tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29627312028728494892024-03-19T00:32:47.743-07:00Ramona ConfidentialSara Ramonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11013307036918312596noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962731202872849489.post-64536775852308935722016-12-09T14:11:00.003-08:002016-12-09T14:11:23.623-08:00Song Premiere- The Connection- "Southern Girls"(Cheap Trick)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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From the point of when <i>Chuck Berry</i>, <i>Little Richard</i>, and a precious handful of exceptional people put the pieces together for what we all know as <i>Rock 'n' Roll</i> today, our universe was changed for the better. Anything good that has happened in the genre after it's creation stays true to those roots by means of influence. It's something that can be heard within seconds, is the determining factor in my choosing to give a band my time, and that's the reason I'm into <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/theconnectionRnR/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">The Connection</span></a></i></b>. They get this principle and it comes through loud and clear with each move they make! Their stripped down and fun approach shined through perfectly on the latest LP, "<b>Labor Of Love</b>" and coming off of the heels from that release, they put a new idea into motion that I really dig. It was to choose a series of cover songs that have impacted their vision as a band and it's aptly entitled, "<b>Just For Fun!</b>". The picks range from <i>Buddy Holly</i> to <i>The Dictators</i> in naming a couple examples of what can be expected, but the coolness in this project didn't stop there. As <i>New Hampshire</i> rockers with much admiration for the musicians in their scene who helped to pave the way before them, they reached out to none other than <b>B-Face</b>. This mythical man who has accomplished a lot to be admired in his work as a bass player with many bands from <i>The Queers</i> to <i>The Real Kids</i>, and is without a doubt my most favorite one to watch play live was a perfect choice to include for a guest spot on three of it's tracks. I have the pleasure of introducing one of those today and it's a beautiful rendition of <i>Cheap Trick's</i> "<b>Southern Girls</b>"!<br />
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Give it a listen <b><i><a href="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/295810799%3Fsecret_token%3Ds-zSv1b&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">here</span></a></i></b>.<br />
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<b><i>The Connection</i></b> <i>is...</i><br />
<b><i>Brad Marino</i></b>- Lead Vocals and Guitar<br />
<b><i>Geoff Palmer</i></b>- Guitar and Vocals<br />
<b><i>Kris Rodgers</i></b>- Keys and Vocals<br />
<b><i>Bobby Davis</i></b>- Bass<br />
<b><i>Craig Sala</i></b>- Drums<br />
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<b><i><u>Tracks</u></i></b><br />
<b><i>1</i></b>. "<b>Get Out Of Denver</b>"<br />
<b><i>2</i></b>. "<b>Stay With Me</b>"<br />
<b><i>3</i></b>. "<b>I Can Read Between The Lines</b>"<br />
<b><i>4</i></b>. "<b>Other Guys' Girls</b>"<br />
<b><i>5</i></b>. "<b>Streets Of Baltimore</b>"<br />
<b><i>6</i></b>. "<b>Teenage News</b>"<br />
<b><i>7</i></b>. "<b>No Expectations</b>"<br />
<b><i>8</i></b>. "<b>Southern Girls</b>"<br />
<b><i>9</i></b>. "<b>Think It Over</b>"<br />
<b><i>10</i></b>. "<b>Haircut</b>"<br />
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Label: <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/RumBarRecords/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Rum Bar Records</span></a></i></b><br />
Digital release will happen on 12/16 and the CD is slated for shipment in January. Both options can be pre-ordered <b><i><a href="https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/just-for-fun" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">here</span></a></i></b>. Sara Ramonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11013307036918312596noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962731202872849489.post-57465429973894898242016-12-08T10:47:00.002-08:002016-12-08T10:47:38.343-08:00Mind Spiders- Prosthesis<br />
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A lot of bands stay within a certain range of comfort. It's not anything terrible but I have to admit I'm always a little more captured by the ones that don't. <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Mind-Spiders-168482384014" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Mind Spiders</span></a></i></b> are certainly one that align to the latter and I've been amazed to watch their evolution with each release they have. The three records preceding this one all have a unique element of experimentation building around the post punk foundation <b><i>Mark Ryan</i></b> has created as a songwriter for this project. It's not a derivative of the genre either, but rather very much a revival and I love it. My curiosity was peaked right from the moment of seeing the cover art for this LP with each of their faces appearing as death masks against a very simple contrast. It's beautiful and I can say my sentiment is very much the same for it's eight tracks. They do pick up from where "<b>Inhumanistic</b>" left off in a sense with heavier synth but the're all the more perfected, threading into each other like a moving landscape with lyrics touching into a certain darkness that's draped in a lot of mystery. It's one of those records that takes me outside of myself whenever I hear it and that's a good thing! I always move from start to finish whenever it gets a spin on the turntable or plays from my phone but I do have three absolute favorites. "<b>Running</b>" has such a great even calm to frantic arrangement, in a very <i>Devo</i> sort of way, Think "<i>Gut Feeling</i>". "<b>Cold</b>" is also another that I adore for it's complete detachment in a sense, but still having a big impact with it's driving rhythm. There is a fantastic video they made for it that you can check out <a href="https://youtu.be/21MHjeSgIgo" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">here</span></a> if you missed it! The third in my choice has to be the closer, "<b>Ulcer</b>" for it's hypnotic synth, rich bass tone, and shadowy guitars. It's a perfect example of why <b><i>Mark</i></b> is one of my most favorite songwriters and I look forward to seeing what will come next in this entity known as <b><i>Mind Spiders</i></b>. Music is better for it's existence.<br />
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<i><b>Mind Spiders</b> are...</i><br />
<b><i>Mark Ryan</i></b>- Guitar, Vocals, Synth<br />
<b><i>Mike Throneberry</i></b>- Drums<br />
<b><i>Peter Salisbury</i></b>- Synth<br />
<b><i>Daniel Fried</i></b>- Bass<br />
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<i>All songs written by <b>Mark Ryan</b>.</i><br />
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<b><i><u>Tracks</u></i></b><br />
<i>Side A</i><br />
<b><i>1</i></b>. "<b>Rip It Out</b>"<br />
<b><i>2</i></b>. "<b>No Filter</b>"<br />
<b><i>3</i></b>. "<b>Running</b>"<br />
<b><i>4</i></b>. "<b>Cold</b>"<br />
<i>Side B</i><br />
<b><i>5</i></b>. "<b>Prosthesis</b>"<br />
<b><i>6</i></b>. "<b>Split In Two</b>"<br />
<b><i>7</i></b>. "<b>Nothing Without It</b>"<br />
<b><i>8</i></b>. "<b>Ulcer</b>"<br />
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Label: <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Dirtnap-Records-Official-167234489965225" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Dirtnap Records</span></a></i></b><br />
Buy it <b><i><a href="http://store.greennoiserecords.com/products/mind-spiders-prosthesis-clear-vinyl-lp" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">here</span></a></i></b>.<br />
Stream it <b><i><a href="https://dirtnaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/mind-spiders-prosthesis" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">here</span></a></i></b>.</div>
Sara Ramonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11013307036918312596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962731202872849489.post-52315025621521541982016-12-02T10:12:00.001-08:002016-12-02T10:28:05.996-08:00The Mugwumps/The Vapids Split 7"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Splits are great! I like seeing them happen and even more so when it's a couple of bands that don't typically do them or never before. This kind of split is special because it isn't coming from a place where exposure is the primary objective, but instead being a dual statement of creativity and compatibility. That's exactly what <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/themugwumps" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">The Mugwumps</span></a></i></b> who are doing this for the first time and <b><i><a href="http://thevapids.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">The Vapids</span></a></i></b> who have but on very few occasions decided to do after years of knowing each other when the timing was right; and it's a perfect pairing! Both of these great punk rock bands have the tendency to do no wrong in my eyes with each move they make, and this little split 7" follows in that tradition. First up are the <i>Austrians</i> who always seem to have an infinitely perfect grasp of the <i>Dee Dee</i> three words, a chorus, and the three words saying it all philosophy. The first track "<b>Ka-Mun-Rah!</b>" is a lightening fast, school of <i>Head</i> piece that's over before you can think about it too long, but they don't leave you feeling cheated because a different side of what they do so well awaits in the second track. "<b>The Reason</b>" is a simple yet completely powerful ballad that tugs at my heartstrings with no false pretense. Just a perfect little gem that's been stuck in my memory since the first time I heard it, because that's where good songs stay. Now it's time for the <i>Canadian</i> veterans and absolute badasses(who have also made a magnificent full length LP that I'll be getting to soon) to take over. I feel a lot of hope watching these guys keep moving because the way they play is what this world desperately needs when thinking about what punk rock should be. No fuss, no fluff, no bullshit overproduction. Just stripped down rock 'n' roll that's ready to kick your ass with lots of heart and that is exactly what the first track "<b>Dangerous Game</b>" is. Those guitars are distinct to the trademark <b><i>Vapids</i></b> sound and <b><i>Jimmy's</i></b> beautifully gritty voice is one of a man that's stood the test of time, retaining great importance for me. It really carries through and I love how poetic he is in his lyrics with this one touching on a darker side of life. "<b>Capital City Creeps</b>" exudes lots of early punk attitude as well and gets job done in an impressive one minute and thirteen seconds. No time wasted! I know I'm always going to get what I want when I listen to either of these bands and am very happy to own this record. Get into it if you've got good taste!<br />
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<b><i>The Mugwumps</i></b> <i>are...</i><br />
<b><i>Chris</i></b>- Guitar and Vocals<br />
<b><i>Hank</i></b>- Bass<br />
<b><i>Andy</i></b>- Drums<br />
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<b><i><u>Their Side</u></i></b><br />
"<b>Ka-Mun-Rah!</b>"<br />
"<b>The Reason</b>"<br />
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<i>All songs written by Chris.</i><br />
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<i><b>The Vapids</b> are...</i><br />
<b><i>Jim</i></b>- Vocals and Guitar<br />
<b><i>Scotty</i></b>- Drums<br />
