Dollhouse - Nobody's Favorite

  

(photo : martincrudo)

  New York band Dollhouse first featured on Just Some Punk Songs back in 2019 when I came across a very promising Demo and I mentioned anticipation was high for more music by them :   https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2019/08/dollhouse-summer-love.html

  More music followed a couple of years later in the form of an ep titled The First Day Of Spring which I claimed was even better than the Demo : 

 https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2021/03/dollhouse-first-day-of-spring.html

  And now they've released another ep which happily continues that upward spiral. The ep's titled I Hate You Don't Leave Me and it boasts 4 new songs that are as equally as impressive as each other. The music still hits hard whilst the lyrics continue to be a large part of what attracts me to this band. It's available on vinyl from Toxic State Records : 

 https://toxicstaterecords.bandcamp.com/album/i-hate-you-dont-leave-me 

  You can also find the digital version on Dollhouse's Bandcamp page : 

https://dollhousenyc.bandcamp.com/album/i-hate-you-dont-leave-me-2

  I'm going to play the title track on this week's show so for the blog I'll highlight a different one. Slightly ironically as I mentioned how much I like the band's lyrics, this song doesn't have much in the way of lyrical content but it's bloody good all the same. It's called Nobody's Favorite...

am I pretty? am I gorgeous im nobodys favorite just tell me that im worth it am I pretty? am I famous im nobodys favorite

The Dissidents - Brother Did You Weep

  

  The Dissidents are a political punk band from Philadelphia who's line up (Rachel (vocals), Janine (bass/vocals), Nicole (guitar/vocals), Bill (guitar/vocals) & Shawn (drums)) is made up of members from the likes of Witch Hunt, The Pist, Mischief Brew, Mankind and several others. You can find more info on them here : https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2021/08/the-dissidents-no-air.html and here : https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2023/07/the-dissidents-numbers-station.html

  They've just contributed a powerful anti war track to a compilation album titled No Genocide: A Benefit for Mutual Aid in Gaza. The album also features songs from the likes of The Mob, Oi Polloi, D.O.V.E., Rat Cage and Dogma to name but a few. It's an international benefit compilation available on digital and cassette for on-the-ground humanitarian mutual aid in Gaza. You can get more info here :   https://thedissidents.bandcamp.com/album/no-genocide-a-benefit-for-mutual-aid-in-gaza

  The Dissidents' track is their version of a song (https://ewanmaccoll.bandcamp.com/track/brother-did-you-weep-3) from 1968 by Ewan MacColl & Peggy Seeger which was covered in 1972 by The Minor Birds (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOCmdKNM8Mw). It depicts the devastating impact of war (originally it was in protest against the Vietnam War). It's called Brother Did You Weep...

Disc of sun in the belching smoke
Blazing huts where children choke
Burning flesh and blackened blood
Charred and blistered like smouldering wood

O brother, o brother did you weep
O brother, o brother can you sleep

Wall-eyed moon in the wounded night
Touching poisoned fields with blight
Showing the ditch where the dead girl lies
Courted by ants and hungry flies

O brother, o brother did you weep
O brother, o brother can you sleep

Scream of pain in the morning breeze
Thunder of bombs among the olive trees
Hymn of rubble and powdered stone
Anguished flesh and splintered bone

O brother, o brother did you weep
O brother, how can you sleep?

Programmed war, efficiency team
Death brings dollars to the war machine
People trapped between imaginary lines
The total destruction of Palestine

Oh brother, have you got no shame?
Oy eicha, they're killing in my name

Creeping Tide - Doing Just Fine

  

  Ah, the untouchable elite. Dontcha just love 'em...

