Review: Anyone who has followed Emotional Rescue knows it has always does a fine job of documenting pock punk and UK punk dub's early years, in this case showcasing the previously unheralded work of Skinbat Scramble, who emerged from the mundanity of the Home Counties to converge on London during the early 80s. Core members Mark Eason and Fergus Crockford were simultaneously inspired by the speedy punk thills of the Roxy Club and the Two Tone scene of ska and reggae which ran alongside it, as well as counter cultural heroes of the generation before like Gong and Velvet Underground. They got to work distilliing slow tempos, experimental sounds, dub and much more into leftfield rhythms, and while the likes of 'Basement Voltaire' - all echoing electronics, high frequency blips and merciless drum machines - or the Clash-in-dub workout 'North By Northwest' are rooted very much in the Cold War/Thatcher years, their individuality and experimental vibe mean they've endured remarkably well. Scramble to get yourself a copy.
Review: Tetine duo Bruno Verner & Eliete Mejorado met at the underground art punk scene of Sao Paulo. Turning their head to electronic music, their DIY roots shine through with transgressive lyrics and their leftfield take on electro pop. They're like a precursor to Confidence Man. This 12" EP features four dance punk numbers taken from their 2010 album From A Forest Near You. 'Yr Daugther Lies' is cosmic, experimental new wave with an irresistible bassline running through it. Still on the A-side, 'Tropical Punk' blends funk and Sonic Youth-esque guitar textures with spoken word that's full of galvanising ire. Lastly, 'O Espaco' is a Portuguese language number equally full of party vibes. Tetine are built for those moments when you need an injection of pace, so if you notice the mood slipping at a party then slip this on and it will turn things around for the better.
Review: This reissue marks the vinyl debut of Alien Ant Farm's 2003 album, a record that captures the band's energetic blend of alternative rock and nu-metal. Produced by Stone Temple Pilots' Robert and Dean DeLeo, the album features a raw and powerful sound, with tracks like '1000 Days' and 'Drifting Apart' showcasing the band's heavy riffs and dynamic songwriting. 'Quiet' and 'Glow' offer moments of introspection, while 'These Days' and 'Sarah Wynn' deliver infectious melodies and catchy hooks. The album also includes a four-page booklet with lyrics, adding another dimension to the listening experience. This reissue is a must-have for fans of Alien Ant Farm and anyone who appreciates the raw energy and melodic hooks of early 2000s alternative rock.
Review: Following on from last year's triumphant return to pop-punk glory that was Blink-182's ninth overall full-length One More Time (yet seventh with original vocalist/guitarist Tom DeLonge and first since 2011's Neighbourhoods), the band return to remind fans that the extensive good will they've been awarded by their devout followers on this comeback is very much reciprocated. Too early to drop another full-length, yet clearly rejuvenated to the point that new material keeps rearing its head during their continuing global tour, the trio opt to meet themselves in the middle with One More Time Part 2, which is essentially a mega deluxe version complete with ten bonus tracks, adding an additional half hour of new material (a new album in pop-punk terms). Boasting refined anthems such as 'No Fun' and 'All In My Head', while making room for darker synth-laden moments such as 'Can't Go Back' and even more Box Car Racer indebted buzzsaw post-hardcore in the form of 'Everyone Everywhere', this definitive collection offers far more than a forgettable batch of cutting room floor B-sides, and provides a comforting notion that this (one more) time around, Blink are back for themselves and the creative reward as much as for the fans and the payday.
One Of These Days (I'm Gonna Spend The Whole Night With You) (3:48)
Is My Living In Vain? (3:12)
Our Home (2:55)
Review: Bonnie 'Prince' Billy's The Purple Bird marks a rare collaboration with a 'producer', this time under the seasoned hand of David 'Ferg' Ferguson (known for his work with Johnny Cash and Sturgill Simpson). Supported by Nashville's eliteicountry icon John Anderson and Bluegrass virtuoso Tim O'Brienithis album both embraces and defies BPB's signature style. With voices from multiple composers woven throughout, each track adds a new dimension to BPB's ever-evolving persona, shaping a record that's as transformative as it is rooted in tradition.
One Of These Days (I'm Gonna Spend The Whole Night With You) (3:47)
Is My Living In Vain? (3:11)
Our Home (feat Tim O'Brien) (2:55)
Review: On his latest LP, Will Oldham aka. Bonnie "Prince" Billy dares to work with a producer for the second time: David "Ferg" Ferguson of Johnny Cash and Sturgill Simpson fame, whose attentive hand guides each of these idling songs through to their sinister, diminished conclusions. Led by the ingenious 'London May' - a lolloping Americana concept piece, illustrating the ostensibly lonely, isolated, suicidally ideating (but ultimately not) persona that is BPB - this sombre record ends up a difficult-to-pin one, touching on themes of self-loss, death and devilish deals. Unlike many other records by Oldham, this lilac lilter hears the convalescence of several composers' and vocalists' voices, reflecting a newfound collaborative opening for the artist, perhaps breaking from a common interpretation of his music as solipsistic.
