Los Pepes - Sick And Bored

London's power pop kings Los Pepes are back today with a song from a new album that seems to have sneaked out with little fanfare. Maybe all the much deserved praise will begin at the end of this week as that's when it's down for release on the labels Bandcamp page but as it's streaming already I'm going to post one of the tracks today. 

The band line up with Ben Perrier (Vocals/Guitar), Seisuke Nakagawa (Bass/Vocals), Guilherme Rujao (Guitar/Vocals) & Kris "Killer" Kowalski (Drums) and it's fair to say that any new release from them comes with a guarantee it'll be catchy as hell. The new album is no exception. 

It's titled The Happiness Programme, it features both tracks from the excellent single they released earlier this year (Want You Back/Never Get It Right) plus 10 new compositions that are equally as good.

This is an early highlight and it is called Sick And Bored...

Bandcamp

Saves The Day - At Your Funeral

At Your Funeral is the opening track from Saves The Day's third album Stay What You Are. It is probably their most popular track and was played tones on mtv2 back in the early 00's. Due to it being played so much I haven't listened to it for years, but the singer was recently on a Podcast I listen to discussing the song and hearing it brought back all kinds of memories.

The song was written after the singer as a young man went to hang out with a band he really respected at practice and all they did was drink and smoke, so he ended up being disappointed with the experience and saw this as the end of that relationship and having those guys on a pedestal and therefore wrote this song on the back of this. 

It is the typical pop punk 3 barre chord track but they do so much to make it a great track.

Blur - Out of Time

Blur are an English rock band. Formed in London in 1988, the group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Think Tank is their seventh studio album, released on 5 May 2003. Continuing the jam-based studio constructions of the group's previous album, 13 (1999), the album expanded on the use of sampled rhythm loops and brooding, heavy electronic sounds. There are also heavy influences from dance music, hip hop, dub, jazz, and African music, an indication of songwriter Damon Albarn's expanding musical interests.

Out of Time is the lead single and is a bass-driven track with minimal drums and acoustic guitar accompanied by eastern and orchestral flourishes. The faint gargling noises in the intro is part of a scene from Doctor Who. It reached number five in the UK Singles Chart. Out of Time was Blur's first release in three years and also the band's first release without guitarist Graham Coxon.

In October 2011, NME placed it at number 73 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years" and eighth on its list "Greatest Tracks of the Decade". They later ranked it the 499th best song ever.

The song was accompanied by an anti-war music video directed by John Hardwick, edited by Quin Williams and produced by Mike Wells through London-based production company Helen Langridge Associates (HLA). It was the first of Blur's videos to not feature the band members themselves in any way, consisting entirely of footage from a 2002 BBC Correspondent documentary depicting life aboard the United States aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln on duty in the Persian Gulf. Produced and directed by Anthony Makin, shot by Brian Green and Dale Rodkin and edited by Karen O'Connor, Warship was filmed in October 2002 and premiered 1 December 2002 on BBC Two. Hardwick got the idea to use the documentary footage for the music video while watching the film. He showed the band a reference tape cut to fit the song in early February 2003. Blur decided to release it as the finished video. It premiered on 10 March.

The video is centred on Jill Ameperosa, a 24-year-old aircraft maintenance technician. After walking up to the deck, she looks out at sea whilst subtitles on the screen read, "Two days after I get home he leaves. It's just too hard. I used to love him. But you can't love someone you don't know anymore ...".

Albarn described the video as

the antithesis of the 'Top Gun' image of the American military machine. It focuses on the loneliness of somebody working on an aircraft carrier and the fact that a six-month tour of duty means that relationships break down and children go without their parents. That's the reality of it."

Commenting on the video, Hardwick explained,

it occurred to me that some of the personnel revealed in that film communicated a fragility that I felt was echoed in the song. Putting the two together was a comparatively simple task. The video offers an alternative perspective on the individuals who exist at the sharp end of government policy by portraying the armed forces as being staffed by people who have the same needs as all others."

The video won Hardwick a Wood Pencil for music video direction and Williams a Graphite Pencil for music video editing at the 2004 D&AD Awards.

Anthrax - Island Mentality

This is Anthrax the UK anarcho punk band, not Anthrax the US heavy metal band. They formed in Gravesend, Kent, back in 1980 during the time that Crass were sniffing out bullshit and Maggie Thatcher was breeding a generation of voracious capitalists. They were a band that we needed back then and we still need them today. 