  Hailing from Sheffield, Creeping Tide are the brainchild of Ben Fraser, a one man digital punk rock juggernaut who was introduced to us 18 months ago by ex Demob guitarist Barry Phillips :   https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2022/10/creeping-tide-weak-guest-review-by.html

  Today I'm highlighting an impressive new single which comments on those members of society who are accumulating vast amounts of wealth whilst the majority of us struggle to make ends meet toiling away in dead end, low paying jobs. Lavish lifestyles, no remorse, plundered wealth...living it up whilst the world (both literally and figuratively) gets hotter.  You can get it as a name your price download here :  https://creepingtide.bandcamp.com/track/doing-just-fine

We're alright Jack. We're Doing Just Fine... 

Danny's Favorites - Silent Movies

  

  Today's song is one of the great new releases that you can listen to later today on this week's Just Some Punk Songs show (Tune in at 8pm UK time https://gpr.mixlr.com/).

  It's by Danny's Favorites who are the latest band featuring Rochester garage punk legend Trevor Lake. They debuted in 2020 with a fun album titled There Still Punk and proving you can't keep an old punk down they're now back with a new single.

  It features a couple of tracks, Silent Movies sounds very much like a long lost new wave/power pop single from the late 70's whilst flip side Turn My Motor On is a cover of a song that was the b side of Kirsty MacColl's They Don't Know single. You can find it here :  https://dannysfavorites.bandcamp.com/album/silent-movies-turn-my-motor-on

  This is Silent Movies... 

Cruelster - I Love It

  

  Well the ever reliable Drunken Sailor Records (https://www.drunkensailorrecords.co.uk/categories/drunken-sailor-records) have come up with the goods again. The UK label's latest release is a Cruelster (https://www.facebook.com/cruelsteroh) retrospective titled Lost Inside My Mind In Another State of Mind. The Singles Collection. 

  The band are from Cleveland, Ohio and feature members from the likes of Knowso, Perverts Again, Smooth Brain, Dweller, Louse and several others. They first surfaced with a Demo back in 2012 and the compilation is a great way to catch up on subsequent releases. You can check it out here :  https://drunkensailorrecords.bandcamp.com/album/lost-inside-my-mind-in-another-state-of-mind-the-singles-collection-lp

  If you're unfamiliar with them, I'll ease you in gently. You should recognise this song. It's one I've heard numerous times at work on the crappy radio stations my colleagues often have on. I've never paid it much attention and I'd have had no idea who it was by (it was a 2012 hit for Icona Pop featuring Charli XCX). Needless to say, I much prefer this version. I'd go as far as to say I Love It... 

NO SPOILER - When It´s Over

  

  How's this for a press release... "They blend masterfully 77 punk, power pop, glam, indie rock and much more. For fans of 999 , PROTEX, RUDI, THE WASPS, THE BUZZCOCKS, THE UNDERTONES, THE PLIMSOULS, CINECYDE, THE OUTCASTS and even such different bands like SLADE, GIUDA or HUSKER Du." 

  Well it made me want to listen...

  NO SPOILER (https://www.facebook.com/NoSpoilerBand) are from Rome and I think they're new to me though to be honest, I listen to so much music it's equally likely that I've played them on the show years ago and forgotten about it (this seems to be a regular occurrence!). 

 [Edit. Just before posting this update I double checked and the band aren't new to me, I featured a song from them in 2019 : https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2019/07/no-spoiler-satana.html]. 

  Anyway, the press release was announcing the band's upcoming album Ghosting. It'll be out on March 15th and available on vinyl (white or black) and digital download via the ever reliable Take The City Records. You can check out 3 of the tracks from it here :  https://takethecityrecords.bandcamp.com/album/ghosting-lp

  All 3 are great so it doesn't really matter which one I highlight but I'm going with this catchy as fuck blending of 77 era punk and power pop. It's guaranteed to have you singing along and it's called When It's Over... 

