The latest release of Bloated Kat Records, aka the “Earth’s Premier International Dirt Pop Label” (their words, but I agree), is by a band from Southern Iowa (Ottumwa) called TV Cop. That is a pretty sweet name, as it automatically evokes mind wandering about who the great television cops of all time are – there is a lot to choose from but I am thinking Andy Sipowicz and (DCI John) Luther.
TV Cop sound pretty sweet as well. The pop punk tunes by the four-piece bring a sugar rush too blissful to ignore. As an added bonus, TV Cop are unafraid to throw in a dirty riff or solo here and there. Another Good One, indeed!
“My music is for weirdos. I want ‘em to feel good…or bad… Whatever way they wanna feel.” Do you also feel attracted? More than 20 years into his career, and countless releases and performances later, Canadian rock ‘n’ roll hero Bloodshot Bill knows exactly which ratio of rockabilly, R&B, garage punk and antique folk to put into the blender for optimal effectiveness. On his new full-length album Psyche-O-Billy, he pours the raw brew over us in fits and starts – in 14 new tunes we hear the singing, guitar playing and drumming of the one-man band, but also his mumbling, stuttering, howling, cackling, yodeling and hiccups, in line with the sound known from the Songs The Cramps Taught Us compilations. Classifications like primitive, vintage or peculiar are not far from the truth, but the rhythms, hooks and wordplay are too original and infectious to just dismiss it as such. At least it makes me feel good.
Psyche-O-Billy, recorded at Bloodshot Bill’s home studio in Montréal, Québec, is out now trough digitally and on vinyl LP through Goner Records.
Swiss garasz punk band Thee Irma & Louise have been around for over twenty years, yet they called their new album Year Zero. Tomi Ballmer (vocals, guitar), Oliver Ruch (bass), Miriam Wolf (keys) and Philipp Mühlemann (drums) dedicate the record to singer/songwriter/guitarist Olifr M. Guz aka Oliver Maurmann, frontman of Die Aeronauten and involved in countless other projects. A cover of his song Monitor opens the LP, followed by ten originals, with standout track Five Years Behind My Thyme being eagerly inspired by The Third Bardo’s 1967 classic I’m Five Years Ahead Of My Time. The tunes vary from menacing synth-surf-punk and psychedelic post-punk to raw garage rock and melodic popcorn (influences for which we have to go back much further than five years), partly instrumental and partly vocal, always exciting, still appealing in 2023.
Year Zero, recorded, mixed & mastered by Micha Loosli, is out now digitally and on vinyl LP through Little Rebel Records.
Action Rock. The title of the infectious opening track – “Woo-hoo!” – of the new release by Swedish four-piece Åskväder gives a pretty good indication of what to expect. Albin Sörenson (vocals), Martin Gut (guitar), Kammo Olayvar (bass) and Tim Ferm (drums) play dirty rock ‘n’ roll with mean guitar riffs, a high-energy rhythm section and charismatic vocals. The other four songs on the Electric Tide EP, heard as singles earlier this year, are just as exciting, but three times longer than the one minute they kick off with. This sound may be old school, but it will always remain fashionable in our world.
Electric Tide is out now digitally through for The Sign Records.
New work from Italian power trio Faz Waltz always is good news. On last year’s On The Ball LP, songwriter Faz La Rocca (vocals, guitar, piano) and his pals Diego Angelini (bass) and Marco Galimberti (drums) changed direction to good old rock ‘n’ roll, now they push the accelerator even further. Rave A-Comin’, the A-side of their new 45, is a raucous floorfiller with a piano shooting great balls of fire, flipside Jackal Hop is a delicious sax-driven rhythm & blues stomper, in both cases with those characteristic gravelly vocals in the leading role. Sing along: “Everybody’s having fun, dance, dance!”
Rave A-Comin’ b/w Jackal Hop, produced by Brown Barcella & Faz La Rocca, is out now digitally and on 7″ vinyl (self-released).
