Guitar Gangsters - Built To Last

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...

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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... 

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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.

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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... 

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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. 

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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...

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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.

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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...

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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.

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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.

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Campaign Of Terror - Divide And Fall

Campaign Of Terror are a new UK punk band that have recently posted a couple of songs to Bandcamp with more tracks on their way.

Divide And Fall is about how those in power are encouraging a Them vs Us society. This is Divide and conquer.

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I Feel Fine - Elemenohpea

Is there such a thing as uplifting emo? If your gut says no, then perhaps I Feel Fine can change your mind with The Cold In Every Shelter. The Brighton-based four-piece’s debut full-length is definitely an emotional and introspective record, but at the same time it can be incredibly joyful and even heart-warming. It’s an album which owes a lot to 90s midwestern emo, while also exuding a modern danceable indie-punk energy. Clocking in at 30 minutes, it’s a short, sweet and somehow sunny listen that’s well worth your time.

Easily the stand out feature of I Feel Fine's music is their vocal interplay. Most of The Cold… sees all four band members singing in unison; a mix of gang vocals and beautiful four part harmonies. This lends the record a real sense of camaraderie, like a group of friends singing and shouting through their pain. It’s also sure to produce plenty of live sing-alongs, as proven quickly by opener Something New To Worry About. Many more examples follow, not least in second and third tracks Elemenohpea and Million which round out the album’s strong opening run.

The Cold In Every Shelter is a triumphant debut for I Feel Fine . It’s a varied and well-crafted record that shows tonnes of promise and an impressive maturity already. Given the band have only a few years under their belt, and considering the rude health of the British alternative scene at the moment, the future looks very bright indeed for this creative young quartet.

I am going with Elemenohpea which shows off all the qualities from the album.

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Burial - Hiders

A friend sent me the "Nirvana Reimaged As House & Techno" album earlier in the week, which somehow sent me down a Burial rabbit hole. This is a good read on an album that as I've said previously will always hold a special place for me.

Rather than another track from Untrue, I am going for Hiders from his 2013 EP Rival Dealer. Hiders is Burial in miniature form, a sub-five-minute solo cut and one of the only true standalone tracks in his catalogue. It opens with an anthemic synth figure that starts and stops several times, returning each time with varying fidelity, before a splashy arena-rock drumbeat crashes through the ambience, stepping in time with the cascading synth figure and a vocal sample that seems to hover just slightly above everything else. A beautifully emotional piece from Burial. He uses the piano in this track perfectly.

Sniff - Queer

Hailing from Falmouth, Sniff is the new project of Alex Smith from Bobby Funk & Tinnedfruit.

He's recently released a debut Self Titled EP. He's been sat on the tracks a while but they're now out there for everyone to enjoy and he's already added a new track called Horizontal Friend to Bandcamp. Gigs will follow soon once a band has been put together. 

The ep features 5 tracks of indie meets punk and very enjoyable they are too. Today I am sharing the track Queer.

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Pozi - Typing

Pozi are a 3 piece post punk band from London comprising of Toby Burroughs (Drums/Vocals), Tom Jones (Bass/Vocals) & Rosa Brook (Violin/Vocals).

This is the title track of the band's upcoming 5 track ep and it's a song that ags away at you slowly insinuating its way into your consciousness. Dealing with the anxiety and paranoia that can be experienced when you're in a conversation with someone on Whatsapp, it called Typing.

The ep will be out on October 29th on limited edition sea green 12" vinyl via Prah Recordings and you pre order (and listen to 3 tracks) on Bandcamp

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Austerity - Am I Trending Yet

Austerity are a three piece post-punk / dance-punk band from Brighton. They want to make nerds dance and we want to make punks join unions. They list amongst their influences the likes of XTC, Scritti Politti and Wire and are often compared to Gang of Four, A Certain Ratio and Fugazi.

  

A couple of months ago they released a song about social media commentary and how the likes of Katie Hopkins can make cash from spewing out mock outrage which is lapped up as fact by the easily led ("What do you pay to see them get outraged every day? What will we pay, dividing our nation every day?"). It's not without humour but is also biting. It features Rhi Kavok from Gulls on backing vocals. It's called Am I Trending Yet.

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Slalom D - Images Of Joy

Last November I posted Final Girl by Sunderland 4 piece Slalom D. Titled Final Girl, it was about survival and hanging on in there and I'm pleased that it's managed to hang on in there and reappear on the band's new album. 

The album is called Happy Skies and I'm pleased to report that there's plenty of other songs on it that are as good. Unlike many a punk album, most of the tracks run past the 3 minute mark but as a testament to how good they are, none seem overlong. It's an enjoyable and consistent listen with highlights aplenty. You can contact the band on Facebook if you want a cd or visit Bandcamp for the digital version. 

I'm going with Images Of Joy this time around.

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Wet Leg - Chaise Longue

Wet Leg are Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers, they're from the Isle Of Wight and they've the potential to be massive. They're fun, they're probably filthy (unless they only actually want muffins buttering!) and they do it all with a knowing look and an aura of immense coolness. 

Obviously, with this being their debut single it could be a fluke and these heights may never be reached again. But I'm hopeful that won't be the case. 

This is Chaise Longue...

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