The Manges- Florida EP

2015 hasn't been void of The Manges. Which is a good thing because I'd be a very blue Resident Riff Randell if it were otherwise. I was all smiles to see the "Acid Beaters" split come to it's full potential and finally get pressed to vinyl, then everything in my little universe beamed with joy to see them join forces with Cj Ramone to make a gem of a 7"... but the story of all they could accomplish this year isn't over yet. In order for the pulse of punk rock to remain strong, the truest of hearts need to be present and lucky for us, Manuel, Mass, Andrea, and Mayo get that. To say my anticipation has been growing since they wrapped recording in the Summer would be a pretty giant understatement. Ever since getting a preview of the songs in Andrea's living room because I'm a major brat(it's true!), then seeing some of them get played live in October, it pushed that through the atmosphere and I've had them in my head ever since. Take notice because a beautiful day has arrived, punk rockers. Our heroes from Las Pezia are back with a brand new release called "Florida EP"!

It's always wise to stay the course with a good thing, and that's why the guys returned to Brescia,Italy during August to record once again at T.U.P. Studio. I make no secret of my admiration for Brown Barcella who in a modern world, keeps things at a fundamental level of beauty. Staying in tradition for The Manges to evolve in respect to their sound each time they record, changes were made and he effortlessly moved with them. Once that part was handled, the songs went over to The Blasting Room in Fort Collins, CO and WOW. Andrew Berlin(mixing) and Jason Livermore(mastering) turned the already lovely product into a finished masterpiece. I have been falling all over myself since the first time I heard this EP for how dynamic yet completely refined it sounds. Best sound quality for the year that I've heard, hands down. The cover is an effort that comes from within the band and was designed by Andrea. A very America in  the 80's picture of Ronald Reagan joined by Mickey Mouse and some lovely people is spot on aligned to the title and Manges style too. Mass did the layout! Today marks the digital release of the songs which can be purchased on iTunes or bandcamp where they are streaming in full. You can also find them on Spotify so do yourself a favor and go press play on the method of your choice if you've not done so yet! For those of you like myself who worship at the church of vinyl and can only be held over with MP3s for so long, do not fret!! The LP that comes with a CD as well can be ordered through my favorite American source for quality releases, Eccentric Pop Records and if you are overseas, the fine people of Striped Music have you covered!! This first pressing is a super limited run of 500 copies on blue wax. 300 are for  America, and 200 are for Europe so don't sleep on it and be stuck waiting for the second! Eccentric Pop has also printed a VERY SMALL run of 40 posters featuring an alternate cover. These high quality, gorgeous prints will be given out at random and only people who pre-order(closing on January 10th) have a chance to get them. Everything will start rolling with shipping by mid January.

When you hear Mass boom out a "1-2-3-4!", it's on, and something wonderful is about to take place. All levels are louder compared to "All Is Well". This is especially noted with the distortion but even still, the band is still offering something fresh in their delivery. Shifting gears like they always do, but still holding true to their identity and this is essential to our beloved genre's survival! Case and point. The average listener will stunt their experience of what the Ramones truly did as a whole to just the limits of their early material, but in that mistake there's a magnitude of brilliance from each move they made up until the end that's being missed. The Manges are one of the very few longstanding punk rock bands who actually give honor to this philosophy that things should always grow by means of their evolution and I think it is beautiful. "Guinea Pig" is one minute and thirty two seconds of playful fun. It shows you what this band is all about with very little in the lyrics like a song from 70's but carries such a fullness from each part of the machine that is them. I love the little break towards the end that kicks Manuel's skill as such a badass drummer out to the front and then the ending is very Durango 95. That puts little hearts in my eyes but there's no time to dwell because the gem called "Cartoon Democracy"is next. Holy shit I was freaking out over how masterfully the studios brought Andrea's voice through the first time I heard this one. A true vocalist loses no steam as the years go by and he is proof of that. This song is one that belongs to anyone lyrically with the stresses of day to day life and the simplicity of what we all really want in the end. There's a fantastic video they made for it too which very much is a love letter to fans everywhere(click here to see it)! My number one pick for the EP comes on to close this side. "Body Bags 2" is one in a million against every single song I've ever heard for a variety of reasons starting with the lyrics that are a poetic display of honesty. I love the line about Chuck Cunningham syndrome. I think we all wish for that at one point or another in our lives. Then there's the arrangement that is just pristine to me from the way Andrea's vocals carry the melody all the way through, the bridge, the keyboards, and then the solo that perfectly shines. Absolute gem! Side B comes on tough in sound and "H.E.A.D" has to be one of the coolest expressions of devotion for a band that I've ever heard. There's so many great references of tribute in the verses with a good sense of humor about trying to reach them for a t-shirt and the seemingly endless wait for a response. "Number One Hit" is very lighthearted, super tongue in cheek. Simply a well arranged, catchy song about selling out and the ladies of the Crimson Vipers join in at the end for some gang vocals. The last track of the six, "Space Chimp Apollo" is a very close second for being my favorite! Sci-fi themes are always welcome. The story in this song bases around the bizarre firsthand experience of a chimp sent to space who travels out so far in time that he gains infinite powers and knowledge makes it such a strong closer. 

