They've just released a fiery new album titled To Die Among The Stars. It features a line up of Kyra Wagler (vocals), Nicholas Carbo (guitar), Cody Heebner (bass), Jared Spry (saxophone) & Charles Raffaele (Drums and Percussion). Sadly it's Kyra's last recordings with the band as she's decided to step away but she's going out on a high.
Suckerpunch (https://www.facebook.com/punchbags77) are from Birmingham and feature a line up of Neil (Guitar/Vocals), Craig (Bass), Joe (Guitar) & Jay Jay (Drums).
We have weapons grade narcissism church of self is a new religion treat yourself to the demolition broadcast pain is premonition every day you think you’re right but no one really wants the fight Broken down is the new obsession Someone answer the fucking question
What does a liar do when he’s dead? He lies still with a hole in his head. defend corporate greed for free, carry the cost of inequality Deny the rights of the working man Depose the few that stand with blood on their hands
unite to survive as they have profits to feed unite to survive as we can't eat greed unite to survive unite to survive unite to survive
What does a liar do when he’s dead? He lies still with a hole in his head. defend corporate greed for free, carry the cost of inequality Deny the rights of the working man Depose the few that stand with blood on their hands
Thee Headcoatees are back with their first new music this century. It's already been given a sparkling review by Ged Babey over at Louder Than War (so normally I wouldn't bother posting anything on here but I'll make an exception today) so go read what he thinks about it as he's spot on https://louderthanwar.com/thee-headcoatees-man-trap-album-review/
The older you get the faster time seems to fly by. Hard to believe we're already half way through November. I guess I better start thinking about the 100 songs that are going to feature in the Just Some Punk Songs end of year chart. There's going to be plenty to choose from.
Their new album, Watch It Die, is every bit as good. I've already played a couple of the singles from it on the show (Light Sleeper in particular being a firm favourite). I'm noticing plenty of glowing reviews popping up online. I don't really write reviews, I'd rather just recommend you listen for yourselves... https://lavidaesunmus.bandcamp.com/album/watch-it-die
I do however highlight a song. You will hopefully already be familiar with Light Sleeper so I'm going with a different one today. This is For The Children (F*ck All)...
The Scuts are a punk band from London who formed in 2013 and are influenced by the American punk scene of the 80's & 90's (NOFX, Bad Religion, Pennywise, Lagwagon, No Use For A Name etc...).
A few months ago they released a split ep with fellow Londoners Scrotum Clamp and one of the songs in particular caught my ear. It's an all to topical look at life through the eyes of an easily led bigot. Someone who wants to smash up Greggs to protect our streets. All in the name of St George. I couldn't find the song on Youtube so I thought I'd rectify the situation. It's also available on Bandcamp :
One thing that stands out about them for me is their carefully thought out lyrics. Their new album, Things that Cannot Be Unseen, bears ample testament to this. Just one example being closing track, Shamima, in which they tackle a divisive subject and put forward a compelling case about how maybe we shouldn't be too harshly judged by the mistakes we made when we were still a child. Agree or disagree with them, they tackle a thorny topic eruditely.
(The song is an album highlight and I was going to feature it here but the free version of the Youtube movie maker I use won't let me convert songs over 5 minutes long. Happily there's plenty more great songs on the album so I've chosen another and I'll settle for playing Shamima on this week's show).
The early days of the internet were hailed by many, who talked about the democratisation of news; that we'd no longer just be able to hear the words of governments or corporations – everyone would have an outlet to be able to share their thoughts to the world. These days, the reality is more of a dystopian nightmare, rather than the utopia many had imagined. In this new online world, it has become difficult to even be able to differentiate facts from lies. When everybody has access to everything anybody says, and it can all look equally legitimate, how are you supposed to know the motivation of those who are behind the stories that are spread? It has created a platform for psychopaths and fanatics which is far more effective and wide-reaching than any which has ever existed before. A great many people now rely on social media as their primary source of news about the world. This is an environment in which deliberate disinformation is rife, and hate speech is normalised. Self-appointed sleuths, who are primarily interested in maximising an income stream for themselves, can undermine criminal investigations and make fictitious online accusations about people which some struggle to ever throw off. And for those with an extremist rage against innocent sections of the population, the internet provides access to a network of like-minded lunatics to make themselves feel both vindicated and supported. The live-streaming of the Christchurch Mosque shootings in March 2019 was a grim wake-up call for the world as to where all this can lead. A right-wing fanatical maniac murdered 51 people while his social media followers cheered him on. Many of those who had watched the live-stream had recorded it and then tried to upload it elsewhere on social media – there were well over a million upload attempts made on Facebook alone. Violent extremists look to post even the most gruesome of content because they realise that there are people in the world who are looking for something to believe in, and yet who are completely desensitised to violence – often due to the games they've played since infancy. It is a potent and appalling combination.
Not only great lyrics but also a nod musically to Stiff Little Fingers, this is Terrorvision...
So, now maniacs can live-stream their atrocities, And upload essays of their twisted philosophies Straight to your homes or to your phones with such consummate ease – Thanks to the miracle of modern technologies.
The most sickening future acts will all be televised – Twisted minds playing out their fantasies before our eyes. Pandora’s box is not just opened – it’s been pulverised. Is this what global tech-giants once visualised?
To facilitate the sharing of everyone’s thoughts may seem a great idea, But there are those who’ll want to use it to spread vile hatred and fear. They screen the close-up details of the latest crazed attack. The genie’s out of the bottle – can it ever be put back?
Is this what we think freedom of expression means – That ISIS can broadcast war crimes to computer screens? And is the horror of the image still all that it seems When decontextualised and reformatted into memes?
And so this desensitised online culture that’s been building up for years Leads to mass murder sprees accompanied by the sound of online cheers, Where all the victims look like targets that you are supposed to slay To get extra bonus points in all the games you’ve learned to play.
The horrors that appear on the screen Are things that cannot be unseen. The cruelty, the terror, and the screams May always haunt you in your dreams.
Hopefully by now you're all well aware of Blvckhelicopters, the prolific outlet for the thoughts and frustrations of anarchist and digital creator Michael Maus https://blvckhelicopters.bandcamp.com/music
Despite the high number of releases, the quality has remained consistently high. I've no idea how the guy manages to keep up those standards.
I've also no idea how he's also found the time for a side project.
National Razor hits even harder than Blvckhelicopters. It's still in the same ballfield lyrically, the goal is to spread the idea of a better world without governments, but the music takes more of a hardcore path. Happily it remains very catchy. There's also a very pleasing mix of female & male vocals.
Is it as good as what we've come to expect from Blvckhelicopters? I honestly think it is! This is the title track, it's called Ungovernable...
What I do with my body
Is none of your business
What I do with my mind
Is none of your business
What I do with my voice
Is none of your business
What I do with my rights
Is none of your business
No kings, no state, no master’s law
I won’t submit, I won’t withdraw
My body, mind, and soul
I am ungovernable
What I do with my body
Is none of your business
What I do with my mind
Is none of your business
What I do with my voice
Is none of your business
What I do with my life
Is none of your business
My rights are not subject to your feelings
Human rights are non-negotiable
My rights are not subject to your beliefs
Human rights are ungovernable
My rights are not subject to your lifestyle
Human rights are non-negotiable
My rights are not subject to your morals
Human rights are ungovernable