Review: This reissue of the 1981 self-titled album from the cult Japanese duo Colored Music is now made available on vinyl for the first time since its original release. This groundbreaking mix of cosmic new wave, avant-garde synth-pop, experimental funk and unconventional disco is wonderfully unique and is reminiscent of David Bowie's Berlin Trilogy with a psychedelic Haruomi Hosono touch. Featuring celebrated musicians like Mansaku Kimura and Shuichi "Ponta" Murakami, Colored Music delivers an unparalleled, otherworldly soundscape that belies it ages.
Review: A limited-edition version of one of the high-water marks of The Cult's back catalogue. Originally released in 2001, it was their first album in more than six years and showcases the band's return to their signature rock sound while also dabbling with new techniques. It's the only Cult album to feature one of rock's all-time greats - Guns N' Roses' Matt Sorum - on drums. And it's immensely powerful, with 'War (The Process)' and 'Take The Power' leaving you breathless thanks to flashy guitar solos and head banging choruses. Elsewhere, 'Nico' slows things down a bit - a lighter in the air moment perhaps. Overall, it's an epic rock production singing all the right notes by bringing a dash of goth to classic rock.
Review: Levitate - the post-punk legends' 19th studio album - has been scarcely available on vinyl so commands a high price usually. Cherry Red did press a limited-edition triple lp edition in 2018 to satisfy some of the demands. Thankfully, the esteemed indie label is doing fans a solid again by presenting the two-LP edition on transparent red vinyl for the first time. The reason for its scarcity being that the label that originally put this out in 1997 - Artful Records - is thought to have gone bankrupt, so it has been out of print over the years. Standouts from this eclectic record, artful album (there was seemingly no idea too out-there, with drum n' bass even slotting in there) include '4 1/2 Inch', 'Spencer Must Die' and 'The Quartet of Doc Shanley'. All of which are the only tracks recorded at Edwyn Collins' studio in London, with producers Keir Stewart and Simon Spencer at the controls. Meanwhile, the album is notable for being the last to feature two long-time Fall members, drummer Karl Burns and bass player Steve Hanley. Hanley, along with Joy Division's Peter Hook and Andy Rourke, is one of the all-time great bassists out of Manchester, and once described by the late, great Fall founder Mark E Smith as the defining element of the Fall's music. With the Fall's creative, viscerally entertaining back catalogue one of the most cited among new bands in the U.K. today, Levitate proves that being Fall-esque might mean very little as no one has made an album quite like this.
Review: We would normally frame Ty Segall as a garage rock musician. For years he's been putting out some of the best garage psych thrills in the business and that's what he's best known for. But he's broadened his palette in recent times and it sounds like a completely natural reinvention towards this sort of sun-kissed psychedelia met with early Radiohead-esque drawl. The harmonic world that he's creating with Corey Madden, the singer and guitarist of the Los Angeles band Color Green, under the moniker Freckle is just divine. The project has been first introduced to the world through the single 'Taraval' and it's keeping the old time-y spirit of 60s handmade rock n' roll alive. All the collectors who say that songwriting had its hey day best listen to this record of life-affirming brilliance where you can imagine Paul McCartney begging for a guest spot.
If I Could Talk I'd Tell You (single version) (2:44)
The Outdoor Type (remix) (2:31)
Pin Yr Heart (3:45)
Balancing Act (3:17)
Galveston (2:22)
Arise (4:22)
Keep On Loving You (3:14)
It's All True (No Drums) (2:49)
Losing Your Mind (live acoustic version) (3:03)
How Will I Know (acoustic) (2:55)
I Don't Want To Go Home (1:02)
Fade To Black (3:20)
Live Forever (2:35)
Review: It's impressive that nearly three decades on from when it was originally released, Car Button Cloth sounds suspended from time. It's a record that was released in the 90s but isn't overly indicative of a time and sits in a space of timeless alternative rock. You can file this next to R.E.M, Nirvana or even the Beach Boys. The sixth track, 'Losing Your Mind' is up there in terms of palpable tenderness with Brian Wilson's evocative style. Meanwhile, 'Something's Missing' ranks high up next to Foo Fighters' best stuff in terms of punk rock and pop melodies coming together. Elsewhere, 'Knoxville Girl' is singer Evan Dando's nod to idol Gram Parsons - a country hit infused with unhinged explosions of darkly saturated guitar. Perhaps the thing that is more indicative of the time, though, is the grunge idol fronting the band. Evan Dando's is said to have had led a drug-fueled lifestyle at the time, to the point where was reportedly arrested in Sydney airport, high on acid and bleeding, just the year before this album first came out. Despite chaos around the time of writing, Dando's talent was left impressively intact and this record is an enduring hit, worthy of revisiting in its new red vinyl form.
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