Drunk Mums - New Australia

  

  Back in 2018 I featured a song by a band that I said were causing a bit of a stir down under  https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2018/01/drunk-mums-hot-flush.html

  That band were Drunk Mums (https://www.facebook.com/Drunkmums), they're a quartet (Jake Doyle, Adam Ritchie, Dean Whitby & Jonny Badlove) from Melbourne and they're preparing for their their 1st release since their 2020 Adderall/Headshrinker 7"

  It'll be in the form of a new album titled Beer Baby. They're promising 10 "no-holds-barred party anthems that leave no room for sadness, emotions, or rational thinking."  My breath is bated in anticipation.

  It'll be available on vinyl (purple flesh or red) and digital download. You can pre order here :  https://drunkmums.bandcamp.com/album/beer-baby

  This is one of the 2 already available teaser tracks, it's about only earning enough to barely exist. It's called New Australia... 

Bart And The Brats - Clock-watcher

  

(Guillaume Guerin Photographies)

  I think this is the 5th time I've featured Bart And The Brats (https://www.facebook.com/bartandthebrats) on the blog and they've also made numerous appearances on the show. The most recent of those was a few weeks ago when I played Can't Think Straight which is the title track of their new ep. 

  That ep will be finally out later this week on Juvenile Delinquent Records and Take The City Records so keep an eye (and 2 ears!) on their Bandcamp pages. There's a limited number (300) on 7" vinyl so don't get caught snoozing.

https://juveniledelinquent.bandcamp.com/album/jd027-bart-and-the-brats-cant-think-straight-ep

https://takethecityrecords.bandcamp.com/album/bart-and-the-brats-can-t-think-straight-ep

  The band is from La Rochelle, France and feature Bart De Vraantijk who you may know from bands such as Wild Zeros, Teenage Hearts, The Janitors, The Pneumonias & Skeptics. I'm sure by now you know you'll be getting... '77 era punk mixed with a good dose of garage rock. You'll be also expecting some top notch songs and that's exactly what's on offer. 

  As I've already featured the title track on the show, I'm going for a different one on here. Something I'm sure we've all been guilty of, this is Clock-watcher... 

Bloodstains - Anti-Social (Guest Review by Ralph J Rivera)

  

   At nearly 60 years of age I've been listening to "Punk Rock" most of my life. Some of my older friends ask me why I still live the way I do. Well here's my answer - Because of bands like this!  "Bloodstains" from Orange County, California came on my radar in 2020 with their amazing demo that included the future classic "Anti Social". After that they joined the exclusive club of "Hostage Records" bands in 2023 with "Anti Social" released as a 3 song EP.

  I honestly played those 2 releases constantly last year.  Which brings us to 2024 and they have just dropped their self titled LP that I'm already calling my pick for "Punk Rock Album Of The Year"! https://bloodstains714.bandcamp.com/album/bloodstains

  8 songs that will bring you back to those Golden Days of 80's Beach Punk. When D.I., Social Distortion & T.S.O.L. were just putting everyone to shame. This band remember. Every song is a modern day tribute to a once in a life-time sound.

  Kicking things off with the instrumental "The Last Rites" you're in for a thrill ride of instantly infectious songs that will make you feel like a teenager again. And then you get to song 6. The ANTHEM for a new generation of motley beach punks that just don't fit in. "Anti Social". One of the best Punk songs to come out of California in ages. If you can't relate to this song - well I guess you just got old! 

  Here is the new for 2024 version. And just for the record their guitar player David Espinoza is the NEW "Ron Emory" LOL!

The Spectres - [I Hate The] Summertime

  

  One of the most satisfying things about doing this blog is getting in early on new bands, bands that come out of nowhere and impress from the get go. Today's song isn't by one of those bands. It's by The Spectres (https://www.facebook.com/thespectrespgh), "2-piece rock'n'roll trash from the hills of Greenfield in Pittsburgh, PA" featuring James (Guitar/Drums/Percussion/Vocals) & Dan (Guitar/Baritone/Bass/Organ/Vocals). 

