Paranoias - Misled

    

  Paranoias are yet another one of the multitude of great new punk bands that Australia is producing at the moment. They're from Perth and released an impressively raucous Demo cassette last year (https://paranoiaspunx.bandcamp.com/album/demo). They're back and readying to release their first 7" ep on top local label Helta Skelta Records. It'll be titled Napalm Springs (which as titles go is a great one) and boasts 5 tracks of "snotty, fast paced" punk. 

  Featuring members of a couple of great bands that I've had on here before (Bikini Cops & Aborted Tortoise) as well as one I haven't (No Future https://nofuturepunk.bandcamp.com/), they're a thrilling  Killed By Death type of energetic old school punk band. I don't think it's the done thing to say they've a female vocalist anymore but I love bands with killer female vocalists so I'm not shying away from the term just yet. Hannah Atcheson is an impressive tour de force fronting a hard rocking outfit that take no prisoners. 

  You can pre order the 7" here : https://heltaskeltarecords.bigcartel.com/product/paranoias-napalm-springs-7-preorder  and stream a couple of songs here :  https://heltaskeltarecords.bandcamp.com/album/napalm-springs-7 

  This is the opening track, it's called Misled... 

Night Birds - Radium Girls

 

(photo : @andyisrad)
 
  One band that never disappoint are New Jersey hardcore surf punks Night Birds. It's been a while since their last release but last week they brought out a new mini album on Fat Wreck Chords and unsurprisingly it's excellent. It's titled Roll Credits and if there's any of you that haven't already heard it, you can check it out here : https://night-birds.bandcamp.com/album/roll-credits

  As well as Joe, Brian, PJ and Darick, the sound on Roll Credits has been fleshed out by the return to the fold of guitarist Mike Hunchback. The first time they've been a 5 piece so no doubt they'll be sounding great on their current US tour. You can check out dates here : https://nightbirds.oknoway.com/

  No doubt there'll be many better than I can manage reviews already posted online so I'll leave the dissection to the proper writers and just select a killer song to share with you. Featuring guest appearances by Kate Eldridge (Big Eyes) on backing vocals and Marisa Bergquist on keys, this is Radium Girls...

They told me I
Was a Radium Girl
They had a word for what they did
Like somehow that made up for it

There was a brand new kind of tax
In every one of those paychecks
Radiated jaw and neck
When you don’t matter, you don’t get a mask

Just another one
Of the Radium Girls
Had their way and they’re done
With the Radium Girls
Just another one

They told me I
Had a glowing smile
But with each and every week
They had us down on our knees

Lips and nails bright in the dark
The hands of time leave quite a mark
But the division is quite stark
Between unskilled bait and front office shark

Lips and nails bathed in undark
The hands of time leave quite a mark
Pass our graves out on a lark
You’ll see a Geiger counter spark

 

Small Gods - Resink

 

  Despite not being on the coast, the Hampshire town of Basingstoke is home to beach punk rock n roll band Small Gods. There's no waves in Basingstoke but there is a very decent "Surf" punk band. Their (I'm guessing) debut release was 2017's (name your price) Wake Up Dreaming ep, this was followed up a couple of months ago with the Last Wave ep. At the time of recording the band were a 3 piece (Jez, Ollie, Addy) and as well as being released digitally there was a limited edition transparent snot green cassette :  https://smallgods.bandcamp.com/album/last-wave

  You can get more info on them here :  https://www.facebook.com/smallgodsgaragepunk/

  Listening to Last Wave, I didn't really hear much in the way of surf punk. They certainly don't bring to my mind images of sunshine, bikini clad babes or crashing waves. Having said that, I suppose the title track does have a chorus that goes "riding the last wave..." even though it's more garage (with a Pixies vibe) than seaside to my grizzled old ears. But who cares, the songs are good and the band are well worth checking out.

  They've recently released a video (for the song I played on Tuesday's Just Some Punk Songs show). Pounding drums, urgent metronomicallity (if that's a word), passionate vocals. This is Resink... 

