The other day, when I shared my newest “Unlucky Dip” collection, despite my clear favourites, there was one new artist in particular that peaked my interest; I’m just yet to determine if it was for all the right or wrong reasons. Yes you may remember me including a London-based duo by the name of BEFORE SUNDAY, who alongside some selected peers through Angels PR, covered “Square Hammer” by GHOST. Now I like this song a lot and you may recall I regarded the move as nothing short of bold, but the track was covered fairly traditionally without any needless bells and whistles, and credit to them they did it justice. Here is where the curiosity often kills the cat…

Given the band and track they covered, and having known nothing about the band prior to hearing said cover, I had to ask myself, was this a potentially new, up-and-coming alternative goth pop band? Can I look forward to some modern post-punk? Hell I’d settle for some retro dark-pop! In this instance…we sadly do not get any of those things. Yes the duo who make up Before Sunday; Nick Basis and Stella Panteloudi are a straight up pop act that just happen to appreciate a little rock ‘n’ roll influence here and there, and quite frankly I’m feeling catfished. But seeing as we’re here, they released their debut album recently entitled “Anticipation”…let me just tell you that mine has gone through the floor as opposed to the roof.

The album opens up with “Living In London” which to be fair is quite a catchy little piece of social commentary; highlighting the living conditions of living in the British capital, with the general ignorance of society leaving you feel alone in a population of millions…the generally overpriced day-to-day living and the often shitty weather. They paint a pretty bleak picture but I’m sure very many can relate. The track itself is a guitar driven piece of soft rock with ample swagger and a certain vocal drawl that in some ways finds itself between JOAN JETT and MILEY CYRUS…it’s a decent opener. “Big House” then follows up and the direction changes somewhat to say the least. The rockier guitars are replaced with more of a light, soulful funk aesthetic which coupled with the core pop delivery could pass for some, KYLIE MINOGUE or ALPHABEAT.

Even though the album is only ten tracks in length, it still manages to find itself book-ended with the better tracks at the beginning and the end, with the middle sort of just, existing. “Obsessions” for example is a wonderfully heartfelt, sombre piano/synth led pop ballad with a soaring vocal chorus. “Goddess” combines those gentle ballad qualities but brings back the funk-rich guitars and marries them with some innocently sweet vocal notes, before “Devil” rounds the album off on another guitar driven, rockier high note. It’s got a certain surging urgency to its delivery when it’s in full flow and the up-tempo intensity is welcome…they left it late but we actually get some of the slightest hints at more metallic instrumentation here that could be tied in to that Ghost cover.

As I said the middle of the album is generally generic pop music…the vocals on “Unconditional” are well produced and fine, “Gone” gives off Eurovision power ballad vibes and “Closed Doors” adapts more of a random country-pop aesthetic. While there’s nothing necessarily bad here, it’s a fine pop album with some good quality clean production, I can’t get that Ghost cover out of my head and can’t help but be somewhat disappointed by this album, which is a shame because there’s nothing wrong with it for what it is. It’s got its charm and does highlight a variety of genre influences all streamlined into one collection of quirky pop, but I was hoping for something more. I don’t even know what…maybe even like, OF MONSTERS & MEN or a SHINY TOY GUNS or something along those lines, which, sadly these are not. Before Sunday? More like never in a month of Sunday’s. [5]

It’s strange how certain things just stick with you as you grow up…for example, let’s say…North Carolina. Random, I know, like, I’ve never been there, I don’t have any family there, but embedded in my brain, is the fact that despite being born in Tennessee, Ric Flair comes from Charlotte, North Carolina (It’s a kayfabe thing). With that in mind, when a band slides into your email submissions stating that they too are from North Carolina, you instantly find yourself shouting “WOOOOO!” and knife-edge chopping everything in close proximity. (Excuse any following typo’s as I write this with a broken hand)

The band in question, are MIRROR POINT, who hail from Sanford and Cedar Creek, NC and consist of members Marc Killian, Travis Jones and Sketchy J. They recently got in touch with me asking me to check out their debut album “Shine On” which was released earlier this year through Mokovo Records. With an apparent variety of stylistic influences, let’s see if Mirror Point can mirror The Nature Boy, and be the limousine-ridin’, jet-flyin’, kiss stealin’, wheelin-dealin’ sons of  guns I personally hope they are.

​The mini-album opens up with “Winner Takes All” and we’re immediately met with some back-to-basics riffs and the typically clean yet, slightly bourbon coated vocals that make up your classic blues rock songbooks. It plods along really quite casually, quite middle of the road really before eventually picking up in intensity, exuding a more passionate instrumental display towards the tracks climax. It takes a minute or two to warm up but it gets there in the end. Not deserving of any winners medals, but it doesn’t come last either…it’s just taking part really. Next up we have a track called “PhenoBarbieDoll” and it’s one of their local radio successes. Another melodic, hard rocking blues-based number, it’s aimed at the trappings and troubles caused by social media; the anxiety it can give you trying to keep up appearances, the expectations of maintaining your plastic lifestyle, the fear of failure and the longing for fame. It’s quite a socially relevant track that has its points, but let’s not beat around the bush here the title is terrible. “PhenoBarbieDoll” sounds like a rip off, of a SyFy rip-off, of a straight to DVD Asylum rip-off of a low-budget “Annabelle” rip-off. We actually ran out of barrel to scrape…

​Looking further into some of their outside influences however, we get to another local radio success by the name of “Is This Was This”…I mean, if this WAS is and is was it wasn’t isn’t it? I thought so. A Latin/Hispanic fuelled little love song with clear yet subtle funk elements, and a certain Mediterranean flare, but plays on regrets, second guesses, absence an emotional confusion, touching upon PTSD, yet delivered in a predominantly light hearted manner. “Just Push Play” continues with the genre experimentation courtesy of a genuinely interesting combination of soulful 70’s funk, lounge jazz and modern hip-hop with a completely out of the blue rap-breakdown. The contrast manages to work without sounding jarring or like the world’s worst Nu Metal band, and that competition is TIGHT, so credit to them there.

The remainder of the record primarily consists of more, textbook blues-based hard rock which does have its moments of instrumental appeal, but sadly does become pretty generic over the course of the album, that IS only seven tracks long remember. Sure they dabbled in a few genres to spice things up but on a scale of black pepper to Bhut jolokia, that spice is toothpaste. Collectively, “Shine On” is harmless enough and you can appreciate it’s basic blues rock appeal, I mean they’re on the radio back home so they’re climbing that ladder, and there is an audience for blues based hard rock, I mean look at BLACK STONE CHERRY…it’s do-able, just on this instance, “Shine On” isn’t even as bright as one of Ric Flair’s bejewelled robes, let alone the 16-time world champion himself. To be the man, you gotta beat the man…Mirror Point have not beaten the man. Mirror Point are more like David Flair than Ric at this point. [5]

Some of you may be thinking, Gav…how many reviews can you shoehorn references to Covid-19 into? Well…my friend, as it happens, as many as I want. You see while a lot of you are crying over 2020 festival season being buggered into next year, I’ve got my own agenda. I’m not saying I don’t enjoy festival experiences, but I am instead honestly quite reclusive, so one of the things I personally look forward to every year is the EUROVISION SONG CONTEST.

Long-time readers will know I usually cover the show in some way shape or form, be it a run-down of finalists, covering past winner’s releases, or even just live-Tweeting the event…this year, I can’t enjoy this. This year I couldn’t look forward to sitting in front of my TV on the rare occasion I do, to watch Graham Norton sarcastically bury a plethora of countries. This year I couldn’t respectfully raise a glass of Bailey’s to Sir Terry Wogan during song 9, (Who am I kidding it’s a bottle of Jack). This year I couldn’t even get annoyed by the very political voting system I expect each and every fucking year as if it’s some shocking conspiracy. Covid-19 brought an end to all of that…and for that…I despise you, even though you’ve given me two months off work paid. 1st world problems, yes, but still. Alas…what I CAN do at least is channel my inner Jim Bowen, and have a look at who could have won, as Eurovision still at least released the 41-track CD of each countries entry. With that said…Good Evening Rotterdam! Open up, and let’s shine a light on the performers to see who gets 12 points….