<b><i>Matt</i></b>- Guitar<br />
<b><i>Eric</i></b>- Bass<br />
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<b><i><u>Their Side</u></i></b><br />
"<b>Dangerous Game</b>"<br />
"<b>Capital City Creeps</b>"<br />
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<i>All songs written by JV.</i><br />
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Label: <b><i><span style="color: red;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/stripedmusiccom" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Striped</span></a> Records</span></i></b><br />
Buy it <i><a href="http://www.stripedmusic.com/7-split-the-mugwumps-the-vapids/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">here</span></a></i>.<br />
Stream it <i><a href="https://the-vapids.bandcamp.com/album/the-vapids-the-mugwumps-split-7" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">here</span></a></i>.Sara Ramonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11013307036918312596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962731202872849489.post-49379994037083697902016-07-08T10:11:00.000-07:002016-07-08T14:39:04.013-07:00Neon Bone- Down To The FeltThere's always plenty to fill my little eyes with hearts when looking to the <i>European</i> pop punk/punk rock scene these days due to it's seemingly higher than average amount of songwriters that get it! So many of those bands claim space on my overfilled at the moment record shelves and <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/neonbone" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Neon Bone</span></a></i></b> is a perfect example of why it's like that! While I can always bet everything on instantly taking a liking to the songs <b><i>Lars</i></b> writes, I gotta admit that I'm also totally impressed by the amount of great material he can create on such a consistent basis. Last year was no different with the "<i>Sick Of Me</i>" 7" and just as I was through praising that at the end of <i>2015</i>, he had a new batch of demos for a full length to wow me with. Fast forward many more months of impatiently waiting and it's finally arrived, a wonderful LP from my most favorite one man, kick ass, pop punk machine from <i>Münster, Germany</i> called "<b>Down To The Felt</b>"!<br>
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When I got my hands on the finished product at the beginning of this year, I was completely impressed to find out that once again, this was a total solo effort like the last. It has to be a little maddening to cover every aspect of playing the songs themselves, then adding in all the recording work on top of all that, but <b><i>Lars</i></b> made it work! The sound quality is great. Holding tradition in steadily imagining funny cover art, this one features a photo of him going bust on a video poker machine on the front. It's very well shot and I love all the color. Release day was the first of this month coming from none other than <b><i><a href="http://www.monsterzerorecords.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Monster Zero Records</span></a></i></b> who seems to be on a winning streak with putting out good records as of late. No surprise there either! It's available on black <i>vinyl</i> with download code or <i>CD</i> through the <b><i><a href="http://www.monsterzerorecords.com/products/neon-bone-down-to-the-felt-lp" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">label</span></a></i></b>,or <i>digital</i> only which you can get through the <b><i>Neon Bone</i></b> <b><i><a href="https://neonbone.bandcamp.com/album/down-to-the-felt" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">bandcamp</span></a></i></b> page. All the songs are streaming there in full and you should definitely check them out if you've not done so yet! </div>
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A strong opening track is essential for capturing my interest whenever I listen to a new record and that is something I think <b><i>Lars</i></b> has down to a perfect science! I was crazy for the mid tempoed yet powerful "<b>I Can't Let Go</b>" in a matter of seconds. This song is such a perfect representation of the simple but super catchy way <b><i>Neon Bone</i></b> songs easily get into my head and stay there. It's just really well played 90's inspired pop punk with no gimmicks. Good songs don't need it and the momentum of this opening energy builds, leading into the second track "<b>Without You</b>". It's a lighthearted love song that they matched the sentiment of with a funny video they made for it(click <i><a href="https://youtu.be/TYiQPV-ueiY" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">here</span></a></i> to see it!). It's a spoof of a 60's tv show performance complete with the sparkliest jacket I've ever seen haha. Neon Bone videos are always the best. Go peek around his youtube channel if you're not familiar with them! Speaking of that time period, "<b>Cheek To Cheek</b>" is one of those songs that has an early rock 'n' roll/doo-wop feel to it. Definitely another of my favorites with those perfectly done backing vocals in the bridge. It's very dreamy and while this record is heavy in the fun pop punk energy that I'm fond of this band for, there's also some different forces of punk rock coming through as well like in "<b>The Things We Can Do</b>". That is my number one pick out of the faster songs and it has a very cool, edgier early Descendents vibe. Now we all know well enough I said favorite out of the faster songs because I am greedy and HAVE to pick a slower one too! That one for me is "<b>Love Has Made Me Blind</b>". It is such a gem with a heavy doo-wop approach as well and really shows off the just lovely range in his vocals. The closing track is a cover of <i>Jimmy Cliff's </i>"<b>You Can Get It(If You Really Want)</b>" and is translated in such a great way to a punk rock version. I always appreciate how <b><i>Lars</i></b> chooses covers that aren't common and take some effort to do! </div>
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I think it's kinda funny that this record is called "<b>Down To The Felt</b>" because nothing about it is going for broke! If anything, this is one of the most well rounded pop punk records I've heard in a long time, complete with a few great surprises and will most certainly be earning a spot in my Best Of 2016 list. Make sure to add it to your overcrowded shelves because I know I'm not the only one with that problem, I mean, hobby!! Yeah, hobby and stay tuned for what's next!! While this band is a one man effort in the studio, the live lineup adding in <b><i>Mirko Cruel</i></b>, <b><i>Fred Fredsen</i></b>, and <b><i>Jan Koslowski</i></b> sounds fantastic. Make sure to catch their sets at <i>Summer In October</i> in <i>Belgium</i>, or some shows they're planning with the almighty <i>Mega</i> from <i>Italy</i> during that time. Also, there's a split that just came out featuring them and their friends <i>Muskelprotz</i> and hell yes, more new songs are being demoed as we speak!! Something new is always happening in the <i><b>Neon Bone</b></i> universe and it's bands like this who make me believe there's always hope for music to be better.<br>
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<i><b>Neon Bone </b>is...</i></div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">Lars Hanneman</b><br>
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<i>with guest part by <b>David Gröbner </b>who played the trumpet part on </i>"<b>You Can Get It(If You Really Want)</b>".</div>
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<i><b>Tracks</b></i><br>
<i>Side A</i></div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">1</b>. "<b>I Can't Let Go</b>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">2</i>. "<b>Without You</b>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">3</i>. "<b>Cheek To Cheek</b>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">4</i>. "<b>Let's Go Home</b>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">5</i>. "<b>Fate</b>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">6</i>. "<b>Love Has Made Me Blind</b>"<br>
<i>Side B</i></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">7</i>. "<b>I Don't Care</b>"<b> </b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">8</i>. "<b>The Things We Could Do</b>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">9</i>. "<b>Where The Action Is</b>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">10</i>. "<b>Ghost</b>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">11</i>. "<b>You Can Get It(If You Really Want)</b>"</div>
Sara Ramonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11013307036918312596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962731202872849489.post-52449857294184912252016-05-09T10:11:00.001-07:002016-05-09T10:11:34.549-07:00The Hallingtons- Running From The U.S.S.RGoing my own way in how I view punk rock with great respect for it's roots, no matter what seems to be the trend of the moment is something I never bend on. <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">While I support everyone thinking for themselves, whenever I see a jaded sentiment in online conversations saying that there's nothing left to draw from a more traditional approach anymore, I gotta laugh a little because it's total bullshit to me. The foundation of our little universe is an anchor for it's very survival and I'm glad there is hope for it to remain intact when I hear a band like <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/hallingtons" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The Hallingtons</span></a></i></b>. I've had my eye on this <i>Olso, Norway</i> based trio for a few years now and they've kept my interest by not only honoring what's important to me but also growing in presence each time they record. I loved the "<b>Alien Girl</b>" <i>EP</i> but was even more excited this time to see that they were finally getting the much deserved support in being pressed to vinyl</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">! They are back with their brand of <i>pop punk</i> that catches your memory like a <i>Rolex</i> in a store window does <i>Dee Dee's</i> eye on a 7" called "</span><b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Running From The U.S.S.R.</b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">", and that's what I'll be making sure the word is out for today! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">The songs were recoded during <i>June of 2015</i> at <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Endless-Tinnitus-Studio-216089631798850/timeline" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Endless Tinnitus</span></a></i></b> in <i>Oslo</i> with producing, mixing, and mastering done by <i style="font-weight: bold;">Anders Krokedal</i>. The recording was done on an analog tape machine and while I found myself a fan of these songs right away hearing them digitally, they really come alive on the vinyl as a result of this. This is the way <b><i>The Hallingtons</i></b> were always meant to be heard! The cover and layout for the <i>7"</i> looks great with a more classic approach in some well shot photos of the band done by <i style="font-weight: bold;">Frode Skjold </i>on the front and back that have a very <i>'77</i> feeling. From there <i style="font-weight: bold;">Rocky Skullington </i>tied it all together with a clean presentation in the layout and I like the way that little touch of red in the lettering on the front makes the title pop out. He also designed an <i>Alien Girl</i> shirt for the guys which I'm a proud owner of as well! Official release happened on <i>April 18th </i>and is a collaboration between the band themselves and <i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MonsterZeroPunkrock" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Monster Zero Records</span></a></i>. <i style="font-weight: bold;">Kevin </i>has a full plate with all his releases but always seems to find a way to help bands that deserve it, and that is very honorable. The record is on black vinyl and digital only is available though their <i><b><a href="https://thehallingtons.bandcamp.com/album/running-from-the-ussr" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">bandcamp</span></a></b></i> page. It's </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">streaming in full there and name your price to download, aka free but be cool and donate a few bucks towards their next move. That's the way we keep DIY alive! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">As I was saying, it made me so happy to see <i style="font-weight: bold;">Jørgen</i>, <i style="font-weight: bold;">Tor</i>, and <i style="font-weight: bold;">Mikel</i> have their work pressed to vinyl, and it was lovely to go through the motion of placing it on my turntable. At <i>45 rpm</i>, the guys launch into a fast opening on <i>Side A </i>with "</span><b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Running From The U.S.S.R</b><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">". This one has everything that could be desired out of a good punk rock song as a tale of espionage is told in it's lyrics. It has lots of punch as a more direct arrangement and some "ba ba ba bas" most definitely influenced by the forefathers of <i>Forrest Hills</i>. So easy to love! I think what I like most about this band is that they all have the ability to contribute as lead vocalists and as they trade off, there's always great support from the other two in the backing vocals. That interchangeable aspect adds depth and can be picked up on in "<b>Gaga Over You</b>" which <i style="font-weight: bold;">Mikel </i>takes the lead on. He brings in a little bit of that sunnier energy that he does so well in <i>The Lemonaids</i> and it balances out well with the band's approach. <i style="font-weight: bold;">Tor </i>I love as a lead because he packs a lot of bravado into his vocal delivery just like his drumming. He sounds so cool when you flip to <i>Side B </i>and hear "<b>Lori Is A Mexican</b>", which is a song they had recorded previously but definitely was deserving of a remake. I gotta level with you all that the last track is my absolute FAVORITE and maybe even my most favorite out of every single song I've ever heard from this band. "<b>Why Can't You Be With Me</b>" is one of those songs that draws from a rich <i>1960's</i> <i>Rock 'n' Roll</i> vibe and it is just perfect for <i style="font-weight: bold;">Jørgen's </i>voice that has all the <i>bubblegum</i> appeal you could desire in a track like this. It's all said and done in less than eight minutes for this little gem of a record, so my natural choice is just to listen through again. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Simple, beautiful, and catchy. Those three elements make the kind of punk rock that <b><i>The Hallingtons</i></b> play something that I'm always eager to hear. They really bring back an element of fun amongst all the overproduced and sometimes a little too emo sounding modern pop punk that I'm just not a fan of, and that is good for music!! Add "</span><b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Running From The U.S.S.R</b><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"</span><b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </b><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">to your collection before its gone like a spy on the run by visiting the <b><i><a href="http://www.monsterzerorecords.com/products/hallingtons-the-running-from-the-u-s-s-r-7" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Monster Zero</span></a></i></b> webstore or writing to the guys who also have those cool shirts I mentioned for sale! They have a couple things in the works now which include a contribution to a <i>Scottish</i> tribute album for <b><i>Brandon Carlisle</i></b> and a new single too so keep an eye on their <i>facebook</i> page to stay tuned for when they'll be out! </span></div>
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<b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-style: italic;">T.E. Hallington</b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">- Drums and Vocals</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Mikel Hallington</i>- Bass and Vocals</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b><i>J. Hallington</i></b>- Guitar and Vocals</span></div>
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<i>All songs written by <b>The Hallingtons </b></i></div>
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<i><b>Tracks</b></i></div>
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<i>Side A</i></div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">1</b>. "<b>Running From The U.S.S.R</b>" </div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">2</i>. "<b>Gaga Over You</b>"</div>
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<i>Side B</i></div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">3</b>. "<b>Lori Is A Mexican</b>" </div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">4</i>. "<b>Why Can't You Be With Me</b>"</div>
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Sara Ramonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11013307036918312596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962731202872849489.post-55957601347149037922016-03-27T10:11:00.002-07:002016-04-07T20:46:22.953-07:00The Putz- Hole In One reissueWith <i>pop punk </i>nearing the age of a sensible decision making adult in it's three decades of existence, creating it in a way that is interesting in present day is no easy task!! It's easy to fall into sounding as a derivative or even worse, attempting to innovate it past the point of recognition but as luck has it, there's a small handful of songwriters who succeed at it still. I first heard of <i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/theputzrock" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The Putz</span></a> </i>about four years ago from one of my friends on the <i>East Coast</i>. He had a lot of enthusiasm for what they were doing so I followed his tip and found that these guys from <i>Indianapolis, IN</i> were not only doing something good but rather great instead. Standing out from run of the mill and way off base, they play <i>pop punk </i>that makes you want to pull out your <i>Queers</i>, <i>Screeching Weasel</i>, and <i>Beach Boys </i>records for an all day binge, but also bring a unique personality to the table that is sincere, engaging, a little kooky, and utterly hilarious at times. To put it plainly, you remember who they are in one listen and that, my friends is what this small world of music we all love so much needs. I fell hard for the harmony heavy and super pop sensible "<a href="http://ramonaconfidential.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-putz-knock-it-off.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Knock It Off</span></a>" in <i>2014</i>, hoping for another reason to write about them immediately after and through<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> the actions of some great people, something has manifested!!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJbVWhCDHNMDH97kFWv-4D5ZHkLH0FbV8_8zwkjoZwPrtTM65STKU8Ra5inwZp9ryXLT5UrpxHr8aPUgRv2BEnCuVNvOQLrw9gusoVVuwruiGD58LYyFVsECOpZcYmYaUbjrnSzdPLRfU/s640/blogger-image--1284768385.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJbVWhCDHNMDH97kFWv-4D5ZHkLH0FbV8_8zwkjoZwPrtTM65STKU8Ra5inwZp9ryXLT5UrpxHr8aPUgRv2BEnCuVNvOQLrw9gusoVVuwruiGD58LYyFVsECOpZcYmYaUbjrnSzdPLRfU/s640/blogger-image--1284768385.jpg" /></a></div>
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Seeing a dire need for the songs to be placed on sacred<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> format, <i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MomsBasementRecords" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Moms Basement Records</span></a> </i>decided to reissue the more than deserving first album of these guys on vinyl for the first time! From there the idea began to pick up more momentum with a beautiful remastering job done by <i style="font-weight: bold;">Mass Giorgini </i>at <i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://soniciguana.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Sonic Iguana</span></a> </i>where "<b>Hole In One</b>" was originally recorded in 2009 by <i style="font-weight: bold;">Phillip Hill</i>. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">With everything sounding perfect, another modern day hero in the <i>American</i> label scene, <i style="font-weight: bold;">Travis Woods </i>added some live shots of the band into a bold yet simple and gorgeous layout he created, then it was off to the pressing plant!! Please take me seriously when I say don't wait to order this because the quantity is very limited! <i>100</i> copies were pressed to black, <i>100</i> copies were pressed to pink which I chose because it creates a lovely contrast against the cover art, and they include a download code of course! Release is today on the <i>27th</i>(pretty inconspicuous date huh? Haha)<i> </i>and you can order it through the <i style="font-weight: bold;">Moms Basement </i><i><a href="http://www.storenvy.com/stores/731631-moms-basement-records" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">webstore</span></a></i>! The tracks are waiting to be streamed or downloaded on the label's <i><a href="https://momsbasementrecords.bandcamp.com/releases" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">bandcamp</span></a></i> page now too so go check them out! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">When I think about reissues the one thing I enjoy most is to see someone from the band talk about it instead of a writer's thoughts, so I decided to approach <i style="font-weight: bold;">Billy </i>and ask for a contribution to this piece. He answered my call with a wonderfully written recollection of the record and some cool history on the evolvement of the band as well so without further delay I'd like to hand over this space to him. </span></div>
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"<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Looking back, it’s almost unbelievable that Hole In One ever got recorded, turned out the way did, or got released, let alone a remixed and remastered re-release…on vinyl!!! </span></div>
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Now, I’d like to say that Hole In One was the result of endless hard work, timeless effort, and unmitigated dedication, but it wasn’t; it was really just an accident…</div>
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See, back in 2009, The Putz were at a very different phase in our…uh…career? Sure, if you call getting drunk and playing exclusively open mic nights, exclusively at the local dive bar, exclusively on Wednesdays a career that is. I’m pretty sure most of us do, so let’s not belabor. Now, we never harbored any delusions that we would ever become international superstars, but that didn’t stop us from being out of tune, out of key, and out of our minds. </div>
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In all truthfulness, real talk here, we had no business recording an album at the time; furthermore, we had no business recording an album at the legendary (you’ve heard of it…) Sonic Iguana, but we did it anyway.</div>