They've just released a new album. It's their first for almost a decade, it's titled Serfs Out, and it's available from the band's Grow Your Own Records. As you might expect, they aren't happy with the state of the nation. They attack leaders ("care and compassion are no longer in fashion"), the media ("dumb it down dumb it down, vilify, throw it out there, repeat the lie") and those that enable this current shit show ("I'm so fuckin' proud of my country, I love to watch it fall from grace"). It's an album about the rich conning the poor with the help of a complicit media and it's simultaneously a great listen and a saddening one. It's about food banks, Brexit, greed and dumbing down. It's modern day life, maybe it's life as it's always been and sadly always will be. 

A few of the songs are re recorded versions of tracks that have appeared in recent years, a few are new, all fit together nicely to make up one of the best albums of 2021.

The track I'm highlighting here is the one that concerns itself with little Englanders yearning for a glorious past that didn't actually exist. It's called Island Mentality... 

Facebook

Bandcamp

Covert Flops - Spy School Dropout

Covert Flops are an Indiana 3 piece (Chad (guitar vox), Adam (drums), Billy (Bass vox)) and if you like The Lillingtons, Ramones, Queers etc then you'll like these guys. Titled Mission: Implausible, they have released a new album and it is more of what you'd expect from them. They're still singing about spies and they're still influenced by The Ramones and The Lillingtons' The Backchannel Broadcast album. They're still lots of fun. The album's available via Mon's Basement Records

This track is called Spy School Dropout... 

Facebook

Bandcamp

Teenage Bigfoot - The CIA Killed Bill Hicks

Teenage Bigfoot are a trio from Philadelphia featuring Tiffany Tavella (bass/vocals), Joe Gdowik (guitar/vocals) & Jake Wunderlich (drums). They've been plying their fun, 90's pop punk influenced wares since 2013 and have built up a solid back catalogue of music. Their latest release is a new album titled Weapons Against Darkness and it's pretty damn impressive. 

Pop punk influenced it may be but it's the powerful, punchy brand of pop punk, not the anodyne kind. It's pacy, bounce around party music for punks who want to go to a show and get all sweaty.

It's available now on Bloated Kat Records as a name your price download.

This is a highlight, it's titled The CIA Killed Bill Hicks...

Facebook

Bandcamp

Bloated Kat Records

Pinch Points - Reasons To Be Anxious

Lining up with Acacia Coates (vocals/bass), Adam Smith (vocals/guitar), Isabella Orsini (drums) & Jordan Oakley (guitar), Pinch Points are an inventive and fun post punk outfit who've been getting plenty of good press and touring with the likes of Amyl And The Sniffers, Tropical Fuck Storm, Viagra Boys etc.

Reasons To Be Anxious is their latest single and it has back and forth female/male vocals telling us it's better to stay at home curled up under the duvet with the wi fi for company, it's far too stressful an experience venturing outdoors. On the flip side and clocking in at almost 4 minutes, Boy "dives deep into the cesspool of toxic masculinity and the repressed emotions that boys are socialised to deny, with disastrous outcomes for everyone." It's another good release by one of Aus' many great bands and it's going to be followed by a new album next March. 

Bandcamp

Kill Lincoln - That Song

The DC ska-punks released a cover of the Bouncing Souls track That Song as part of the compilation "Having a Bad Time, Wish You Were Here" which is available on vinyl + digital from Bad Time Records. It is a great version of an already brilliant track.

Enjoy!

Klobber - Only In It For The Beer

Klobber are from Madrid and have recently released an excellent album titled Clap Time! The album is available from local label Take The City Records and the label describes them as Madrid's best punk band. I think Accidente may have something to say on that!

The Bandcamp page throws up comparisons with the likes of Zero Boys, Adolescents, The Clash & Circle Jerks. Classic punk rock influenced by some of the genre's greats. Subjects covered include white privilege, the power of the media, addiction and life during the pandemic. They're not just in it for the beer, they're a band with plenty to say. They've got some damn good tunes too. 

Bandcamp

MC16 - United States of Generica

United States of Generica is the new single by Shropshire trio MC16. The band's take on the single is that it "bemoans the process and solution of ‘Saving our High Streets’ which seems to condense down to ‘If we can help rich developers and rich brands become even richer then we will save it." Andy comments that “High streets have just become memories now. I remember some of the great characters of our high street like the man who was always dressed as a cowboy shopping with his Mum, and the busker with only one string on his guitar. Now its just a middle ground of mediocrity!” 