​I’m going to preface this by stating that no I am NOT going to be analysing every one of the 41 entries as frankly I don’t even think lockdown is long enough for me to do that, but I will mull over my personal highlights, and as usual, the Eurovision double-album does things alphabetically, so we start with Albania. Their entry is “Fall From The Sky”, performed by ARILENA ARA and it’s one of two primary Eurovision tropes…heartfelt ballad, or fucking bonkers. This one falls into ballad category and as an opening track it’s a fairly safe one. The light piano allowing Arilena’s emotive, powerful vocals to really shine and there’s a dramatic intensity to this performance; a wonderful start. If you enjoyed that ballad however, hold on to that thought because you’re going to get sick of them over the next say, I don’t know… album? 

Armenia’s entry “Chains On You” by ATHENA MANOUKAIN tries to modernise things with some middle-eastern inspired trap and mumble rap…as far as the genre goes it’s fine, it’s the kind of thing you’d find Charlie Sloth spinning, but it’s not for me. Australia are still participating even though their initial anniversary guest spot was a few years ago now, and their entry “Don’t Break Me”, performed by MONTAIGNE is…another pop ballad. Granted the modern production and bold yet husky vocals find her somewhere between say, DUA LIPA and SIA in some ways, and it’s not bad. Onion Bhaji are up next…sorry, no, Azerbaijan are up next with “Cleopatra” performed by EFENDI and we get more middle-eastern / Egyptian musical influence, before leading into more Western pop stylistics…up until the part where they start summoning demons and shit…honestly that’s what it sounds like. Seriously, I thought my desk was going to start floating or my eyeballs were going to bleed!

Let’s see what else we have here…Belgium’s entry “Release Me” by HOOVERPHONIC in its own ways sounds like a BTEC version of BILLIE EILISH doing a Bond Theme…that’s the best and only way of describing that, you’re going to have to get way off of my back about that one. Skipping ahead now but keeping a colour scheme it’s Germany who have the next real highlight with the track “Violent Thing” by BEN DOLIC. Sadly the track is about as violent as two kittens having a pillow fight…I was expecting this year’s rock entry or something but we get another up-tempo pop offering. It’s got some brass elements and a bit of funk, and an impressive high note, resulting in quite a catchy little track, but it’s not what I was hoping for. Speaking of getting my hopes up, I ALWAYS look for Finland’s entry since LORDI won it in 2006, and this year, their entry “Looking Back” by AKSEL was…meh. It’s a pleasant indie-pop piece with ample melody, nothing like Lordi, or even SAARA AALTO from 2018; disappointing this one I’m afraid, you let me down Finland.

Next up, we have the United Kingdom…and as a Welshman, you might think I’m going to be biased here, that I’m going to sing praises to our entry as if they’re God’s gift to mainstream music…well I can assure you, that you are wrong. JAMES NEWMAN is our entry for this year with the track “My Last Breath” and I would sooner give up my last breath than have this song win the competition, despite it making things logistically easier for me to attend in 2021. Another copy and paste type of emotional male-led pop song akin to anyone from JAMES ARTHUR or SAM SMITH or any generic bollocks like that…it’s just so bloody boring! Georgia on the other hand, do somewhat peak my interest…”Take Me As I Am” by TORNIKE KIPIANI is, admittedly, lyrically fucking awful, let me make that clear, but the deep, electronic tinged moody indie tones easily mirror the styles and sounds of say, IMAGINE DRAGONS or AWOLATION etc, and this is arguably as dark as things get this year.

Skipping eagerly ahead now as we’re still only about half way here, we get Ireland and honestly…this would have been a contender for the competitions winner to break their own record, securing eight competition victories. “Story Of My Life” by LESLEY ROY gives off some serious KATY PERRY vibes…it’s a bouncy, light-hearted absolute banger of a pop anthem. Sure there’s repetition, a little instrumental monotony and some childish qualities but this is the kind of track you’d understand being all over commercial radio this Summer time…never mind the political voting, Covid-19 potentially robbed Ireland of this year’s win! Do they have any contenders however? Why in fact yes they do, and there is some STRONG competition from Iceland, and who some may say are favourites to win; DAðI FREYR with the song “Think About Things”. A synth-rich, full on disco-funk driven indie track…it is so simple in execution with the most basic of hooks, so much groove in so little effort, this is superb.

Jumping forward then we have THE ROOP with their entry “On Fire” for Lithuania…and it’s another basic pop track with pulsing electronic elements, dance-pop qualities with all of the synth laden hooks, it’s not as good as past winners such as MÅNS ZELMERLÖW for example but it’s along the same vein and personally I enjoy this, it’s arguably my favourite, despite some questionable vocals in places…and the video is as stated above; fucking bonkers. The rest of the album sadly doesn’t really throw up many particular highlights or memorable tracks, other than “Uno” by LITTLE BIG representing Russia. The “Skibidi” outfit had my attention going into the competition don’t get me wrong, but they’ve done better. Granted they’ve likely been heavily censored but still! SKIBIDI WA-PA-POW! The video does make me laugh mind…it’s all in the knees fam.

Romania come in with the track “Alcohol You” and I thought I was being offered a pint in broken English to be honest, so imagine my disappointment when ROXEN starts warbling her moody, sultry vocals…a slow, albeit grandiose track , though KORPIKLAANI drink better to be fair. Serbia rock up then with “Hasta La Vista” and the name alone has me hooked…have HURRICANE been sent from the future by Sky Net to secure Eurovision victory? In short…no…imagine someone installed LimeWire on the T-800 and the sheer amount of internet aids rendered it out of order. I’ll be very surprised if you’ll be back. Eventually then, and finally, we find ourselves at Ukraine, listening to “Solovey” by GO_A, and luckily, we conclude the album on an unorthodox yet enjoyable note. The traditional native tones of the vocal performance and woodwind elements coupled with a solid dance-pop aesthetic allow for a genuinely soothing and fun listen…I mean I haven’t got a fucking clue what they are saying but I like it!

After all of that, it really is heart-breaking to know that, given Eurovision’s six-decade legacy and tradition, none of the above entries will be able to represent their respective nations and try to put themselves in the history books. Granted some of these songs work better as a stage performance with character and gimmicks as opposed to straight up audio content, but that doesn’t detract what would have been an entertaining evening of live entertainment and multicultural acceptance of diversity. I know I rant and roast but I honestly enjoy the Eurovision Song Contest…I look forward to it every year, and hopefully it comes back all guns blazing in 2021. Where…who knows…no country has ever done two in a row from winning, so will Holland get to host again on a technicality? We can only wait and see…until then, Europe, you’re a beautiful bunch of bastards, for the record, I didn’t vote for Brexit I voted remain…and as far as Covid-19 goes…nil pois.

Dave Grohl is the most wholesome of rock stars, honestly he’s a good egg, and during these unprecedented times, we can all take a page out of the book of Grohl and channel the track “Times Like These”; we can learn to live again…we can learn to love again. Or (And I can’t stress this enough) not, as this next review goes to show that it’s also times like these where, I in fact regret diving into my email submissions. Honestly, you know the original music video for that very song where they are throwing a pile of shit off that bridge? I’d sooner yeet MYSELF off the bridge than listen to this next record…but I will try and be fair.