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Our initial idea was just to capture our at-the-time-and-probably-only-to-us hilarious shtick, you know, for the annals of history. Our second idea was to just cancel and save our time and money. Our third idea, however, was to actually take ourselves seriously for a change. Mondo bizarro, I know. Well, that’s exactly what we did; we switched gears, scrapped the majority of the tracks we were intending to record, and started focusing on unfinished and unwritten material instead. </div>
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In the end, we (surprisingly) pulled it together and found ourselves with a (surprisingly) decent album that included 16 tracks that were written, completed, and rewritten over the span of a decade, some of them during my formative years as a young school boy, and others literally in the week leading up to recording, and I’m willing to wager that most of you couldn’t even guess which were which. And, even though it may be juvenile, in terms of content and talent, Hole In One includes two very important songs for me personally: (1) the first good/decent song I ever wrote; and (2) the first song I ever wrote that I knew other people would enjoy. </div>
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We halfheartedly approached a few individuals about the prospect of releasing an album recorded by a band no one had ever heard of, or knew existed, or cared about…yeah, well, whatever…In the summer of 2010, Hole In One was self-released on compact disc with a first pressing limited to 100 copies and a second pressing of 50 copies, and that was all. Ever. Until…</div>
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On tour in the summer of 2015, The Putz found ourselves lodging in none other than the mom’s basement (yeah, the one that inspired the record label, duh). It was here, drinking PBR and watching South Park, that the benevolent John Proffitt, Jr. agreed to release the remixed and remastered version of Hole In One on Mom’s Basement Records…on vinyl!!!</div>
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In retrospect, Hole In One opened a lot of doorways for The Putz, not only because we had material we weren’t ashamed to send to bookers and promoters, but also because we knew what we were capable of achieving as a band. We started practicing, which led to playing more venues, which led to playing out-of-town shows, which led to playing out-of-state shows, all of which led to making fans that would become friends and friends that would become family."- <b><i>Billy Putz</i></b></div>
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<i><b>The Putz </b>as they appeared on this recording...</i></div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">Billy Putz</b>- Bass and Vocals</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Tyler Wrong</i>- Guitar and Backing Vocals </div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Jordan Miller</i>- Drums and Backing Vocals</div>
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<i>With appearances by...</i></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Ian Johnson</i>- Keyboards on "<b>Once-a-Year Day</b>" and "<b>Idiot Over You</b>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Elise French</i>- Vocals on "<b>Bride Of Frankenstein</b>"</div>
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<i>Reissue produced by </i><b style="font-style: italic;">Billy Putz</b>, <i style="font-weight: bold;">Dougie Tangent</i>, <i>and <b>John Proffitt Jr.</b></i></div>
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<i>All songs written by <b>Billy Putz(BMI) </b>except where noted </i></div>
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<b><i>Tracks</i></b></div>
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<i>Side A </i></div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">1</b>. "<b>Letdown Of A Lifetime</b>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">2</i>. "<b>Not Giving In</b>" </div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">3</i>. "<b>Your Spaceship's Taking Off</b>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">4</i>. "<b>Operation: Sneak Out</b>"<b> </b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">5</i>. "<b>I Do(What I Want To)</b>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">6</i>. "<b>Brain Dead</b><i>" </i></div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">7</b>. "<b>Summer's Here</b>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">8</i>. "<b>I Quit</b>"</div>
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<i>Side B </i></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">9</i>. "<b>Institutionalized"</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">10</i>. "<i style="font-weight: bold;">You're Ugly</i>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">11</i>. "<b>Once-a-Year Day</b>"(<i style="font-weight: bold;">Adler</i>/<i style="font-weight: bold;">Ross</i>)</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">12</i>. "<i style="font-weight: bold;">Idiot Over You</i>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">13</i>. "<b>Don't Talk</b>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">14</i>. "<b>My Girlfriend's a Bonehead</b>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">15</i>. "<b>Bride Of Frankenstein</b>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">16</i>. "<b>Hole In One</b>"<i style="font-weight: bold;"> </i></div>
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Sara Ramonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11013307036918312596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962731202872849489.post-42447296334447164772016-03-24T10:10:00.004-07:002016-03-24T10:10:53.257-07:00The Ratcliffs- Bubblegum Warfare<div>
"<i>If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.</i>"- <i>Albert Einstein </i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Who knew <i>Einstien</i> and <i>Dee Dee</i> had so much in common!? I did! I think this quote of a genius can easily be applied to the beautiful structure of a sound we define as <i>punk rock</i> and at it's very most foundation, that's what you find. Simplicity. This principle is very much alive in <i>Europe</i> and as a devoted fan of bands like the <i>Mugwumps</i> and <i>DeeCRACKS</i>, </span><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Austria </i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">is a place that I've been dialed into for years. This is largely in part due to those guys having such a crystal clear understanding of what a punk rock song should be, and they play it with no unnecessary embellishments. There was another band from <i>Innsbruck </i>that I heard a few summers back by means of a </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">sampler that was made for the <i>Monster Zero Mash</i> in <i>Bergamo</i> from <i>2014</i>. They were called <i style="font-weight: bold;">The Ratcliffs </i>and I remembered liking their song, but being the scatterbrained girl that I am, I got distracted by something shiny probably and forgot to research them further. It happens!! Anyway, let's fast forward into the present. I saw that they finally had a full length record coming not too long ago, checked out the stream when it went live, and in a few words I was smitten with it pretty quickly. I've been craving so much to hear a good pop punk record lately and it has arrived in the form of one called "<b>Bubblegum Warefare</b>"!</span></div>
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The songs were recorded/mixed during the <i>Summer</i> and <i>Fall</i> of <i>2014</i> by <i style="font-weight: bold;">Matthias Mayr</i>(aka <i style="font-weight: bold;">Hias</i>) at <i style="font-weight: bold;">Workstation & The Shithole</i>(aka <i style="font-weight: bold;">Hias' </i>bedroom) and then mastering was handled by <i style="font-weight: bold;">Mathias Magerle</i>. If theses names sound familiar, it's because they are!! Both of them were involved with the last <i>Mugwumps </i>record and like their work on "Can't Be The One", the sound quality they produced this time is great once again!! The cover is a great fit with the album title featuring a photo of <b><i>Paul </i></b>shot by <i style="font-weight: bold;">Jonas Flattinger </i>and artwork by <i style="font-weight: bold;">Karin Berner</i>. Simple bubblegum concept, bright colors, I like it! <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Once that was all finished it was time for the painful process that always happens since everyone's waiting on the plants and there's not enough supply to meet the demand, but </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">good things are worth the wait!! Official release happened on <i>March 8th </i>from the fine people of <i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MonsterZeroPunkrock" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Monster Zero Records</span></a></i>. <i>300</i> copies were pressed to pink or black vinyl and come with a download code. Collector nerds like myself, the pink wax is apparently super limited! Digital only can be found on the <i style="font-weight: bold;">Ratcliffs </i><i><a href="https://theratcliffs.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">bandcamp</span></a></i> page where it's also streaming in full! Lastly, a small and limited edition run of <i>30 cassettes</i> was made on <i style="font-weight: bold;">Paul's </i>label, <i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Campfire-Tapes-399275496854102" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Campfire Tapes</span></a></i>. So your listening options are many!! But for now, go press play on that stream if you haven't done so yet.</span></div>
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I woke up early on the morning <i style="font-weight: bold;">MZ </i>announced the record was streaming and decided to investigate right away since I was so curious for it. Most of the time when I'm looking at a stream I don't start from the first track, but instead scan the song titles for one that jumps out at me. Usually that method proves to be quite effective and this time I decided to play "<b>You Can't Break My Heart</b>" first since that's an experience that typically spawns a great song. Especially in <i>pop punk </i>and my hunch was correct!! <i style="font-weight: bold;">The Ratcliffs </i>sound is simply a breath of fresh air and I was drawn right in by it. <i style="font-weight: bold;">Paul </i>is most certainly one of us in his devotion to the <i>Ramones </i>and <i>Lookout </i>bands, which you can hear in his songwriting but there's also some nice touches of <i>50's/60's</i> <i>rock 'n' roll</i> in there too and it's very cool. Overall there's a huge injection of fun in their style, not taking anything too seriously and the lyrics are super catchy. Another thing I like about <i style="font-weight: bold;">Paul </i>is his vocal style. He's got much more of a melodic <i>Joey-esque </i>crooner approach and I'm into it! This recording also has a great lineup of talent! <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">I mentioned </span><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Hias </i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">above who adds being a fine guitar player to his résumé and then <i style="font-weight: bold;">Klemi </i>who also plays drums for <i>Insanity Alert </i>shows his diversity, easily going from thrash to pop punk and did a wonderful job. The <i>LPs</i> 12 tracks cover a wide range of topics and open up in a very <i>Riverdales</i> <i>Phase 3</i> sort of way with the first one, "</span><b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">S.L.I.T.H.E.R</b><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">" that is a quick burst of </span><i>punk rock</i>,<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> talking of a two faced person. "</span><b>Zombie Walk</b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">" drops into a mid-tempoed pace and most definitely gives a nod towards </span><i>I Walked With A Zombie</i><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">. Monster songs never go out of style with me and the </span><b>Ratcliffs </b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">do well in bringing an element of horror to their mixture without sounding cheesy. "</span><b>Swine Flu Outbreak</b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">" and the metamorphosis illustrating "</span><b>Teen Wolf Again</b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">" also go along with this theme and were infectious in their ability to get stuck in my head. I really love "</span><b>Chinese Whispers</b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">" too! Its got some great backing vocals but as a true romantic, I gotta say I choose the ode of love lost called "</span><b>Radioactive Queen</b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">" as my favorite track! The lyrics are enjoyably demented, expressing the woes of being burned in more way than one and the chorus is beautiful!! "</span><b>Never Any Good</b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">" adds a little more variety, standing out a bit with just vocals and a more clean guitar but stays cohesive with the record and shows that early <i>rock 'n' roll side</i> I mentioned. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><i>2016</i> was SO SLOW to start out with new releases! I was waiting for something to come along that captured my attention and "<b>Bubblegum Warfare</b>" is it. This is a nice open to what is promising to be an eventful rest of the year so don't sleep on this first pressing and <i><a href="http://www.monsterzerorecords.com/products/ratcliffs-the-bubblegum-warfare-lp-very-limited-bubblegum-pink-vinyl" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">order</span></a></i> a copy before it's gone. With both <i><b>Hias</b></i> and <b><i>Klemi</i></b> relocating soon, there are no immediate plans for <b><i>The</i></b> <b><i>Ratcliffs</i></b> besides the release show they played but seeing how that <i>Austrian</i> scene is such a supportive network of talented people, something is always bound to come together. Follow their <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/The-Ratcliffs-186447732192" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">facebook</span></a></i> page to stay tuned! </span></div>
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<i><b>The Ratcliffs </b>are...</i></div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">Paul</b>- Vocals and Bass Guitar </div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Hias</i>- Guitar</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Klemi</i>- Drums </div>
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<i>All songs written by <b>Paul Coyote</b></i></div>
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<i><b>Tracks</b></i></div>
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<i>Side A</i></div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">1</b>. "<b>S.L.I.T.H.E.R.</b>"</div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">2</b>. "<b>Zombie Walk</b>"</div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">3</b>. "<b>Li'l Light Bulb</b>"</div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">4</b>. "<b>Swine Flu Outbreak</b>"</div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">5</b>. "<b>Too Many Issues</b>"</div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">6</b>. "<b>The Thing To Do</b>"</div>
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<i>Side B</i></div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">7</b>. "<b>Chinese Whispers</b>"</div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">8</b>. "<b>Teen Wolf Again</b>"</div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">9</b>. "<b>Radioactive Queen</b>"</div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">10</b>. "<b>You Can't Break My Heart</b>"</div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">11</b>. "<b>Never Any Good</b>"</div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">12</b>. "<b>Camp Nowhere</b>"</div>
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Sara Ramonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11013307036918312596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962731202872849489.post-48252603916866544392016-01-01T10:11:00.002-08:002016-01-01T10:13:12.385-08:00Best of 2015!<div>
Greetings, my fellow connoisseurs of good taste! Your faithful girl Dee Dee here. While it's seemed to be a longer one than most, here we are at the end of another year at <b><i>Ramona Confidential</i></b>. It was one that had me down a lot to see so much loss in our little universe but in spite of dark days, lots of great things happened too so here I am to give a rundown of what I favored most. I've decided to change up a few things up this time! First, besides a "one-two-three-faw!!" before a song starts or eighth notes behind the drum kit, I really see no use for numbers in the way I want to do this list. I dig everything I chose and want you to see it as you wish. Next! You're going to see a few selections show up that I didn't get the chance to properly review. Things were chaotic at best during these last few months but music is always going in my life no matter what, so I'm bringing them in now. We're punks around here and can call the rules as we go! Before we get everything going, I want to send a heartfelt thank you to each person that hangs out with me here. From nearly every continent I see you all showing up to read what I write and that's something very beautiful to me. Seeing so many hearts like mine gives me hope, because that's exactly what's needed to keep good music alive! So stay passionate, know that you are very important to this, and live your days to the fullest because <b><i>Lemmy</i></b> wants you to. Any corresponding reviews or ordering info will be linked in the album titles. Now let's talk about what saves us all. <i>Rock 'n' Roll</i>! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJdfyNlNiq3cigohs4EV7FCbo03p3VsGsRvdsD49aj8Gjh6T0hJm9WJB4i-PGUwk3360qqPacflBci1hwN_Jpur6JhihCPVMvbYIpW_KvqRKuDQbk0pqQZk02vBfR-Oavr-Z3_5pMLPZo/s640/blogger-image-823819939.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJdfyNlNiq3cigohs4EV7FCbo03p3VsGsRvdsD49aj8Gjh6T0hJm9WJB4i-PGUwk3360qqPacflBci1hwN_Jpur6JhihCPVMvbYIpW_KvqRKuDQbk0pqQZk02vBfR-Oavr-Z3_5pMLPZo/s400/blogger-image-823819939.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><i><u>My favorite LPs...</u></i></b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></i><b><i>The Manges- </i><a href="http://ramonaconfidential.blogspot.com/2015/12/the-manges-florida-ep.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Florida EP</span></a></b><br />
My life is never complete until these guys release new material and they arrived just in time to make sure a much needed example for what a good punk rock song sounds like was delivered before the year was up! The songs on this EP are better than good, they are immaculate and it never ceases to amaze me at how <b><i>The Manges</i></b> can come to the table with something that is evolved and everything that music needs in the moment, each time they walk out of the studio. The memory of seeing a couple of these songs get played live is my most favorite moments of the year and I cannot wait to give that gorgeous blue LP a spin once it arrives in my anxious little hands. As long as <b><i>The Manges</i></b> are around, my passion to write will be too.<br />
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<b><i>The Mugwumps- </i><a href="http://ramonaconfidential.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-mugwumps-be-one.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Can't Be The One</span></a></b><br />
With the many years we had to wait for <b><i>The Mugwumps</i></b> return between the last two records, I was elated to see them keep their momentum in <i>2015</i> with "<b>Can't Be The One</b>". This record was very special because while "<b>Mutation In The Family</b>" was a great reintroduction, <i>CBTO</i> was a snapshot of them right in the moment from a perspective of songwriting. It showed that they are just as relevant in <i>2015</i> as they were in <i>2007</i> and now have grown into being masters of their sound with something substantial to contribute that any newer <i>pop punk/punk rock</i> band can benefit from by observation. These three guys from <i>Austria</i> have it down to a science at this point and are hopefully going to be coming back soon with something else for me to fall in love with.<br />
<b><i><br /></i></b><b><i>The Piniellas- </i><a href="http://ramonaconfidential.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-piniellas-struck-out-looking.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Struck Out Looking</span></a></b><br />
As far as contemporary <i>American</i> pop punk goes, lots of the newer bands tend to go for what I find to be the all too common yawn inducing third wave/indie/beardo sound, but not <i style="font-weight: bold;">The Piniellas</i>! Led by <b>Scott Matthews</b> of <i>The Wanna-Bes</i>, this band is one of the best that my country has to offer and really revived the classic sound of this genre's great lineage without being a carbon copy. "Struck Out Looking" has became a staple in my collection for having songs that possess a catchiness I've not heard much since the last <i>Riverdales</i> record. This band has already covered a lot of ground making a name for themselves, so it's sad to see that things are slowing down for them at the moment with their drummer relocating. I think that they could only step up to the next level with what they're doing but I'll hang in there with the hopes that at least one more record comes out of their camp.<br />
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<b><i>Radioactivity- </i><a href="http://ramonaconfidential.blogspot.com/2015/07/radioactivity-silent-kill.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Silent Kill</span></a></b><br />
In the first listen through it, "<b>Silent Kill</b>" was one of the most mesmerizing collection of songs I've heard in the last decade. It's almost like another dimension with how well arranged it is. "<b>Silent Kill</b>" is a testament to the FACT that <b><i>Jeff Burke</i></b> is still a genius songwriter who seemingly has no limit to the amount of quality he can manifest in his mind where punk rock, garage, and whatever he sees fit melt together into a sound only <b><i>Radioactivity</i></b> can play. Simply put, I'm one happy little lady to keep supporting their cause. This band has fully stepped into their own as a powerful entity and I'll be waiting for their next move with total anticipation. </div>
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<b><i>The Ponches- </i><a href="http://ramonaconfidential.blogspot.com/2015/12/the-ponches-hum.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">HUM</span></a></b><br />
These boys from <i>Ferriera</i> completely swept me off my feet this year in both seeing them play finally, and releasing this gem of a record. "<b>HUM</b>" is one of those records that gets under your skin in a good way before you even know what's happening, and then you're just hooked!! They <i>punk rock</i> they play by their own rules holds such a beauty in it's individuality and makes <b><i>The Ponches</i></b> stand out so much for me. I think they should be much more recognized than they are. Consider me fully devoted to their cause and hoping that they'll make it back over to tour <i>America </i>sometime. Music can only gain from their presence.<br />
