It was the second half of the eighties when somebody wanted to sell me two The Stranglers records. It was a friend but also a vinyl collector and black market dealer. The two albums were “The Raven” (1979) and “The Gospel According to the Meninblack” (1981).
When I heard the opening Read more The Stranglers – Dark Matters (2021)
“A Document Of Dissent” it’s a collection of 26 tracks spanning the best of the last 20 years (1993-2013), of the band who have partnered up once again with the FAT Wreck Chords for this release. So, if for some weird reason you missed any of the Anti-Flag’s eight studio albums, this is quiet a decent way to right that mistake. I have fall in love with Anti-Flag with their fabulous 2009’s album “The People or the Gun” and since then they are my reference point for still alive and kicking punk-rock, keeping the spirit of The Clash fresh and alive.
Forget about Green Day, this is the real thing!! And…. “you’ll gonna die for your government, die for your country…. that’s s*it!!”
While this seems to be a limited edition, it’s a good idea to pre-order it now.
Anti-Flag was formed in 1988 by singer/guitarist Justin Sane and drummer Pat Thetic in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The band is famous for political activism mainly focusing on anti-war activism, anti-imperialism, class struggle, human rights, and various sociopolitical sentiments. Although I’m not a fan of the left-wing ideologies, Anti-Flag managed to get me. Ant that’s because their irresistible songs and simple, straight, honest messages. We have some things in common I guess. I’m still angry, old and poor. 😆 I’m only “guilty” for being born on the left (wrong?) side of the world…
They also known for their advocacy of progressive political action groups such as Greenpeace and Amnesty International and most recently, the band has declared solidarity with the global Occupy Together movement. Read more Anti-Flag – A Document of Dissent (2014)
While I’m drowning in a sea of absolutely boring music day after day, this pretty British sounding French band made my day and Monday. It’s a cool mixture of reggae, funk, punk-rock and accidentally some electronica. Smooth, groovy and nicely done. And genuine in a world of fake and plastic. Simply it feels right. Maybe it’s not revolutionary, it will not turn your world (and pity life) upside down, but it will keep you going. And although by default I would reject any mixture of punk with pop, this “Little Armageddon” sounds more convincing then most of the modern American self-declared punk products.
Mat Bastard (vocals), Yan Stefani (guitar), Jay Gimenez (bass), Lio Raepsaet (keyboards) and Manamax Catteloin (drums) at their third album just simply nailed it. Read more Skip the Use – Little Armageddon (2014)
Lighten up and have fun! – in few words this is the essence of what Mustard Plug delivers on their eighth studio album. In August 2013, Mustard Plug used KickStarter to fund the recording of their new album. “Can’t Contain” will be officially released by No Idea Records yesterday, January 14, 2014. We’ve got 14 high-energy, groovy ska-punk anthems. The album feature cover art by Jeff Rosenstock of Bomb the Music Industry, which, in my opinion, it’s pretty inexpressive, but fortunately, the music compensate. But honestly, in a CD shop lost between million of albums, I would definitively skip this one.
The album starts like a party and it’s a party throughout! “We Came To Party” will be definitively a party anthem with its “hey ho” chorus. It have a more edgy punk vibe then the rest of the tracks, felt a tie back to Dead Kennedys, but with a ska outfit and flavor. Cool. Read more Mustard Plug – Can’t Contain It (2014)
Iggy Pop and James Williamson on a record again was one of the ultimate rock’n’roll dreams. The Stooges ever playing again was another one. Then dreams came true. The fourth Stooges studio album, “The Weirdness” was recorded and released 34 years after its killer predecessor “Raw Power” and features founding members Iggy Pop (vocals), Ron Asheton (guitar), and Scott Asheton (drums) along with new band member Mike Watt (bass guitar), but also guest musician Steve Mackay (saxophone), who also appeared on the Stooges’ 1970 album, “Fun House”. And the album was engineered by Steve Albini.
Unfortunately, Ron Asheton was found dead in his home on January 6, 2009 and any further The Stooges performance became – once again – improbable. Iggy released a smooth incursion into a jazzy world with his 2009 effort “Préliminaires”, then last year released a covers album entitled “Après”, which featured renditions of songs by Serge Gainsbourg, Henri Salvador, Harry Nilsson, Georges Brassens, Edith Piaf, Frank Sinatra, The Beatles and Yoko Ono.
But Iggy Pop stated that “although ‘the Stooges’ died with Ron Asheton, there is still ‘Iggy and the Stooges’ and somehow managed to convince James Williamson to return as guitarist. Williamson, who was responsible for the seminal guitar sound on 1973’s “Raw Power”, gave up the guitar and worked as an electrical engineer before becoming Vice President of Technology Standards at Sony. Read more Iggy and The Stooges – Ready to Die (2013)
Released on April 2, 2013 on Alternative Tentacles, the second studio album by Jello Biafra and The Guantanamo School Of Medicine it’s a very strong, classy punk rock album filled with wicked guitar riffs, good sense of humor and social and political criticism. So, this is 101% Jello Biafra and “White People And The Damage Done” might be considered the orotund follow up of the Dead Kennedy’s 1987’s “Give Me Convenience OR Give Me Death”. No fillings, no fake s*it, no pop-punk (?!), no wasted or forgettable moments, but only true, honest, neat, punk rock. 54 year old Biafra shows that it’s still possible, and goddam it! it’s more alive and kicking then most of the self-proclaimed rebel and furious so-called musical products that the industry serve us nowadays.
So, shut up and shopping!! ( 😆 )This is something you definitively need to have it in your record collection! Read more Jello Biafra and The Guantanamo School Of Medicine – White People And The Damage Done (2013)
Listen to “Burn”, the brand new song which introduce Iggy And The Stooges’ upcoming album entitled “Ready To Die” and in stores on 30th April. This is the follow-up of their 2007’s “The Weirdness”, but it’s already have been considered as the return to the sound of their 1973’s seminal “Raw Power”.
“Burn” sounds great, thundering, riff oriented, wild true-blood punk, although, I was fucking scared that Iggy will sing again some stupid chansonettes… Fortunately it’s not the case and that might be really a great album!
Iggy and the Stooges – Official Site
Iggy and the Stooges @ Facebook
Iggy and the Stooges @ Twitter
This is just bloody awesome! Think of The Wildhearts, Therapy?, Backyard Babies and Terrorvision, massive, powerful guitar riffs and huge, memorable, singable and melodious vocals. Somewhere between the punk rock fury and the glam rock flavour with heavy guitar riffs and catchy, pop fueled choruses, this Newcastle Upon Tyne, England based quartet fined a damn fine path to establish themselves. And best of all, this is a FREE RELEASE, so get your ass right now and grab it from HERE!
Formed in late 2007, the band released their debut EP “Smashing Up The Future” through indie label Nascar Records and played a huge amount of local and national incendiary live shows to support this EP. They have shared stages with the likes of Wednesday 13, Bullets and Octane, Sorry and the Sinatras and Eureka Machines, Ginger “Wildhearts” and friends.
“Wrongside Of the Head” it’s the perfect sonic molotov to bang your head off down at the club. On a payday night. Read more SuperCharger – Wrongside Of the Head (2013)
Formed in Los Angeles in 1979, Bad Religion released its sixteenth studio album, kind of unbelievable actually, they some real survivors of a long gone and by many forgotten era. The age of true, honest, undiluted punk (rock). But some things are never change and it’s a good thing. Bad Religion sounds just like three decades ago, and “True North” it’s a very energetic, fresh, sing-a-long type of, genuine Bad Religion release. These melodies, rapid beats, simple and tasty riffs never can be mistaken for anyone, but Bad Religion.
“True North” is a celebration of everything we always love and appreciated about Bad Religion. This is probably their best album, but, fortunately, not their last! Read more Bad Religion – True North (2013)
Blue Willa is the debut album by the Italian art rock quartet bearing that same name. The band had been touring and recording for years under the name Baby Blue, but then they decide it that the time has come for change and came up with a brand new identity: Blue Willa.
They explains: “Continuing a story which lasted seven years and three records so far, we decided to carry on our pursuit for a sound that would fit neatly onto our ideas asking a person we unquestionably loved to help us fulfill it.
We called on Carla Bozulich, whom we had met in Florence some four years ago, and she immediately got involved and interested in our plans.
We spent ten days in the Italian countryside, working side by side with her and our sound engineer, Davide Cristiani. Carla took care of our songs and sounds, proposing shapes and a whole new imagery for them. She made our sounds feel aquatic, ringing and overturned: a sort of underwater punk rock music from the Thirties.
This music then went on to be mixed and fixed on the Himalayan mountainside and in Paris: it is a pleasant thought for us to imagine that something from these places – as well from our provinces – got entangled and caught inside these songs.”
And well, this is really a journey to folk flavored punk, psychedelic rock and vivid experimentalism, but also to yet undiscovered places, unrevealed sounds. Read more Blue Willa – Blue Willa (2013)