I’m all for firsts here…I’ve listened to and reviewed plenty of different genres in the past, everything from blackened death metal to K-pop…but never have I ever come across an album classified as ‘Jewish folk-pop’…until now. YERACHMIEL who was originally based in New York, recently moved to Israel where he has fully immersed himself in the culture and traditions of his religion and heritage, and he uses these influences and inspirations to fuel quite the prolific musical career it would seem! “Off The Derech” is his 6th studio album; a collection of 21 original songs which he’s asked me to check out. Truth be told I’d rather bath with my nan, but out of respect and I guess curiosity…let’s give this a whirl.

The album opens up with “Great To Be Alive” and having been on lock-down for five weeks now, this sentiment is already testing my patience. The track itself is admittedly a pleasant little dose of melodic soft-rock; the loose guitar play and light piano combine well to give off a certain late 80’s / early 90’s feel…you could maybe bracket it alongside the likes of JIMI JAMISON for example, but the levels of positivity here are borderline sickly. This positive energy is also incredibly abundant in the track “Temple”. It’s starts off as if it’s the intro theme to some cheesy 1970’s family sitcom, but it oozes its loving message of faith and togetherness to point where you feel like you’re watching Songs Of Praise trying to be edgy. I have my fingers on MY temples…and I require co-codamol.

One thing I will say for Yerachmiel mind is that he isn’t afraid to dabble in crossover genres…I mean the last thing you’ expect to find in an Israeli recording studio is reggaeton or ska, but that’s exactly what you find on “7th Wonder” and “Your Name Be Praise”.  The former is as though BOB MARLEY got so fucking high one day he woke up in the middle east, with its brass-based low-fi instrumentation, while the latter houses more of a subtle, indie-based core sound akin to say, UB40. It’s honestly an interesting mash-up I’ll give it that. True highlights however are sadly minimal and frankly hard to point out…”Earth Is Trembling” does have a solid, up-tempo, oompah rhythm which is both fun and energetic, despite it's damning opinion of mankind. “Tears In A Falling Rain” combines a soulful, funk aesthetic with the more traditionalist middle eastern percussion, while the string instrumentation on “Stay True” borders on country bluegrass.

It’s a confused album quite frankly, and over the course of the twenty one tracks here it’s as though he’s thrown whatever he could at the wall just to see what stuck, and to be honest  I don’t think he cared if something stuck or not. There is a lot going on here and we can all really respectfully say that, this track listing can do with a bit of a cull. I’m not suggesting we go all Nazi and wipe the album out entirely, that would be in poor taste even for me…but the album doesn’t need to be THIS long, especially with so many of the tracks already suffering from repetition. Off The Derech? I must be off my rocker to have believed I might enjoy this one, this really isn’t my cup of Wissotzky. [2]

This isn’t a review as such…but more of a call to arms if you will. Now, while I’ve touched on the current Coronavirus pandemic in recent reviews in a predominantly light-hearted manner, or at least trying to make light of the situation to maybe try to boost morale, it is in so many aspects in fact, a VERY serious situation. Businesses are shutting down, people are losing their jobs, people are losing their means to support their families, hell; people are fucking DYING! In such a time of need for many in an age of advanced communication and technology, some of us have never felt so far apart and, given the unprecedented nature of this global pandemic, it’s a hard realisation.

While the government (Here in the UK at least) is doing what it can to help certain businesses cover expenses while the country is on lock down, not everyone is fortunate enough to benefit from such subsidies and this is where both you and your local music venues come in. Small and independent venues have had a hard enough time over the last couple of years as it is, with several having to close doors up and down the country for financial reasons, or for dodgy housing development projects etc, so the last thing they need is a forced closure due to some Asian-ass virus because some dude in China did an Ozzy Osbourne with an infected bat.

I can’t say with certainty that your local venue is doing the same right now (Though if they are I urge you to support in any which way you can) but FUEL ROCK CLUB in Cardiff is one of the clubs that would be incredibly grateful for your support.  The award winning bar/venue situated in Womanby Street in the Welsh capital naturally relies on its punters and gig goers to pay the bills and the wages…but under forced closure, they face difficult times. Luckily, while we may not be currently able to attend the club in person, we can still help and support the club during this testing time, thanks to a new compilation album.

XIII PROMOTIONS based out of Cardiff have reached out to 30 bands and artists who have played, performed or promoted at the club, to piece together a 30-track compilation entitled “Rock Down: A Fuel Rock Club Benefit Compilation”. Available on Bandcamp as a digital download for £7.50, all proceeds raised will go towards ensuring the club doesn’t fall onto harder times that it’s already been put under, by contributing to venue upkeep etc while they have no custom. It’s a hell of an eclectic compilation, ranging from black and death metal, to punk, post-rock, blues, funk and even electronica, showcasing a plethora of genres represented by multiple scenes, who all support Fuel.  The link to Fuel’s Facebook is below, so if you can, go and buy some Fuel merch through their official channels, and the bandcamp link is also included. My personal favourites include tracks by GLASS HEART and BONDAGE FAIRIES…but there’s literally something for everyone here. Go check it out, it’s for a wholesome cause.

Quite often within these pages, I’ve bumped my gums about how the UK virtually pioneered post-punk, and the concept of “Gothic rock” as we recognise it today. You could reel off any number of late 70’s / 80’s bands that you could pigeonhole as post-punk, or, trad-Goth or however you want to put it, and you could almost guarantee that they’re from somewhere in England, but today we’re going to be turning our attention stateside…

We all know that America has produced some of the most successful Gothic / alternative metal artists of all time, especially industrial titans like NINE INCH NAILS and of course, those iconic dark-humoured darlings TYPE-O-NEGATIVE, but they came a little later…we want to know what post-punk bands helped shape America’s earlier underground music scene.

While you’ve more than likely heard of CHRISTIAN DEATH, other bands may be a little more obscure unless you’re already a Goth-rock fan…bands like THE DANCING CIGARETTES and ROMEO VOID are well worth checking out, but today we’re going to focusing our attention on MY LIFE WITH THE THRILL KILL KULT. Often shorted to just Thrill Kill Kult, the Chicago natives initially started out as an early industrial outfit, and you may actually recognise them from the soundtrack to “The Crow”…but although maintaining a steady, 30-year career, they’ve always been relatively niche. 2019 finds them still releasing records, and their newest one; “In The House Of Strange Affairs”, was chosen by you on my last readers’ poll…so let’s get all of our affairs in order and check it out shall we?

The album opens up with “Gold To Grey” and it’s slow, sullen bass line has a wonderfully nostalgic tone to it, sounding like this track could very well come from those early proto-Goth days…its deep and chilling, as it leads into a spoken-word segment, before kicking into gear with its snide vocal drawl and cold atmospheric synths. The beat is simplistic and the electronic elements rarely inject much life into the track, resulting in an ambient yet algid listen; a slow start this. The following couple of tracks do admittedly get your hopes up to be honest, with “Forbidden Saints” sounding like the first proper track, as opposed to a lengthy introduction. The electronica is more prominent and instrumentally it’s got a decent, but again, simplistic hook, with a lot more rhythm going for it. It’s lyrically dark and fetishized and it’s something you could easily imagine being played to a throng of leather and PVC clad Goths, sipping on absinthe at 3am in some underground club. Although…mate…WHAT is with that ending? Absolutely cringe-worthy, you just shat all over that entire song right there, seriously…forget the saints, I forbid whoever gave that the green light to ever work in production ever again!

Up next we’ve got “Treat Street” and although while still relying on the synths and new-wave style it’s got an old-school disco-funk groove layered throughout the track, with the additional inclusion of…harmonica…resulting in a wonderfully curious listening experience. There are more sexual references, and at this point it’s like, OK, fine, it’s a gimmick…reinforced with the husky vocals, but to be honest they detract from what is essentially a decent little piece of music. We follow this up with album highlight “The Chains Of Fame” and really that’s saying something…it utilises a catchy low-fi hook with chill-wave aesthetics, but the guitars give the track some much needed bite. He asks ‘How much cash can you make with that ass?’ and to be honest…I…I don’t know. Nor do I want to. Rough guess, twenty bucks on a good day? Fuck knows. I digress, the track ends rather abruptly and truth be told, this is about as good as the album gets.

