If you have heard the single Steady as She Goes it gives you a fairly good idea of what to expect from The Raconteurs debut album. Jack White and Brendan Benson team up with The Green Horns rhythm section to produce a very competent blues rock throwback to the seventies album.
Both White and Benson are of course prolific songwriters and here each trade songs and vocals on all 10 tracks. Whites distinctive wide eyed blues howl has been toned down and sometimes its hard to work out who’s actually singing, but on the fabulously bluesy Blue Veins, complete with backwards samples, or the grunge funk of Level, there’s no confusing his vocal touch or too his incendiary guitar playing, when required, especially on the rollicking Store Brought Bones or Hands.
All in all it’s not a Jack White album but a joint effort and a worthy one at that, it’ll probably be a massive hit due to Whites connection and I’d recommend it as a nice alternative soundtrack to the summer
Nelson Bibb
Take four very different personalities, a huge dose of easy going Caribbean vibe, an effervescent live show and a lot of experience chaperoning Slipknot and the like, and the result is a ska outfit – Big Hand.
Luke: We bought in our live engineer Mixmaster Matt to help with the final mix and master on all the tracks but other than that the first 2 EPs were entirely self recorded, produced and mixed.
Worst habits of band members? 
Derby ska-punk crew Lightyear, who split in late 2003, have announced a one off tour this summer across the UK.
Texas pop-punks Fenix TX have cancelled their imminent UK tour for the second time. Singer/guitarist Will Salazar has been struck down with throat problems, and has been ordered to stop singing immediately. The band apologise to their UK fans, and are intending to reschedule the tour for a later date.
This is it. The album that you either have, or damn well should have been, waiting for for almost half a decade. Their first batch of fresh material since 2001’s classic ‘Lateralus‘, Los Angeles based quartet Tool return with the outstanding ‘10,000 Days’. Packed full of 10-minute plus marathons bursting with the off-kilter rhythms, twisted riffs and soaring vocal harmonies many have come to know and love so dearly, it’s already certain to top the end of year polls for fans and critics alike. Drag yourselves to stores from May 8th and form an orderly queue.
Whether you care to acknowledge it or not, Motley Crue are simply one of the most influential and legendary bands in rock history. Bursting onto the LA strip scene of the early 1980’s their unique hard rock stylings – as well as their sex, drugs and alcohol fuelled rampages – would go on to form the blueprint of which countless classic bands would follow thereafter. Recorded on their hugely successful ‘Carnival of Sins’ world tour, this double-disc set clocking in at over 100 minutes is a shining example of how heavy music deserves to be played. Loud, fast, and fucking filthy. 
Any seasoned Sworn Enemy fan will tell you that upon first listen ‘The Beginning of the End’ is not so much a mere album title as it is a lip-splitting statement of intent. Though several years on the road with a host of modern day metal’s leading lights has clearly had more than a slight influence on proceedings, the band’s previous hardcore roots are by no means severed; but rather moulded into a 45 minute slice of groove-laden brutality. Jaw-breaking devastation at its absolute finest. 
In a metal world dominated by overseas exports, it’s refreshing to have yet another member of the ever growing and ever improving UK underground to call our own. A whiplash-inducing nod to the early 90’s groove metal formula perfected by the likes of Pantera and Machine Head, Oxford based five-piece Chokehold have planted the foundations for what may just be a long, successful, and ridiculously heavy career. If the killing has begun then grab your bullet-proof vest, because this is one band you can’t afford to slip away from.
By the summer of 1998 the word “metal” had become a largely dirty word in the minds of many. That is, of course, unless preceded by the words “nu” or “rap”. Thankfully, lurking sinisterly in the Swedish shadows were The Haunted. Formed from the ashes of Gothenburg legends At The Gates, this self-titled debut was the shot in the arm that so many owe so much to. Frantic, uncompromising and utterly irate in its delivery; it was, is, and always will be a true classic in every sense of the word. 
Following from their debut top ten single, East London upstarts Boy Kill Boy keep the momentum up with new release Suzie. This upbeat dance floor filler combines a disco vibe with an awesome indie slant intertwined with thumping drums, keyboards and a tongue in cheek disco smattering. Frontman Chris Peck’s distinctive vocals put a dark spin on lyrics of a faltering love affair, crumbling before our very eyes. With a slot of the NME new bands tour on the horizon and the forthcoming album due for release on May 22nd – these guys are whetting our appetites for what promises to be a absolute stormer of an album.
