just some punk songs: December 2022

As has become a bit of a tradition, here's the Just Some Punk Songs end of 2022 chart. It's only a bit of fun designed to get people to check out some of the music I enjoyed that they might have missed. Don't take the chart placings too seriously. Number 1 is better (in my opinion) than number 100 though many of the other placings would be different on a different day. Hopefully you find plenty to enjoy but if you think it's a load of old shite feel free to compile your own charts. As always, it's only one song per band allowed.

100) DOE STREET - The Old Guard

https://doest.bandcamp.com/track/the-old-guard

99) THE SORELS - Love Your Rock n Roll

https://retarecords.bandcamp.com/track/love-your-rock-n-roll

98) INDRE KRIG - Claustrophobia

https://indrekrig.bandcamp.com/track/claustrophobia

97) THE BAD SHAPES - My Body

https://wandarecords.bandcamp.com/track/my-body

96) BLONDE REVOLVER - Lipstick And Leather

https://blonderevolver.bandcamp.com/track/lipstick-and-leather-2

95) JON SPENCER AND THE HITMAKERS - Junk Man

https://jonspencerthehitmakers.bandcamp.com/track/junk-man

94) MIDLAND RAILWAY - She Loves Ted Bundy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8J0FkaAq0s

93) I WILL TAKE YOU HUNTING - Stop The Rot

https://iwilltakeyouhunting.bandcamp.com/track/stop-the-rot

92) SLOPTART - I Don't Like You

https://sloptart.bandcamp.com/track/i-dont-like-you-2

91) OUR SOULS - Kick Against The Pricks

https://weareoursouls.bandcamp.com/track/kick-against-the-pricks

90) BREAKUP HAIRCUT - I Don't Wanna Be Your Friend

https://breakuphaircut.bandcamp.com/track/i-dont-wanna-be-your-friend

89) SAVAGEHEADS - Scapegoats

https://socialnapalm.bandcamp.com/track/scapegoats

88) DA GROINS - The General Public

https://serialbowlrecords.bandcamp.com/track/the-general-public

87) HARD WAX - Black And Blue

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDnT94OH37M

86) TWIN PIGS - Ku Klux Kardashians

https://twinpigs.bandcamp.com/track/ku-klux-kardashians-3

85) ISOLATION - Reach Out

https://isolationfal.bandcamp.com/track/reach-out

84) SALLY PEPPER - Clickbait

https://hornhoofrecords.bandcamp.com/track/clickbait

83) THE CHRISTIAN FAMILY - Who's Gonna Catch Me

https://voodoorhythm.bandcamp.com/track/who-s-gonna-catch-me

82) JUDY AND THE JERKS - Candytroll

https://thrillingliving.bandcamp.com/track/candytroll

81) THE GALAXY HAS EYES - Lookin' At Tiddies

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmKpWxTrt4s

80) PETROL GIRLS - Baby, I Had An Abortion

https://petrolgirls.bandcamp.com/track/baby-i-had-an-abortion-2

79) CIVIC - End Of The Line

https://civicivic.bandcamp.com/track/end-of-the-line

78) BARRY - No More Boys

https://barrytheband.bandcamp.com/track/no-more-boys-2

77) REACTION - Closer Than Most

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfA-CBFN6gA

76) CRASHED OUT - Warchild

https://demonsrunamok.bandcamp.com/track/warchild

75) JOHNNIE CARWASH - Public Toilet

https://howlinbananarecords.bandcamp.com/track/public-toilet

74) DEATHTRAPS - She Said

https://deathtraps.bandcamp.com/track/she-said

73) MING CITY ROCKERS - Desperate

https://mingcityrockers.bandcamp.com/track/desperate

72) OMEGA TRIBE - Sometimes

https://anthraxuk.bandcamp.com/track/sometimes

71) KID KAPICHI - New England

https://kidkapichiband.bandcamp.com/track/new-england

70) THE BATTERY FARM - I Am A Man

https://thebatteryfarm.bandcamp.com/track/i-am-a-man-2

69) DESPERATE MEASURES - Thinking Of England

https://desperatemeasuresnz1.bandcamp.com/track/thinking-of-england

68) RUM LAD - Tin Foil Hat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHB5-iX1Wow