Only six songs from a band I love so much seems like it could be such a tease but I can say with total confidence that I think The Manges accomplished something very special here. With only six songs, they were able to make the same mark as any band who recorded a full length this year did and more as far as I'm concerned. Depending on your geographical location, click on the links I added to Eccentric Pop or Striped's names above and place your order before it's out of stock which I have the feeling will happen pretty quickly. 2015 has passed and as I look to 2016, I still believe in hope for punk rock's survival because of people The Manges. I always will as long as they're around.

The Manges are...

Mass- Bass

Manuel- Drums

Andrea- Vocals/Guitar

Mayo- Guitar 

with synth by Alessio Lonati and backing vocals on "Number One Hit" by Crimson Vipers Roller Derby Bergamo

All songs written by The Manges(A. Caredda S.I.A.E. 2015)

Tracks 

Side A

1. "Guinea Pig"

2. "Cartoon Democracy"

3. "Body Bags 2"

Side B

4. "H.E.A.D."

5. "Number One Hit"

6. "Space Chimp Apollo"

The Ponches- HUM

I love it when I'm totally caught off gaurd with a band. It doesn't happen very often! While I've turned my attention to and appreciated The Ponches for now a few years since first hearing The Long Goodbye, I really had zero idea what I was in for when I walked into Cox 18 to watch a show in Milan last October. I was excited to see them but so unaware at the same time of how powerful they really are. As they started to play, their wall of sound first hit me from behind as I was talking to a friend. I could do nothing else but turn around and let the magnetic draw of what they were doing pull me in. Off to the side of the stage, I fell head over heels in love with this quartet based out of Ferriera, Italy that night and it was so cool to see the songs I'd been listening to for all this time then some from their latest record too be played live! They've been together for ten years, always taking the next step every time they walk out of the studio and "HUM" is a little piece of punk rock brilliance I want to make sure you know about today.

The songs were recorded and mixed during early Spring at New Mood Recording Studio by Frederic Mazzei who also took on the role of producer. The end result between The Ponches and Frederic sonically is beautiful. But it's no secret that he is always reliable for quality work! I gotta say the first thing to draw my interest before any songs were revealed is the cover art for "HUM". I actually brought it up with Lorenzo in Milan and I thought it was very cool to discover that the artist used was one that doesn't typically go with this genre of music. Costin Chioreanu, who is based out of  Bucharest, Romania has an extensively long background as creator of imagery for mainly metal bands but his vision adapted quite well for this cover. Essentially focusing in around the concept of UVB-76 radio waves, the seemingly endless line of hypnotized figures against a somewhat bleak, but beautifully shaded sky along with the tower make it one of my absolute favorites for this year. Official release happened on August 31st, 2015 and it was a joint effort between One Chord Wonder and Monster Zero. It is available on either CD or LP(download included), and digital only can be found on the OCW bandcamp page where all 12 amazing songs are streaming in full.  