If you missed out on the original release of this single on limited edition last July, then be grateful you have another chance to savour this indie gem. Seductive guitars, layers of sound slithered together with fast packed riffs and an overpowering chorus – this is the track that catapulted the New York three piece into the limelight last summer. With the unforgettably suggestive ‘My body is your body, I won’t tell anybody’, this track will wheedle its way into your head. Describing their sound as “advanced high level sectional articulation” We Are Scientists straddle the gap between darker pop punk and indie chic – and this single is the perfect showcase of their talents. 
Hailing from Wisconsin, Delaware, this indie six piece, follow their album release with the intoxicating Did I Tell You. Twinkling keyboards fade into a wonderfully infectious, bitter sweet track, Nick Krill’s heart wrenching vocals grab your attention, to provide a vibrant and memorable offering. The tracks thunders along with an endearing fuzziness, there’s a mellow shadow cast over the proceedings, it’s a sound you can sink into and enjoy. There’s nothing hugely original or breath taking – but this is a well structured, multi faceted feel good single, that’ll prove a good soundtrack to chilled summer evenings…if summer ever arrives that it. 
French four piece Phoenix precede their third album release with the dynamic and quirky Long Distance Call. Both enticing yet understated as ever, with great keyboard and cross fader effects, it’s a bracing track, with a smooth winding keyboard sound sliding into almost staccato guitar effect on the choruses. Phoenix are essentially a pop band with good dose of indie sensibility, and this track really deserves to enjoy mainstream airplay. With their quirky choppy sound, they apparently revel in their studio time and this shines through in a coherent and beautifully presented single. Vive la France! 
Currently capturing the hearts of the UK audiences on tour around the country, NY alt country singer/songwriter Teddy Thompson has come to our attention, and really hits his stride with a simply exquisite second album. Rich chords, simple melodies layered to compliment his smooth and reassuring vocals, this supremely talented artist really seems to be coming into his own. With guest appearances from Rufus and Martha Wainwright, and Thompson’s musician parents (dad Richard was in folk rock outfit Fairport Convention and mum Linda was a solo artist), the album is over brimming with catchy, endearing and beautiful tracks that really stick in your mind. Title track Separate Ways is a highlight, with it’s moving, touching lyrics, but there’s really no low point in this album that brings together the elements of folk, alt country and rock. A worthy addition to anyone’s record collection. 
Originally formed six years ago in Florida, The Autumn Offering are doing a fine job of mixing old-school metal influences with the speed and fury of hardcore. ‘Revelations Of The Unsung’ (their debut album, originally released in 2003) is bursting with thunderously heavy grooves and gravel-throated vocals, but is set apart from the generic metalcore masses by some amazingly intricate guitar work – such as the Van Halen style shredding on ‘Shadows Of Betrayal’. Keep an eye out for this lot; their new album ‘Embrace The Gutter’ will be released soon.
The Orange County hardcore stalwarts finally return with an absolute stormer of a fourth album. Frontman Zoli Teglas’ soaring voice often resembles that of the Offspring’s Dexter Holland, and much of ‘Our Darkest Days’ is indicative of what the latter band might have sounded like, had they followed a darker, harder musical path instead of writing rubbish pop songs. This is, quite simply, an awesome hardcore record: heavy, yet melodic, and sure to get you singing along with your fist in the air.
Given that Rezurex count members of Tiger Army and Nekromantix among their ranks, it’s no surprise that the Californian quartet’s debut album is a feast of prime quality psychobilly. Imagine the dark, horror-influenced aesthetic of the Misfits (complete with vocals reminiscent of Danzig) paired with the hyperactive pace and style of the Stray Cats; the results are songs like the arresting stomp of ‘Dia De Los Muertos’ and the none-more-black comedy of ‘Everyday Is Halloween’. Truly, ‘Beyond The Grave’ is to die for.
‘A Guide To Better Listening’, more like. S.O.S. hail from New York, and deal a mean trade in raw stoner-punk, in a Corrosion Of Conformity/Helmet vein. Having been together nearly a decade, they’re one well-oiled rock n’ roll machine, ripping through monolithic riffs and squalling solos with no shortage of panache. Turn this one up loud, feel the grooves of songs like ‘Star Killers’ and ‘The Wedding Guy’, and be amazed. The fact that this lot are still unsigned is nothing short of criminal.