There are moments like on “Studio 21” which peak your interest,  which houses more of that original disco funk combined with subtle trance elements, and “Royal Skull” which returns to a more guitar based approach, sounding much grittier, but overall the album fails to excite. Too often we’re faced with a lack of energy and drive from the remaining tracks and the bulk of the record seems to drag itself along like a reluctant cadaver. Appropriately we eventually end on “Am I Dead?” and to be frank, by this point…yes. Fucking feels like it anyway. To summarise, there’s nothing really thrilling whatsoever about this kill kult, and the house of strange affairs needs to be boarded up and demolished to make way for a Greggs or something…having said that they’re equally as bland as each other; disappointing this. [3]

As it currently stands, we live in a time where our more Westernised society is, for want of a better description; all over the fucking place.  While culturally we’re (For the most part) all steadily becoming more and more open-minded and understanding, of the ever expanding perception of normality, there are still people who may get, ‘triggered’ as you may say, by certain topics and buzz-words. Some of the most common are generally simple things like veganism which, ironically, causes a lot of beef between some people…then there are prejudices and confusion surrounding the ever growing list of sexualities and gender fluid identities. Seriously now they’re giving rock and metal sub-genres a run for their money in volume and I just don’t have the appropriate graphs to go into that right now. Then there’s feminism…

Let’s be honest, it’s 2019 and the very fact feminism is still such a strong word speaks for itself. The inconsistencies regarding equality (Or lack thereof) can still be beyond laughable, covering everything from salary to bloody abortion rights! Well today’s band are proud and passionate to provide a voice for the cause, exuding a positive feminist vibe; let me introduce you to HANDS OFF GRETEL. The four-piece (Consisting of vocalist/guitarist Lauren Tate, guitarist Sean Bon, bassist Becky Baldwin and drummer Sam Hobbins) formed in South Yorkshire in 2015, and with influences including JACK OFF JILL, HOLE and THE DISTILLERS it’s easy to see where they blend punk and emancipation. They recently released their brand new album “I Want The World”…but where’s the equality in that? Let’s find out…

Opening track “Kiss Me Girl” gets the record off to a roaring start with an up-tempo flurry of punk-rock, laced with lashings of attitude and a tongue-in-cheek sense of taboo; it’s very Brody Dalle. The track explores female sexuality within same-sex relationships, with lyrics like “Have you never kissed a girl before?” and “What’s wrong just feels so right” entwined within a narrative of naughty excitement. Tate delivers the track with a brilliant sense of sarcasm and it kicks things off wonderfully. The first half of the album as a whole in fact doesn’t miss a beat and really we’re treated a solid run of tracks from the word go…”S.A.S.S” continues with its sense of female empowerment by taking a swipe at misogyny with an assertive hard rock number, balanced with subtle layers of funk, something which fans of SUMO CYCO would appreciate for sure. “Big Boy” is another up-tempo piece with a solid rock ‘n’ roll rhythm and more than a sprinkling of innuendo. Very lyrically suggestive, Tate is clearly having fun here and resonates through the track.

If you fancy something a little less intense however the album houses further gems such as the wonderfully infectious “Alien”…vocally not as fervent; there’s a predominantly more funk-pop aesthetic here with a cleaner sound and a more polished, commercial production value…this one would easily entertain fans of NO DOUBT / GWEN STEFANI and it’s got a brilliant climactic flurry. The album does run out of a little steam as it reaches its final moments however with a couple of less inspired cuts not quite on par with the aforementioned. “Milk” for example carries a strong grunge influence and as a result it’s a lot deeper, but at the same time more sluggish; sadly a boring listen, before “My Friend Said” then despite being a generally jovial little track becomes pretty stale and repetitive very quickly…I guess you could say it’s lyrically la-la-la lalalalalala-lazy? Aside from those hiccups it’s safe to say that this is, overall, a very strong and entertaining album. The punk elements where needed are raw and confrontational to aid the subject matter well, allowing Tate to get her message across in an epigrammatic fashion, while the more pop-driven segments allow for a genuinely infectious listen. They may want the world, but you may want to just give this album a listen, and very much get your hands ON Gretel…with consent though, naturally. [8]

It only seems like yesterday when we were talking about WEEZER, and quite frankly that’s because it may as bloody well have been! Yes back in January, less than two months ago, Los Angeles emo / post-rockers Weezer dropped a surprise self-titled covers album dubbed the “Teal Album”, given its cover art. A fine a medley of covers it turned out to be, that included everything from TOTO to TLC, but it was all filler, merely biding time for what would be announced as their SIXTH self-titled album, dubbed the “Black Album”, which was released at the beginning of March.

Having six self-titled albums is bold and ambitious for any artist, not even KORN can compete with that! But, let’s break it down…going as far back as 1994 we’ve gone through everything from blue, to green, red, white, teal and now black…either Rivers Cuomo is trying to assemble his own league of fucking Power Rangers or he’s been on the Skittles again! Fuck the rainbow Rivers, focus on the music! I digress…with this, the “Black Album”, have they gone heavier; darker? Have they channelled their inner METALLICA to let rip and deliver an album soaked in the maelstrom of metal misery? Well the answer is, not quite…let me explain…

Opening track “Can’t Stop The Hustle” has an almost Hispanic tone to it combined with brass elements and an almost 70’s funk charm, and it speaks of a general down to Earth, working class lifestyle…lyrics about managers slacking, selling lemonade, higher education and avoiding drugs; it’s a bit of a jab at the idea of the modern celebrity and the idea of instant fame and success. It’s all about the work ethic which is something Weezer have put in for nearly 30 years now, never compromising, always true to themselves…admirable in context but it’s a somewhat flat opener musically. “Zombie Bastards” follows up and sonically it’s a bit of an oxymoron as there’s nothing threatening about this at all. Amidst it’s jovial indie-pop tones it speaks of society and normality; everyone conditioned to a certain way of life, a bland existence if you will and the song challenges the idea of that; suggesting you dig a little deeper, there’s more to life than this, there’s more to life than being a brainwashed zombie, and it’s both a dig AND encouraging.

Elsewhere the album more or less maintains a calm, easy listening vibe over the remaining eight tracks…”High As A Kite” takes on a soft, JOHN LENNON / THE BEATLES vibe, and it’s touching as it mentions drifting off like lost balloons, flying like a beautiful bird over a piano led ballad; the idea of freedom and escaping society and the pressures of everyday life; it’s a sweet song backed by a sweeter Mr Rogers inspired video. Album highlight’s “I’m Just Being Honest” and “Too Many Thoughts In My Head” stand out with their up-beat delivery…the former again utilising infectious indie-pop tones and a simple hook, while the latter is again, up-beat and makes the most of Rivers impressive high notes, in places coming across not too unlike BRONSKI BEAT toward the tracks climax, if only briefly. While not intense, the track ends in an enjoyable crescendo and it’s a pleasant listen overall.