67) BRUISE CONTROL - Taxman

https://tnsrecords.bandcamp.com/track/taxman

66) THE BOBBY LEES - Be My Enemy

https://thebobbylees.bandcamp.com/track/be-my-enemy-2

65) OSEES - Scum Show

https://ohsees.bandcamp.com/track/scum-show-4

64) LITTER - Hate Will OwnYou

https://littertheband.bandcamp.com/track/hate-will-own-you-3

63) RED - Five Minutes

https://red-religionequalsdecay.bandcamp.com/track/five-minutes

62) SNIFF - Namaste The Fuck Away From Me

https://sniffbanduk.bandcamp.com/track/namaste-the-fuck-away-from-me-2

61) THE OWEN GUNS - Pulling On The Boots (Racist Dickhead)

https://theowenguns.bandcamp.com/track/pulling-on-the-boots-racist-dickhead-2

60) SICK THOUGHTS - Hole In The Wall

https://sick-thoughts.bandcamp.com/track/hole-in-the-wall-2

59) BLACK HALOS - A History Of Violence

https://theblackhalos.bandcamp.com/track/a-history-of-violence

58) FROGGY & THE RINGES - Pond Scum

https://amokrecords1.bandcamp.com/track/pond-scum

57) BILK - Hummus And Pitta

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzJwPXRkZOI

56) DINOSAUR SKULL - Alleyway

https://anthraxuk.bandcamp.com/track/alleyway

55) CELEBRATION SUMMER - Fraud

https://celebrationsummer.bandcamp.com/track/fraud

54) PETE BENTHAM AND THE DINNER LADIES - Badges

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6ZbXT11QaA

53) SERIAL KILLER DINER PARTY - Bleed Me Out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gu3FUGXTzmg

52) MAD DADDY - Road Racer

https://maddaddy.bandcamp.com/track/road-racer

51) NASTY RUMOURS - Get My Kicks From 76

https://nastyrumours.bandcamp.com/track/get-my-kicks-from-76

Wednesday 28 December 2022

Candid Faces - Needle Talk (Guest Review By Gary Hockney)

A new guest reviewer today. Gary Hockney used to be the vocalist/bassist with a band called 3-Action! who were around in the mid to late 80's (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAL8YEcO028). Gary's now active around the Hull area helping local bands (his son is in one of the area's best, Bedsit, who will have a new ep out soon). Over to Gary...

Still, predominantly, in their teens, Candid Faces (https://www.facebook.com/Candid.Faces.Band) have firmly established themselves amongst Hulls punk glitterati, who make up the city’s diverse and thriving punk scene. In this, their formative year, they have performed numerous gigs and built a reputation for their energetic, post-punk sound.

Featuring Liz Shaw on vocals, Taro and Joe on guitars, Ben Hakes on bass and Kurt Jackson on drums. Think what the B52’s might have sounded like, if they’d been raised in a neglected UK city this side of the millennium.

Their 2nd single, Needle Talk, was released some 2 months ago and is a punchy, paranoid tune that’s perfectly portrayed in the video you'll find below. The song was featured on Mick Fletchers, Just Some Punk Sings, Boxing Day Show https://gpr.mixlr.com/recordings/1974332 You can find it on Spotify here : https://open.spotify.com/album/4VIVU3DQ99N2Op1xcBoZe1

It’s a follow up to their debut track released in summer 2022, Yeowch!!! https://youtu.be/_81iT224nrI

Candid Faces have got off to a great start in 2022 performing at the prestigious Humber Street Sesh, drawing good crowds to their gigs at the New Adelphi Club and having supported various, illustrious bands. 2023 promises a lot for this young lot from Hull.

This is Needle Talk...

Tuesday 27 December 2022

Zero Cost - Proxy Wars

Zero Cost (https://www.facebook.com/zerocostband) are a young diy punk rock trio from Hull who boast a line up of Jon Grubb (Lead Vocals/Bass), Ash Johnson (Guitar/Backing Vocals) & Calvin Casey (Drums/Backing Vocals).