Guitarist and co-vocalist Carson chips in with “You can’t just blame the death of the high street on the internet. High streets are very product focused but me personally, I don’t buy a new brand label t- shirt every week but I would be more of a user if they were more service or experience focused and built on need not gain.” Drummer Duffy tells how “I used to think I was psychic. I could be in any city centre for the very first time and know where all the shops were. But then I realised that all the city centres are all just generic. I am not psychic Pah!”. 

It's a great single and a worthy addition to an impressive back catalogue of single releases which can be found on Bandcamp.

Facebook

Bandcamp

Dicklord - Don't Tell Me

Byron Bay punks Dicklord sound like a mix up of L7 and Amyl And The Sniffers. They recently released LP number 2, Pre Menstrual Attitude which boasts a dozen songs which mix anger and humour. It's the sound of a band that are pissed off but not po faced. It's not for the faint of heart. It's available on vinyl and cd via Valve Records and their Bandcamp.

This track is called Don't Tell Me... 

Facebook

Valve Records

Bandcamp

Aborted Tortoise - Stage Banter

Forming in a Perth high school in 2013 by 3 friends, Aborted Tortoise's expanded line up features Connor Lane (Vocals), Tom Milan (Guitar), Charles Wickham (Guitar), John Peers (Bass) and Alex Patching (Drums).

They have just released a new album titled A Album. It was recorded in 2018 but is just being unleashed and it's another winner from down under. It's available from Bargain Bin Records (Aus), Under The Gun Records (US) or Bachelor Records (Europe). You can get it on vinyl (black or yellow) and digital download.

It's hectic garage influenced punk with songs about about "bees, the Goosebumps book series, Coles Minis, getting blasted into the sun and being born." It's a fun listen and a worthy companion on your record shelves to some of the other great recent Aussie releases by bands such as Stiff Richards, Alien Nosejob, The Chats, Private Function, Disco Junk, Civic etc... 

This is Stage Banter... 

Facebook

Bandcamp

Fatal Blow - One Voice

Fatal Blow are the oi/street punk quartet from South Wales who recently released a new LP titled Black Gold. They started up as a side project of The Oppressed and feature a line up of Paul Cobley (guitar/vocals), Nidge Downs (guitar), Wayne Bending (bass) & Antal Kizmus (drums).

Black Gold is a worthy follow up to Generals And Soldiers with 13 "working class hymns" that will get people singing along at their live shows. Politically astute songs of solidarity, fighting side by side and lost love, it even features a top notch cover of the Tom Robinson Band's Up Against The Wall. You can get it on cd and digital download on their Bandcamp

This is One Voice... 

Facebook

Bandcamp

The Ramonas - Last Punk In The Village

Brighton punks The Ramonas have released a video for their song Last Punk In The Village. The song is a highlight from their new album, Haphazard, but it's by no means the only "hit." The band (Lisa Lathwell (lead vocals), Maxine Cahill (guitar), Victoria Smith (bass/backing vocals) & Camille Phillips (drums)) are on top form throughout. The lyrics touch on subjects such as the demise of Donald Trump, corruption, sexism, the environment, mental health and Dee Dee Ramone's Rock n Roll Hall Of Fame Speech. Musically, they manage to hit hard but pack in plenty of catchy tunes too. The album's available on cd and digital download whilst a limited edition vinyl release will be available in 2022 on ProRawk records USA. 

Facebook

Big Cartel

Bandcamp

51st State - Great British Public

51st State are a duo from Exeter. They describe their music as Bass & beat punk/dub/industrial. Louder Than War's Nathan Brown, whilst reviewing previous ep Plastic called their sound a hippy-punk mashup of anarcho punk, ska, dub, thrash and space rock. I think it's fair to say the band like to experiment and that you never quite know what to expect. 

On their new single however (or at least on the song they've just released a video for), they've gone for a more traditional anarcho punk sound. And very good it is too. 

The single will be out soon on Grow Your Own Records (as is the case globally, the single is at the mercy of the vinyl pressing plants which are all logjammed at the moment). Pretty sure the wait will be worthwhile. 

This is Great British Public...

Facebook

Grit - Parazone

Grit are a female fronted punk band from Dublin who recently released their debut album. Shatterproof is an excellent debut album which builds on the promise of 2 very fine singles. 10 tracks of gritty, oi infused punk rock with catchy tunes and well written lyrics. Topics covered include Irish revolutionary military commander police commissioner and fascist asshole Eoin O'Duffy, struggling to make it through the day, women fearing for their safety if they go out alone, living in poverty etc. It's a release that I didn't know was coming and it's a very welcome surprise.