Absorbed is the perfect word for the state I fall into every time I hear the all too unique sound of The Ponches. That fondness is a result of their being everything I know and don't at the same time. While they stay in patterns my heart is faithful to such as their consistency to keep songs below or rarely above the two minute mark like a good punk rock song should be, the sound then branches out to it's own presence. While holding a steady melodic character, there's this super heavy fullness with a darker undertone that takes the punk rock they play to another level and it's breathtaking to me. Especially on a pair of headphones where this record has seemed to be appearing lately whenever I'm out in the world running errands and would rather hear something worthwhile opposed to the general public! All of these points are heard right from the first 20 seconds of Side A. "Through The End" is very classic, fast paced, and direct in it's presentation but the lyrics give it another layer with their introspection. All parts fit together like a machine and Alessandro's voice is powerful, holding a vulnerable beauty like always. I think that's all I really needed to hear to be sold on this record but lucky for us, there's 11 more tracks. Another aspect of this band that I'm very into is that they have two equally as brilliant vocals that play well off of each other and you'll hear Lorenzo take the lead in "Got Sushi?!". Aside from being a talented drummer, he's got such a soulful quality to the way he sings. "Billy Milligan" follows and a great job is done encompassing the complexity of his multiple personalities in the lyrics, with some great leads played by Alberto, and it's all done in under a minute and a half! It's impressive how much they can fit in such a short space. One of my very favorites for the record, "The Russian Way" shows up at the end of this side and I'm smitten with it for a number of reasons from the bass line Tony plays that drives the mid-tempo pace to the lovely guitar parts and vocal harmonies too. Perfect arrangement! Side B starts like a punch and then leads into much more. "He Came From The Cold" is another absolute gem and then the first song that had me wanting this record immediately can be found as well. "UVB-76" was the song they previewed before release to introduce "HUM" and I loved it so much that I listened to it a dozen times right away. Almost like a love song for insanity, the lyrics are so cool, the vocals are goosebump inducing, and it really stands out as the most poppy track in this collection of songs. The closer, "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere" is another of my favorites for it's well done bridge and it ties into the Billy Milligan story too.  

"HUM" is such an amazing little gem in this year's releases. It's a picture of a band that's been together for a decade and I hope they stay around for another because music only benefits from the presence of one as defined as The Ponches are. I'm so happy to own this record and if you've not picked it up yet, make sure to go place an order with One Chord Wonder or Monster Zero! Follow The Ponches on facebook for all upcoming transmissions. Surely whatever they do next will be worthy of your attention.

The Ponches are...

Alessandro as Zack- Vocals and Guitar

Lorenzo as Larry- Vocals and Drums

Alberto as Bolzo- Guitar

Antonio as Tony- Bass

All songs by The Ponches

Tracks

Side A 

1. "Through The End"

2. "Got Sushi?!"

3. "Billy Milligan"

4. "(See You) In A While"

5. "Shame, Same Shame"

6. "The Russian Way"

Side B

7. "Gettin' Jiggy With It"

8. "He Came From The Cold"

9. "Get It Barry!"

10. "Amazingly Useless"

11. "UVB-76"

12. "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere"

Rufus Recordings- Ramone Army Split

"Simplicity. This is the place I believe the greatest beauty can be spawned from and it is evident in looking to a date in history that was the start of it all. On March 30th, 1974 at Performance Studios in New York, four guys with nothing to lose unknowingly began to pave the way to something incredible. As layers of the bloated mess that was music's current state were burned down by their defiance, hope for Rock 'n' Roll was revealed in the ashes. With each move they made, Joey, Dee Dee, Johnny, and Tommy  made it apparent that they weren't just playing music. They were changing the world, one person at a time. One small club at a time. One country at a time. This is not just music but an institution, where those of us who are not willing to accept the mediocrity of excess find ourselves, and nothing is ever the same again. We are punk rockers, and The Ramones are the ones who turned the light on. In this way of life we see that anything is possible and more than forty years later, the message hasn't become any less sacred. If anything, it has become more urgent, as the music industry slowly turns into a gelatinous blob of auto-tuned and uninspired crap, but all hope is not lost! I see a passion that still burns so bright when I look to The Mugwumps in Austria, to the Rivelles in the USA,  to Tough and the Riccobellis in Italy, and then in Japan with the Nerdy Jugheads and the Woodcocks. All over the globe it exists and from bands to fans, each of us are the voice for this beautiful lineage. Together we make sure it is heard and keep the hope alive. We are the Ramone Army."

I've gotten to take part in lots of cool things but back in August, my friend Paco Rufus approached me with a request that I was completely honored by. I had known for quite some time that his label would be releasing a six way split with bands from every end of the international punk rock spectrum, and he asked me to take the privilege of writing the liner notes. It took me all of a nanosecond to happily reply with a "yes!", and the words above are what I wrote for a kick ass record called "Ramone Army".