They've a new ep out titled Exponential Decay which features 4 tracks of lively melodic/skate punk focusing on social and political concerns. I hadn't heard of the band till I was pointed in their direction last week but they're well worth becoming acquainted with so can I pass on the recommendation to check them out. You can do that here : https://zero-cost.bandcamp.com/album/exponential-decay

On Friday, one of the songs from the ep (the one you'll find below) will be getting a single release. It'll be backed by a couple of b sides, one of which is a previously unreleased track (you can pre save it here : https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/zerocost/proxy-wars).

Beginning with a clip from a bungled speech by George W Bush, this song is about how war can be engineered by those in power in a way that people follow blindly. It's called Proxy Wars...

The rolling thunder did not change their made up minds They would not break rank with their peers To benefit the heads above the parapet The innocents who did succumb During that three year bombing run Small details in the narrative And so the madness just went on As seen in any war or feud There are always those who will use Whatever leverage they can grasp and anyone they can abuse So please, before you take up arms Subjecting fellow souls to harm Be sure you truly know the score Who are you really fighting for?

Monday 26 December 2022

Mark Murphy & The Meds - Indiana Jones And You

Liverpudlian Mark Murphy (who you'll possibly know from his time in the likes of Crocodile God, The No Marks, Hey Maxine etc...) and his band The Meds (https://www.facebook.com/markmurphyandthemeds) will be bringing 2023 in in style with the release of a new album titled Monochrome. It'll be available on January 20th from a number of cool labels; Brassneck, Bloated Kat, Cat's Claw, Kezzy P & Waterslide.

It'll be their 2nd full length following on from 2021's On The Brink https://markmurphyandthemeds.bandcamp.com/album/on-the-brink

I feel pretty confident in predicting Mark's modus, operandi which has served him well down the years, won't have changed much (he reminds me of an English J Prozac). No doubt the 10 tracks will be infectious pop punk gems of the sort he seemingly turns out in his sleep. You can pre order the ltd edition smokey clear vinyl version here : https://brassneckrecords.bigcartel.com/product/mark-murphy-the-meds-monochrome-lp

https://brassneckrecords.bandcamp.com/album/monochrome

We've been treated to the first single from the album, happily it's exactly what we were expecting. A catchy as hell earworm, this is Indiana Jones And You...

Saturday 24 December 2022

The Dead Beats - Monsters Prefer Blondes

Ok, I want to conjure up a little scenario for you. Imagine Zombie Elvis taking a fast ride with the Shangri Las while listening to a Ramones, Cramps mix tape and drinking Motorhead Beer. That's the vibe The Dead Beats (https://www.facebook.com/deadbeatsrocknroll) are aiming for. They do a pretty good job.

The band line up like this : Johny Skullknuckles (vocals/guitar), The Reverend Paul Confused (guitar/vocals), John "as advertised" (bass) & Ben Grim (drums). If any of those names are familiar you may recognise them as being members or ex members of bands such as Goldblade, Anti Nowhere League, Jayne County, The Business, Poison Hearts, The Confused, Motorvators etc.

They released an album last year titled Die Screaming, Marienne! A bakers dozen of horror themed punk n roll with many of the songs being named after genre movies (Drag Me To Hell, The Devil Rides Out, The Night Of The Living Dead etc...). It was very decent Misfits inspired fun.

Now they return with a new ep titled Monsters Prefer Blondes. It's another darkly delicious collection of catchy tunes about zombies, chainsaws, death etc. Available on cd or digital download you can get it here : https://deadbeatsrocknroll.bandcamp.com/album/monsters-prefer-blondes-ep

This is the title track, it's a cover of a song by The Bones (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6nrihZTjhQ) that was on their Screwed, Blued and Tattooed album and it's called Monsters Prefer Blondes...

Thursday 22 December 2022

Rivalry - Satellite

What was so sweat, now seems so sour...