Parazone is the opening track, it's a song of which the band say "the subject matter seems to be escalating every day. The same story of property vultures and destroyed neighborhoods all over the world. Don't let them kill our city! Dublin still has a soul!"

Facebook

Bandcamp

AU Vinyles Bandcamp

Tom Jenkins - Cocaine Hearts

Better known for his indie punk band Straight Lines, Tom Jenkins has been doing some solo bits recently. The new EP Cocaine Hearts / Illusion is exactly what you'd expect from the self-proclaimed "Sunday League songwriter", a statement I disagree with. Illusion was the track that followed Natural Light, but I am going with Cocaine Hearts. Nice guitar work and those dreamy vocals with some thoughtful lyrics thrown in too. Lovely little EP.

Facebook

Ludovico Einaudi - Natural Light

As with most I first became aware of his work through This Is England and since then I have been to a number of his performances and they are always great experiences, whether solo or with full orchestra.

Natural Light is the latest single from him which appeared on my Release Radar a couple of weeks back. It was the first song on there and I enjoyed it more than I have some of his more recent works. Calm and peaceful, it has been quite the relaxing background track for me. Looking forward to the new album which I think is out early next year.

Postage - 80-85

Postage are a "mid tempo loud abrasive melodic pop punk" band from Albany, New York, who's line up is Mike Moak (guitars/vocals), Tyler Paige (guitar), Chris Millington (drums) and Eric Pressman (bass). The members are genre veterans having served their time playing in bands such as Signal Lost, Male Patterns, Mystery Girl and After the Fall. 

They released the 4 track Flexi ep in 2019 and then a split single the following year with Mikey Erg. Their Self Titled album is now available to check out in it's entirety and a very enjoyable listen it is. Several of the tracks which were originally on those earlier releases have been given a loving polish. 

All the tracks are catchy and worthy of  multiple plays and I am going with 80-85.

Facebook

Bandcamp

Dirt Byrds - This Country

Dirt Byrds are a 3 piece from Bangor (Northern Ireland, not Wales!) who line up thus; Keith Farr, John McLachlan & Chipper Robinson.

Their latest release is an album titled Dirt. It's a dozen tracks and the band's intention was to make a record that "sounds like a banging demo rather than a polished studio track, it’s a street punk song after all." They succeeded. 

Dirt sounds great and the songs, written by Keith Farr who wrote songs for Belfast legends Runnin Riot, are timeless classics. There's times when listening to it that you could swear you were listening to outtakes from the sessions for Inflammable Material. Topics covered include refusing to be downtrodden, seaside riots, elections being a waste of time, the battle of Cable Street and parasitic politicians. Definitely an album of the year contender, it's available via Dammit Records on cd and digital download.

This is the opening track and sets us up nicely for the rest of a barnstorming listen. It's called This Country...

Facebook

Bandcamp

The Pulsebeats - (She Sings Like) Joey Ramone

The Pulsebeats are from Santander and they play a catchy mix of power pop and garage rock. They feature vocalist/guitarist Nathan Whittle (a contributor for Louder Than War who moved from England to Spain 12 years ago and has hooked up with 3 Spaniards (Luis Ibáñez: Guitar, Alejandro Santos: Bass, Raúl García: Drums) in a band that are preparing to release their first album since 2016's Fiction Non-Fiction.

Titled Lookin' Out, it'll be available on Friday on cd and digital download via their Bandcamp.

This is the lead single, it's an up tempo rocker that more than lives up to that cool title.

Facebook

Bandcamp

The Shifty Grifts & Jet8 - Keeping Me Sane

The final song from the EP I have shared over the last couple of days ees both bands team up. This is such a cool way to finish the split and I wish more bands would do the same. This is an upbeat ska song that gives thanks to the music that helps you find your way through life. There’s a really upbeat and positive feeling to the whole song and it had me smiling throughout. I’m a sucker for easter eggs in songs and there are plenty sprinkled throughout the lyrics that I loved picking out. I really want to hear this song live at some point, with both bands performing it.

Hands Off! is a superb EP. It shows off two brilliant bands from Prague and it has me wondering what the rest of the Czech scene is like. There has been a lot of talk about the ska scene “returning” in recent months and these are two bands you definitely shouldn’t be sleeping on.