Because there's multiple bands on here, I won't get into the individual recording processes other than saying Alex Roman did the final mastering but even with that omitted, wow! Look at that cover!! One thing I really love about this record label is the amount of attention they give to presentation. They most certainly go above and beyond to ensure what you see will be just as cool as what you hear and I was shrieking with Riff Randell-like glee when I first saw it. Dee Dee Ramone's head imposed onto the body of the Creature From The Black Lagoon, holding the severed head of Bono is one of the coolest things I've seen in a long time haha! The rest of the layout is also very well done on the back cover with a picture of each band and no short cuts were made with the insert either. On one side you'll find my nerdy face in cartoon form which is made up for with a great picture of the four boys from Forrest Hills,NY and they make an additional appearance on the other side as cartoon zombies! It's a great illustration. Official release for this masterfully pieced together split happened on July 29th from Rufus Recordings and yes it does come with a download code if you purchase it through the label's bandcamp page where all the songs are streaming too! Go check them out.

With six bands, there's a lot of ground to cover but I'll touch on each one! Japan has a scene I admire greatly and having a band like the Woodcocks kick off Side A is a perfect example of why I feel this way. Comprised of members from Pelotan, the Hum Hums, and End Of Summer, Woodcocks offer very well composed pop punk songs with a heavy dose of harmony in the vocals that is wonderful. "Tell Me" is my favorite of theirs! No momentum is lost moving past that strong open because next up you'll hear my most favorite Austrian punk rockers, The Mugwumps showing up to steal your heart with very little effort. I always feel like I know their songs as well as my own pulse after one listen because they're that magnetic and I just adore the simple yet catchy as hell "Not Alone". "Psycho Pop" picks up a faster pace and rules too. Closing this side, we see the first appearance from a country that is mandatory to make an appearance if there is Ramone worship going on and you know I am talking about Italy. The Riccobellis start out with a sweet approach in my favorite of their two, "I Need You Anyway" and the Italian invasion is just getting started because Tough is waiting for you on the other side! Opening Side B, these are the remaining two songs from their last recording session with Stefanino and that makes me very happy. "Queen Of The Last Hole" veers off the well beaten path Tough usually takes, still powerful but varied in style and I think that makes it a cool choice for a release like this. Their cover of The Automatics' "Tokyo" is a great classic to go with and was also executed with lots of passion. Japan shows up again after them, this time in the form of The Nerdy Jugheads and they're just as vibrant as the Woodcocks! Fronted by Yoshi, they have an approach that is influenced by Warning Device era Teenage Bottlerocket and that is my favorite kind of TBR, but then lots of their own personality is added in. "I Don't Wanna Go Back To The Nuthouse" sticks to my brain like glue and I'm ok with that. Closing this six band presentation of true-hearted rock 'n' roll is the Rivelles! Formerly of Appleton,WI and now located in Spain, I've been a fan of these guys and gal for awhile. Their very true to the foundation style punk rock is always beautifully done and there's two great songs backing up that description. The Grease inspired "Sandy" is lots of fun and has a great solo but the buzzsaw "Revenge Mission" has all the punch of a first Ramones record track, and that makes it my favorite.

There has been lots of great individual releases this year but it's always nice to see these splits happen as an opportunity for those that might not be so well versed in all of these bands to get turned onto something new. Paco and Marta did a lovely job making this record happen so make sure to pick up a copy of your own from them soon, then check out their other inventory as well because they're running a ridiculously good promotion right now on the Rufus Recordings website! The Ramone Army is alive and well all over the world. That's a beautiful thing.

Side A

Woodcocks are...

Ryosuke- Guitar and Vocals

Tomorrow- Bass and Chorus

Hiroshi- Drums and Chorus

1. "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight"

2. "Tell Me"

The Mugwumps are...

Chris- Guitar and Vocals

Hank- Bass

Andy- Drums

3. "Not Alone"

4. "Psycho Pop"

Riccobellis are...

Roby Riccobelli- Bass and Vocals

Dave Riccobelli- Drums

Simone Riccobelli- Guitar and Vocals

5. "I Need You Anyway"

6. "I'll Be Waiting For You"

Side B

Tough is...

Chris Polecat- Bass and Vocals

Robi Tuono- Guitar

Biso- Drums

7. "Tokyo"

8. "Queen Of The Last Hole"

The Nerdy Judheads are...