What do you get if you lock members of Blitz, Down and Outs & Ducking Punches in a recording studio together?

Something pretty damn special.

Featuring the combined talents of Neil Mclennan, Mark Magill and Pete Wright, Rivalry (https://www.facebook.com/rivalrytheband) are an exciting new melodic punk "supergroup" who'll be releasing a debut album next year on Brassneck Records and Fixing A Hole (Japan).

To let us know what to expect (to be honest, it's pretty much exactly what I was expecting) they've just released a debut single. You can grab it from Spotify https://open.spotify.com/album/1C3uXb51zD27BI0i39kSKu

If you're familiar with the band member's previous work you probably aren't even still reading, you'll have clicked play and be enjoying the music. I don't blame you. This is Satellite...

Wednesday 21 December 2022

Houseghost - Violet (Guest Review By Ralph J Rivera)

How does one top my most played album since it came out in 2020? Easy - you don't change a damn thing!

Dayton, Ohio's "Houseghost" (https://www.facebook.com/houseghostdyt) easily released one of the best debut albums in recent history. With a line-up of brother/sister team Nick and Kayla Hamby on guitar & bass and drummer Tyler they stuck with their well crafted formula. Dual male/female vocals, ridiculously catchy melodies, songs to die for and those spooky lyrics that tie it all together.

I didn't notice it until Mick mentioned it to me that they remind him of one of Europe's best ever , "The Bat Bites" (https://thebatbites.bandcamp.com/album/the-bat-bites), a band I loved also. So let's get to the new album "Another Realm" released on December 16th on Rad Girlfriend Records. https://radgirlfriendrecords.bandcamp.com/album/another-realm.

All the vinyl versions sold out instantly so it's digital for now. I'm hoping for a CD release in the future. We get a lucky 13 new songs kicking things right off with the opener "Funeral Home" setting the pace and mood for the entire record. Every song is great in my book but I'm also in love with Kayla's vocals so I'm kinda biased. "The Calling", "Born On Halloween" and "Nameless" are stand outs but I'm picking my current favorite "Violet" as the featured tune. BTW - this album screwed up not only this year's best of list but next year's as well. This was supposed to be released in January 2023 so it was a shoe in for my AOTY next year. Damn you Houseghost!

Violet...

Tuesday 20 December 2022

The Mudd Club - Rock 'n' Roll Boy

The Mudd Club (https://www.facebook.com/themuddclub) are the Bristol city rockers who featured on here a couple of years ago with a track from their Bottle Blonde album (https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2020/09/the-mudd-club-bored-to-death.html). Originally from Lawrence, Kansas and now splitting their time between Bristol and the Welsh town of Machynlleth, they're a trio comprising of Sadie Morningstar (vocals/guitar), Joe Trudgeon (bass) & Julian West (drums) who play a vibrant brand of rock n roll that it's hard to believe that anyone of their tender years should be so well versed in.

Their star is very much in the ascendant and that surge in popularity will only continue with the release of a new album titled Give Me A Thrill. It's 10 tracks of cool music by cool kids, it's an album that'll get your hips a shaking and your toes a tapping, it's a deliciously fresh take on old fashioned (but timeless) music. It's going to be available on white vinyl late March/early April but the cd and digital download are out now : https://themuddclub.bandcamp.com/album/give-me-a-thrill

This song is called Rock 'n' Roll Boy...

Monday 19 December 2022

The Human Error - News At Ten

I'm sure the more mature visitors to this blog can just about remember back in time to the late 70's when this new thing called punk rock reared it's oh so beautiful head and every town, city and street corner seemed to give birth to a fresh faced bunch of youngsters who maybe lacked the musical talent of the generation they sought to replace but who brought with them an enthusiasm and a passion that endeared them to those of us that were hungering for something just that little more exciting than had previously been on offer. Those bands picked up their newly acquired instruments and learnt to play them as they were going along. Quite a few of them are still with us today.