Leave it to the Australians to set a continued high bar for punk rock – or, in the case of Melbourne’s The Judges, rockin’ punk may be a better description.
The Judges are new band but no strangers to creating music worth your ears as the member play(ed) in Smarts, Cereal Killer, and Living Eyes. Their debut album starts off relatively quiet with the introductory title track Judgement Day. From the moment a well timed “UHH!” kicks off The House Always Wins, it becomes clear what The Judges are all about. Kickass rock’n’roll that is loud, raw and primal. The classic Aussie punk of The Judges has a dangerous edge and is full of swagger.
Judgment Day is out now at Total Punk and Anti Fade records.
Okay, this was actually released one year ago by Legless Records, but it’s hard to find outside of Australia. That all changes, because German label Wanda Records has reissued the record on black, as well as sweet looking splatter colored vinyl. There is another reason why I’m sharing the record: If there is one release among today’s pile of new releases that screams TGIF, it is A Force To Be Rockin’ With by Smooch. Featuring members of Drunk Mums, Reaper, Dumb Punts, Mesa Cosa & Meat, and formed pre-pandemic, Smooch are a quartet from Melbourne that is all about rockin’ out. This is straightforward rock’n’roll, an attitude heavy hybrid of Kiss and The Runaways, with killer guitar work. One year after its release, this one has lost nothing of its appeal. Play loud and have a weekend!
Please meet French indie-rock/post-punk outfit Head 1st and their debut EP First. We get five dynamic tracks with exciting tempo changes and vocals that radiate urgency as they present the haunting lyrics. Criticism of commerce is far from new in music, but standout track PR Says could easily become an anthem: “Your selling thin air // PR doesn’t care.” Each tune got its own video to further enhance the music, but on its own this sound will also get the audience moving.
The First EP is out now digitally (self-released). Add to wantlist: Bandcamp
For blues fans who regularly scroll through our blog, Zeno Jones probably is a household name by now. We wrote about his band Cold Beverage and his solo EP Stonewater Music , and he shared his inspirations in our Gimme 5! feature. His new full-length album Disillusion Blues is also worth checking out – its cover suggests a score of five out of six stars, no reason to dispute that. We get twelve original garage blues rock songs (largely fresh work, with the exception of Upton Blues and Cold Beverage Blues, in an earlier version also on the 2021 self-titled debut LP), songs that are raw and primitive, heavy and straightforward, honest and authentic. Even more than before, the Louisville, Kentucky-based musician proves himself as both an amazing guitarist and a gifted singer, performing as a one-man band that has found the perfect balance between his tough vocals, a mean guitar, an old suitcase drum and a rusty tambourine. Pretty intense and impressive, again.
Disillusion Blues is out now digitally (self-released).
Singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Charlène Darling aka Charlotte Kouklia is not only one quarter of the band Rose Mercie, the Paris-born/Brussels-based artist also has her solo project – together with three other musicians. Her sophomore full-length album La Porte is an exploration of misplaced desire and all-consuming romantic obsession, captured in ten quite idiosyncratic songs in poetic French (with a little bit of English). The main ingredient of this synth-driven cocktail is dreamy leftfield pop, but shaken with experimental noise, psych and post-punk elements. The lyrics of standout track Disparais – nice video below – reflect the accompanying mix of emotions quite well: “Tu sauras jamais ce que je pense vraiment // Tu sauras jamais ce que je pense vraiment // C’est mieux comme ça” (translated: “You will never know how I really feel // You will never know how I really feel // It’s better that way”). Expect an alienating and intriguing 42 minutes that enchant.
La Porte, produced by Valentin Noiret, is out now digitally and on vinyl LP through Disciples. Featuring Charlotte Kouklia (vocals, guitar, synths), Erika Ratti (tape loops, harmonies, synths), Quentin Chevalier (drums, percussions, synths) and Regis Turner (bass, synths), assisted by Romain De Ferron, Luca Retraite and Gianlorenzo Nardi on selected tracks.
