THE OBJEX – ATTACK OF THE OBJEX

With an incessant velocity, a sexually psyched up front lady and a superb assortment of melodies and riffs this makes for one excellent album.

‘Fun in your Funeral’ sets a pace that barely tires and the ensuing ‘Sally’ is a raucous riot of rebellion and mania that leads perfectly into the tremendous ‘The Reaction’.  Very solid from the outset with a resolute approach that says we mean business.  Its one of those songs that set the foundations for more showy efforts and which is sometimes overlooked but one that should be noted here for the bit of class it most certainly is.

Next one of the best as ‘Kill The Stereotypes’ thunders along with some great guitar moments and with an edge that is similar in composition to a more British sound.  Nevertheless the difference here is the ability of a few American bands to add urgency and an all round controlled busyness that lesser bands just cock right up.

‘Naysayers’ is fuckin’ brilliant in its manic incessancy and exhausting tempo and ‘Arm Candy (PDA)’ is also quality  and one for the live crowds to join in with., as is the whole damn CD in fact as this surpasses many other US offerings in that the production and no-fuck-a-bout approach is charming and welcome in the extreme.

‘Eat This’ is vulgar, viperous and very fuckin’ tasty (no pun intended – honestly) and is another that the crowds will just adore.  ‘Killjoy’, ‘Gotta Get Some’ and the brilliant finale of ‘Gag’ set me of a belief that we may be witnessing the emergence of one of America’s greats and a band that can carry the banner forth into punks future winning fans world wide.

Anyone with an inkling toward to US sound must seek this out and ‘enjoy’ and if this review doesn’t arouse the curiosity of the British punk to go and check this lot out then the review is pointless.  Well except that it gives me a chance to preach about another fine piece of punk rock passion.

THE RED EYES – ON PRESCRIPTION

A bloody good effort here with a sound bordering on punk, psychobilly, rockabilly etc. but never quite categorising itself thus remaining upbeat and refreshing.  The vocals are exceedingly good indeed with a clear gruffness and steadiness of tone that really does the job.   ‘Wake Up Call’, and ‘Something In The Way’ are a triumphant duo of melody and spring along with toe-tapping brilliance whilst ‘The Black Box’ is more deliberate and forceful in rhythm.  At this point in proceedings I am finding the whole sound similar in effect to a Turbo AC’s presentation in the fact that it real does feel like highway driving music and destined to be played by cowboy booted truckers or open top cruisers along some winding freeway into the sunset.  ‘Forever’ springs hope eternal and is a joyously emotional montage of optimism whereas ‘I Can’t Get’ comes across as more downbeat and defeatist.  Each one is a superb track and highlights The Red Eyes ability to approach songs and subjects from various angles and views.  The further one gets into the CD the more it becomes apparent that this is an accomplished unit making music for the sheer fuckin’ pleasure of it.  The main theme seems to be relationship problems and the opposing opinions of genders that quite often results in misunderstandings on all fronts.  Hardly political and punk but what the fuck is punk about anyway?  If it’s honest, spirited and very passionate then that’s punk and for me this embraces all.

‘Bad Girl’ is a sing-a-long beauty, ‘(Its Not) The End Of The World’ continues the upbeat and defiant theme with ‘Who’s Sorry Now’ a sobering gem dealing with one of life’s unfortunate realities and the finale of ‘Split Personality’ being the best of the lot.

A superior offering from an accomplished set of performers who certainly know how to thrash out a darn fine tune.  Get your seatbelt fastened, switch on the engine, get this excellent offering turning, hit those roads and enjoy!

ASEZAWALLAS – NEEDLE

Grimy, DIY and deliciously degenerate this crude 5 track creation smartly abandons the processed production regime and grinds along in a somewhat unrehearsed, spur-of-the-moment manner that certainly has distinction and roguish charm borne of dark subject matter and hard-fuelled rhythms.

The sombre intensity is enthralling as is the factory-like resonance that thumps the psyche continuously giving visions of a blacker Metropolis than Lang ever envisioned.  In fact the monochrome masterpiece epic being soundtrack by this bleak sounding band is a real thought provoking notion.  Interesting!