One band who would have been perfectly at home on the streets and in the flea pits of the West Midlands back then are The Human Error (https://www.facebook.com/thehumanerrorband). They're a young trio, Joe Ree (Vocals/Guitar), Joe Brown (Bass) & Adam Welsh (Drums) who I've featured a couple of times recently and who've just released a debut Self Titled album. Both songs I've had on here, Fractured Britain & Ozone Park, are on it. They're accompanied by another 8 tracks (one of which is a very spirited Buzzcocks cover) that suggest this is a band to watch out for, a band that's only going to get better.

Like those 3 chord wonders wowing a generation long before these guys were born, this is a band who deal in no frills, old school punk rock but who do it well and who have the potential to be one of the bands at the forefront of the genre as the usual Rebellion Festival staples begin to hand over the torch. You can find the album here : https://thehumanerrorband.bandcamp.com/album/the-human-error

This song is called The News At 10...

Sunday 18 December 2022

Bruise Control - Taxman

Bruise Control (https://www.facebook.com/Bruise.Control) are a band from Manchester who I featured a couple of years ago (https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2020/06/bruise-control-useless.html) when I called them a shouty punk 5 piece playing energetic gnarly garage bangers. I also mentioned how Covid had prevented them from making their live debut. Since then, they've managed to get out on the road (last night they supported Roughneck Riot) and they've slimmed down to a quartet (Jim Taylor (vocals), Tommy Victor Morris (Drums), Niall Griffin (Guitar/Bass) & Devon Cryer (Guitar)) who now play "turbo goth."

And they've a debut album on the way.

The album will be titled Useless For Something and it'll be available via TNS Records on vinyl, cd and cassette. You can pre order it here :

https://www.tnsrecords.co.uk/shop/bruise-control-useless-for-something/

To give us a taste of what to expect they've just released a single which you can find here : https://tnsrecords.bandcamp.com/album/taxman

Both tracks are very good indeed (making the album one of 2023's most anticipated) but as the A side is also accompanied by a video it seems the sensible option to highlight that one. Spewing an outpouring of disgust at our countries overlords and those who enable them, this is Taxman...

Thursday 15 December 2022

The Meffs - It Doesn't Happen Around Here

I'm sure you're all familiar with Fat Wreck Chords, the label started by NOFX frontman Fat Mike back in 1990. It's a very successful label with a roster of bands who have a roughly similar feel. Well now there's a new offshoot of that label called Bottles To The Ground which will showcase bands that don't quite encompass the traditional Fat sound. You can check it out here : https://bottlestotheground.com/

Of the early releases, one that I was particularly looking forward to was a new ep by East Anglian duo The Meffs (https://www.facebook.com/Themeffsuk). Comprising of Lily Hopkins (vocals/guitar) and Lewis Copsey (drums), they've featured on here a couple of times previously when I've been impressed by their "energetic and noisy eruptions of erudite punk rock."

Happily, the new ep is arguably their best release yet.

Titled Broken Britain Pt.1 (It says part 1 of 2 so I'm assuming we'll be treated to a 2nd instalment in due course), I've already played Wasted On Women on a recent show whilst Broken Britain, Broken Brains is accompanied by a video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5vFZuYlkD8) so as the ep is packed with should be hits I'll highlight one of the other tracks below.

It's available here on 10" vinyl here :

https://fatwreck.com/collections/bottles-to-the-ground/products/broken-britain-pt-1

You can listen here : https://orcd.co/zbv7l2m

This song's sadly all too topical, it's called It Doesn't Happen Around Here...

Tuesday 13 December 2022

Pardon Us - A Christmas Wish

So despite being frequently told that I'm a miserable sod for not being much of a fan of Christmas and despite hating pretty much every Christmas song ever, I've agreed to put together a special festive Just Some Christmas Punk Songs show for https://www.voodooradio.online/

Not an easy task as I didn't want to be too obvious and play The Damned's There Ain’t No Sanity Clause (Or other Xmas staples by Stiff Little Fingers, The Ramones, The Dickies, Fear, Descendents etc). Nor did I want to play a load of crappy by the numbers punk cover versions. I'm trying to include a mix of songs people know and ones they might not, hopefully despite it being a Christmas special it won't be too painful.