<b><i><br /></i></b><b><i>One Chord Wonder- </i><a href="https://ocwrecords.bandcamp.com/album/ocw015-v-a-30-second-wonders" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">30 Second Wonders</span></a></b><br />
I'm very skeptical of compilations because they usually end up pretty unbalanced or with not enough for me to get excited about but if anyone was going to create an exception, it made all the sense in the world for <b><i>One Chord Wonder</i></b> to do just that. The equation is simple enough. Thirty tracks at thirty seconds each and my face was beaming with a smile as soon as the beautifully screen printed LP started to spin on my turntable, hearing Rev, Norb's intro. Everyone from Italy I'm in love with from <b><i>Senzabenza</i></b>, to <b><i>Mega</i></b>, to the <b><i>Proton Packs</i></b>, to <b><i>The Nuts</i></b>, to <b><i>The Veterans</i></b> just to name a few are on there but that's not all!! <i>Europe</i> is well represented by <b><i>The Mugwumps</i></b> and <b><i>DeeCRACKS</i></b>, <i>America</i> makes an appearance with <b><i>Horror Section</i></b>, and even <i>Canada</i> too with the mighty <b><i>Jimmy Vapid</i></b>!! There's lots more to get into so check it out if you've not yet. Comps can be done well! This one is proof. <br />
<b><i><br /></i></b><b><i>Rufus Recordings- </i><a href="http://ramonaconfidential.blogspot.com/2015/12/rufus-recordings-ramone-army-split.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Ramone Army Split</span></a><i> </i></b><br />
My heart was invested in this release from the start and with the untimely passing of my dear friend <b><i>Paco Rufus</i></b>, it has become a treasure that I'm so proud to have had a part in. He carefully chose each band for a reason, and that was to show the way of life he believed in with all his soul was still out there. <b><i>Woodcocks</i></b>, <b><i>The Mugwumps</i></b>, <b><i>Riccobellis</i></b>, <b><i>Tough</i></b>, <b><i>The Nerdy Jugheads</i></b>, and <b><i>Rivelles</i></b> brought the very best from their respective corners of the globe to make a statement come to life in a split that will spend much time being played at my place. The <b>Ramone Army</b> is strong, and it will forever carry on because people like <b><i>Paco</i></b> aren't afraid to stand up for it and make sure people listen.<br />
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<b><i>The Dumbheads- </i><a href="http://ramonaconfidential.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-dumbheads-heartbroken-idiots.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Heartbroken Idiots</span></a></b><br />
I love to find something special in places I don't often look to and <i>Belgorod, Russia</i> gave me a great discovery on the day I first heard <b><i>The Dumbheads</i></b>. While maintaining a sense of humor, the songs on "<b><i>Heartbroken Idiots</i></b>" are powerful in both categories of music and vocals. Such a great range of subjects are covered in them from the supernatural to romance and their version of <i>The Kids</i> "<b>Do You Wanna Know</b>" is one of the most well done covers I've heard all year. Go give them a listen if you've not done so yet! They deserve your attention.<br />
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Noise By Numbers</i>- <b><a href="http://ramonaconfidential.blogspot.com/2015/02/noise-by-numbers-high-on-drama.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">High On Drama</span></a></b><br />
There's something that makes me happy every single time I see a record from one of Dan Vapid's bands get released. It's the unspoken certainty that I know I'll love it because he's proven to be a constant as a key songwriter who's built much of the foundation for what I hold dear. <b><i>Noise By Numbers</i></b> has always held a special place in my heart since the first moment I heard them and "<b>High On Drama</b>" was a nice little bonus to get after they became inactive. The mixture of pop punk and alternative rock that can even venture into somewhat of a new wave sound at times was played so vibrantly by them in these songs. For that, they resonate with me and I'm happy to have another little piece of their history. <br />
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<b><i>The Connection- </i><a href="https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/labor-of-love" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Labor Of Love</span></a></b><br />
It's always cool to see a band draw from what influenced punk rock in the first place. Any pop punk fan is well acquainted with <b><i>Brad Marino</i></b> and <b><i>Geoff Palmer</i></b> by means of <i>The Rydells</i> and <i>The Guts</i>, so it makes perfect sense for them to join their well developed forces as a songwriting duo in <b><i>The Connection</i></b>. They work well together and with <b><i>Andy Shernoff</i></b> taking the helm as producer, "<b>Labor Of Love</b>" is a fantastic mixture of sounds influenced by the <i>Rolling Stones</i>, classic <i>power pop</i>, and <i>50's</i> to <i>60's</i> <i>Rock 'n' Roll</i> just to name a few places they drew from in making this record. All that paired with <b><i>Brad's</i></b> universal reach as a vocalist and their punk rock spirit made for great record that I enjoyed very much as a change in pace to diversify my time spent as a music lover this year. </div>
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<b><i><u>My favorite 7"s</u></i></b><br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></i><b><i>The Veterans- </i><a href="http://ramonaconfidential.blogspot.com/2015/11/the-veterans-qu4tet.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Qu4rtet</span></a></b><br />
With just two songs, The Veterans gave me such a big reason to smile. <b><i>Andrea Manges</i></b> is so important to me as a songwriter ans this band is one I have a lot of affection for because it shows another side of his skill. As I said in the review, "<b>Rocket Summer</b>" is one of the best songs he's ever written and the <i>Go-Go's</i> cover is superb as well so make sure you own it.<br />
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">CJ Ramone/The Manges</i>- <b><a href="http://www.stripedmusic.com/7-cj-ramone-and-the-manges/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Split 7"</span></a></b><br />
Two hugely important worlds in my life as a punk rocker coming together to make a split 7" is something that was both totally rare and had me over the moon to witness. I adore the cover art designed by John Holmstrom and the spirit of that just gets even brighter in the music. The guys kept it fun with a song from the Beach Boys, then one from the Trashmen and it made for a perfect collaboration. It's such a special piece to have in any Ramones and Manges fan's collection but also makes me personally breathe a sigh of happiness because the spirit of what saved my life lives on!<br />
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<b><i>The Vapids- </i><a href="http://ramonaconfidential.blogspot.com/2015/05/the-vapids-punitive-damagethin-skin.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Punitive Damage/Thin Skin</span></a></b><br />
I am crazy for <b><i>The Vapids</i></b>. They're one of those bands that strike such a natural response of adoration from me for playing punk rock that hits hard and is honest as the day is long. <b><i>Jimmy</i></b> is one of my absolute favorites for putting up zero fronts as a songwriter and I am SO GLAD <b><i>Carlo</i></b> from <i>Surfin' Ki</i> finally gave them enough shit to make a new record. The three songs show this band is still a force of nature, growing in magnitude and the last track for <b><i>Robo</i></b> is one of the most moving tributes I've ever heard. You never know what's going to happen with these guys, they've got some kickass side projects but I'll always be a happy girl if they wanna come back with more.<b></b><br />
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<b><i>Neon Bone- </i><a href="http://ramonaconfidential.blogspot.com/2015/04/neon-bone-sick-of-me.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Sick Of Me</span></a></b><br />
Lars is still on fire!! I guess I somewhat expect this of him after supporting him for the last few years but it's still amazing to watch him be so prolific with what he does. I was so happy to see <b><i>Neon Bone</i></b> get added to the <b><i>Monster Zero</i></b> roster this year, develop a very good full band to go touring with, and spread the gospel of pop punk done right to so many. "<b>Sick Of Me</b>" was a step up and stay tuned because a new full length record is in the works as I type this!! I've gotten the honor of hearing it's demos and cannot wait to see it all come together.<br />
<b><i><br /></i></b><b><i>Ratbones- </i><a href="http://ramonaconfidential.blogspot.com/2015/12/ratbones-ratwars.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Ratwars</span></a></b><br />
I still have "<b>Lost In East Berlin</b>" stuck in my head. I shit you not because that's one of the best songs I heard all year and "<b>Ratwars</b>" was such a great representation as a whole for what Italy has to offer in the moment. This introduction to the new lineup for <b><i>Ratbones</i></b> was well done, the songs pay tribute to a lineage that needs to be remembered in such a lovely way. Let's see your next move, guys. Surely it'll be something I'm into.<br />
<b><i><br /></i></b><b><i>Moms Basement- </i><a href="http://ramonaconfidential.blogspot.com/2015/08/4-way-wedding-split-moms-basement.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Wedding Split</span></a></b></div>
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Joining in on the collective of pop punk/punk rock labels this year, <b><i>Moms Basement</i></b> has made a good first impression with it's first release. Choosing <b><i>Horror Section</i></b>, <b><i>Eaten Back To Life</i></b>, the <b><i>Young Rochelles</i></b>, and <b><i>The Putz</i></b> was a smart move to group some fine American talent together and the finished product looks fantastic!! As a heavy collector with a global view for music,<b><i> John</i></b> is destined to do very cool things and as an insider to what he does, all I'm gonna say is get excited for what he's working on for the new year. You're going to be into it.<br />
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Labels I pledge my love to</i>- An independent label with lots of passion and support from the scene has infinite power to change the landscape of music for the better. As time has changed the way we access music, people have unfortunately lost sight of why we need them. The digital age may grant easier access but there is an absolute unwavering beauty that exists in a format one can hold in their hands. Through the grooves in vinyl, artwork admired, and liner notes studied, a physical format not only grants the listener a full connection to what they love but also gives it a means to continue. As we step away in observation of our little universe, it's easy to see these people pouring their blood, sweat, and tears into this craft with little reward are doing no medial task. They are the hope for it to survive and these are the labels you should be watching.</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/EccentricPop" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Eccentric Pop Records</span></a></i>, <i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/stripedmusiccom" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Striped Music</span></a></i>, <i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MonsterZeroPunkrock" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Monster Zero Records</span></a></i>, <i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/RufusRecordings" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Rufus Recordings</span></a></i>, <i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ocw.records" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">One Chord Wonder</span></a></i>, <i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Dirtnap-Records-Official-167234489965225" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Dirtnap Records</span></a></i>, <i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/surfinkirecords" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Surfin' Ki Records</span></a></i>, <i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MomsBasementRecords" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Moms Basement Records</span></a></i>, <i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/JollyRonnie" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Jolly Ronnie Records</span></a></i>, and <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MoosterRecords" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Mooster Records</span></a></i></b><br />
