Finally gotsome new reviews done for ya’ll! Apologies to those bands and labels that havesent records the last few months during my review-vacation. Catching up as bestI can. Expect a couple of months with tons of reviews and we’ll see if we can’tget to the bottom of the pile sooner or later. A lot of old stuff worked it’sway in here.. hope you don’t care too much about that. Just wanted to givecredit where credit is due.

  • ThomasSavage [TS]

Baby Shakes

Tell me now,10”

Rob’s HouseRecords

The incrediblycharming Brooklyn chicks are back with an EP shaped like a big red heart. Damnnice. Three songs from their coming album and they sound kinda like we’re usedto. Tough powerpop/r’n’r insome kinda girlgroup/Devil Dogs/Buddy Holly mix. And sure, it works. Cute,catchy and rocking at the same time. Recorded by Dave from the Carbonas and thesound really fits them. A little dirty but powerful. Extremely limited editionsp go out and hunt. [TS]

Bad Sports All the time 7”

Boom ChickRecords

Quirky andcatchy punkrock, or something.. Kind of in the vein of bands like the BlackLips and King Khan & BBQ Show but more punkrock. Maybe it’s powerpop butit’s really quirky and strange at times. Great stuff. Members of the WaxMuseums and Maaster Gaiden. Out of the new hotspot – theDenton/Carrolton/Arlington-area in the north of Texas.

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LesBlousons Noirs S/t 12” Born Bad Records Totally out of control, inept french rock & roll from 1961. Covers of “BeBop Alula” and “Twist Again” are just as deranged as can be. Wonderful! Shakingall over the place. That this was really released as far back as ‘61 and ’62 ispretty mindblowing. Brings to mind maniacs like Hasil Adkins, Dean Carter andTyrone Schmidling.

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Blowtops 64 teeth 7”

CertifiedPR Records Picking up the challenge issued by Terminal Boredom last month and checking outthe Blowtops new single. Okay, maybe I never gave their new direction much of ashot. I liked a few songs here and there, but mostly the ‘hard’/’weird’ soundturned me off. It’s a little bit of the same here but I like how it’s actuallysounding a lot like their early singles again. Scary and cool. Still don’t fallfor this stuff wholeheartedly..but this is definitely the best I’ve heard fromthem for a good long while. [TS]

Brun Dill Små ilskna kukars revansch i samhället 7”

Ken Rock

This bandwill probably the take price as the insane-st band in Sweden. Featuring membersof the Local Oafs, Henry Fiat’s Open Sore and an assorted bunch of what-huh’s.Truly bent punkrock in swedish but… it’s great! [TS]

Cheap Time Handy man, 7” Douchemaster Records

Newly signed on ITR. This is the first taste of the ‘new’Cheap Time. Not as punk, alittle slower and just phenomenally good. I get a feel of them being JayReatards younger brothers. Not as new wavy as Jay but within the same vein.Great songs and a cool sound of their own. Think these guys will take the worldby storm. [TS]

Cheap Time S/t LP

In The RedRecords Fucking awesome, catchy fullenght. Great sounding and with awesome songs. Thisshould really be a hit, or the world’s fucked. [TS]

CheatingHearts S/t LP Goodbye Boozy Records Shortlived band featuring Choyce of the Sexareenos, CPC Gangbangs etc and somekids apparently from the middle of nowhere. They got fucked on drugs wanting tobe the Heartbreakers and playing a cool mix of Velvet Underground andOblivians. This woulda made a killer single but as an LP maybe it doesn’t holdup as well. There’s some great songs on here but then there’s some that arestraight out of the rehearsalroom. Making it a fucked up mix of noice,greatness and fucked-upedness. All in all pretty cool and definitely worthy ofit’s release. Even if it’s just for posterity. [TS]

Creteens

K-way bleu7” Boom Chich Records

More of thefrustrated Creteens punkrock! And it’s the balls as always. Think they’ll shakethe the Reatards-comparison in the near future cause this is really fuckingawesome. [TS]

Demon’s Claws Fucked on ketamine, 7”

Rob’s House Records

Demon’sClaws are cementing their reputation as one of the best bands around and Rob’sHouse as one of the best labels out there. Demon’s do two new songs that couldeasily have been on their latest album on ITR. I can only say that this is somedamn great shit. [TS]

DigitalLeather Hard at work LP

Tic Tac Totally

Can’treally wrap my mind around Digital Leather, and I guess that’s a pretty coolthing. They keep surprising me with tons of releases and sounding different allover. Caught them live at SXSW in march and they were pretty damn amazing. Fullband and not sounding very electric like they do here. So what’s the deal? Iguess it depends on who’s available for a recording or a live show. This lp’srecorded and with everything played by Shawn. Cool songs but I’m always havinga hard time with drummachines and the way they sound. However the songs arecool I just wish this sounded like they did live instead. [TS]

