Rhythm & Booze An online music webzine created by music lovers for music lovers.

22 May, 2014

God Save The King & Friends-Big Balls

Filed under: indie,pop,punk,Recorded Reviews — Tags: big balls, god save the king, new single — willmunn @ 10:49

The World Cup is kind of like Christmas, high expectations, massive disappointment  and the obligatory novelty pop song that will nag your noggin’ for the next couple of months.

In recent times we’ve been served up such “treats” as World In Motion by New Order (still worth a spin for the John Barnes Rap), Vindaloo by Fat Les and of course the evergreen Three Lions, now Worcester heroes God Save The King (along with friends, studio hangers on and producer go to guy Dave Draper among others) muscle in on the act to offer up a somewhat tongue in cheek take on the format.

Pete Adams and the boys have welded all the essential elements of a fun football pop anthem, added their own brand of punchy, punk like attitude, chucked in a massive and unforgettable chant friendly chorus, an infectious melody or two, lyrics about the size and shape of balls and stuttering, contagious riff, made a “must be seen” accompaniment video and managed to unleash what should be the official 2014 world cup anthem.

There’s not a lot more I can write, if you like football (or even if you don’t), upbeat indie punk and a good terrace sing-a-long you’re going to love Big Balls by God Save The King, so grab that beer from your fridge, the Panini sticker album that you pretend is for your son and holler along now ” big balls, big balls, big balls we got big balls”

Rhythm & Booze Rating 9

https://www.facebook.com/godsavethekinguk/info

7 May, 2014

The Senton Bombs-Chapter Zero

Filed under: punk,rock,rock n roll — Tags: chapter zero, new album, the senton bombs — willmunn @ 14:19

Do you remember when Guns N Roses were the most dangerous band in the world, a snotty punk inspired racket with hooks, molten riffs and a boat load of attitude? do you remember when rock had an edge? do you remember the last time you raised your fist in the air and screamed at the top of your lungs?

The Senton Bombs are here to remind you of those glory days, they’re here to make you sing, shout, swill your beer and rock the fuck out!!!

Originally the band formed back in 2004 as The Terrorists, they released four demos between 2005 and 2009, delivered their first album of spluttering rock classics in 2010 entitled Sweet Chin Music (I wonder if this is a Shawn Micheals influence??), Gambit their second album came out in 2012 and now they’re back with a brand new eleven track affair that’s all thriller, no filler!!!

The album opens with the foot down, high octane, title track, Chapter Zero, instantly bringing to mind the Appetite era of the aforementioned Guns N Roses, with it’s strutting posture, galloping riffs, snot ridden, attitude fuelled vocal and massive shout-a-long hook.

From there the band serve up a further ten slabs of fat free, hard hitting rock, where every song contains a killer riff or three, a brief shredded solo, a contagious vocal and more bravado than a Saturday night out in London.

I’m a little biased when it comes to albums like these, I grew up with hard hitting rock, I loved Hanoi Rocks, New York Dolls, G’N’R and so on, but The Senton Bombs have it all, this album is chock full of fist in the air anthems, from Nothing Like This to the gloriously stupid call to arms No Rest For The Rockin’ the band deliver time and time again.

The band show that it’s not all about vim and vigour when they strip it back down for the melodic introduction to Reapers Sow, highlighting the impressive musicianship they have to offer before cranking those amps to an even greater high as the song develops into yet another fist pumping anthem. Another highlight is the Supersuckers/Eddie Spaghetti (country tinged punk) influenced Darkest Horse that welds that aforementioned stomping swagger with a keen sense of melody to dazzling effect.

Chapter Zero is the perfect answer to all those boring middle of the road rock acts, who feel the need to get all sensitive when all we really want to do is rock out. if you’re looking something a little restrained keep on walking, if, however you’re like me and want a dose of hard hitting, strutting rock n’ roll, you’ve come to the right place, now pump the air and hail the new kings of rock I give you The Senton Bombs!!!

Rhythm & Booze Rating 10

www.thesentonbombs.webs.com

Everafter-Everything Is One

Filed under: grunge,pop,punk,Recorded Reviews — Tags: everafter, everything is one, new album — willmunn @ 11:38

Everafter are a three-piece pop-punk band hailing from East London, who were first discovered by legendary producer Chris Tsangrides (Black Sabbath, Thin Lizzy, Gray Moore) who heard an early demo and spotted the bands potential.

The band honed their sound performing across London taking in venues such as The Water Rats, and the Half Moon in Putney as well as trying out their wares over in Germany for a few dates before returning home to work on their debut album, Everything Is One.

Right from the off you can spot the band’s Green Day influence as Let Me Be Yours kicks off the proceedings with a high octane blast of pop-punk with all the bluster and thrills of Dookie era Green Day and just like Billy-Joe’s mob the band graft a big hook-laden chorus, alongside the pogo inducing riffs and million miles an hour rhythm section. As an opening gambit on a pop punk album you can’t ask for much more, Let Me Be Yours is fun, frantic and contagious.

