Browsing Tag

Punk Rock

Trashy Power Pop Went Nuclear with Continental Lovers’ EP, Dale Arden Vs the World

Posted on 22 July 2022

Articulating thoughts on the UK provocateurs Continental Lovers with any degree of objectivity got shunted out of the realms of possibility with the release of their affably trashy power pop EP, Dale Arden Vs the World.

The dopamine rush is as sweet as the visceral vintage bursts of audiophilic guitars creating a nuclear reaction with the infectiously hooky lyrics. Amplifying the dynamic animation between the six tracks to the nth degree is the sheer vocal stridency that does away with the tired clichés and the banal sense of indifferent pretension that somehow ended up in trend.

Singer-songwriter and guitarist Joe Maddox is as intuitively clever with subverting his lyrics for resonance as he is with his guitar solos that bend your mind as much as the strings. As the perfect testament, the concluding single, Dale Arden, unfolds as a raucous whirlwind of empathetic affection for Flash Gordon’s love interest. The celebration of feminine strength, also evident in St. Joan, is enough to make anyone with a functioning soul emotional.

If there was any justice in our clusterfuck music industry, the Dale Arden Vs the World EP would be hot enough in the charts to make Prince Andrew sweat.

Snag it on Bandcamp or add it to your Spotify playlists.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

ATR pushed the boundaries of punk to its limits in It’s Not Enough, featuring Kellii Scott

Posted on 7 July 2022

For their latest volatile slice of off-kilter power-pop, It’s Not Enough, ATR borrowed the percussive flair of Kelli Scott (FAILURE) and used the extra set of hands to push the boundaries of punk further to its limits.

The unsated howl into the void is undoubtedly something that will resonate with many in our new normal, which notably has never known anything of normalcy. The noisy overdriven discord wrapped around the punchy melodies and modernist discontent of doom scrolling as a pacifier and other worrying symptoms of our times provided 3-minutes of the sweetest catharsis I’ve felt all day. We knew it was worth saving a space on our radar for ATR.

It’s Not Enough will officially release on July 7th. Check it out on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Achey feels the relentless demons roaring inside his trembling veins on ‘Beast Boy’

Posted on 12 June 2022

Inspired by XXXTENTACION, Duwap Kaine and Young Thug, Achey drops his latest single which is from his brand new 10-track release and this one is called, ‘Beast Boy‘.

Achey (pronounced AhKey) is a Harrisburg, Pennsylvania-born Hip hop artist who also fuses in punk rock and pop into many of his venomous productions that are crammed with honesty.

”Achey did not find it difficult to stand out. Making music from a young age, having a unique fashion sense and a stand out personality.” ~ Achey

With his raw style that shall wrap you in a claw-clinging world that has evil eyes lurking at every corner, Achey has made a blood-soaked single which might have you feeling rather anxious and looking around to see if there is danger to deal with or if these thoughts shall soon pass.

‘Beast Boy‘ from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania-born Hip hop artist Achey is an underground experience that is loaded with much intrigue and slices into your mind like a ravenous chef who isn’t messing around. There is an actual sense of damage on offer here by someone who is battling to extinguish the fire-breathing evil demons that are threatening to jeopardise his very existence. Rapped with a heavy style, this is a street-filled track that will bewilder many, or fascinate others.

See this new music video on YouTube and check out his IG for more.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Crimson Catastrophe – Pocket Doughnut: hard, fast, and frosted punk rock

Posted on 27 March 2022

If you take your punk rock hard, fast, and frosted, take a bite out of the title single to the Baltimore-based outfit, Crimson Catastrophe’s latest album, Pocket Doughnut. Punk has always been about non-conformist defiance, which is exactly why Crimson Catastrophe went against the over-politicised punk grain with ‘Pocket Doughnut’.

Political punk will always have its place, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t plenty of room on the airwaves for bands frenetically squeezing the joy of life’s simple pleasures. Pocket Doughnut is absolutely ridiculous, yet you can’t help getting swept up in the frenetic scuzzed-up sugar rush. We can’t wait for our next fix.

Pocket Doughnut is now available to stream in full on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

ATR delivered sheer punk rock defiance in his no-wave stormer, A New Life, Featuring Kellii Scott

Posted on 26 March 2022

ATR served up another gnarled no-wave punk single with the release of the blisteringly sweet lo-fi anthem, A New Life, featuring Kellii Scott (Failure).

ATR was formed in 2014 after the founder, Jess, returned from his tour in Iraq as a combat medic with PTSD, a traumatic brain injury and other sustained injuries. With that context, the defiance within A New Life takes on a whole new meaning. If you have ever known how it feels for your mind to wage war on you, the lyrics in A New Life hit like mantras you’ll want to follow and turn to for resilience.

