CD REVIEWS (Guest Reviewers) Page 1
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REVENGE OF BERN AND THE BASTARDS - BERN AND THE BASTARDS It is the polished satirical effort of songwriter, singer and guitarist, Bern the Bastard. 13 tracks center around our late-stage capitalist climate, where passions are secondary to financial obligations, and advertisements stand in for honest answers, with glimpses into what a post-apocalyptic future may hold. The 4-piece Philly band blends elements of heavy rock, hardcore punk, ska, jazz, and more in this long-awaited release, the band’s first full length album. The result? A dynamic avalanche of sound, melody, and depth. The album shows you without apology how diverse and talented each member of this outfit is. From Bern’s harmonized guitar solos, to the jazzy runs of bassist, James Cooper, right down to the crisp deliberate drumming of Jared Williams and bashing chords of rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist, Jonny Lim, the tunes groove and push boundaries, which is what rock n’ roll came here to do in the first place. ‘The Revenge’ features guest appearances from singers Nikki Nailbomb and Elissa Janelle Velveteen of Trenton Punk band, Molly Rhythm, reunited after their 2020 hiatus on a revamp of Bastard’s classic, “Lobotomy Blues.” Nikki also appears on tracks, “Die” and “Creature of Decay,” and Elissa on “Theme Song of the Apocalypse.” The third track, “Flowers & Worms” is a haunting minor key tune featuring industrial rapper, Wormtooth. It builds from a light jazzy riff to a dense and heavy three part guitar harmony, with furious call and response vocals from Bern and Wormtooth. Samples used throughout the album pull from 50’s sci-fi movies, 90’s anime, and an audiobook about the planet Arrakis, giving the whole album a conceptual and narrative feel when listened to from start to finish. Motifs lyrically explored by the album include humans trashing the planet, plants getting their revenge, and the ever-present advertisement. The delivery is meant to be wry and tongue-in-cheek, but the songs can’t help but reach a deeper meaning sung in today’s climate. This isn’t the first release from South Philly’s graveyard rockers, listeners can find their EPs ‘Lobotomy TV!’ and ‘You’re Only as Good as your Propaganda!’ as well as a handful of singles, on the band’s music media sites (links at the bottom article). The Bastards’ next show is Febuary 19th at The Tabernacle House in North Philly. https://bernandthebastards.bandcamp.com Review by: Gary Eagling (Eagle Spits) |
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NOUVEAU BLEACH - NOUVEAU BLEACH EP Kicking things off is a track called Nouveau Bleach. Using repetition like a great Kraut Rock band meeting The Fall. This mid-paced track sucks you in and doesn't let you off the hook until Nouveau Bleach let you off. Whilst it might be true that “there is nothing new under the sun” Nouveau bleach sound new and fresh. Sure there are elements which upon reflection brings to mind bands like Crisis, Joy Division and The Fall yet Nouveau Bleach sound like, none other than, Nouveau Bleach. The vocalist has a very distinct style which is effective for delivering intelligent lyrics of the political persuasion. There are no Thatcher is still dead kind of lyrics here. Nouveau Bleach point out current situations and present concerns such as covid 19, drinking bleach and truth becoming a commodity. This is a fine start to the EP and keeps you wanting more.
'Kondonauts' is the penultimate track on the EP. It continues to sound “other” but with a more traditional punk sound. Cymbals crashing and a subdued Stooges guitar sound, but with droning vocals. There's also a hint of ska but this is an underlying sound to give feel rather than let it take over the sound. A humorous piss take of Marie Kondo, who believes that tidiness, will ultimately lead to world peace, and the banality and danger of her ideas which seems to have become a cult. Be warned. Another hit of a song for me. Last but not, least as they say, is 'Thoughts and Prayers'. Fast pounding drums, throbbing bass, drony guitar and post-modern vocal style which sounds like Mark e Smith being eaten by Flux of Pink Indians. Fast bits, slow bits and jangly bits, bits that gnaw at your brain. The intelligent lyrics mixed with shadow humor make this another class song. An observation and interpretation of what is going on in the world. Served up with a good slab of originality. In true punk rock spirit Nouveau Bleach have created the EP they wanted to create. I personally feel this is a great EP and a fine example of where punk rock can go. Very political, very original and very passionate. Of course, if you still think the Exploited are the best thing since sliced bread, you are not going to agree. Nouveau Bleach have planted 4 ear-worms in my head. The bastards. Review by Gary Eagling (Eagle Spits) |
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ERIN INCOHERENT - DEJA VU In many ways lockdown has been incredibly hard for everyone. DIY promoters included. When the promoters are Punk 4 The Homeless this has other implications. If we don't have money coming in then more children are in danger of losing their lives. With Covid-19 at large and it being extremely difficult for homeless people to self isolate then the situation is dire. If you are a street child, who some authorities see as vermin, then you need more help than ever. So P4TH had to adapt. Online gigs might not be everyone's cup of tea but we are very thankful to everyone who has stepped up to perform for us. As it has helped keep P4TH alive as well as children. Not every cloud has a polluted lining however. One blessing through lockdown has been the amount of great bands and solo artists we have discovered during this time. One of these being Erin Incoherent from the US. So I jumped at the chance to review her new album “Deja Vu”. So here goes:- Deja Vu kicks off with a song entitled 'Deja Vu'. Beautiful melancholia with a voice somewhere between Natalie Merchant and Amanda Palmer. A slow drum plod sometimes rising in intensity but always part of the picture being painted. The voice and guitar match the intensity, then slows and becomes more relaxed. Then an abrupt ending closes this great opening track. 'The Fog' follows and you can feel the existential vacuum in the sadness and loss captured in this song. The sparcity of the music helps the listener feel some of what is going on for the songs creator. With lyrics like “I'm taking my fix from you” and “I won't be your heroine” one knows this is coming from a place painfully real. The third song on the album is entitled 'The Storm'. A more uptempo number with an Americana feel. Which I like. Although uptempo it still has an acidic edge. The incongruity between music and lyrics about a woman scorned (I think) “loving a ghost” works with good effect. Then an abrupt ending with Erin's powerfully fragile voice singing “I am glad that I ain't you” brings this bitter sweet track to an end. '25' continues in an uptempo fashion. Again in a reflective manner. And again vulnerability shines through. The vocals take on an almost spoken word vibe mixed with Erin's sweet, ghost haunted, singing voice. The song invites you to emotionally feel the depth of introspection as Erin sings “I'm scared of dying. I am scared of living too”. Another peeling off the scabs to let the blood flow onto the musical canvas. The sensitivity is raw but again the song is beautiful. Coming on strong with swampy drums and guitar is the next track which is called 'Aculeus (The Sting)'. An honest in the groove tune “part of what I am is what driving you mad” Erin sings. Like the fragility of Sinead O' Connor surrounded by crocodiles. WARNING! This song will leave a wormhole in your head. Great song. The superbly titled 'Of Roaches And Roommates' is next on the disc and again it doesn't disappoint. Salt liquorice jumps to mind. Sweet and acidic. Always one of my favourite combinations. Again with Erin it paints a picture for you to feel. Which is no bad thing in a world with a tendency to make you numb. I love swearing. I think it is both big and clever. Although it is often more poignant when sang rather than shouted. When Erin uses the “Fuck” word you know she means it. This song reminisces about the dark episodes of life but the vibe is bizarrely uplifting. 