Digger& the Pussycats Let’s go to hospital LP

P. TrashRecords

Newfullenght from these prolific aussie gentlemen. Guess it sounds like you’d thinkit would as it just continues to build on their sound. They’re good withoutbeing fantastic and always deliver live. Ten new songs that you’ll like a lotof you’ve taken a like to their previous releases. [TS]

Dirtbombs We have you surrounded LP In The Red Records

Startingout with the fun nerdy stuff, this is a fun record for any comicbook fan fromthe Gary Panter sleeve to the cover/rendition of Alan (Watchmen) Moore’s“Leopardman at C&A”. The record starts out pretty damn cool but kinda losesit’s momentum from time to time. Overall the production is cool (by Mick) andit definitely sounds like a Dirtbombs record so who’s gonna be disappointed?Covers of the Sparks and Dead Moon. [TS]

Dirtbombs Need you tonight 7”

StainedCircles

Whoa! TheDirtbombs covering INXS…yeesh. Okay, Mick Collins has the coolest voice inall of music and this is actually kinda decent at times but just hearing thesongs gives me the shivers.. no no no.. big no. Australian toursingle.[TS]

FinalSolutions FS-DF 7”

Jeth-Row Records

Getting thesingle made me remember that I still had to review the LP from last year. An LPthat I at first didn’t care so much for but that now totally slays me everytime I listen to it. It’s really essential! So just get it. They’re moving around between oldpunkrock and a modern sound so easily that i find myself a little astounded. Onesecond I’m thinking I have their influences nailed down just to feel totallyoff the next. They’re taking what they like and bringing it home, Killed byDeath, Angry Samoans, Kriminella Gitarrer, new wave etc.. They make it soundtheir own, and they make it sound awesome! This 7” isn’t gonna let anyold fan down. Absolutelyamazing! [TS]

Gaye Blades A visit to the home of the man who invented sexual intercourse 7” Rob’s House Records

BobbyUbangi (Lids) and Jared Swilley (Black Lips) keep churning out great littleditties in the King Khan & BBQ Show vein. Cute, romantic and catchy. Plainand simple – great songwriting and their sound is infectious, to say the least.

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GentlemanJesse & his men I don’t wanna know (where you been tonight) 7” Douchemaster Records

Songs thatstick to my head after my first listen to the single and an incredibly catchysound makes me smell success for these guys right away. Members from theCarbonas playing some kinda powerpop punk that reminds me a lot of theExploding Hearts but it’s so damn good so you kinda forget the Exploding Heartscomparison real fast. Gentleman Jesse do it simple but powerful with anemphasis on great songs and it always rocks. This is how I’d like powerpopto sound. Nice sound, cool hooks and fantastic songs. [TS]

Guinea Worms

Box of records 7” Columbus Discount Records

Afterapparently playing for four years before their debut 7” maybe the world’sprepared for the Guinea Worms. With such hits I would be very surprised if itisn’t. Seeing them live at SXSW only convinced me even more. They’re anabsolutely magical liveband. This debut is a real treat with the amazing “Boxof Records”. What a fuckingtune! Could maybe be descirbes as the Cheater Slicks doing a cover on MOTO. Andthat Cheater Slicks fits into the configuration isn’t that strange as theyshare the hometown in Columbus, Ohio. An environment that seems to breed raw,noisy heaven.  [TS]

HexDispensers Lose my cool 7” Douchemaster Records Rarely have I been so blown away by a band live – in the afternoon, sober, onthe floor of a pizzaplace the Hex Dispensers showed me they are one hell of aband. Something that really made me love their fullenght and think of them asone of the best bands around right now. Texas is slaying the competition whenit comes to punkrock right now. Marked Men, Wax Museums, Maaster Gaiden, HighTension Wires and a bunch of others. The Hex Dispensers take the best ofabovementioned bands punkrock and mix it up with southern style “bluesy” punkfrom the likes of the Oblivians, Persuaders and Alex Cuervo’s past in bandslike Blacktop, King Sound Quartet and the Gospel Swingers. The result is adark, driven, hard and fast exciting sound. Danceable like few others.Fantastic! And the songwritingis another strong side of theirs. Their cover of the Wipers “Tragedy” feelslike the weakest song on this 7”. [TS]

JackOblivian & the Cigarillos Drinking women’s milk 7”

GhostHighway Recordings

Newside-project by the prolific Jack O. This is just guitar and drums and soundskinda nice even though it also sounds more like demos than a finishedrecording. But good stuff nontheless. [TS]