The remainder of the record as I said more or less delivers in a similar fashion…”Piece Of Cake” is pretty straight forward with it’s sweet, laid back delivery, “The Prince Who Wanted Everything” does undertake a more 70’s inspired glam-rock aesthetic not unlike T-REX for example, before closing track “California Snow” runs the clock down with some primarily lethargic and repetitive soft rock. Ultimately I think that this album is a bit of a rib on today’s market and industry generally…the very idea of a ‘Black Album’ conjures up the idea of heaviness, as I mentioned Metallica previously, we’re inclined to think that way; we expect a darkness, a deep resonance accompanying the weight of the music, but Weezer here have trolled us all as it’s one of the softest sounding albums they could have delivered. The song writing and story-telling has clear depth, but we were expecting something much meatier, and the band KNEW this. I’m not knocking it for its lack of heaviness, or grit, but credit to Weezer they played me here and still managed to make me bob my head to the majority of this album. IS IT as good as the covers album from January? No, because of the quality choice of songs they covered, but this is a decent little happy-go-lucky record. Still after all these years you really can’t knock Weezer’s hustle…[5]

Now, I’m going to level with you all OK…I didn’t expect to be doing this review. For those of you who aren’t on the GTGC Facebook page, you may not know that some of my reviews are reader requested via means of polls…every so often I provide ten new albums to choose from and the winners get reviewed; it’s really quite simple. Naturally I like to mix it up a bit and include some, shall we say, interesting options? Usually this is PURELY for diversity’s sake as 9 out of 10 ten times you can guarantee the big name rock bands win…this however…this is that 1 in 10. This, this is Rick Sanchez C-137, the malcontent…So thank you, you bunch of bastards, as we prepare to check out “DNA”…the brand new album by BACKSTREET BOYS. Pass me the fucking Jack Daniel’s, seriously…

For those of you who are of a certain generation, you may not really appreciate the gravitas of the name Backstreet Boys…while you’ve all been busy enjoying ONE DIRECTION and the like, it was back in the early 90’s that AJ, Howie, Nick, Kevin and Brian more or less paved the way for your teeny-bopping lifestyle. Arguably the biggest selling boy-band in the world, for a period they ruled the airwaves with the likes of “I Want It That Way”, “Larger Than Life” and “Everybody (Backstreets Back)”…but that was a long time ago, and the now man-band have returned with their 9th full length studio album in 2019. Are the boys back in town, or should these backstreets be cordoned off?

We open up with “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” and the initial soft piano leads into some slick vocal delivery as the track gradually picks up momentum, culminating in a rhythmic chorus fuelled by retro synths. The hooks are simple but effective, with the vocal high notes and their emotive delivery; the overall feeling of hope and optimism leads to a really enjoyable piece of pop music and it’s a decent opener it has to be said. Follow up track “Nobody Else” is really just your modern pop ballad; all of the love song clichés, with the vocal harmony and soppy lyrics delivered within a mellow, laid back track. I mean it’s sweet, but it’s no “Fucking An Animal” by GWAR now is it?

There are a couple of notable moments scattered throughout the record; “New Love” has a bass-driven R’n’B vibe at its core, aiming for a sultry mood setting, though the flutes sort of spoil that, feeling out of place, and chorus suffers from repetition, though the multi-layered climax of the track does end things on a lively note. Recent single “Chances” is probably the albums stand-out track with its soulful vocal delivery, and a groove-heavy, upbeat chorus hooks, another admittedly enjoyable pop song this. “No Place” utilises a smooth country-pop inspired sound, where as “Passionate” houses more funk-driven guitar and subtle brass sections, before we eventually finish on “OK”…soaked in positivity and good vibes, providing the listener with a happy ending.

The question we need to ask I suppose is, in today’s climate; musically speaking…are the Backstreet Boys relevant? While it’s impossible to deny the influence and impact they’ve had on the world of pop music, they’ve sold albums in the millions all around the globe….times they are a changing. They may have been trend setters back in their heyday, with all the young girls fainting over them, with the posters on the walls, the screaming and hysteria…but they’re not getting younger, and newer more relatable artists are replacing them on those walls. Their name will carry them to success still, but this album is in all fairness just a run of the mill, safe, pop album. There’s nothing here that says Backstreets Back (Pun intended) …sadly I guess you could say DNA stands for ‘Don’t Needem’ Anymore’…[3]

You may remember a short while ago; I managed to catch up with David Challenger for a chat about all things THE KENNEDY SOUNDTRACK, and got the guitarist to talk about the past, the present and the possible future for the Welsh rap-rockers. Having only recently reformed for the first time since their debut album run in 2002, nostalgia has been ripe within the KST camp, with the band re-releasing that same debut; “Tale Of 2 Cities”, especially for collectors on cassette store day, as well as playing a come-back headline show in Newport. However, with the cassette proving incredibly popular, and the show itself being a sell-out, it would be foolish to pass up on such an opportunity, given the fresh interest in the band. The result; they are not only riding the wave of nostalgia, but they’re owning that son of a bitch Kelly Slater style…and in the wake of all the excitement, they opted to treat long-time fans with a new compilation of B-Sides and rarities, together for the first time on one album…so with that in mind, let’s check out “B-Sides”.

We begin with “You Never Know” and WHAT a way to kick this album off! Originally available on the “Bloodshot Eyes” single, it perfectly encapsulates all that was good with the early nu-metal era of alternative rap rock…the fuzzy guitar distortion, the deep bass lines, the up-tempo delivery…sharp, angst-riddled lyrics and a huge hook-filled chorus, full of melody and harmony. The instrumental-heavy climax genuinely gives you goose-bumps as it filters out with one last flurry of noise and passion and it’s perfect. Firstly this belongs on the actual album, and secondly this deserves to close proceedings, end on a high note, y’know? It’s got that vibe to it…fucking brilliant stuff. We follow this up with the Melodic Mix of “24-7” and while it retains the original rap-heavy approach of the album version, here we find David taking over on vocal duties for the chorus instead of Nic Harvard and it gives us a fresh take on a classic. It’s still full of piss and vinegar but the inclusion of cleaner vocals softens the track, rendering it both freshly interesting but no less enjoyable compared to the original.

Elsewhere we have “Wide Awake” which features a brief guest vocal from SKINDRED front-man Benji Webbe. His inclusion is minimal at best, really, only offering what can be described as Caribbean Scat? I mean that as in the Scat Man (Bee-dap-bap-badda-boop), not as in, shit…please be aware of that, thank you. The song itself is a primarily mellow acoustic ballad and aside from a mid-track tempo-change of Nic’s low-key hip-hop input, it serves as a wonderfully sweet ballad, showing the Welsh quintet were more than one-trick ponies. “Bring Me Down” ironically picks things back up again with a grittier, riff-driven guitar sound before some sleek, classic hip-hop lyrical delivery, in ways harking back to the likes of PUBLIC ENEMY (Think the early Tony Hawk soundtracks), while promotional single “Proud” really gets going in proper KST fashion…really emphasising their status as the valley’s answer to LINKIN PARK…few UK acts truly embraced the nu-metal movement like this lot and despite a genre saturation, their background and tastes allowed them to still sound unique and exciting, which still holds true to this day.

​At only nine tracks long, it’s over far too quickly…alternative versions of “Yourself” and the aforementioned “Bloodshot Eyes” make an appearance, and if anything can be picked at really it’s the deep cut “E.M.B.”, which with its funk-driven instrumental style and almost 70’s guitar-tones sounds more out of place than anything else, but let’s be honest, this is the kind of sound you light up for, if you know what I mean? You do dabble in the devils lettuce, don’t you? Essentially, as was discussed with David, The Kennedy Soundtrack are happy to be back and they’re excited to be playing music again…while at the same time, long-time fans are even happier to have them back themselves. Somewhat of a cult band given their brief original run, but now is THE perfect time to discover KST, or even give them another chance. Hopefully we’ll have new music in 2019, and they’ll be killing music all over again. [8]

It’s been a heck of a year for Brighton’s YONAKA…following on from 2017’s “Heavy” EP, the band have found themselves on some pretty impressive tours in its wake; sharing stages with the likes of reinvigorated king of partying ANDREW WK, DON BROCO and more recently playing arena’s with BRING ME THE HORIZON. The four-piece however (Consisting of vocalist Theresa Jarvis, guitarist George Edwards, bassist Alex Crosby and drummer Robert Mason) aren’t resting their laurels…and earlier this year they released not one but two, highly anticipated follow up EP’s entitled “Teach Me To Fight” and “Creature”. Have Yonaka burned through the midnight oil, or will it be the dawn of a new day for this south-coast ensemble? Let’s find out, as we check out the latter…

The four-track EP opens up with “Own Worst Enemy” and it speaks of a split-personality, battling your inner demons and confronting yourself over your own actions and choices in life. Their dark blend of sultry electronic pop and indie rock, coupled with Theresa’s semi-husky voice combines well for a groove-heavy, rhythmic track and a strong opener. The pop hooks and atmospherics bridge a nice gap for fans of say, JESSIE J and FLORENCE & THE MACHINE. The title track offers a serious EP highlight with its urbanised pop aesthetic; an almost classic disco funk rhythm with subtle R’n’B elements, along-side a catchy chorus, showcasing Yonaka’s ability to write a genuine tune.