'The Plan' offers some punk rock acoustic riffage which subtly sucks the listener into the songs narrative. A brave song about loving oneself “even if it hurts”. The song offers hope, a hope which comes through pain and hard work but hope nonetheless. In a world so fucked up hope is always appreciated. As is this song. Leading on we are treated to 'The End Of The World (again)' - a great song with uptempo beat but with lyrics about, lost friendships, falling apart and people never changing. Erin is not afraid to look at the shadow side and turn it into art; As a process of redemption. Like Erin's other songs 'The End Of The World (again)' touches the listener deeply because of her empathy with the human condition. Musically it is akin to country. Erin might be singing about “falling apart again” and “the end of my world” but she does so in a truly crafted style. The song 'The Edge Of September' reminds me of “The House Of The Rising Son” at the start but then moves smoothly to a Cranberries-esque vibe. A song in which we see hope again amongst the beautiful poetry in the lyrics. Erin Incoherent is certainly not a one trick pony. The light at the end of the tunnel might have been switched off but here we see Erin struggling through the tunnel to turn it back on. And the country air is helping her no end. Joseph Starling said something along the lines of his favourite thing in life was able to get someone to trust him so much that he could hug them whilst sticking a knife in their back. Sadly, to a degree, most of us have had that experience. In 'The Coal' Erin sings “No use smiling in my face as you are stabbing me in the back”. Another bittersweet song. The song has a very muffled drum sound as if someone had put cardboard boxes over the drums. This is not a mistake. It works perfectly. The vocals are more full on and there is some controlled chaos in the music. Which is not a bad thing at all. The penultimate track 'Harvestman' starts with birds singing and other natural sounds. An uplifting tune. References to coyotes and “belonging to the mountains”. With a country punk sound and a hint of Americana in this jingly song. What's not to like? Review by Gary Eagling (Eagle Spits) |
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THE RIOTERS - A BETTER CLASS OF COCKTAIL ‘Cocktails In The Sun’ kicks off this EP and it is a catchy jagged number of dissent. With a structure somewhat Dead Kennedys and a sound somewhat 70's punk rock this is very familiar ground for a punk. However it has balls, a gruffness and a freshness to grab, twist and excite. In fact it is a corker of a number and done by youngsters who can play and play tight. Fan the fire and watch it burn. There are no descriptions which can be used to conjure up a picture of how good this track actually is. It's great, it gets in the head, it moves the feet and its youngsters doing DIYand having a go at the establishment. Thank fuck for new blood in a scene which so often looks like it could do with a transfusion. Take that as a hit. ‘Who Needs Royalty’ kicks off with some old skool punk rocker guitar, some pounding drums and some forceful twin vocals come in a very catchy chorus. Another fine slab of punkage albeit not as distinctive as ‘Cocktails’.The question is asked rhetorically then the royal family are told to go fuck themselves. Oh my goodness, it is a shame that the same questions have to be asked time and time again. Why do we need a bunch of parasites? A good little number carrying on the punk rock tradition. ‘Dark Days’ again reminds me of a Dead Kennedys opener musically but then vocals and music turns more towards Crisis or Joy Division. Intense unsettling number and sinister. A slow to mid-paced number with some interesting guitar and bass work. The drums keep it travelling and the voice is darkly interesting. Think the A&E department meets Hammer Horror but with an intense seriousness. Intriguing, angular and edgy just the way I like it. Great stuff indeed. The album finishes with ‘Ignore Their Orders’ which kicks in with crunchy guitar then pounding drums to a sub skank. A solid adventurous start which leads us to a slab of punk sounding somewhere between SLF and a decent Oi band. A good sing- a-long chorus of ignore their orders and a racing foursome playing punk fucking rock like their lives depended on it. Another shit hot track. No criticism coming from this direction. Overall then a splendid EP consisting of 3 great tracks and one good one. Here's a young band who have found their sound and a bloody good sound it is too. Buy their EP, go see em’ gig and if you are a promoter book em. Nuff said. Review by Gary Eagling (Eagle Spits) |