Choke,
I’m going to choke,
And I’m broke.

I keep it coming, I keep it coming,
Tic toc tic toc tic toc, no.
I keep it coming, I keep it coming,
Tic toc tic toc tic toc.

Choke,
I’m going to choke.
And it’s a joke.
And I’m broke.

I keep it coming, I keep it coming,
Tic toc tic toc tic toc, no.
I keep it coming, I keep it coming,
Tic toc tic toc tic toc,
I don’t want to watch the clock.

The Atoms - My Un-punk T-shirt

 

  The Atoms are Derby's best surf punk band. They first featured on here a couple of years ago with a song from their Surf Derby album (http://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/the-atoms-sandy-stole-my-lps.html), that album and their other releases can be checked out here : https://theatomsuk.bandcamp.com/

  Featuring Joe Atom (vocals/guitar), Glyn Rutherford (backing vocals/bass) and Gaz Speedking (backing vocals/drums), they formed in 2002 and combine the sounds of The Buzzcocks and Buddy Holly to create their own brand of catchy, snotty punk-pop.

  They return to Just Some Punk Songs today due to them having released a video for one of the songs from their new album. The album is called Internet Dating For Beginners and you'll find it on Monster Zero Records. The song you'll see below is a snappy, fun number called My Un-Punk T-Shirt.....

I wore a t-shirt once, it wasn't very punk, a punk told me so,
It was a good cut and it covered my gut, it had a nice picture on the front,
but I wore a t-shirt once, it wasn't very punk, a punk told me so.

I don't have green hair or spikey studs, or a rebel wardrobe that my mummy funds,
I wore a t-shirt once, it wasn't very punk, a punk told me so,
I sed 'that's not nice!' he sed 'that's not punk!' a punk told me so, 
I sed 'I don't give a shit' he sed 'that's pretty punk' and he left me alone.

The Atoms - Sandy Stole My LP'S

(a typical day at the beach in Derby)



  What's better suited to a crisp February morning than a bit of surf punk, featuring a band from that well known favourite British surf spot, Derby!

  The Atoms got together in 2000, originally featuring Joe, Jimmy and Jess Atom but now comprising Joe Atom (vocals), Johnny "Headlock" Speedking (bass/vocals) and Gaz "New Guy" Speedking (drums/vocals). You probably won't be surprised by their influences :  The Queers, Screeching Weasel, Groovie Ghoulies, Zatopeks, The Hunchbacks, The Apers........ No doubt they've probably also tapped a toe or two to The Beach Boys and The Ramones.

  Starting their beach party with the 2001 Don't Wanna Dance ep, they've also released a few splits and featured on several compilations as well as unleashing a couple of full lengths, 2006's Staying True With The Atoms and 2010's Surf Derby. You can find the remastered and expanded Surf Derby (free of charge!) as well as their latest release, AAAAAAAARGGHHH!!!, on their bandcamp :  http://theatomsuk.bandcamp.com/album/surf-derby-re-master-free-download  .

  From Surf Derby, this is the opening track, Sandy Stole My LP's......

Man or Astroman? - Destination Venus

Continuing the loose sci fi theme of this Easter weekend, today's song is a cover of an old Rezillos classic. Man Or Astroman? have been a prolific surf punk outfit ever since they formed in Auburn, Alabama in the early '90's. They've released an impressive back catalogue of sci fi inspired tunes and featured a plethora of extraterrestrials "sent to Earth to play surf music." This song, Destination Venus, is dedicated to my mate Bill (one time vocalist with a band called Brezhnev) who never tires of telling everyone how great it is......

Helen Keller — Surfin' With Steve And E.D. Amin

A bit of an oddity today but one that's catchy as hell. I know virtually nothing about Helen Keller except that they aren't the famous deaf and blind female author/teacher but are the brainchild of of a guy called Norman Durkee who used to write jingles for adverts. They only recorded a handful of tracks but this one, Surfin' With Steve And E.D. Amin is gonna get lodged inside your brain.....