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Other Rock 'n' Roll Writers I Support</i>- <b><i><a href="http://masonramone.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Massoneria Ramonica</span></a></i></b>, <b><i><a href="http://snafurock.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">SNAFU</span></a></i></b>, <b><i><a href="http://buyrecords.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">I Buy Records</span></a></i></b>, <b><i><a href="http://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Just Some Punk Songs</span></a></i></b>, and <b><i><a href="http://www.fortheloveofpunk.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">For The Love Of Punk</span>.</a></i></b><i style="font-weight: bold;"> </i><br />
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">MVP(Most Valuable Punk Rocker)</i>-<i style="font-weight: bold;"> Paco Rufus</i></div>
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In the <i>36</i> rotations around the sun I've experienced so far, I encounter a lot of people that inspire me from all over the world but every once in awhile I find a person who is very rare. If I think about the feeling behind punk rock, I can say that <b><i>Paco</i></b> truly exemplified what it was to live those words completely. We only got a little more than a year to know each other but I can tell you in that short amount of time that I chose him as a brother because of who he was. He was never shy to show his true self and if he saw that someone shared his dreams, you were no longer going to move forward in your journey without his support. <b><i>Paco</i></b> was one of the very few spirits on this earth who could match my rabid love for the <i>Ramones</i> and while that was what first united us, he was also caring enough to know who I am. He was so generous in every aspect with never any expectation. He sent me records, listened abut my life, told me about his, and gave me the precious gift of becoming friends with his lovely wife <b><i>Marta</i></b>. He also supported me more as a writer than most anyone else ever has, always encouraging me to keep going, sharing my work, and then he permanently added my words to one of his last releases. Ever since the <i>16th</i> of <i>December</i>, it's pretty hard for me to look at his facebook page without crying and to feel some sort of anger at why he's no longer with us but there's something so much bigger to take from the tragedy of his loss.</div>
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<b><i>Paco</i></b> lived. </div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">He lived every single day passionately loving his wife, running </span><b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><i>Rufus Recordings</i></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> and his record store </span><b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><i>Naranja y Negro</i></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> with all his heart, and he didn't waste one moment to let any of his dreams go by without pursuit. He was a beautiful person, chosen family, a kickass punk rocker, and will forever be an absolute inspiration to me. Thank you </span><b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><i>Paco</i></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> for touching my life and the lives of so many others. Everyday when I wake up and have the chance to give it my all, I'll give a little bit more in your honor.</span></div>
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<i>Special thanks sent out to the following people for carrying me though the worst with their kindness when I needed someone to be there for me this year. Words can not express how </i><i>grateful I am for each of you.</i>- <i style="font-weight: bold;">B-Face</i>, <i style="font-weight: bold;">Andrea Manges</i>, <i style="font-weight: bold;">Massimo Zannoni</i>, <i style="font-weight: bold;">Danny Sullivan</i>, <i style="font-weight: bold;">Valentina De Rosa</i>, <i style="font-weight: bold;">Andrea Imbalzano</i>, <i style="font-weight: bold;">Ale</i>, <i style="font-weight: bold;">Paco Rufus</i>, <i style="font-weight: bold;">Marta Rufus</i>, <i style="font-weight: bold;">Phil Nieswender</i>, <i style="font-weight: bold;">Faith Cardelli</i>, <i style="font-weight: bold;">KJ Jansen</i>, <i style="font-weight: bold;">John Proffitt Jr</i>, <i style="font-weight: bold;">Richie Boyd</i>,<i style="font-weight: bold;"> Ame Bumpkin, and Franz</i></div>
Sara Ramonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11013307036918312596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962731202872849489.post-62973667236612857022015-12-23T09:55:00.001-08:002015-12-23T09:55:06.744-08:00The Manges- Florida EP<i>2015</i> hasn't been void of <b><i>The Manges</i></b>. 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 "<b>Acid Beaters</b>" 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 <b><i>Cj Ramone</i></b> to make a gem of a <i><a href="http://www.stripedmusic.com/7-cj-ramone-and-the-manges/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">7"</span></a></i>... 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, <b><i>Manuel</i></b>, <b><i>Mass</i></b>, <b><i>Andrea</i></b>, and <b><i>Mayo</i></b> get that. To say my anticipation has been growing since they wrapped recording in the <i>Summer </i>would be a pretty giant understatement. Ever since getting a preview of the songs in <b><i>Andrea's</i></b> living room because I'm a major brat(it's true!), then seeing some of them get played live in <i>October</i>, 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 <i>Las Pezia</i> are back with a brand new release called "<b>Florida EP</b>"!<br />
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It's always wise to stay the course with a good thing, and that's why the guys returned to <i>Brescia,Italy</i> during <i>August</i> to record once again at <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/tupstudio" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">T.U.P. Studio</span></a></i></b>. I make no secret of my admiration for <b><i>Brown Barcella</i></b> who in a modern world, keeps things at a fundamental level of beauty. Staying in tradition for <b><i>The Manges</i></b> 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 <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/blastingroom" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The Blasting Room</span></a></i></b> in <i>Fort Collins, CO</i> and WOW. <b><i>Andrew Berlin</i></b>(mixing) and <b><i>Jason Livermore</i></b>(mastering) turned the already lovely product into a finished masterpiece. I have been falling all over myself since the first time I heard this <i>EP</i> 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 <b><i>Andrea</i></b>. A very <i>America</i> in the <i>80's</i> picture of <i>Ronald Reagan</i> joined by <i>Mickey Mouse</i> and some lovely people is spot on aligned to the title and <b><i>Manges</i></b> style too. <b><i>Mass</i></b> did the layout! Today marks the digital release of the songs which can be purchased on <i><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/florida-ep/id1059636901" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">iTunes</span></a></i> or <i><a href="http://themanges.bandcamp.com/album/florida-ep" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">bandcamp</span></a></i> where they are streaming in full. You can also find them on <i>Spotify </i>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 <i>MP3s</i> for so long, do not fret!! The <i>LP</i> that comes with a <i>CD</i> as well can be ordered through my favorite <i>American</i> source for quality releases, <b><i><a href="http://eccentricpoprecords.storenvy.com/products/15468318-the-manges-florida-12-cd-maxi-ep" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Eccentric Pop Records</span></a></i></b> and if you are overseas, the fine people of <b><i><a href="http://www.stripedmusic.com/12-the-manges-florida-ep-lp-cd/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Striped Music</span></a></i></b> have you covered!! This first pressing is a super limited run of <i>500</i> copies on blue wax. <i>300</i> are for <i>America</i>, and <i>200</i> are for <i>Europe</i> so don't sleep on it and be stuck waiting for the second! <b><i>Eccentric Pop</i></b> has also printed a VERY SMALL run of <i>40</i> posters featuring an alternate cover. These high quality, gorgeous prints will be given out at random and only people who pre-order(closing on <i>January 10th</i>) have a chance to get them. Everything will start rolling with shipping by mid <i>January</i>.</div>
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When you hear <b><i>Mass</i></b> boom out a "<i>1-2-3-4!</i>", it's on, and something wonderful is about to take place. All levels are louder compared to "<b>All Is Well</b>". 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 <i>Ramones</i> 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. <b><i>The Manges</i></b> 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. "<b>Guinea Pig</b>" 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 <i>70's</i> but carries such a fullness from each part of the machine that is them. I love the little break towards the end that kicks <b><i>Manuel's</i></b> skill as such a badass drummer out to the front and then the ending is very <i>Durango 95</i>. That puts little hearts in my eyes but there's no time to dwell because the gem called "<b>Cartoon Democracy</b>"is next. Holy shit I was freaking out over how masterfully the studios brought <b><i>Andrea's</i></b> 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 <i><a href="https://youtu.be/kSGeIy16Xco" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">here</span></a></i> to see it)! My number one pick for the <i>EP</i> comes on to close this side. "<b>Body Bags 2</b>" 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 <i style="font-weight: bold;">Andrea's </i>vocals carry the melody all the way through, the bridge, the keyboards, and then the solo that perfectly shines. Absolute gem! <i>Side B</i> comes on tough in sound and "<b>H.E.A.D</b>" 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. "<b>Number One Hit</b>" is very lighthearted, super tongue in cheek. Simply a well arranged, catchy song about selling out and the ladies of the <i>Crimson Vipers</i> join in at the end for some gang vocals. The last track of the six, "<b>Space Chimp Apollo</b>" 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. </div>