Kajun SS

Get out ofme 7” Jeth-Row Records The awesome a-side is really the tits! It fucking rips and blows througheverything. I really miss these guys but from what I hear there might be morecoming up. Cross your fingers. Made up of members from the Persuaders and someother great bands outta the Big Easy. Don’t know if this is an outtake from thetheir great 12” from a few years ago. The b-side is a cover of the Oblivians“Pillpopper parts 1-2” recorded live and it doesn’t reach the heights of the great“Get out of me” but it’s a fun song. [TS]

King Louieand the Loose Diamonds Memphis Treet LP

EmptyRecords

King Louiekeeps hammering out great swamp pop songs. This is far from as aggressive asthe Persuaders or Kajun SS. This is actually pure pop perfection done upsouthern rock & roll style. Full of emotion and mood. Great stuff. The bandconsists of no other than luminaries as Harlan T Bobo, Jack Oblivian and ChadBooth (Kajun SS) among others. Louie knows how to get under your skin with bothlyrics and music and he’s a master at picking up the great musical history ofhis hometown New Orleans and adopted home Memphis. Get this! [TS]

Lamps Tim Ford 7”

Hook orCrook Records

One of thecoolest bands around, the Lamps outta Cali keep it mysterious and fucked up.One original and a cover of Drunks With Guns. Don’t miss out on the Lamps!!!

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Lost Sounds Motorcycle leather boy 7” Tic Tac Totally

Beenwaiting a long time to hear the tribute to one of the best bands ever, theOblivians. The record never surfaced but here you get one of the best trysanyway. Jay does a static version of ”Motorcycle leather boy” and Alicja apunky version of ”Love killed my brain”. Their covers really sound like LostSounds covering the Oblivians and that’s pretty damn cool. Too bad the rest ofthe bands didn’t do as good a job. [TS]

Manikins Crocodiles 7”

HumanBretzel Records Two new ones and “Crocodiles” off their new fullenght. I love their energy(just wish they’d sound a little more trashy!). I think they’re a reallygenuine band.. taking their cues off their love for rock’n’roll. That’s wheretheir energy comes from, that and they’re all insane.. but that was supposed tobe off the record. Just go out and get their records if you like bands like theExploding Hearts, Gentleman Jesse, Marked Men, Real Kids, Teengenerate, DevilDogs. Spaceshits etc etc.. This really is great music. [TS]

Mojomatics

Down myspine 7”

Wild HoneyRecords

A somewhatpoppier and tamer Mojomatics open up this single with the titletrack and ican’t sy I’m carzy about it. But on the b-side the good ol’ Mojomatics sound isback again with their trademark catchy garagepop blues. “The Diamond Jack”should maybe have been the a-side? [TS]

Pumpers Don’t hafta go 7”

RijapovRecords Don’t know anything about this band except I just ordered another of their singlesfrom an American label. This is pretty over the top and crazy stuff withcrazy-ass guitarsolos on top of everything else. Sounds cool and fucked up.Songs are pretty damn good. This is great stuff. Think they might be Canadianbut can’t remember.. Check them out if you like it trashed out like fuck. Ilove it! [TS]

TurpentineBros

S/t LP

AlienSnatch Records Can’t put my finger on it but there’s something about the Turpbros that doesn’tcatch on for me. Don’t get me wrong. I like them but it doesn’t go all the way.I like them live more than on record. There’s a few cool songs on here so Idon’t think they let down but I’m still waiting for them to hit that high thatthey seem to have in them.

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TV Ghost S/t LP

Die StasiRecords

For me, abit of a letdown after loving their debut 7”. This lp’s more experimental andnoisy which probably would have worked for me had the songs been as amazing ason the single. Although, they have a really cool sound and live they werepretty damn cool. Still the most dangerous-sounding band around. [TS]

V/A

Wavy GravyCD Beware Records

One of thecoolert and most legendary, and craziest of all the rock’n’roll comps re-issuedon CD. A must for anyone that doesn’t own this of course. Fits nicely togetherwith comps like BFTG, Las Vegas Grind, Scum of the Earth, Jungle Exotica andSin Alley as one of  best and funniest.From wild exotica to hard garage to danceable r’n’b to crazy country. Betweenevery song there’s a movietrailer that’s just insane. Nice package! [TS]

V/A

BlackSunday / Le Jonathan Reilly split LP Tic Tac Totally

Splitbetween Memphis Black Sunday and Valencia, Spain’s LJR. And they fit nicelytogether having a similar approach/sound. This stuff doesn’t really my makemouth wet but there’s some good songs on here from both bands. LJR cover LostSounds and MOTO, Black Sunday cover LJR and Karkkiautomaatti. Black Sunday’seven sounding a little like Memphis hip hop group 666 Mafia on “M.R.E.’S”(could’ve sworn it was a cover..). For fans of the more electro-soundingAlicja. [TS]