One of the songs that will feature is a new one by Liverpool's finest Pardon Us (https://www.facebook.com/wearepardonus). It's their 2nd release this month following their split ep with Spoilers which is out on Brassneck Records https://brassneckrecords.bandcamp.com/album/split-13

It's a song that asks for a gift that will benefit us all. Hopefully Santa will bring us the one thing we really want...The Tories out for Christmas. You can get it here as a name your price download... https://pardonus.bandcamp.com/album/a-christmas-wish

It's called A Christmas Wish...

Saturday 10 December 2022

Bilk - Just Don't Work For Me

Bilk (https://www.facebook.com/bilkbandpage) are a fresh faced indie punk trio from Essex who are on very much of an upward trajectory. Lining up with Sol Abrahams (vocals/guitar), Luke Hare (bass) & Harry Gray (drums), they play a similar sort of music to south London trio Play Dead, maybe Manchester's finest Aerial Salad ae a decent comparison too. I've played them on the show a few times but with the upcoming release of their debut album it's a good time to mention them on here.

I was going to feature their recently released Be Someone video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKfguwYVzgo) but as they unveiled another new song yesterday I'll go with that one instead.

The album will feature both tracks (plus another song that came out as a single earlier this year and has been chosen by a listener of the show (who said about it "I love the fact they’re a bunch of young lads. I’ve got a 21 year old and it just reminds me of him") to feature in the listener's favourite songs of 2022 show https://gpr.mixlr.com/events/1784015). Titled Bilk, the album will be out on February 10th and you can pre order it here : https://bilkband.co.uk/collections/frontpage

A little more restrained than most of their material, this is called Just Don't Work For Me...

Tuesday 6 December 2022

Bottled Violent - Police Violence

Bottled Violent are a new hardcore punk outfit from Bandung in Indonesia comprising a line up of Farid (vocals), Irfan (guitar), Raka (rhytm), Fahmi (bass) & Aldhena (drums). They're influenced by the 80's US hardcore scene (with their name presumably coming from this Minor Threat song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HFJypp5nVk), their songs are of the "shorter, faster, louder" variety.

They recently released a 5 track Demo cassette which barely hangs around for 5 minutes but which displays plenty of promise. On it they reveal some of the frustrations in their lives... Shitty jobs, bullies in blue, people telling them how to think, forced consumerism etc. You can get it here : https://bottledviolent.bandcamp.com/album/promo-demo-tapes-2022

This track is a universal problem but one which I guess resonates a little more loudly in Indonesia than in many other places ("Indonesian police are known for their brutality, violence and arrogance toward their citizens. When dealing with civilians, these toxic cultures are deeply rooted in their minds. As a result, there is a probability in the future that civilians will engage in some form of resistance." https://www.fairplanet.org/editors-pick/the-culture-behind-indonesias-police-brutality/).

It's called Police Violence...

They beat us on the street They stepped us on the ground They forced us to confess For something what we didn't do Police violence Fight back with violence We can be arrested cause reading a book Because dress different, act very loud Dragging down somebody Just keep beat up till we confuse They forced us to confess For something what we didn't do

Monday 5 December 2022

Bamboo Vipers - The Runt Of The Litter

No strangers to Just Some Punk Songs (meaning I don't have to write too much about them, just use the search function to find out more if you need it), Bamboo Vipers (https://www.facebook.com/BambooVipers) are back with a new single.

Since I posted their single Silver Boots back in 2018 they've popped up at regular intervals with excellent singles and eps about haunted houses, Cambodian political parties and diminutive private investigators etc. It's always a joy to hear what they come up with next (a follow up to their 2014 album Dangling The Bait would be nice).

Their most recent single sees them puking up a heavy dose of fuck you punk rock attitude all over Glitter Band Rock n Roll Part 2 era glam stomp. It's a bruising and very enjoyable addition to a stellar body of work.

Top knots, man bags, snoods and sliders..It's a hobby to you, it's life and death to me!!! This is Runt Of The Litter...