The Shifty Grifts - Kill the Rich

Following on from yesterday's song, I am sharing a track by the other band on the spilit EP. The Shifty Grifts are also a skacore band from Prague who I knew nothing about until this EP dropped. The first of their songs is titled Kill The Rich. This was my first time listening to the band and I was instantly in love with them. The band are more than happy to jump between melodic punk rock to bouncy ska and even a bit of reggae on the song, showing they have no borders when it comes to their songwriting. Kill The Rich starts with some real intensity before switching to some upbeat ska that will get everyone skanking and then jumping to a more high octane chorus. This is one of those songs that has so much going on and will leave you breathless. The theme of the song follows what Jet8 were also singing about – standing up for yourself and not getting downtrodden by folk who believe they are better than you.

Facebook

Bandcamp

Jet8 - Rise Up

Jet8 are a Czech skacore band who in 2020 released the incredible Chasing The High album. Now, in 2021, they’re back again with a new split EP with a band I wasn’t previously aware of named The Shifty Grifts – who are also a skacore band from Prague. The split EP is titled Hands Off! and features two new Jet8 songs, two new The Shifty Grifts songs and a collaboration between the two bands.

Jet8's second song on the EP is titled Rise Up. This is a song about being your own person and fighting for what you believe in. Jet8 do these songs so well and this is another fantastic example of that. The track starts off in a very horn heavy manor which really caught my attention and then saxophonist Daniela takes a turn on lead vocals. This was a nice surprise and added a fantastic extra element to the band’s sound. Jet8 are fantastic at writing ferocious choruses that will have a crowd shouting them back at the band with real passion.

Facebook

Bandcamp

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones - I Don’t Believe in Anything

The latest album from The Bosstones, which came out a few months back now, is a glorious example of the band at its greatest, ska- punk acolytes that can write one hell of a catchy, lyrically smart track. For me, you have to go all the way back to 2000’s Pay Attention to find an album that is song for song this consistently solid in The Bosstones’ back catalogue.

I am going with I Don’t Believe in Anything which offers some insight as to how the near-forty-year-old band chose to keep their hands busy over the last year.

The Copyrights - Part Of The Landscape

Midwest poppy punks The Copyrights' first album in seven years, Alone In A Dome, came out a few weeks back via Fat Wreck Chords and ahead of the release, they premiered new single "Part of the Landscape." It's an anthemic punk song with a huge-sounding chorus that should instantly scratch an itch for longtime Copyrights fans, or just as any fans of melodic punk in general.

Vocalist/bassist Adam Fletcher tells us, "'Part of the Landscape' was the first song Luke brought to the table when we started the process of making a new record. After we had recorded it, we all agreed that it was a stone-cold jam, and it gave us some momentum to keep working towards having enough new songs to make a whole album. Growing old in a crumbling midwest city is something I think many people can probably relate to. The line 'you're gonna die alone in a Bucky dome' was the inspiration for the album title and the video. A 'bucky' dome is a reference to Buckminster Fuller; he was an author, futurist, and designer most known for his geodesic dome design. We shot some of the video in Fuller's original geodesic dome home that he lived in while he was in Carbondale."

Check it out below...

The Exbats - Ghost In The Record Store

Tucson's amazing The Exbats have released a new video for The Ghost in the record store. From the band's new album Now Where Were We is out now via Goner records.

Exquisitely amazing and seasonally apt video features the actual cool record store Wooden Tooth Records. A catchy and great track.

This is The Ghost in the record store.

Bandcamp

Facebook

The Bare Minimum - Woah

The Bare Minimum are a punk band from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Playing a heavy but fun brand of punk threaded together by frantically catchy hooks, landing somewhere between irony and nihilism, they subvert pop songs into meditations on bar culture, boredom, and scene politics. So there you go!

Woah is their latest single that I am sharing today.

Facebook

Bandcamp

Youtube

The Lee Harveys - Motor City Bluez

Hailing from Dublin and forming in 2009, The Lee Harveys love '77 style punk rock. Not only have they just released a new ep titled 77, they've enlisted one of punk's iconic figures, Rat Scabies, to produce and mix it. 

Motor City Bluez is the lead track on 77 and is joined by another 3 choice cuts from a band at the top of their game. 

Facebook

The Lee Harveys Bandcamp

Lady Bird - Infants

Lady Bird are a trio (Sam Cox, Alex Deadman, Joe Walker) from Tunbridge Wells who play a similar style of fresh faced indie punk to another excellent band from that area, Slaves. Their upcoming album is due out on Christmas Day via Alcopop Records and it's one I'm very much looking forward to. You can pre order it on their Bandcamp.

As a teaser of things to come I am sharing Infants.

Facebook

Bandcamp