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THE BAND FROM COUNTY HELL - DO THESE THINGS HAPPEN TO YOU DO THESE THINGS HAPPEN TO YOU is a good chunk of punky folk set in Lincolnshire about getting into situations. Upbeat with duel male/female vocals. A rocking and reeling with guitars, banjo, whistle and bodhran kicking up a fuss. A good kick off for the fen folk. GLASGOW GANGSTERS is a bit slower but in that more intense. Female vocals tell us the sad story of gangsters and the poor who are at prey to them. A sad lamenting repetitive chorus and refrain about “nothing changes and nothing ever will”. A less punky but concerned number. THE HUNGER is a fine tune about working hard but still struggling. It also has a concern for those even less fortunate. Probably less folk sounding and more theme tune sounding but played on the same folk instruments. Clever stuff indeed. CHANGING has a familiar Pogues-ish harsher male vocals fronted sound but with the lass doing vocal back up duty to soften the effect. This works well and the bitter pill is easier to swallow. Upbeat and dancey but with the darker subject of separation. Something of a sad song about forced change and lost love. The use of repetition drives home the pain. MARY FATARSE pronounced Fatarcey is an up-tempo number with a warm musical feel and fast paced lyrical style set to a racing, all embracing tune. It's about an ex-girlfriend with a rather large behind from Boston and lightens things up somewhat. IN LOVE IN 2002 is slow and intense in a traditional folk love song style. The young lady sings with intensity and passion and the band carry her along. The listener is drawn in to a personal piece of reminiscence and is treated to the baring of a gentle heart. NEVER GOING TO DRINK THAT STUFF AGAIN and where would a folk band be without booze and vomit. Musically this tune is expertly structured but free, rather like a folk version of The Keystone Cops. Most of us can empathise with where this song is from and have said the same thing on many occasions, but here TBFCH get us to dance to our past mistakes. WHEELCHAIR has a Kirsty MacColl feel to it. A mid-paced number with the sweet/innocent vibe Kirsty did so well. A lovely intermingling of vocals and nice strings and whistle work. DARYLL DAY GOES BY has a slow accordion and spoken word intro before the whistle sweetly joins. Tender vocals done by he and she treat us to a sad reflective lament. Another story set in Lincolnshire with references to The Exploited. A passionate tale about a lost friend. It is moving how these people wear their emotions on their sleeve. A precious piece of honest, open hearted, tuneage. GLASGOW PADDY THE PIGEON RACER - “you've more to do down there- repeat and repeat, you're going back because you care, you've to do down there” –repeat - you get the idea, set to a jig and a romp, a swing and a stomp. A great dancing number which I feel works better as a live tune. It's not a bad song it's just that after a few listens I find myself getting bored whereas I reckon it's one of those tracks folks would go ape shit to live. SANTA CLAUS is an upbeat theme tune sounding start which wouldn't feel out of place on a Gerry Anderson classic. This is a very different song to the rest of the album but no less valid for that. At times the vocals remind me of Elvis. Excellent banjo playing with a chorus which makes me smile. It’s about some chap feeling richer than Santa Claus after a win and not telling her in doors. An excellent fun sounding track to uplift. BOOM BOOM, BOOM is the last track on the album and is a great finisher. It has you jigging around your living room and singing along. It appears to be about the history of The Band From County Hell and is a story well told. Overall then Do These Things Happen To You? Is another hit of an album for The Band From County Hell. Throughout the album the references to Glasgow and Lincolnshire effectively ground the album in space and time and encourages the listener to enter into the lives of the band. An excellent collection of tales of the folk. Review by Gary Eagling (Eagle Spits) |
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DH LAWRENCE & THE VAUDEVILLE SKIFFLE SHOW - SONS & LOVERS YOU SAW ME FALL kicks off Sons & Lovers. A slow clicky, intense number with a Flannery O'Connor gothiness. Full of dark imagery of the devil and the grim reaper. Some beautiful guitar work with washboard which gives a bones vibe. Male and female vocals interacting to turn this tune of death into a bitter sweet love song. DIANE has an almost swing feel with laid back percussion and violin. A wondrous number of another place and time. Broken hearts and love affairs which are lifted slightly but only slightly by the brass. The romantics believed melancholia was beautiful. This track proves them right. EVERY CITY NEEDS A WHOREHOUSE is a song