​“Death By Love” despite having a slightly slower tempo for the most part retains that funk-based core sound and really utilises a sense of easy-listening pop production…this is the kind of track that could easily (Given the chance) get them more mainstream airplay in the current chart climate, capable of appealing to a fairly wider audience compared to many bands in a similar position.  We sadly then finish up too soon on final track “She’s Not There” and again they’ve opted for a slower, darker, slightly brooding heavy pop track to round things off. It ends proceedings on an almost cinematic vibe, with slick production, a simplistic yet conspicuous beat and minimal yet effective instrumentation; the riffs and percussion flowing effortlessly, carrying Theresa’s vocals through a brief yet hypnotic track. All in all, Yonaka have taken all that was good with their previous works and continued to build not only a sound of their own, but a name for themselves around the UK’s up-and-coming live scene. Both reliable on stage and consistently delivering quality tracks, Yonaka are certainly ones to watch and on this evidence, their debut album has the potential to be something very special indeed. You don’t follow Yonaka? You knackered…[8]

​GIRL! I WANT TO TAKE YOU TO A GAY BAR! Well, to be honest, actually I don’t, BUT, I DO however want to take you on a journey, to remind you about one of the most underrated, hardest working bands on the planet; ELECTRIC SIX. I preach this practically every year, and that’s simply because, whether you’re aware of it or not, Electric Six have practically released a new album EVERY FUCKING YEAR since “Fire”, and frankly not enough people take notice!

People may naturally assume that, to be so prolific creatively, to produce a full album a year and complete all their touring commitments, it really must be a case of quantity over quality? And sure over the years, the band have dropped a lot of their overtly blatant ridiculousness, but having spoken to front man Dick Valentine, it’s interesting to learn that, despite him being very much the face and voice of the band, it’s very much a group effort. Each member of the band in fact writes three or four songs for each album cycle, resulting in a lot of time being saved and more importantly, a rich tapestry of differing styles and influences shaping each and every record. With that in mind, we’re about to delve into album number FOURTEEN; “Bride Of The Devil”…let’s get hitched…

With Dick’s typically dry-humour we open up with “The Opener” and I do like it when things get to the point it has to be said…with its subtle distortion and sludgy riffs, accompanied by plenty of vocal wails, plus Dick favouring his gritty, higher pitched delivery here, almost channelling an AC/DC-esque style, it’s an intense but enjoyable start. This actually carries through the first half of the album with some truly solid cuts from E6, keeping momentum going at a steady but satisfying pace…tracks like “You’re Toast” musically slowing things down for the most part, opting for a semi-blues rock offering, with Dick’s vocals full of piss and vinegar, to a degree akin to something CLUTCH might produce, which is always a good thing, while “(It Gets A Little) Jumpy” is a quaint little acoustic number, full of smooth melody and Summery hooks; it really is a lovely little track.

The second half of the album however….sadly; doesn’t match the same quality. It exceeds it! It honestly just gets stronger as it goes on and seriously, the band is on top form here…”Hades Ladies” saunters in with its gravelly rock ‘n’ roll vibe and deep groove; full of swagger and confidence…the title track utilises more of a simplistic synth-based hook layered within some classic rock influences, especially the brief solo which would easily please fans of THE DARKNESS for example, before album highlight “Witches Burning” delivers some classic E6 with its bluesy guitar licks and quality riff-work with an anthemic chorus…this is quality.

The album DOES drop the ball slightly with its closing track “The Worm In The Wood” as the sudden drop in tempo isn’t so much of a come-down as a let-down, with the latter half of the album getting you pumped up, hoping for an explosive climax. The tinny almost tropical guitar’s giving off an almost CHRIS ISAAK vibe which is nice, don’t get me wrong, but it can’t help but feel ever so slightly anti-climactic. Overall however that’s a minor annoyance that doesn’t take away from what is admittedly a superb album…fourteen albums in and Electric Six are still as consistent and reliable as ever, on this instance maybe even more so, as it’s one of their strongest collection of songs in a few years now…if I may paraphrase the great BILLY IDOL…it’s a nice day for a white wedding; it’s a nice day to, start listening to Electric Six again. [8]

“Are they human? Are they wolves?” – Wait, what? This is going to be fucking great I can already tell let me read some more of this… “Their looks may be deceiving and even comical at first glance, but they have incredible brain power and a superhuman physique”…I just did a legit LOL. In case you’re wondering, this isn’t the plot synopsis to some low-budget Lycanthrope movie; it is in fact the back story to one of the biggest bands currently tearing up the Far East! If I may, allow me to continue; “Such superb abilities enabled them to carry out the planet’s most challenging top secret missions, and made them untouchable by the world’s fearsome and powerful leaders including Genghis Khan, Attila the Hun, and Ivan the Terrible.”…this is incredible…this is absolutely incredible, let me just compose myself for a minute.

The band in question is MAN WITH A MISSION and the Shibuya based 5-piece (Consisting of vocalist Tokyo Tanaka, guitarist/rapper Jean-Ken Johnny, bassist Kamizake Boy, drummer Spear Rib and DJ Santa Monica) are collectively one of the most relevant and loved rock bands in Asia today, selling out arena’s all over the continent, having racked up millions of streams and views on platforms such as Spotify and YouTube…but over the past year they’ve been broadening their horizons and have reached out further afield. Some of you may recognise them from their tour slot supporting DON BROCO recently but  now in 2018 they’ve released their first international album; the appropriately titled “Chasing The Horizon”. The question is are these wolf men leading the pack, or just barking mad?

The international release itself has a couple of exclusive bonus tracks for those of us outside of Japan, which includes “Mr. Bad Mouth”, “The Anthem” and “Brave It Out”…the former is a well-worked combination of pulsing, bass-driven electronica and an up-tempo, rocking chorus which in places resembles the likes of FOZZY, but that’s really not a bad thing, while the latter uses a more R’n’B / rap-inspired approach to its verses with the guitars and synths layered throughout, “The Anthem” sadly click-baits you into expecting something big and bold, but what you DO get is a morose ballad type track which is very anti-anthem if anything…though it’s message is positive so it’s not all bad, just a tad disappointing.