Yoshi Sucks- Guitar and Vocals

Yoshihito Memma- Guitar and Backing Vocals 

Ryo Saito- Bass and Backing Vocals

Kazu Bulgogi- Drums and Backing Vocals 

9. "I Don't Wanna Go Back To The Nuthouse"

10. "Chupacabra"

Rivelles are...

Matthew- Vocals and Bass

Kevin- Guitar and Vocals

Nickole- Drums

11. "Revenge Mission"

12. "Sandy"

Ratbones- Ratwars

As someone who likes to go past the surface of what's well known for the different international scenes that I'm into and is lucky enough to have quite a few friends in Italy, I first heard of Ratbones a couple years ago from my long time friend Andrea Imbalzano. That is a common thing for us, to constantly trade off new bands we think are cool and I was quick to appreciate their Ramones heavy influence that carried a lot of punchiness. The band went through some big shifts in personnel after their self titled album was released, parting ways with their lead singer and bassist but the story wasn't over! With the remaining elements of Ludo and Paolo, Andrea was added in to take on the role as bass player and this newly regrouped Genova/Milan lineup moved forward. They've been steadily playing shows but for someone on the outside like me, the time to hear what they've got has arrived in the form of a very cool 7" called "Ratwars".

The songs were recorded during September of 2014 at Evolution Studios in Ravenna, IT by Alex Bounty, then from there the songs were sent across the ocean to Johnny "Machine" Wilson to be mixed and mastered at FTLP Studios in Denver,CO. Between the brilliant talents of both Alex and Johnny, the finished product sounds very bold and fantastic! The cover art and layout were handled by my favorite graphic artist and always perfect man for the job, Riccardo Bucchioni. He's always got a great sense for tailoring imagery in a very precise way to every band he works with and for Ratbones, he did just that. I love the war rat! He looks mutated, super punk rock, and like something you'd probably want to avoid in a dark alley. Or any alley really. The colors are also very beautiful too. I can't ever say enough good things about his covers! On the back, there is a photo of the band shot by Marylita. Official release happened on October 2nd, 2015 and this is the first one out on I Buy Records with distribution by Monster Zero Records. It was pressed to black vinyl, comes with a download code, and digital only can be purchased on their bandcamp page where the songs are streaming in full. 

Since Ludo has always been the main force of creativity as far a songwriting is concerned for Ratbones, I wasn't too worried for the quality of the music to change but I was curious to see how this new shift with him moving to being lead vocalist would go. It didn't take me more than a few seconds to get right into this change with the first track on Side A called "Lost In East Berlin". Ludo sounds great, coming through with Andrea and Paolo with a much more polished presentation music wise. This is my favorite song on the record for it's We Want The Airwaves type feel. I actually listened to it a few times in a row the first time I ran through the songs because the arrangement is gorgeous from that steady palm muting that runs throughout, to the solo, to the keyboards Alex added in. I adore it! The pace picks up with the more aggressive "Operation Rebirth" that follows after. In a minute and a half it gets the job done not needing any overstatement, then it's time to flip to the next side. "Enemy In Me" also stays within that quick burst of tougher energy and has some nice changes. I love the way it leads into the chorus that makes it the standout for singing along. The last track is Andrea's first contribution as a songwriter and it takes a different turn with it's more romantic approach but it blends well. Definitely some early Screeching Weasel vibrations going on in there and I have no debate for that!

This is one of my most favorite 7"s of the year because in a time where it seems like many newer bands try to separate themselves from the importance from punk rock's great foundation in an effort to establish identity, we need ones that will carry on the tradition. That's exactly what Ratbones does, and very well at that so make sure to get a copy of this 7" for your collection! Stay tuned to their facebook page for all upcoming news and if you find yourself in the Seregno area on Saturday, well I am very jealous of your chance to see them play a show with the Manges and none other than the MIGHTY CJ Ramone himself! Punk rock isn't dead. You just gotta keep looking for it and these guys are proof of it.

Ratbones is...

Andre Ratbone- Bass, Backing Vocals

Ludo Ratbone- Vocals, Guitar

Paolo Ratbone- Drums

With keyboards on "Lost In East Berlin" and "Striped T-Shirt Girl" by Alex Bounty; and additional backing vocals by Johnny "Machine" Wilson

Side A

1. "Lost In East Berlin"(Ludo)

2. "Operation Rebirth"(Ludo/Sex Dario)

Side B

3. "Enemy In Me"(Ludo)

4. "Striped T-Shirt Girl"(Andre)