  The sad thing is, after 10 years performing together, they've decided to call it a day. Instead of jumping on the bandwagon at the genesis of a new band, I'm hopping on at the end. But at least they're signing off with a couple of posthumous releases. The first of those is an excellent album titled In Horrifying Sight And Sound which is a garage rock fan's wet dream. It reminds me a little of The King Khan and BBQ Show. You can grab it as a name your price download here :  https://thespectres.bandcamp.com/album/in-horrifying-sight-and-sound

  A fine song to highlight from a fine album, this is (I Hate The) Summertime... 

Thieves - Dead Gig

    

  Here's a new song by a young trio called Thieves (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551392004971) that'll get you moving. 

  They're new to me but I noticed them getting recommended by Caution Elderly People (another super good rowdy young punk band). I clicked play and was pretty much blown away. 

  If they're new to you too you can check out previous releases on Spotify  

https://open.spotify.com/artist/0HU62UrM2ILlDRTBv4W6KT 

  98 seconds of blazing energy, mosh pits everywhere enjoy. It's called Dead Gig... 

The Follow Ups - Texas Chainsong

  

  The Follow Ups (https://www.facebook.com/TheFollowUps) are a Ramones influenced punk band from Moncton, New Brunswick who've been together since 2017. You can find their music here :   https://thefollowups.bandcamp.com/

  They've a new album on the way which will be released by Moms Basement Records (US) and Faster And Louder Records (Canada). Boasting 14 songs, it'll be available on vinyl (3 different colours) & cd. It'll be titled Know Who Your Friends Aren't and to whet our appetites they've released a teaser single.

  Catchy but not over produced pop punk (which is how we like it around here), this is based on one of the greatest movies ever. It's called Texas Chainsong... 

Army Of Skanks - Number 10

  

  A quick shout out today for a song which came out at the tail end of last year but which I missed and have only just stumbled upon.

  Army Of Skanks (https://www.facebook.com/ArmyOS) are Wendy Seenan (bass guitar/lead vocals), Carol Lane (lead guitar/backing vocals) & Terry Downes (drums/backing vocals). They're from Coventry and recently released their 4th album, Negative Politics. 

  As you might gather from the title, it's an album on which the band have their say about the state of the nation. Everything from class wars, 9 to 5 wage slaves and plastic surgery disasters, it's a sad indictment of modern day living. You can find it here :  https://armyofskanks1.bandcamp.com/album/negative-politics

  This song is about our unfit leaders and it's called Number 10... 

You ain’t fit to govern You’re a bunch of prats Go back to your lodges And your swanky flats Sign the fracking license When we look the other way Every day inflation Still outstrips our pay When peaceful revolution is impossible It makes violent revolution inevitable When peaceful revolution is impossible It makes violent revolution inevitable The prats at number 10 Have gone and done it again And the press are just Rattling our cages To sell poverty voyeurism to us now Put the thickest bimbos On our tv screens Demonise people Forced to live beyond their means When peaceful revolution is impossible It makes violent revolution inevitable When peaceful revolution is impossible It makes violent revolution inevitable Our reach is still far Further than our grasp This is something that you need to know In your world you think you’re worth 10 k a day Not to us mate… no way…. You’re nothing The prats at number 10 Have gone and done it again The prats at number 10 Have gone and done it again Opened up the coal mines so nobody goes cold But it’s all being exported so the country doesn’t fold Investing our taxes in nuclear energy For nuclear warheads To scare the yank’s enemy When peaceful revolution is impossible It makes violent revolution inevitable When peaceful revolution is impossible It makes violent revolution inevitable When peaceful revolution is impossible It makes violent revolution inevitable When peaceful revolution is impossible It makes violent revolution inevitable The prats at number 10 Have gone and done it again All of them the prats at number 10 Have gone and done it again

CLOBBER - Council Estate of Mind

  

  London punks CLOBBER (https://www.facebook.com/Clobber.uk) the band with "a belly full of venom and fists clenched tightly" first featured on here following the release of their debut single Karens, Gammons, Hippies and Conspiracies (https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2022/01/clobber-karens-gammons-hippies.html).

  They've continued to impress since then with a string of hard hitting releases so their new single (and the announcement that they're playing both this year's Manchester Punk Festival & the Rebellion Festival) is a great excuse to get them on again. 

    The single's released by Venn Records of London (https://vennrecords.bandcamp.com) and you can also find it here : https://clobberuk.bandcamp.com/track/council-estate-of-mind

  It's a fat free working class anthem that dovetailed nicely when I played it on this week's Just Some Punk Songs show with a track from the new album by fellow Londoners The Chisel. It's called Council Estate Of Mind... 

Gob Psychic - (All Week) Rent Payer

  

  Today's song, by Gob Psychic (https://www.facebook.com/gobpsychic) is just one of the 25 musical treats I've got lined up for you on this week's Just Some Punk Songs show (https://gpr.mixlr.com/). They're from Aarhus, Denmark and describe themselves as a weirdopunk-ish, garage-y, nonsensical, go-getting band.

  They released a debut 6 track ep last October and you can check that out here :  https://leceperecords.bandcamp.com/album/gob-psychic

  March 1st will see them returning with a new ep. This time it'll be available via Slovenly Recordings (on 7 inch vinyl and digital download). Titled Rent Payer it promises sonic ferocity with themes of alienation and apathy. You can find out more here : https://slovenly.bandcamp.com/album/gob-psychic-rent-payer-ep

  This is the lead track. The band have been getting comparisons with Australian cool kids such as Stiff Richards and Split System. On this new track I'm hearing hints of early 80's era Fall, it's called (All Week) Rent Payer... 

Smalltown Tigers - In A Dream (With A Fool Like You)

  

  Smalltown Tigers (https://www.facebook.com/smalltowntigers) are a trio from Romagna, Italy who've just released a debut album on Area Pirata Records titled Crush On You. Featuring a line up of Valli (vocals/bass), Monty (guitar) and Castel (drums) they're a band who's star is very much in the ascendancy.

  Originally influenced by The Ramones, they've added more oomph to their sound (their Facebook invites us to "imagine Suzi Quatro writing a real punk rock record." The album contains 10 tracks and there's not a bad one amongst them. You can find it here :  https://areapiratarec.bandcamp.com/album/crush-on-you

  A definite highlight, this one's called In A Dream (With A Fool Like You)...

Just like drops of summer rain You and me were just the same Now those sparkles in the dark Left me wondering were you are In a dream Without a fool like you All those letters in the mail To tell my friends that I’m ok Every day just moves so slow You left my heart out in the cold In a dream Without a fool like you Now I don’t know what to do I found a home away from you I locked myself behind this door To keep me sane and cry no more

Mean Jeans - Break Up With You

  

  Friday is the day that I start getting serious about sorting out a playlist for the next Just Some Punk Songs show and this Friday has been a particularly good one for new releases. The song I'm posted today stuck in my head so I'm recommending you check it out.

  Mean Jeans (https://www.facebook.com/themeanjeans) are a trio from Portland, Oregon, who've been around for almost 20 years and during that time have been a pop punk fans dream. Right from their early, raw Ramones influenced dumb punk rock tunes through to their more refined but no less catchy newer material. 

  They've just treated us to a new album on Fat Wreck Chords called Blasted. It's 15 songs that'll nag away at you. Some albums require a few listens before they hit the sweet spot, this one's instant gratification. It's available here : https://meanjeans.bandcamp.com/album/blasted (at the time of writing you'll have to go to Youtube if you want to stream all the tracks but I 'm guessing they'll be on Bandcamp soon). 

  If there was any justice in the world, this would be a smash hit. It's called Break Up With You... 

The Prize - One Day At A Time

  

  One of my favourite new bands are Melbourne quintet The Prize. A song from their debut ep topped the Just Some Punk Songs 2022 chart and they also featured in last years list. Will they reappear this year? I wouldn't be surprised. 