Household Name Records have done a lot for the UK punk scene over the past few years, so it only seems fitting that they should release this album; a collaboration between members of various UK bands like The Filaments, King Prawn, Ex-Cathedra and Operation Nailbomb. ‘This Is The Generation’ is a refreshingly raw mix of ska, reggae, punk and dub, along with politically aware lyrics that intelligently tackle subjects such as the July 7th bomb attacks and anti-war demonstrations. A message for the head and a beat for the feet – essential stuff.
If there’s one thing you should expect from a decent crust punk record is that it has to sound fucking dirty and this new 6-song EP from hardcore powerhouse The Holy Mountain is pure filth! Each song is awash with noise, filth and fury, drawing on the raw power of classic hardcore punk bands like Discharge, Tragedy and Poison Idea played with a jaw dropping intensity that can’t be beat. Listening to songs like ‘The Will Of The People’ and ‘Rope Or Bullet’ you can practically see the veins bulging and the sweat pouring from their heads as they pound living hell out of their instruments. This, my friends, is some heavy shit.
I think it was Ozzy that once said ‘you have to have quiet bits to make the loud bits sound loud,’ and the befuddled Brummie metal god hit the nail on the head. Feathers feature Kyle and Asa from the monstrously heavy Witch and Feathers is the light to Witch’s all consuming darkness. Specialising in beautifully chilled out almost medieval folk music, Feathers draw obvious comparisons to Devendra Banhart, but their influences come from simpler times when folk collided head-on with psychedelic music and progressive rock and bands like The Incredible String Band, Comus and Fairport Convention stripped their music down to some of the deepest roots in music. Likewise, this album is full of gorgeous, simple songs that make you want to smash your mobile phone, computer and ipod into a thousand pieces and live in a tent. Perhaps.
Available for the first time in the UK, this is Bedouin Soundclash’s first album showing how the band got started and how they sounded before the success of their ‘Sounding A Mosaic’ album and their hit single ‘When The Night Fells My Son’ awoke the world to their innovative fusion of reggae, rock, punk and soul. With their roots firmly embedded in the ground-breaking sounds of fellow fusion punk bands like The Clash and Bad Brains, ‘Rootfire‘ shows the band finding their sound and feel through ten tracks of smooth , hypnotic grooves and rolling dub bass. The key to their success, however, is that Bedouin Soundclash understand the importance of memorable sound-writing and hooks and while there is nothing here quite as commercial and addictive as ‘When The Night…’ it’s fun listening to them work their way towards that ultimate goal whilst always retaining their roots and a positive vibe.
If you like your classic seventies rock and think you have the best of the period covered with your Led Zep, Thin Lizzy, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple records, think again. If you dig a little deeper and peek under a few stones there’s treasures there that will blow your brain. Captain Beyond may never have achieved the commercial success of the era’s monsters of rock but their debut album is artistically up their with the greats. The whole album just buzzes with genius, classic riffs, jaw-dropping drumming and rhythmic percussion and brilliant songs. Stoner rock greats Monster Magnet covered ‘Mesmerization Eclipse’ and re-invented it for their ‘Twin Earth’ single, exposing the band to a whole new generation of rock freaks. And what’s good enough for Monster Magnet, is good enough for us. 
No other genre of music has revelled in it’s own stupidity quite as much as punk rock. Right from the very beginning The Ramones, who started it all, played up on their lobotomised brain-dead idiocy. The Exploited, however, dragged punk rock to all new lows in stupidity, spitting songs of gang violence (‘Fuck The Mods’) and endless cliches over-simplistic slogans and brain drool. But boy did they fucking rock. The Exploited played some of the most essential high-energy thug rock you could ever hope to hear, appealing to the pent up violent idiot in all of us in a blitzkrieg of knuckle-dragging pure noise and hate. This CD has all of their singles on it (the clue is in the title). It ain’t pretty, but this is the place to go if you just wanna reduce your brain cells without the use of drugs.
Say the name Slipknot and what comes to mind? Masks, Vomit, Blood curdling growls and all manner of ill shit for starters. But slap on this latest disc and be prepared for a shock. Sure you still get the kick in the face slabs of heaviness such as ‘Three Nil’ and ‘The Blister Exists’ along with the fist pounding Kerrang! friendly anthems such as ‘Duality‘ that we’ve all come to know and love from the well oiled 18 legged machine. However there’s a new side to Slipknot these days. A couple of slow paced tracks that you’d more expect to see on the latest Stone Sour record pop in here, and you know what? They’re actually bloody good. Credit must go to the band for mixing things up a bit when they could easily have cashed in with their trademark sound. All in all everything here ties together to form a fresh, varied and ultimately essential record for any collection.