The rest of the album features a selection of singles that MWAM have previously released and to be fair this is quite an impressive repertoire…”Take Me Under” for example is wonderfully infectious piece of synth driven alt. rock with plenty of melody  and sing along qualities…”Dead End In Tokyo” has the additional appeal of having FALL OUT BOY front-man Patrick Stump on the writing credits, which makes sense when you listen to it, it’s got that certain distinction in tone…sticking to pop-culture references, wrestling fans may recognise “Break The Contradictions” from NJPW’s recent G1 Climax, the track being selected as its theme; with all of its clap-along charm it’s a really enjoyable track, before “Dog Days” give-off a more drum & bass vibe for a really up-beat slab of rhythmic techno. The only real downside I can find really is “Freak It!” which features the Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra…the brass-sections coupled with the progressive jazz elements don’t really sit too well with the almost stop / start pacing of the track and really it just comes across as a failed experiment. All in all for an international debut it’s a shame…a shame because they’re actually a really good band underneath the furry gimmick and ideally we could have heard more of them sooner, and their back catalogue is well worth exploring. Definitely a recommended record, why couldn’t we get these guys instead of fucking BABYMETAL?!?!?! [8]

The rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle…very much akin to that of any Santa Carla vampire really; you know…party all night and all that malarkey…well it turns out, a couple of UK bands didn’t get that memo last year! Maybe it’s just coincidence but both YOU ME AT SIX and today’s band, DEAF HAVANA (Despite charting favourably) pretty much underperformed and underwhelmed with their previous albums “Night People” and “All These Countless Nights” respectively. They may have been children of the night but oh what music they DIDN’T make…well this year both bands are aiming for redemption with swift follow-up records. I’ve already covered YMA6’s new one “VI” over at www.allabouttherock.co.uk but here I’m going to be looking at Havana’s new LP entitled “Rituals”.

Written with a fresh, interesting approach; here we found front-man James Veck-Gilodi throwing out the usual Deaf Havana rule-book to jot down no more than just some potential song names first. He would then write songs according to those titles, fitting the lyrics and music around those ideas and concepts, with the band then completing them in the studio once satisfied. The end result? The 13 tracks we have right now making up “Rituals”…let’s check it out.

The album rather appropriately opens up with “Wake” and while a completely separate body of work it’s still as though there’s this redeeming narrative that both aforementioned bands are focusing on; the morning after the night before, referencing the previous albums. No more than a 40 second intro with the words “You can fall” repeated in a choir-esque fashion…very hushed but slowly climbing in volume and presence, before cutting off and leading into first track proper “Sinner”. An incredibly jovial track combining elements of soft indie-rock and boy-band pop melodies; an incredibly light-hearted take on James’ own personal past experiences; a song of admittance and acceptance delivered with a very British stiff upper lip, but it’s very easy listening and enjoyable.

This general tone musically carries through the album fairly consistently…even conceptually as far as the single-word song titles. “Holy” utilises a subtle, underlying funk-inspired feel coinciding with the already established indie-pop vibe, backed with more choir accompaniment courtesy of the London Contemporary Voice Choir…”Worship” too with its percussion-driven acoustic tones and minimal synths makes for a very laid back listen, which can also be said for “Fear”, while album highlight “Pure” is rich in rhythm and delivers a simple yet effective chorus, even teasing at James’ grittier vocal qualities, highlighting his passion as a singer.

Some of the tracks do plod along, barely escaping 2nd gear towards the end of the album mind, with “Heaven” again utilising the help of the choir, providing gospel-inspired gang vocals over a generally slower, stripped back track, while the albums longest offering “Saint” makes you wish you had the patience of one. God it’s so slow and boring…I mean it’s touching, but boring…and who really wants to feel bored when touched? I’m getting off topic now…ahem…that sadly too leads us into the closing track “Epiphany” and it’s here I had a sudden realisation; this track is also sadly a bit dull, as well as feeling abrupt and almost unfinished. “Rituals” as a whole isn’t bad; it’s got its pleasant pop qualities, James is still a fine story-teller, plus it’s got more energy than its predecessor…and credit to them for experimenting with their entire approach to writing this time around. The only thing I will say is that know James can properly belt out the vocals when called upon with grit and conviction, he’s done so in the past, and this album again does lack some of that edge…other than that it’s a decent album. Now if you’ll excuse me I have my OWN rituals to sort out…these puppies aren’t going to sacrifice themselves…[6]

If I were to maybe, oh I don’t know, chime in with some lyrics? Maybe something along the lines of…“I chime in with a ‘haven’t you people heard of, closing the god damn door?’”…a lot of you are going have flashbacks to those early emo years of the mid to late 2000’s, and many of you are going to fondly remember how bands like PANIC! AT THE DISCO ruled the airwaves. Well, you may have washed away the eyeliner, cut off your fringe and grown out of all of that since, but you wouldn’t be the only one…front man Brendan Urie has more or less done the same. While alternative rock music has gone through its trends following the emo outbreak, such as the huge metalcore boom, Brendan has very much gone on his own path, in more ways than one. Back in 2016 he released “Death Of A Bachelor” as pretty much the sole remaining member of P!ATD, and long gone were the soaring emo-rock anthems like “I Write Sins…” and “The Ballad Of Mona Lisa”, instead we had a man reinvigorated by the creative process; playing and writing everything himself, toying with ideas and musical avenues, and it paid off with the album doing incredibly well commercially, even though it continued on its clear departure from their original sound.

His new found creative freedom and exploration of pop music theatrics led him to the stage where he did a stint performing for the west end musical “Kinky Boots” and it’s here where we also find P!ATD in 2018 for album number six; “Pray For The Wicked”. Still the sole original member, here we find Brendan allowing his love of all things Broadway to consume P!ATD as he writes freely; full of glee and gay abandon, but does it work for the ol’ disco? Let’s find out…

We rather starkly open up with “(Fuck A) Silver Lining” and despite its initial 50’s feel we quickly transition into Brendan’s bold vocals and a rich, rhythmic jazz piece, but there are also elements of funk as well as early hip-hop layered within the percussion and it’s a real smorgasbord…lyrically it’s heavily focused on those silver linings, coupled with those “Cherries on top”, it’s a message of dissatisfaction; never settle for what you have and don’t be placated by those sweet cherries, you can always strive for more, you can always do better, and this song pushes for that, a possible nod to the bands evolution too if you will. Follow up track “Say Amen (Saturday Night)” has certain elements of religious confliction…housing the album’s title in its chorus, it’s as though he’s suggesting even the righteous need nights off, you can’t save everyone, it’s the weekend, let them do what they want...so while you may not condone ones behaviour, not everyone is your responsibility all the time, and understanding that doesn’t necessarily make you a bad person…and I have to point out the high note at the songs climax, for want of a better phrase, JESUS CHRIST!

The rest of the album pretty much continues with this eccentric and essentially extravagant tone throughout, with Brendan really firing on all cylinders…only those cylinders come packed full of confetti and are accompanied by a full parade, backing dancers, a circus act and marching band. “Roaring 20’s” has this low-key Latin-jazz vibe at its core and highlight’s his experience on Broadway, at this young stage of his life how did end up here so to speak. Album apogee “One Of The Drunks” highlights the dependence society has on substances, the reliance on alcohol and the idea of ‘partying’ to love life, and it’s a powerful song of reflection amidst it’s electronic r’n’b…”The Overpass” again is rich with a heavy brass-driven funk influence, before closing track “Dying In LA” rounds things off with a morose piano ballad; closing the show with a tearjerker before curtains and to be honest Brendan plays to one of his strengths here; his voice. The less-is-more approach musically allows him to pour all the more passion into this, and accompanied by the string sections it’s a lovely little song. Overall while this may be a different band from what you remember from your youth; Brendan does compensate the lack of guitars with an abundance of energy and positivity and while they’ve subtly changed album by album, Brendan’s creative flare is forever a constant and he has to be admired for his daring to explore music. Let’s face it…not many rock stars would swap the sweaty gigs for the glitz and glamour of playing a drag queen in a west end musical, then come back and incorporate that into their day job…that takes some glitter balls! On face value, it’s a fun record as a whole but, it’s not one that’ll stick in your memory on the strength of any single standout songs. [6]

Word of mouth can be a powerful tool (Crying ‘rape’ being a prime example) and it used to be the backbone of the alternative music community if you will…long before the days of the internet, you’ve heard of how rock and metal fans would have to swap mix tapes and records etc. to keep up to date with what was happening in music, relying on your good friend or source to learn who was up and coming, who was the next big thing, who just dropped a sick EP…well those days may seem like a distant memory, but word of mouth can still introduce you to some wonderful people. Take today’s band for instance; SECOND SELF.