  They've a split single coming soon on Bargain Bin Records with The Unknowns (another great Aussie band who made last year's JSPS chart). 2 songs per band and definitely worth treating your ears to. 

  As you'd expect with The Prize, we get gloriously catchy melodies. It's power pop mixed with garage punk, it's 70's guitars and great vocals, it's a sure fire winner. This is One Day At A Time... 

loveshovel - G.O.A.T.

 

  "Closely related to sheep!..."

  It's not that long ago since Paul Austin introduced us to Australian band loveshovel (https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2024/01/loveshovel-dont-look-at-me-guest-review.html) but as their new album, The Only Good Thing I'm Bad At, is now out, I think it's well worth briefly mentioning them again.

  The album's on Youtube and is well worth checking out : https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_mk36rR-BbnfSrgSlz6HkwjuadngSkg3c4

  Give this song a listen, I think you'll be impressed. It's called G.O.A.T. 

X-S Discharge - Hassles

  

  Something a little different today, a little older than usual but (sort of) a new release all the same.

  XS Discharge were a band from the Elderslie district of Paisley formed by twin brothers Paddy and Charles “Chik” Doherty who's parents had come over to Scotland from Ireland. They started off in the early 70's playing Irish rebel songs interspersed with covers of Bowie and Alex Harvey in bands such as Zenith, Phoenix, and Lonely Road before embracing the punk revolution.

 

   I think their first release came in 1979 when they contributed a track (Machete Shuffle) to the Spectacular Commodity compilation ep from the Groucho Marxist Record Co:Operative. The ep also featured songs by Mod Cons, Sneex, The Poems and The Mentol Errors.

The following year they released a 4 track ep titled Life's A Wank and it's one of those songs I'm posting today.

 

   But why you ask. Why go back to 1980 when for the last few years the blog's been concentrating on new releases?

  The reason is that that Sealedrecords have released the Groucho Marxist Record Co:Operative compilation album on white vinyl (plus a 40 page booklet) which gathers together a number of lesser known "classics" released by Paisley punk bands between 1979 and 1981. You can check it out here :  https://sealedrecords2.bandcamp.com/album/groucho-marxist-record-co-operative

I'll play one of the Defiant Pose songs on this week's Just Some Punk Songs show.

  

  This track sums up the attitude of punks back in the day. Fuck it. It's just a way of life, let's get on with living. It's called Hassles... 

Itchy & The Nits - Square

  

  Today's song has left me salivating in anticipation of the upcoming album that it's blazing a trail for. 

  Itchy & The Nits (https://www.facebook.com/itchyandthenits) are from Sydney and they impressed me last year with their excellent S/T demo ep https://warttmanninc.bandcamp.com/album/itchy-the-nits 

  They're a band that will having you thinking of all girl garage bands from the 60's. You'll also think of more recent garage pop rockers such as the ones namechecked on the Bandcamp page (Donnas, Brentwoods, Thee Headcoatees & Nikki & the Corvettes). 

  The album will be titled Worst Of and it's going to feature the 7 tracks from the demo plus 5 brand spanking new ones. It'll be released on March 22nd by Total Punk Records on vinyl, cassette & digital download and you can pre order it here : https://totalpunkrecords.bandcamp.com/album/worst-of-lp 

  Confirmation that the new songs will be equally as great as the old ones, this is called Square... 

Loose Articles - I'd Rather Have a Beer

  

  Raising a glass to all the man slags today...

  Loose Articles are the Manchester quartet who "specialise in discord, repetition, tales of boozy nights out and radical politics." I've played a few of their previous releases on the show but it appears they've so far been missed out on here so let's put things right.

  They've a new album on the way via Alcopop Records and a single has just been released from it. It's their usual mix of catchy tune, fun and social commentary. This time around they encourage you to leave those dodgy casual relationships alone and just go out and have some fun with your mates instead. You can find it here : https://bfan.link/i-d-rather-have-a-beer?

  It's called I'd Rather Have A Beer...