about the existential search for meaning (I think) and contains some very clever gob iron work. This pair of male and female vocalists might have been on their knees but the rest of us can't stop swaying. The rest of the skifflers lead this willing traveller on the way to somewhere his restless soul can find some rest in a place filled with fine Americana. SONS AND LOVERS gives us an historical reflection of lovers and colliers caught up in penitence and haste. There is no hurry to go anywhere however it might be dark but the darkness is still. The Hillbillies might be friendly and there is deliverance for those who want to escape. LADY CHATTERLEY’S BOWER has a slow intro leading to a laid back rambling ballad. Some tenderness and fondling before the killing without missing a beat. The ghost goes a rambling amongst the tenderness of slow skiffle then drifts to where dead lovers go. CHEROKEE SHUFFLE is a short instrumental redneck jig to get your feet tapping here. Imagine yourself in a barn with a fine looking lass clad in gingham. Sweet dreams. VAUDEVILLE SHOW is a Faulkner-esque reflective spoken word intro about a fair ground and its strange goings on. Leading to a knees up down by the river of life. Some strange use of a kazoo and some stomping. The DH Lawrence and the Vaudeville Skiffle Show have the musical ability to take you to places to escape mundaneness and to escape your time and location. This time they take you to a crazy fairground full of bizarre characters where they show you a bloody good time but don't get too happy because you may well find yourself back in the land of the melancholic any minute. A NEEDLE AND A CHRIST AND A SOUL GONE GOD KNOWS WHERE finds us back in the land of the melancholic. In a wonderfully sad love song about lost dreams, liquor, cigarettes, cocaine, broken relationships and death. A totally haunting song drawing on darkness and despair. The Tao says something along the lines of “Truthful things are seldom beautiful. Beautiful things are seldom truthful” Yet here we have a beautiful honest song of pain and loss. I am stunned. SUPERMODELS AND SKIFFLERS has a more Parisian feel here yet still reflective and haunting. Like a class Tom Waits song which you know is coming from somewhere but have no idea where “Supermodels and Skifflers” is leading us on and telling us a story and although we are listening we are not quite getting what is happening. The uncertainty of our surroundings is unnerving but we are content to stay because intrigue has its virtues too and emotions cannot always be understood. Let us linger. DRUNK ANOTHER BOTTLE begins with some quiet slow guitar plucking and tells us a story about a lost alcoholic chap. We are carried by strings whilst said gentleman drinks another bottle then things speed up and the rest of the skifflers join in. Then we are told about a lady who drinks another bottle which goes straight to her heart. Now we are swinging in a most incongruous way. A tale of the lonely meeting the lonely in another twisted love song. PRETTY SONG next in which the vocalist tells us all he wanted to do was sing a pretty song for you but all his songs turn out blue. Someone's been snorting cocaine, someone's been drinking whiskey, the cops are on the make, the whorehouse is open for business, there's a blues man at the crossroads and all our poor chap wanted to do was sing a pretty song. Someone's burning at the stake, a war veteran pushing a trolley and on it goes. Yes the world is dark and pretty songs are almost impossible to write but the band has achieved it here. They even mention Tom Waits another purveyor of dark beauty. “Pretty Song” is a masterpiece in song writing which finishes off a masterpiece of an album. Overall then SONS AND LOVERS is one of the finest albums I have ever heard. It is full of darkness and light, sadness and depth, storytelling and truth. Real treasures are often found amongst the shit of life. DH Lawrence and the Vaudeville Skiffle Show are experts in drawing out the beauty and polishing the diamonds which are found in the muddy rivers of life. I am blown away. Review by Gary Eagling (Eagle Spits) |