The Cheltenham based 4-piece (Consisting of vocalist Simon Bond, guitarist Janek Davies, bassist Barny Barnfield and drummer Pablo Rodriguez) got in touch with me personally after mutual friend and 50 BELOW PROMOTIONS booker Robert Tite (He puts on some sweet gigs and I wholeheartedly encourage you to go check them out) suggested me, as they were looking for reviews. They’re preparing to release their debut self-titled EP and have kindly asked me to give it a listen…full of second self-worth or should they have second-guessed my handling of it all? Let’s find out…

The EP opens up with “Never Coming Home” and it combines a certain nostalgic, classic hard-rock approach with underlying funk-inspired qualities…it’s all about the simple groove here as the bass carries this track forward, coupled with Bond’s emotive vocal display…this sounds like they’ve taken parts of INCUBUS and merged them with the likes of IN SEARCH OF SUN for a truly bluesy opener; it’s a decent start. “Stepping Stones” goes for a similar approach in ways but it does utilise more consistent guitar melody, so while keeping in theme with the track previous we also get throwbacks to artists such as IDLEWILD from that early 2000’s post-indie scene; clean vocals and hooks but not afraid to throw a riff down where needed.

The opening to “Falling Backwards” has a more subdued feel with the relaxed drum-fill and the bubbly guitar tone, before it delves into this, angst-ridden blend of early emo and post-hardcore…a bold vocal display coupled with some passionate instrumentation allows for an enjoyable, emotional jaunt, before closing track “Eat Your Horse” goes all Tesco ready meal on your ass. Arguably the weakest track on offer, it’s here you notice most that it’s the band’s debut recording and production isn’t 100%, there are a few rough patches which will naturally improve with time but here you can feel the scruffy, demo-quality if you will…ultimately however for a first offering you can clearly hear that there’s promise here from the quartet. With just a bit of polishing you potentially have a solid blues-based hard rock unit in Second Self as instrumentally they’re on the right path, and the vocals will only improve with confidence and experience, once they’ve found their groove by the next record fingers crossed. Second Self? Maybe a case of first the worst, second the best as they say… [5]

The UK music scene in the 90’s was an interesting place to be it has to be said…less of an exotic cocktail and more of a dirty pint if anything. At one end of the spectrum we had a rising popularity in girl/boy bands, spearheaded by the likes of SPICE GIRLS and TAKE THAT…at the other end we had the dawn of a new era of darkness by means of the freshly malformed CRADLE OF FILTH and MY DYING BRIDE, and somewhere in the middle of it all, MR. BLOBBY managed a Christmas number 1, I shit you not. The main talking point however was always Britpop, which was of course famously established by the war between BLUR and OASIS, but at the turn of the century when tastes all changed, bands either sank or swam…Blur front-man Damon Albarn however didn’t just swim, he evolved, grew legs, left the pond and changed the concept of performance art as we knew it…he created GORILLAZ.

Consisting of fictional members 2-D, Murdoc, Noodle and Russel, the “group” existed entirely in animated cartoon form and was spawned from Albarn’s growing appreciation for electronic and world hip-hop music, and they made their breakthrough in 2001 via their self-titled debut album and the mega hit “Clint Eastwood”, never looking back, only growing in success with further singles along the road like “Dare” and “Feel Good Inc.” until their eventual hiatus. 2017 saw them return with 26-track behemoth “Humanz” but 2018 sees them back already with the follow up album “The Now Now”…the question is, is it the good good?

We open up with the album’s lead single “Humility” which features famed jazz-guitarist George Benson and what we’ve got is a quirky little, low-fi synth pop piece…laid back in approach combining ambient funk and subtle reggae influences for a very fresh, Summery vibe. This is backed up by the music video, inspired by the Santa Monica lifestyle; carefree and easy-going, and it speaks of the inner struggles of failed romance and yearning, though not entirely serious with Jack Black doing, well, Jack Black things. It’s an OK start…follow up track “Tranz” however is a completely different kettle of fish. Whilst simple in structure and approach it’s got a definite, retro electronic tone musically combining the simplicity of KRAFTWERK and the edgier, darker tones of DEPECHE MODE, all the while utilising some really catchy pop hooks and it works wonderfully, this is easily an album highlight.

Sadly however, highlights over these 11 tracks exist in much the same way Harambe does; i.e. he doesn’t, not anymore anyway (RIP you majestic beast). “One Percent” harbours soft synth melodies that wouldn’t feel out of place in a scene from “Stranger Things”, while “Lake Zurich” is another up-beat, primarily disco / funk-driven instrumental for the most part and it has to be said, on the track “Hollywood”, it’s always good to hear a bit of SNOOP DOGG (Even though the guy will work with almost anyone, refer to my old COREY FELDMAN review for that)…the rest of the album however sadly lacks any real sort of momentum. “Idaho” is structured very much like a dreamscape which would not only put you to sleep, but the sheep you were counting too. “Fire Flies” strikes me as purely ironic and cruel as I’ve literally just reviewed an OWL CITY album and this track actually makes me miss that, before closing track “Souk Eye” rounds things up with some more dreary pop. Damon Albarn is a talented song writer and creator, that’s not in question, but there were days he used to write with a sense of positivity and fun, with more LIFE…lately this project sounds like he’s either half asleep or stoned, or both…honestly, take the W’s off of the album title and it’ll be more appropriate. [3]

Going back decades, arguably since its inception truth be told, ‘rock’ music was always viewed upon as bad thing; a rebellious genre that started in the early days of rock ‘n’ roll a la ELVIS' controversial hip-swinging, leading young ladies astray…punk rock was always a primary instigator of rebellion when that came about, the musical equivalent of streaking through a convent with your middle fingers proudly pointing skyward…and then there’s metal. We’re not going to be delving into all of the deep, dark sub-genres, but metal itself has always been associated with the devil and darkness, and of course bands like BLACK SABBATH and IRON MAIDEN only fueled that…but sometimes a band just feels the need to speak up; make a statement and be as brutally honest or opinionated as they can be. Here; special guest writer PETE HARRIS (petesmusic0508@gmail.com) showcases his personal picks on “5 Metal Bands That Made Their Name Attacking The Establishment”

"There are many ways to speak to the powers above. But sometimes, the best and only way to unleash truth is to do it as loudly and as aggressively as possible. Here are five of our favourite artists who knew just that — and have used the inherent aggression of metal to express rage, dissent, and criticism against the unyielding sociopolitical establishment."

Godfathers of 90’s and 00’s thrash metal; MACHINE HEAD first made a name in Europe before getting famous back home in the US. One of the pioneers in the ‘New Wave Of American Heavy Metal’ which began in the mid 1990’s and peaked later in the millennium. Machine Head dabbles with thrash and groove metal, which they’ve perfected in songs like “Aesthetics Of Hate” and “Clenching The Fists Of Dissent”. From criticising the critics who act like the gatekeepers of rock, to taking an anti-war stance in the midst of the American government’s oil-hoarding in the Middle East, Machine Head’s fans know that they mean business.

"Being able to loudly and aggressively speak truth to power is just one of the many uses of anti-establishmentarian music. As many metal-heads can attest to, listening to some quality rock and metal can prompt emotional, mental and even physical benefits as well; revelling in the violent themes of metal in in many ways, an act of anti-violence and therapeutic self-love. In fact, academically-backed research published in an article on LOTTOLAND reveals that people who regularly go to live rock music gigs are more satisfied with their lives than those who don’t. The same source also reveals that powerful music can give a 26% boost to your overall blood-flow. Keep these things in mind the next time you’re debating whether or not it’s worth it to go out and see what the newest bands have to offer…"

What are your thoughts on metal bands speaking truth to power? Were there any bands or artists you feel deserve to be in this list? Let us know what you think in the comments!