songs we used to know.

Tuesday 3 August 2021

Thee Hearses - Goo Man

  


  Who are Thee Hearses?

  I've absolutely no idea. 

  Can I hazard a guess at some guy in his bedroom with a synth who loves old sci-fi B movies and Spits style trashy garage punk? 

  Whoever they (or he) are, they've lit up the summer by releasing a couple of very fine eps. A couple of weeks ago we were treated to a name your price Self Titled offering of budget priced whacked out fun. 5 tracks of retro futuristic noise with titles like Insects In My Brain and It Came From Planet X (and a cool cover of one of the best songs from the aforementioned Spits). 

  A fortnight later and along comes EP 2. More of the same out of this world dance punk that'll appeal to those of us that like a bit of egg/devocore/weirdopunk. 

  You can find both eps here : https://theehearses.bandcamp.com/album/ep-ii 

  Back when I was a kid, there was a movie called The Incredible Melting Man about an astronaut whose body begins to melt after he is exposed to radiation during a space flight to Saturn. This song made me think of that (I've no idea if it was an inspiration). It's called Goo Man...

Feeling weird feeling kinda strange Everyday I'm in constant pain Nice glow on my green skin Throw my jelly bones into the bin I was a loser now I'm not Got a body that's made out of snot Living life as a puddle fiend None of the girlies want to talk to me I am the Goo Man Sucking down some chili dogs Down the sidewalk my body slogs Feeling just like a rubber band Drinking gas straight from the can The sun burns through my body mold Shiny glitter pieces made of gold Got a body that's made out of rot But at least I'm not an afterthought

Monday 2 August 2021

Love Spit - Share the blame

    

When did pleasure become a pain? 

  Love Spit (https://www.facebook.com/lovespituk) are a new south coast of England 4 piece featuring on vocals & guitar Bri Slutcher (who played bass for the UK Subs on their 90's albums Normal Service Resumed & Occupied); on bass & vocals Angus Simpson (Squidboy); on vocals & guitar Shane Creech and on drums Lewis Willoughby (both The Mistakes). 

  They play sing a long punk and roll and have just released their debut Self Titled ep. It features 5 tracks and is available from NBQ Records on cd https://www.facebook.com/nbqrecords It'll also be on "all regular streaming sites."




  


  They've just released a video for one of the tracks, it's an old school love song that reminds me a little of both the Buzzcocks and Cock Sparrer (is it just me that can hear hints of England Belongs To Us in there?). It's a very promising start, check it out. It's called Share The Blame...