Recent single, Horizons Wide follows and in truth is something of a let down, it opens with promising melodic guitar riff before the band quickly down tune to a grungy, fuzz ridden stomp which would be fine if the managed to find the hook, but in truth the track is something of a muddy mess and you’re left with the feeling the band should crank back up to the frantic opening salvo.

And so the album proceeds in much the same manner, there are moments of genuine promise such as the would be sing-along, This Faith or the more metallic Who You Are but the band seem intent on burying what hooks they muster in a wall of sludge. And when the band do strip back on the likes of In Time, the track meanders as opposed to showcasing the band’s songwriting and hook writing talents.

On a plus side Say You’ll Be Mine strips away the Americanisms and is a pretty damn catchy romp, complete with thrashy guitars, nice vocal harmonies and a contagious, immediate chorus that does make you want to hum along, unlike a number of the other songs on here. Perhaps the likes of Say You’ll Be Mine point to the direction Everafter should be heading.

At the moment Everafter seem to have the promise but are yet to perfect the delivery, there are a few decent moments on here, the opening number has loads of energy, whilst the aforementioned Say You’ll Be Mine and Loving You both offer the necessary vocal hooks to make an impact. But the habit to bury everything in sludge has to go and the band have concentrate on what makes the genre fun to listen to. Pop punk is all about hooks, holler along choruses and energy, once Everafter master the fundamentals they might come back with something special, for now file under potential.

Rhythm & Booze Rating 6

www.everafteruk.com

28 April, 2014

The Tuesday Club-New Glamour

Filed under: alternative,glam,new wave,pop,punk,Recorded Reviews,rock n roll — Tags: new glamour, new single, the tuesday club — willmunn @ 19:28

A whilst back I had the pleasure to review a single by eclectic eight-piece, The Tuesday Club (on this very site), back then I stated that the band had a certain spark and a dose of swagger, other reviewers compared them to Roxy Music doing the Rocky Horror Show , whilst musicnews.com summed them up with the words “flippin’ wonderful”. Well now the band are back and guess what they’re still all those things and more.

New Glamour is a rather aptly named track, a swaggering glam punk rocker full of spunk, vigour, choppy guitars,parping keyboards, cowbell and male/female call and response vocals.

It’s an instantly enjoyable romp with a massive hook-laden chorus and more spring than your average trampoline factory. If you can imagine a rowdier, younger, more urgent B52’s crossed with Bis, Art Brut and say The Sparks you’re somewhere near to the contagious clatter-pop that The Tuesday Club create on both New Glamour and the equally as infectious B-side, Old Before Your Time.

If you like run of the mill indie landfill or mediocre rock then this band aren’t for you, however if you’re like me and enjoy to let what hair you’ve got left and enjoy a damn good frollick I highly recommend joining the ‘club’.

Rhythm & Booze Rating 9

www.thisisthetuesdayclub.co.uk

23 March, 2014

Skewwhiff-Nice Little Upper

Filed under: indie,new wave,pop,punk,Recorded Reviews — Tags: new album, nice little upper, skewwhiff — willmunn @ 18:41

Nice Little Upper is the debut album by Worcester based band Skewwhiff, a band that have been busy performing locally and writing material for the past five years or so, whilst gracing festival stages along the way. The band take their musical cues from post-punk, indie, skewed pop and new wave predominately whilst casually nodding at a ska (or is that dub) influence along the way.

Skewwhiff along with the help of producer Dave Draper have set about trying to capture that raw energy and serrated hook-laden pop edge on Nice Little Upper and as debuts go (or perhaps introductions) they’ve done a pretty damn good job.

The album opens with a crashing strum of electric guitar and a howl of feedback before the drums summon in Skiddadle, with the band immediately stamping their identity with a bombastic torrent of drums, slashing riffs and the infectious female lead vocal courtesy of Beanie, it’s a noisy no nonsense opener that brings to mind (to this reviewer) a more abrasive, spikier version of Elastica or Peel favourites Blessed Ethel.

From the punchy opener, the band offer up a couple of delicious slices of infectious indie-pop with Startrite, complete with a massive contagious vocal hook and the bouncy Gizmo that features a glorious bit of wordless, scat like vocals that are impossible not to hum along.

Bittertaste proves to be an album highlight offering up an observational view on the poverty line, whilst also providing the first hint of that aforementioned ska (dub) influence, with it’s choppy guitars, elastic bass and groove-laden drums bringing to mind the likes of The Slits or a female fronted Ruts. Other album highlights include the brilliant hand-clap friendly, sing-a-long indie anthem, It Girl (think Ladykillers era Lush!!!), the acoustic led, stripped back, Doorstep and the joyful jangly indie pop of album closer Nice One to name but a few.

Skewwhiff have delivered a catchy ten-track affair, with the somewhat aptly entitled Nice Little Upper. it’s a fun collection that will leave you with a nagging hook, a big grin and a desperate urge to hit the repeat button.

Rhythm & Booze Rating 8

www.skewwiff.org.uk

 

 

Skewwhiff Launch Their Album Live @ The Marrs Bar With The Cracked Actors On April 19th

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