Before his time in the army, Jess was the lead singer and guitarist for an MCA Records-signed punk rock band in the 90s. Even though they were an underground outfit, they shared stages with the likes of The UK Subs, Anti-Flag, The Ataris, and At the Drive In; he never lost his discordant biting touch, but he did attune his sonic signature to the lo-fi alt-grunge style that will electrify you in A New Life.

A New Life will officially release on March 26th. You can check it out for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Open Our Doors: Dallas Busha drops groovy new single that has ‘No Borders’

Posted on 31 October 2021
Moral Compass by Dallas Busha

Taken off his debut EP called ‘Moral Compass‘, Dallas Busha shows so much skill and true beauty in his incredibly cinematic single all about helping others called ‘No Borders‘.

Dallas Busha is a soulful Spring Hill, Florida-based indie electronic/acoustic/punk-rock solo singer-songwriter who seems to sing with so much love and determination.

”A sonic treat of mellow electronic, acoustic guitar, and catchy hooks.” ~ Dallas Busha

Dallas sings with a natural edge, that has you moving your head smoothly to this mellow energy projected. With a terrific background ambiance which is packed with a sweetly textured sound – that has you feeling like you are in a tranquil pond fishing on a day off – feeling so reflective, as you sink deeper in the bait of life to see what you can catch.

‘No Borders‘ from the Spring Hill, Florida-based indie electronic/acoustic/punk artist Dallas Busha, is a peaceful effort all about not waiting too long to open up your heart. With the world turning into a scared and negative environment due to this horrid pandemic, this is an enlightning reminder that this incredible planet can indeed be a better place.

Check out this fantastic new single on Bandcamp and see the music career evolve on FB.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Swimming deliver anthemic indie rock realism in their latest single, Sometimes Things Change

Posted on 26 September 2021

If you are yet to healthily embrace the inevitability of change, the anthemic indie-rock bop, Sometimes Things Change, from up and coming artist, Swimming, might be enough to push your perceptions in a more positive direction.

With tinges of angsty punk and an Against Me! vibe to their lo-fi sound, the energy in Sometimes Things Change comes with a sharp set of teeth. You won’t be left waiting for the hooks; you’ll already be hooked in the full-frontal emotion right from the intro. Swimming’s raucous vibe and conscious lyrics are everything that the airwaves need right now. The shift to disjointing proggy math-rock mid-way through the track proves that there’s plenty more to Swimming than their candour; they are a powerhouse in their own right.

You can check out the official music video for Sometimes Things Change by heading over to YouTube now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Darrian Gerard makes no apologies with her hook-laden pop-punk single, I’m Not Sorry.

Posted on 13 September 2021

Alt-rock solo artist, Darrian Gerard, has released her self-produced single, I’m Not Sorry; the defiant anthem throws you right back to the glory days of scuzzy pop-punk while encompassing an emboldening modern lyricism style.

Away from Paramore and Avril Lavigne reminisces, I’m Not Sorry is a stellar track in its own right, and despite the DIY production, the infectiously hyper choruses reel you in hook, line and sinker. There is enough energy in this earworm to animate a main stage festival crowd. We can’t wait to watch Darrian Gerard climb the alt-rock charts with I’m Not Sorry.

I’m Not Sorry will officially release on September 13th; you can check it out for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Riot Grrrl Revisited: ViperSnatch – 16

Posted on 20 August 2021

Central Queensland-hailing punk-rock powerhouse Vipersnatch has unleashed their self-titled debut EP, featuring the standout single, 16. Instrumentally, there’s the bouncing Frenetic energy of The Distillers; vocally, ViperSnatch ensnares with Juliette Lewis and the Licks-Esque vocal hooks. But that’s not to say that reminiscence is all there is to this feisty punk track. 16 shines a light on the pitfalls young women can fall into in our predatory world, along with the incredible freedom we felt that we had before life started feeling like an inescapable late-capitalism trap.

16 is now available to stream on Spotify along with their debut 5-track EP.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Chicken Man and the Bad Eggs attack the gentrified in their scuzzy new wave punk hit, Indian Pale Fale.

Posted on 14 August 2021

Merseyside’s new wave punk outfit Chicken Man and the Bad Eggs is set to release their most frenetic single to date, Indian Pale Fale, which delivers a ferocious attack on gentrification and the gentrified.

With the same high-octane sonic force as Oh Sees and Cabbage, serious virtuosic stripes in the scuzzy over-driven guitars, and the infectiously antagonistic vocals, the 5-piece powerhouse’s signature sound pierces through the drudgery on the airwaves. They’ve already been accoladed by Huw Stephens, Dave Monks and John Kennedy from the BBC and ripped up plenty of stages in the Northwest with their blistering hot sound. Something tells us the accolades won’t stop there; they are the ultimate aural force to be reckoned with.

Their playful approach to lyricism is exactly what the music scene needs. It is beyond refreshing to hear a band giving punk fans the escapism they turn to music for.

Indian Pale Fale is due for release on August 13th; pre-save the single on Spotify.

Check out the band on Facebook and Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast