New releases last eight weeks: Punk/Hardcore

Review: The Ramones had long reshaped the world of music in their beautifully twisted image by the time they recorded this, their second live album, in Spain in 1991. But the New York punks were seemingly addicted to playing live, touring relentlessly throughout the 80s and 90s, and their tightly drilled act is at fever pitch here, careering through an incredible 32 'blink and you'll miss them' tracks across four sides of vinyl. A handful of covers - there's a blistering version of The Trashmen's early rock 'n' roll stormer 'Surfin' Bird', for instance - nestle alongside timeless originals such as 'I Wanna Be Sedated', 'Beat On The Brat' and 'Sheena Is A Punk Rocker', with a healthy selection of deeper cuts from the late 80s here too. Top mayhem.

Review: Nowadays regarded as the stuff of punk legend, the chaotic and ill-fated jaunt undertaken by the Sex Pistols across the US in January of 1978 was hindered by so many differing factors, it was almost as if they were set to fail. Plagued by poor management while trapped on a label with no real idea how to market such a tumultuous roster outlier, the band found themselves performing for those there out of mere curiosity more than their targeted audience or genuine fans, culminating in severe burn-out in real time, captured on these recordings. Finally, for the first time, several of these shows have been retooled to their correct sequencing with this collection reflecting the debaucherous live sets in all their feral glory that took place on January 5th at the South East Music Hall in Atlanta, Georgia, January 10th at the Longhorns Ballroom in Dallas, Texas, and January 14th at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco, California. Boasting all of the essential anthems from 'God Save The Queen' to 'Pretty Vacant' and 'Anarchy In The UK', behind the energy is the sound of a band imploding, while today not all wounds have healed with the surviving members currently enjoying a celebration of their iconic Never Mind The Bollocks LP with former Gallows frontman Frank Carter stepping in for MAGA man Jon Lydon, who continues to lob barbs at his former bandmates whenever given half the chance.

Review: The ill-fated Sex Pistols US tour of January 1978 has become as infamous and discussed as the band themselves, as it came at a time of rife turmoil between members whilst it was potentially beginning to dawn on them how out of place they were on their label, how inconsiderate and mismanaged they were being treated and how much more of a travelling circus show those in attendance were paying to see rather than genuinely caring for the music or message in the same manner of their homegrown fanbase. This exhaustion, frustration and evident burnout was all captured during these live performances, which after several semi-coherent releases have finally been isolated, properly sequenced and finally deliver the closest fly-on-the-wall experience to these implosive shows yet. Taken from their set at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco, this is peak pissed off Pistols on the cusp of their ultimate breaking point. While the band are currently enjoying a celebratory jaunt with former Gallows vocalist Frank Carter replacing the MAGA man John Lydon, delivering the closest experience to the Never Mind The Bollocks era yet, those who'd rather not spend more than 100 quid on a ticket can now experience the authentic real thing from the comfort of their turntable.

Review: Infamous, ill-fated and iconic all in equal measure, the Sex Pistols US tour of January 1978 has gone down in the annals of punk history as a chaotic state of affairs. Mismanaged by their team, stuck on a label only interested in their prowess for generating headlines and performing night after night to crowds more curious than engaged, the resulting jaunt would eventually lead to the band's total implosion. After years of these live recordings being distributed in piece-meal form, the recordings from this tour have finally been accurately sourced, re-sequenced and now delivered as individual live LPs with this pressing coming from their show at the Longhorns Ballroom in Dallas, Texas. The sheer exhaustion, frustration and oncoming burnout are evident through these feral performances, almost as if hearing the once youthful pioneers imploding in real time. Currently undertaking a costly world tour accompanied by former Gallows vocalist, Mr. Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes himself standing in for the now MAGA touting John Lydon, it's the closest fans will likely ever get to experiencing the Never Mind The Bollocks era, with these authentic real thing recordings coming in at a close second, delivered from the familiar comfort of your turntable.

Review: The Stockholm punks are back with their follow-up to 2022's Cave World. This fourth album of theirs was launched with the lead single 'Man Made Of Meat', which recalls English upstarts The Cool Greenhouse, Boston icons The Modern Lovers and 1977-era UK punk. Viagra Boys have been further teasing the album with new songs now making it onto their live set and 'The Bog Body' has become a fan favourite, as it's bombastic enough to spark circle pits. The mighty Pelle Gunnerfeldt (The Hives, Refused) is a frequent collaborator and remains the co-producer meaning there's no drastic changes in direction. Released via their own newly-launched record label, Shrimptech Enterprise, this self-titled effort is set to be a potent fertilizer for their popularity, as they continue to march around the globe, earning the public's respect as one of the century's best live punk bands.

Review: There's a good reason that the Viagra Boys' latest album is self-titled. Unlike their previous album, 2022's satirical, politically-charged Cave World, the Swedish post-punkers' latest set is lyrically far more introspective, with frontman Sebastian Murphy offering (in the band's own words), a "self-deprecating exploration of his own absurdity" (or, in the case of opener 'Made of Meat', "your mom's Only Fans"). Musically sitting between energetic, horn-heavy early 80s post-punk and grunge-fired US alt-rock - with occasional nods to more tropical and melody-driven flavours - the album is heaps of fun with strong songs aplenty, not least the jaunty 'Pyramid of Health', the low-slung, synth-sporting 'Waterboy' and the surprisingly pastoral 'River King'.

Review: There's no two ways about it: Viagra Boys will go down in history as one of the great Swedish success stories, alongside The Hives, Refused and ABBA. And they've done it without a squeaky clean image, which is refreshing in modern times - this is a band your mum probably wouldn't want you listening to as a kid. In terms of strengthening their status as modern titans of punk and rock n' roll in their country and globally, this fourth studio album is going to do just that. Lead single 'Man Made Of Meat' sets them up perfectly, it's like a sequel to The Stranglers' 'Peaches' in the verses and there's a rabble rousing chorus that you can't help but want to shout-a-long to. What's interesting sonically is they've been indulging in studio effects to twist guitars to sound like synths, meaning they've broadened their sound a lot compared to when they burst onto the scene with 'Sports'. That drive to innovate makes them all the more alluring, but they've not lost any of their character or feral sensibilities.