The CD opens with ‘Needle’ which is a minor masterstroke and sets the stage for a short journey of relentless sound that I personally really, really like.  There is a persuasive undercurrent here that just beckons to be played again and with the optimistic opening guitar riff one is immediately drawn in.  A great song replete with gravely-produced vocals and heavy industrial guitar work.

The decadent delight that is ‘Mammy’s Little Bitch’ follows and swiftly comes ‘Bury It Deep Inside’ that sounds as though it is a raw 60’s regurgitation spawned from a chasm of angst.  ‘Just Like A Leech’ confronts the listener head-on with a melodic intro, starling lyrical content and a  concrete chord structure. 

The quintet closes with ‘Mammy’s Little Bitch Part 2’ which to me is the most ‘normalised’ song of the lot but is still anti-mainstream at it roots.

Holistically a real thrill that is subtle in its attraction and ambience.  A little cracker!

BOOKSTORE - DEMO

A 3 track golden set here with a trio of sparkling gems of contrasting aural flavours. Fresh, nostalgic yet sublimely modern with a cute individualistic approach and professional finish to make this one of the best demo's around. Reminiscent of 70's female fronted punk with under fuzzed guitars and excellent light and heady femme fatale qualities this is a choice piece of music.All 3 tracks are great and the question arises as to whether Bookstore can continue over an album length. Given the blatant talent here it is highly conceivable. A very intriguing listen this and promises so much that surely there is a wonderful future ahead here. 'Shotgun Johnny', 'Braindead' and 'Pete Rudd Minotaur' take your pick as each one is a searing choice cut led by some quality feminine vocals.

VICE SQUAD - DEFIANT

Its been along time since I heard anything new from this lot and on the initial hearing its been worth the wait. Despite not being the greatest Vice Squad fan I really enjoyed listening to this especially the first 8 tracks which have an abundance of venom and cracking punk moments. There's nothing new on offer here but hey when its this good there doesn't have to be as Beki and the boys play some real meaty music on a fine album. This effort and the 2001 EMI release 'Bang to Rights' are the best Vice Squad stuff around and there are plenty of great tracks for the seeker of good old fashioned punk rock. As said its the first 8 that light my fire and the titles say it all about this bands attitude - 'Voice Of The People', 'Britain Is Still Burning', 'Fast Forward', 'Don't Let The Bastards Grind You Down', 'Defiant', 'Ordinary Decent', and 'The Story Of My Life' just compliment each other perfectly and set such a standard that for me the remaining tracks fail to live up to. Thats a personal thing though and I wouldn't deter anyone from trying this album out for themselves. For me though the real pleasure comes when you see a band who has been around for so long actually improve with each release rather than just go through the motions and get by on mediocre shite. If you have a few quid spare you could do a lot worse than spend it on this CD.

ANONYMOUS TIP – PROMO

Unrestricted by the all too imaginary boundaries of punk and ska’s limited thinkers and pigeon-hole brigade this CD kicks off with a well judged concoction of variable influences resulting in a more than palatable dish of dig ‘n’ jig ditties.  It is always a pleasure when a band attacks the pulsating throat of melody from various angles and leaves nothing to the imagination more often than not leaving a bloody mess rather than an artistic portrayal of brutality.  Anonymous Tip capture the aggression, release it, delve into various other emotions and sublimely return back in barely a breath.  This is a CD that is produced to an excellent standard thus winning favour from the outset.

Track 1, ‘My Archaic Friend’, continues with the persuasive theme and leads you by the hand into 4 tracks of the highest order.  I am by no means an authority in this genre of music but one can’t help but appreciate the classy style with which this is served.  Add to this a recent live viewing which displayed an abundance of spirit and energy and I can’t help being a fan of this crew.  And why not?  Some would question if this is indeed punk but my response would be that this is ‘Punk that questions’.  A surprising pearl this with ‘Mouth of the Sufferer’, ‘Remember my Name’ and ‘Sworn Never to be Generic’ all contributing to a mouth watering taster for a forthcoming album.  Order your copy now.  Hey – and what the fuck is punk anyway?