Ill Nino have reached the point in their career where they need a very strong offering to keep up with the modern metal world. Following an interesting debut and a largely disappointing sophomore effort combined with rumours of performing to backing tracks and warring words with former members, it’s essential they pull it off with their third release. Unfortunately, they don’t by far. One Nation Underground is a weak, half hearted attempt at fusing nu-metal with detuned guitars that were popular around 5 years ago and tribal elements. Opening track “This is War” gives you the impression that it could be worth a go and just possibly a sleeping giant of an album, but alas it’s all spectacularly downhill from there. And it’s blatant at several stages that Cristian Machado just doesn’t have the vocal ability to fit into the style which he’s trying to mimic. The best way I can describe this? Soulfly-ExtraLite. And that’s pushing it.
It’s satisfying in this current age where fashion bands and the next fad rule MTV and the music publications – to see a band with genuine and undisputed talent who have quite frankly worked their bollocks off, finally come through to the masses. Opeth are truly a band that you just can’t lump into any genre no matter how hard you try. It’s also possible that ‘Ghost Reveries’ is some of their most accomplished work to date. This disc can only be described as an epic 8 track journey that twists and turns at every opportunity, crushing you at one moment before picking you up and stroking you gently the next. Mikael Akerfeldt has never sounded better, and with striking tracks such as ‘The Grand Conjuration’ and ‘The Baying of the Hounds’ as evidence, it’s hard to think of anything else that should be sat at the top of any music fans collection this year.
Another group who have recently hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons, Static-X are a band who have enjoyed relative success riding on the coat tails of industrial tinged nu-metal. Having replaced the recently incarcerated Tripp Eisen with original guitarist Koichi Fukuda, the band are proclaiming to have gone back to their roots with this their 4th full length release. This is all well and good until you come to realise that this isn’t the direction they should probably be heading in. Nu-metal has had it’s day and the times are a changing as they say. Sure there’s several short (and I do mean short) sharp punchy efforts on here, but there’s nothing remotely substantial or inspiring to speak of. If the band are to stay afloat it’s definitely time to make a few changes and steer clear of the tried and trusted method. One for the diehard fans only I’m afraid.
KoRn, former nu-metal kings of yesteryear re-emerge with their 7th album having freshly signed to new label Virgin and now parading as a four piece thanks to Brian ‘Head’ Welch’s decision to follow Christianity, it’s hard to mention KoRn these days without cringing and waiting for the inevitable barrage of abuse to come. But when they roll out efforts like this you’ve got to ask yourself if it’s really any wonder. KoRn are blatantly one of those bands that just don’t know when to quit. Thriving on making a fortune out of teen angst well into their thirties, the band don’t even see fit to write all their own lyrics anymore. Whether that’s a good thing in the end or not I really don’t know but on this showing it’s definitely time to quit the day job. I’d name a couple of tracks that stand out but in truth none actually do. So to sum up, if you get your rocks off listening to a rich thirty something, rock star singing in a whiny voice about how shit his life is then no doubt you’ll think this is once again a fantastic album. However the rest of us lucifer loving metal fans may just start seeking out god ourselves after being subjected to this.
The Isle of Wight’s finest export, The Bees, return to touring this month with the release of Octopus, their 3rd album due in the summer. Having recorded their second album at Abbey Road, the group are now taking it back home and recording in the basement studio on the Isle.
Editors are releasing a new single, Blood, which will feature two cover songs. The first cover will be found on the 10″ numbered vinyl, which will be deleted on the same day it is released and will be Road To Nowhere by Talking Heads and will also have a remix of Camera by Jason Pierce. The second version will be a CD and will have Editor’s version of REM’s Orange Crush, a Paul Oakenfold remix of Camera and the video for Blood.
Radiohead played their second night in Copenhagen and debuted more new material which could well be set to feature on their upcoming seventh album.
Picture the scene. Ellis, frontman for Guildford hyper-thrash punks Crash The Pose is stripped down to his boxer shorts, rampaging through a trendy East London boozer screaming and bellowing into a crackling microphone as he carves through the cheering crowd, spitting in people’s faces and spinning their baseball caps through the air.
These Californian street punks like their drugs and rock n’roll and play tonight with an intensity and ferocity that is positively jaw-dropping. Their combination of punk attitude and energy mixed with balls out rock n’roll threatens to destroy the whole venue as the audience bounce off the walls to the band’s machine gun fire attack in tracks like ‘Teenage Rebel’ and ‘Fast Forward To The Gore’.
Now this is Us3′s fifth album, I first heard of them about a year ago. “Schizophonic” retains the quality I originally listened to when that first CD was passed to me. Developing on the groups enormous 50-date/14 country European tour last year, this album is an energetic, wild and up-tempo affair returning to the task of fitting pieces of live jazz and hip hop beats together.
The UK stands wobbly kneed under Swift It Major’s pressure! With production from Maguyver (KJB Records) and Chino (FMP). This mix-tape is being circulated within the industry, but it has brought out to prep you rowdy lot for the soon to come video of “13 Years On“. Swift is 25 years of age coming from North West London, training and meditating now for a good 2 years and has finally perfected his own style which now is ready to be shared with the rest of the world.
Straight out of Huddersfield comes an emerging new talent, Spida Lee, ready to deliver a mighty onslaught of kick ass beats and rhymes with his brand spanking new single, “Verbal Assassin” taken from his forthcoming debut album on Rubicon beat. This tune is a hard hitting Northern hip hop track, with a strong UK emphasis. The catchy chorus and crisp production by the beat butcher, along with a sinister circular synth refrain, underpins Spida Lee’s debut single.
It’s been a long road, but its here at last! Here it is straight outta Nottingham. Over 18 months in the making, The Departure Lounge represents the sounds of the underground, floating through jazz, funk and electro beats, but all the while coming at you with a conscious Hip-Hop undertone. The album is a 14 track compilation CD with input from the likes of Karizma, Sophie Johnson-Hill and Lost Project. How could you possibly go wrong!!??
From the moment the crunching intro of Stand Up kicks in, you know this is going to be a UK hip hop album that’s a little bit different. Akala is a bright new star who isn’t scared to mix things up a bit and he does it right from the off on his debut album. Guitar licks provide a fair slice of the output on this release and he raps with ease and precision over them all with clever and socially aware lyrical content.
For a while now, Asaviour has been known as Jehst’s hype man, a good presence on stage but no-one really knew if he could transfer it onto a long player. His Savoir Faire EP was hot, but it only had a few tracks on it, so the mystery continued. Well let that question be answered with this release, because it’s a banger of epic proportions. The lead single, So Northern, which he produced himself and which features Braintax on the chorus is a chunky beat which its impossible not to bop to, as he shouts out his up north crew.
Alias has always been one of the most progressive and musical members of the Anticon clan, and his teaming up with vocalist Rona Rapadas [Tarsier] has taken him to yet another level of musicality. But whilst other Anticon members [Jel aside] move further and further leftfield at the expense of melody, Alias’ floating atmospherics always draw the listener in for Tariser’s beautifully vocals move you into a twilight state of mind.
The people over at Ninja Tune have done it again and released a belting single courtesy of ZeroDB with a little vocal help from Pase Rock [of Five Deez fame] on the flip side’s Know What I’m Saying. Rocking the shuffling drums and tinkling pianos, the double bass kicks its way over brass samples as the undeniably booty-shaking fuzz gets to work.
So we all know Killa Kela is nuts when he’s kicking his beatbox antics on the mic, but can he cut it on the singing tip well enough to be taken seriously as a singer? Secrets, his new single, gives us a positive answer. The strings pluck and wind themselves around his high voice and compliment it perfectly. The chorus is one of those choruses that you’ll be singing whilst making yourself a cuppa a few hours later.
Matisyahu is getting a load of press at the moment, being unique in his background and music. A Hasidic Jew, he’s moulded his own form of reggae, bringing in elements of hip hop to get his spiritual message across. Now, I’ve never been a fan of reggae, but Matisyahu has that something extra about him, and this single, taken from the album with the same name is a perfect example.
Right, as always before I leave I’m gonna pimp some street art your way. This is something that was done in New Zealand where a shadow of a tree was painted next to a lampost to raise awareness of the environment, done by the Auckland Regional Council. Nice to see the council actually promoting and using street art as opposed to the usual close-mindedness we get from painting over graffiti and stickers.