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THE BAND FROM HELL COUNTY – SHIFTS AND CHANGES To give you some idea of what is going on here I am going to tell you what instruments are played on the album:- Guitar, male vocals, female vocals, bodhran, fiddle, accordion, whistle, drums, trombone, saxophone, triangle, bass, mandolin, banjo, trumpet, piano, various percussion. PUSSYCAT kicks off the album with pounding drums which are soon followed by a sweet but strong female voice. Then come catchy guitar hooks and delivered here is a class tune about London's apathy. It is of a Celtic folky nature but you can tell these people were also weaned on a solid diet of punk rock. We get into the song and a gruff male voice joins us sounding somewhere between Shane McGowan and Tom Waits to give us a nice bitter/sweet contrast. Finishing with an almost militaristic drum sound and repetitive vocals of 'don't care'. Top notch folky tuneage indeed. LATE LOST SOULS has a slow musical intro with ethereal echoey, male and female vocals and a twin whistle to aid us on our travels to some twisted heaven. Then we are joined by that gruff vocal (which has a kind of Lars Frederiksen with a Scottish twang sound) to give the proceedings bite. The pace increases until we have a slower early Pogues feel before drifting with a slower Home Service feel. LATE LOST SOULS is a well crafted piece of story-telling which sucks you in to the bands psyche. MEET THE FOLKS is upbeat and swingy again with interchanging male and female vocals. This is a good feel number and I am guessing it comes from that space where punk meets folk. It has references about green hair, Exploited tattoos, long black coats and folk music. Sweet music to my ears. SHIFTS AND CHANGES begins with some very nice guitar plucking progressing to melodies reminiscent of The Men They Couldn't Hang. The blend of keys with other instruments give this song a beautifully sad, melancholic feel. It sounds nothing like Leonard Cohen but has the same effect of making you feel warm whilst at the same time sorrowful. Enchanting and wondrous. BUT IT DID starts with a slow whistle then gathering speed results in a jigging, Levellers-ish kind of number. A very repetitive chorus which adds to make a very straight forward folky song halfway through but it does not lose its way. The mundane cocooned in the supernal. The mundane is a sweet beautiful place to be. It reminisces about times and places regarding a certain loved one and requests that the one sang about makes them whole and makes their day. Overall a fragile beauty of a song. LIBERTY finds us in a more political place with dishonest judges and hypocrisy. A song about injustice which one can dance to. It is honestly resistant whilst at the same time complex and free. The incongruity between subject matter and musical feel gives it dimensions beyond the sum of its parts. Emma Goldman would be in her element. SAD DAY makes me think of Kirsty Maccoll. It has that innocent feel Kirsty did so well. It is a sad day for progress and it's a sad day where ‘selfish folk are dictating what's to be’. The song talks about cloning and Florence but I cannot confess to totally grasp what it is about. What I do know it is done with passion and craftsmanship. One to ponder and reflect on me thinks. MAMMY is the last song on the album and it has a slow swinging, folky, strutting start. Some nice mandolin bits and again an honesty which typifies The Band From County Hell. The lass appears to have gone off the rails and wants Mammy to help stir her back on course. It is a long rambling song and the band seem to be taking a long way back home but they arrive. Then a nice musical close down and the album is complete. Overall a fine, well constructed album with depth and breadth. Honest and open, sensitive and stomping. SHIFTS AND CHANGES is a hit for me. Review by Gary Eagling (Eagle Spits) |
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STATIC KILL - WE ALL BLEED THE SAME I was asked to review the latest Static Kill album a few months ago but hadn't had chance due to illness and other time consuming stuff, namely my own gigs, Punk 4 The Homeless and my studies. However over the past few weeks I have been listening to it in the car over and over again. It’s a great disc and I have been loving it. Why? Well I will tell you track by track:- 'Green Gold and Black' – oozes passion and commitment. It kicks off with an acoustic intro reminiscent of The Clash's 'English Civil War'. The song talks about the hypocrisy within political campaigns and politicians not really believing their own propaganda. It has a feel good, sing-a-long factor despite being about serious stuff. Static Kill might be an acoustic outfit but they draw on plugged in classic punk with good effect and the opening track chucks us straight in there. 'People' - has a similar intro but is a tad faster. Bouncy and punky with a more edgy and faster vocal style. The song seems to be about different kinds of people written from an empathic view point. There is a warmth to this song despite people having to drown their sorrows therein. With the songs inclusivity it mirrors the Poison Girls 'Persons Unknown' (although very different musically). Everyone has value, which is a spot on philosophy. 'Soul Town' - intentionally or not the intro reminded me of The Jam's 'Strange Town'. A bit slower this one but well crafted with a few instrumental bits. The vocalist sings about shallow bastards and fucking junkies and sounds a bit pissed off that this town in particular has no soul and “this town is on the dole”. 