KONCEPT - SKEPTISCHE PUT

Bulldozing Belgium rockers Koncept's second release with a live recording rattled out in Kinrooi. Despite being puked through a PA this is a thoroughly decent live effort and reflects what a fantastic band Koncept are. Bi-lingually delivered each track displays anger and melody in equal amounts. A cracking outfit this who do old style punk in such an up tempo way that is instantaneously admirable. Another band to keep an eye on and with such great tracks as 'World Today' and 'ACAB' these lot could do some serious damage on the Europunkian front. 'Grown Up Bully' kicks off this hammer driven CD and pile drives its way to the epicentre of punk spirit taking no prisoners on its joyous way. One of the best Euro bands around and their forthcoming studio alnum is eagerly awaited.

THE LAST ROUND - LOST IN POLITICS

The first track on this 4 track demo is called 'Feel; and has a nice catchy tune that sticks in the head. There are some good moments that start this CD on a promising note. 'Off' the second track is slightly repetitive and is gratefully reprieved by some adequate guitar work. Thirdly is a song called 'Suicide' that has some solid rifts and sounds like a punk-o-rama sampler which is by no means an insult. This, as are the other tracks, is a well crafted song with emphasis on composition that hints at TLR's underpinning knowledge of music. The final track 'Possible' adds weaponry to this thought and despite the vocals seemingly in conflict with the rest of the song it fails to detract that 'Possible' sums up this bands prospects. The whole CD is highly listenable and despite a few lulls in tempo and an average recording, is definitely worth a shot. Having seen the band live and having witnessed a nervous, slack performance I must say that on this evidence improvement shouldn't be a problem. Definitely one to watch!!!

PURGATORY STATE - SEEK AND BETRAY

Here we have a loud, brash and aggressive fuelled cacophony that sometimes hits the right note and sometimes wanders astray into the tortuous depths of tuneless terror. This Skunk Anansi sounding quartet of riotous music rattles along but somehow seems hellbent on derailing itself with the lack of consistency being a blatant a flaw. However the first 2 tracks namely 'Seek and Betray' and 'I Feel' are solid openers and the raucous highs of the PMT fuelled front lady promise much. The third track plunges into shite mode and leaves you wondering 'what went wrong' but almost immediately the finale is upon you and 'By Song' caps a decent and puzzling first attempt. A live viewing is on the cards where I would expect a lot more and hopefully the power overwhelms the musical misdemeanours that are so readily picked up here. A little more consistency and the right approach to finding a niche they're happy with and Purgatory State can do well in the right circles, but have to accept that this style is very much an acquired taste.

KONCEPT - INDERDAAD

Belgium's finest rip it up loud 'n' proud with their best release to date. The opening car crash sequence explodes into a shower of snarling shards in the form of the forthright 'Aanvang Der Werken'. A solid opener that includes a superb escalating segment that builds to an angst laden crescendo. 'Grown Up Bully' is a classy piece of work and the best track of the album. Recently chosen by my goodself as part of a Fungalpunk compilation this track is a welcome addition I am proud to include - nuff said! Track 4, namely 'Belspelleties' continues the quality and has the CD's most exciting moment with a latter end outburst of duelling vocals delivered against a backdrop of 1000cc guitar riffs and raging, rolling drums. Wow!

The high fuelled theme marches on with the torrential 'Kiespijn' slamming the head into the depths of lunatic oblivion. The more orthodox yet equally convincing 'TV Zombie' follows and also does the business. The approach of Koncept effervesces with a mean all-out offence that simply drills home its spirit and intent with admirable technique. There is quite an indistinct techno/computerised ambience throughout that adds a European touch seldom found to this standard.

'Cuckoo' winds into action and erupts forth in relentless style only occassionally slowing the pace to take stock then to venomously dish out more raging lyrical utterances.

The final 2 tracks of this CD come at the listener with a reason to rampage and the job is a good un'. The finale of 'Het Koninghuis' is a choice way to full stop a fuckin' full on album of the highest order. A great band this full of spirit and approachable characters and long may the chaotic Koncept continue. Hardwork and enthusiasm seem to be paying off for a genuine band and as the curve turns upwards who knows what to expect next? Perhaps some bloody good stuff - it just may be so.