Sunday 4 December 2022

Gaffer - Factory

Well we've got to that time of the year when 2023 is on the horizon and the best of 2022 lists are being compiled and us bloggers are thinking we've whittled 100s of great releases down into some sort of manageable chart that'll have the readers scratching their heads wondering why their own particular favourite is only at number 48 when it should be so much higher! And then along come more great new releases to bugger things up. One of those features today.

Gaffer are a band from Perth who released a very promising demo cassette a couple of years ago (it featured here : https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2020/06/gaffer-skin-of-your-teeth.html). They gave the appearance of the type of band that rears it's head, impresses all who hear them and then vanishes as quickly as they appeared. Happily, on this occasion, they're back with a debut album and it reminds us why we loved them so much first time around.

Featuring former members of DiE and Cold Meat, I mentioned previously that they reminded me a little of UK style oi. I think I was pretty much right (as I didn't mean the jaded, stereotypical tough guy rantings of too many bands of that era) with the record company drawing comparisons with the likes of The Zeros, Blitz and Chron Gen. The album's titled Dead End Beat and there's just something about it that makes it stand out from the crowd.

It's available to pre order on vinyl from Helta Skelta Records https://heltaskeltarecords.bigcartel.com/product/gaffer-dead-end-beat-lp-pre-order

and Drunken Sailor Records https://www.drunkensailorrecords.co.uk/products/735883-gaffer-dead-end-beat-lp-drunken-sailor-records-drunkensailor-152

A highlight? I could pick any of the songs. Coin tossed, I'm going with this. An exercise in scathing sarcasm, it's called Factory...

Saturday 3 December 2022

Domestic Curse - Antifascist Default

So you should all know James Domestic. He's featured on here previously with more groups than I can remember and his solo album from earlier this year, Carrion Repeating, is already turning up in some of the higher profile best of 2022 lists (https://louderthanwar.com/albums-of-the-year-2022/).

His latest outing is called Domestic Curse and it sees him teaming up with John Hewson (aka Curse) to produce a mini album titled The Five Curses. It's a release that edges more towards the sound of James' solo album than his more usual shouty, full throttle hardcore barrage. It's described as... "Musically, we’re in electronic overload…think throbbing, whirring, and rattling synths, thumping kick drums, skeletal drum ‘n’ bass, chest-thumpin’ bottom end, and raw punk vocals in a long-form almost-stream-of-consciousness style; sneering and barbed." Musically it's an experimentally pleasing mix of sounds whilst James drawls and sneers his lyrics with a mix of wit and despair."

It's available from James' label Kibou Records

https://kibourecords.limitedrun.com/products/734147-domestic-curse-the-five-curses-12-mlp https://kibourecords.bigcartel.com/product/domestic-curse-the-five-curses-12-mini-lp

and from Autonomonster Records (UK), Charlie's Big Raygun Records (UK), Cimex Records (Sweden), and Guerilla Vinyl (France).

This is the new video from it (and my favourite track), it's a wry takedown of far too many members of society. It points out the stupidity of their view point. It's called Antifascist Default...

Thursday 1 December 2022

Space Age Zeros - On A Date With Suzi Moon

You may remember that a couple of days ago I featured a song titled A Conversation With Billy Bragg About The Purpose Of Art and admitted it was the title that caught my eye and drew me in. Well the same thing has happened again and happily it's led to me hearing another great song.

Space Age Zeros are a quintet from Chicago who are recently formed and who play a catchy mix of pop punk and power pop with influences ranging from The Ramones, The Queers & Screeching Weasel to Material Issue and The Goo Goo Dolls.

They've just released a new ep titled Blast Off! It's a strong debut, 4 tracks of easy on the ear punk music about love and heartbreak. It's available on cd and as a digital download via Ramonescore Radio & Wellsville Records : https://rcrr-wellsvillerecords.bandcamp.com/album/space-age-zeros-blast-off-rcrr-010

This is the opening track, it kicks into gear with an unsuccessful phone call requesting an after show meal with the person in the song's title and goes on to deal with the sort of day dreaming we've all been guilty of down the years. This is On A Date With Suzi Moon...