'Those Boys (wouldn't hurt anyone)' - a great slab of irony about the 'boys that stole the face'. Musically there's a wonderful contrast between the songs more crunching elements and its more folky guitar work. This is a great tune with a great message but you have to work to understand where the band are coming from. It’s worth digging for. Musically it fits somewhere between The Men They Couldn't Hang and Headsticks. Which is more than fine by me. 'Timothy' - this song comes over as a simple acoustic punk ballad about someone who is pissed at the world. There is a certain beautiful sadness to the song with its crystal highs and prescription suicides. A loner, a lost soul. The writer has to give a fuck to write the song. For me punk should always be about inclusion not exclusion. Sadly that's not always the case. To me this song touches on that stuff and does so with concern. 'Band of Brothers' - Don't get me wrong. All the tracks before we get to this last track are great but this one does it for me. A powerful bit of acoustic punky reggae. Totally in the groove and skanking. The song follows a similar story to Spear of Destiny's ‘Micky’. It’s about a youngster of 16yrs who joins the forces and ends up in a war zone. It looks at the horrible nature of war. The lad’s brother has already lost his legs and the kid himself is stuck in the insanity of the situation. He hasn’t seen his mother, his boots are too tight and his radio doesn't work. All set to quality catchy reggae tuneage. Then the last line ‘kneeling down with a black blind fold’. Then the song just stops. Harrowing indeed - the realities of war. Track down this EP and play it to death. Review by Gary Eagling (Eagle Spits) |
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THEIR THROATS ARE EMPTY TOMBS - SELF-TITLED This album consists of exceptionally short tracks of unconventionality. All I can hope for is to conjure up some feelings and a few pointers. Here it is track by track in the brevity which mirrors the tracks. 'The Rich Shall Fade Away' - OK so the first track is not danceable unless your feet move to the dark ambient noise of bands like Autopsia or Nurse With Wound. Like a broken aircraft spitting out truth this track rumbles for 35 seconds then crashes. 'Congratulations You Got It Half Right' - Slightly more musical. Somewhere between Throbbing Gristle and Love, Peace and Pitbulls. Guttural vocals and industrial noise. Uncle Eagle likes. 'Note To Self' - 14 seconds of gastro explosion. It's good but it ain’t nice. 'Rust and Moth' - “your treasure is where you put your heart, the rust, the moth will tear you apart” growls in after a couple of seconds of neo classical tuneage... the noise and the unhappy vocalist is joined by someone as equally pissed off. Not for the faint hearted. 'Spoiled For The Ordinary' - brief, gravelly and confrontational. 'Of Camels and Needles' - loops of darkness somewhat akin to Coil. Feels like swimming with metal sharks in the tar factory. 'Repent!' - A rant about materialism over the top of noise reminiscent of an Alec Empire production during his most pissed off phase. 'True Faith is Tested' - A sampled sermon, mixed with jaggedness, slating the most negative aspects of Christendom. The far right prosperity doctrine. The venomous sound of this track vs the real poison. Crushing and claustrophobic. 'Hope In Dystopia' - The Scottish drawl of Dougle McMysteron (yes he of 100 Philistine Foreskins fame) is clearly evident on this track. The voice less filtered. In a world populated by broken Megatrons and rusty mammoths this track could almost be seen as tuneful. However thankfully noise is the order of the day with this outfit. 'Sell, Sell, Sell, Sell' - Beautiful, in your face, slab of industrial noise which comes pretty close to the genre the majority call music. But not quite. 'Sunday School For The 1%' - repetition of “If your healthy and your wealthy clap your hands” by two vocalists sounding like the tortured offspring of Sexton Ming and Diamanda Galis. Sing-a-long for the disturbed. Then the volcanoes tremble. This album is brilliant but I can't review it in the same way as albums with verses and choruses. It is not meant to be popular but angular and emotionally challenging. It hits the mark. Check it out but be warned, it will damage you. Review by Gary Eagling (Eagle Spits) |
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NOT RIGHT - YOUR TURN In my opinion what I am reviewing here is one of the most important punk albums for a long time. Intelligent, compassionate and raw. The album kicks off with ‘Tory Scum’ which begins with the chant “here we come Tory scum”. A tin drum marching band leads us to a pissed off vocalist who derides the hateful spite inflicted by the government on various minorities. The vitriol is from the gut but a gut which can articulate. A fine slab of unnerving anarcho punk, which gives a shit, to kick the album off. Just the way Eagle Spits likes it. ‘Balls’ is track two. An in your face serious track about transgender and not missing your balls, dick, chest, voice or the boys club which is sexist shit anyway. Ranted and chanted, simple and powerful. Those with prejudiced minds can fuck off at this point. Riot grrrl vibe meets Dagmar Krause on Crass Records kind of feel. ‘The Revolution Is Not Complete’ is a feminist belter about making progress but being a bloody long way still to go. “ When sexist jokes are still let loose, And irony’s used as an excuse. When the Coalition try to take us back, It’s time for a feminist counterattack”. There is a beautiful stripped down brutality in Not Rights music. The revolution will not be glamorized. Say it as it is and say it in a couple of minutes or less and get on to the next growler of a track, although this track is one of the longer ones, 2.31. That's the track time not your wake up call. You get that in the form of Not Right. ‘My body is not up for debate’ is sang, spat, growled as the opening line for Freedom of Speech. Lydon once sang “anger is an energy” but he hadn't heard the anger and energy oozing from Not Right. When people aren't accepted in our society then its time for us all to get fucking angry. Especially in the punk scene which prides itself in its tolerance and acceptance. But we all know that's bullshit. So when Ruth Pearce screams “My life is not up for debate. Fuck your freedom of speech. You unrepentant stinking shower of cunts”. We all know that we should be standing alongside and speaking out for anyone who's marginalized. Else our scene is fucked (Eagle Spits rant sorry). Articulate, edgy and IMPORTANT. Starting with a Zounds sounding guitar riff. Slow, intense and dark with mockingly sweet vocal. Lyrically dealing with tansgender issues and personal trials “Intersectionality Song” is less straight forward musically than previous tracks and is the longest track on the album 03.38. So could they be Wire moving from Pink Flag to Chairs Missing in a minute way. Probably not but it is powerful and does have echoes of that Post-Punk stuff of the early 80's. The lyrics are again honest and painful “Had a troubled childhood, Something on my mind, Pain through teens, self-hatred grows, I know my freakish means”. I am a man who loves words. Few bands touch on the excellence of Not Right for lyric writing. The haunting otherness of the music here frames the lyrics like Tim Burton frames a fairytale. Disturbingly. ‘Anti-Social Media’ begins with a fucked up monk chanting about mobile phones and social media. Short bursts of anarcho tribal punk with chanting between ranting. Yes social media is shit, well said. ‘Kirstys PHD’ is a 23 second track about Kirsty’s PHD being in punk. I think. Thump, thump, pound, chant, growl, articulate. ‘Never Back Down’ is another forceful anthem about getting crap off an audience because of who you are and taking the philosophy of never backing down into the whole of life. Stand your ground. An excellent couple of minutes of finest quality punk rock to boot. Every time I have been on a demo the police have been there to protect empire and evil, whether it be hassling protesters when the far right march or breaking up a peace camp. Therefore I can relate to “The Facilitation of Lawful Protest” again the lyrics are angry with good cause “Policeman doing a bailiff’s job, Facilitation of lawful protest, Dragging Christians from a church, Facilitation of lawful protest”. Catchy riffage, pounding drums, sing-a-long punkage. Awesome, rounded track. Get in the pit and think. So to the final track ‘My Body’ another slow haunting number until it turns into an in your face stand-off then relaxes into its slow scary pace. “Mine is the body of fantasies, dreams, Shemale pin-up, late night TV. Mine is the body you hate to love. Wanking alone, I warm your blood”. The track gets inside the twisted psyche of prejudice and asks questions without closing the discourse. Just where do some people get off? Not a comfortable album. When did comfort enter punk rock? Probably about the same time as nostalgia. Well its duvet and Never Mind the Bollocks time for me so fuck off. That's enough of me here's what Not Right say about themselves:- “We are: punk attitude, riot grrrl aesthetic, queer feminist rage, the politic of “people” before “profit”. We are the lead guitarist who doesn't solo, the trombonist playing percussion, the singer who just shouts. We are hatred, we are joy, we are noise for the sake of noise. We are Not Right”. Review by Gary Eagling (Eagle Spits) |