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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 <b><i>The Manges</i></b> 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 <b><i>Eccentric Pop</i></b> or <b><i>Striped's</i></b> names above and place your order before it's out of stock which I have the feeling will happen pretty quickly. <i>2015</i> has passed and as I look to <i>2016</i>, I still believe in hope for punk rock's survival because of people <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/themanges" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The Manges</span></a></i></b>. I always will as long as they're around.</div>
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<i><b>The Manges </b>are...</i></div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">Mass</b>- Bass</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Manuel</i>- Drums</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Andrea</i><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">- Vocals/Guitar</span></i></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Mayo</i>- Guitar </div>
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<i>with synth by <b>Alessio Lonati </b>and backing vocals on </i>"<b>Number One Hit</b>" <i>by <b>Crimson Vipers Roller Derby Bergamo</b></i></div>
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<i>All songs written by <b>The Manges</b>(A. Caredda S.I.A.E. 2015)</i></div>
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<i><b>Tracks </b></i></div>
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<i>Side A</i></div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">1</b>. "<b>Guinea Pig</b>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">2</i>. "<b>Cartoon Democracy</b>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">3</i>. "<b>Body Bags 2</b>"</div>
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<i>Side B</i></div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">4</b>. "<b>H.E.A.D.</b>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">5</i>. "<b>Number One Hit</b>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">6</i>. "<b>Space Chimp Apollo</b>"</div>
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Sara Ramonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11013307036918312596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962731202872849489.post-85266244679557471722015-12-15T10:11:00.001-08:002015-12-15T10:22:21.999-08:00The Ponches- HUMI 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 <b><i>The Ponches</i></b> for now a few years since first hearing <i>The Long Goodbye</i>, I really had zero idea what I was in for when I walked into <i>Cox 18</i> to watch a show in <i>Milan</i> last <i>October</i>. 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 <i>Ferriera, Italy</i> 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 "<b>HUM</b>" is a little piece of punk rock brilliance I want to make sure you know about today.<br />
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The songs were recorded and mixed during early Spring at <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/New-Mood-Recording-Studio-113502288734899" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">New Mood Recording Studio</span></a></i></b> by <b><i>Frederic Mazzei</i></b> who also took on the role of producer. The end result between <b><i>The Ponches</i></b> and <b><i>Frederic</i></b> 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 "<b>HUM</b>". I actually brought it up with <b><i>Lorenzo</i></b> in <i>Milan</i> 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. <b><i><a href="http://twilight13media.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Costin Chioreanu</span></a></i></b>, who is based out of <i>Bucharest, Romania</i> 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 <i>August 31st, 2015</i> and it was a joint effort between <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ocw.records" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">One Chord Wonder</span></a></i></b> and <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MonsterZeroPunkrock" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Monster Zero</span></a></i></b>. It is available on either <i>CD</i> or <i>LP</i>(download included), and digital only can be found on the <b><i>OCW</i></b> <i><b><a href="https://ocwrecords.bandcamp.com/album/ocw014-the-ponches-hum" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">bandcamp</span></a></b></i> page where all 12 amazing songs are streaming in full. </div>
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Absorbed is the perfect word for the state I fall into every time I hear the all too unique sound of <b><i>The Ponches</i></b>. 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 <i>Side A</i>. "<b>Through The End</b>" 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 <b><i>Alessandro's</i></b> 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 <b><i>Lorenzo</i></b> take the lead in "<b>Got Sushi?!</b>". Aside from being a talented drummer, he's got such a soulful quality to the way he sings. "<b>Billy Milligan</b>" follows and a great job is done encompassing the complexity of his multiple personalities in the lyrics, with some great leads played by <b><i>Alberto</i></b>, 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, "<b>The Russian Way</b>" shows up at the end of this side and I'm smitten with it for a number of reasons from the bass line <b><i>Tony</i></b> plays that drives the mid-tempo pace to the lovely guitar parts and vocal harmonies too. Perfect arrangement! <i>Side B</i> starts like a punch and then leads into much more. "<b>He Came From The Cold</b>" is another absolute gem and then the first song that had me wanting this record immediately can be found as well. "<b>UVB-76</b>" was the song they previewed before release to introduce "<b>HUM</b>" 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, "<b>Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere</b>" is another of my favorites for it's well done bridge and it ties into the <i>Billy Milligan</i> story too. </div>
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"<b>HUM</b>" 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 <i style="font-weight: bold;">The Ponches </i>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 <b><i><a href="https://ocwrecords.bandcamp.com/album/ocw014-the-ponches-hum" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">One Chord Wonder</span></a></i></b> or <b><i><a href="http://www.monsterzerorecords.com/products/ponches-the-hum-lp" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Monster Zero</span></a></i></b>! Follow <b><i>The Ponches</i></b> on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ThePonches" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">facebook</span></a></i> for all upcoming transmissions. Surely whatever they do next will be worthy of your attention.</div>
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<i><b>The Ponches </b>are...</i></div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">Alessandro </b><i>as </i><b style="font-style: italic;">Zack</b>- Vocals and Guitar</div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">Lorenzo </b><i>as </i><b style="font-style: italic;">Larry</b>- Vocals and Drums</div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">Alberto </b><i>as </i><b style="font-style: italic;">Bolzo</b>- Guitar</div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">Antonio </b><i>as </i><b style="font-style: italic;">Tony</b>- Bass</div>
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<i>All songs by <b>The Ponches</b></i></div>
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<i><b>Tracks</b></i></div>
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<i>Side A </i></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">1</i>. "<b>Through The End</b>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">2</i>. "<b>Got Sushi?!</b>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">3</i>. "<b>Billy Milligan</b>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">4</i>. "<b>(See You) In A While</b>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">5</i>. "<b>Shame, Same Shame</b>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">6</i>. "<b>The Russian Way</b>"</div>
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<i>Side B</i></div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">7</b>. "<b>Gettin' Jiggy With It</b>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">8</i>. "<b>He Came From The Cold</b>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">9</i>. "<b>Get It Barry!</b>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">10</i>. "<b>Amazingly Useless</b>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">11</i>. "<b>UVB-76</b>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">12</i>. "<b>Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere</b>"</div>
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Sara Ramonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11013307036918312596noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962731202872849489.post-61109974066709720262015-12-09T10:11:00.001-08:002015-12-09T10:12:38.126-08:00Rufus Recordings- Ramone Army Split<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"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></div>
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I've gotten to take part in lots of cool things but back in <i>August</i>, my friend <b><i>Paco Rufus</i></b> 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 "<b>Ramone Army</b>".<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-bXnApmv-bukrakfz304Gq9klKXp1vZVOLvm3jUqcQMgivppktt-SvrmI1bsqRNNgLlAODGxf_OEakVS8EQkpcQZiARpa9ERtlXF0bYeHkaB70rpwK_rpLWEoT433DvTRO-aqnccUSZM/s640/blogger-image--714363125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-bXnApmv-bukrakfz304Gq9klKXp1vZVOLvm3jUqcQMgivppktt-SvrmI1bsqRNNgLlAODGxf_OEakVS8EQkpcQZiARpa9ERtlXF0bYeHkaB70rpwK_rpLWEoT433DvTRO-aqnccUSZM/s640/blogger-image--714363125.jpg" /></a></div>
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Because there's multiple bands on here, I won't get into the individual recording processes other than saying <b><i>Alex Roman</i></b> 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. <i>Dee Dee Ramone's</i> head imposed onto the body of the <i>Creature From The Black Lagoon</i>, holding the severed head of <i>Bono</i> 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 <i>Forrest Hills,NY</i> 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 <i>July 29th</i> from <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/RufusRecordings" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Rufus Recordings</span></a></i></b> and yes it does come with a download code if you purchase it through the label's <i><a href="https://rufusrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/ramone-army" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">bandcamp</span></a></i> page where all the songs are streaming too! Go check them out.</div>
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With six bands, there's a lot of ground to cover but I'll touch on each one! <i>Japan</i> has a scene I admire greatly and having a band like the <b><i>Woodcocks</i></b> kick off <i>Side A</i> is a perfect example of why I feel this way. Comprised of members from <i>Pelotan</i>, the <i>Hum Hums</i>, and <i>End Of Summer</i>, <b><i>Woodcocks</i></b> offer very well composed pop punk songs with a heavy dose of harmony in the vocals that is wonderful. "<b>Tell Me</b>" is my favorite of theirs! No momentum is lost moving past that strong open because next up you'll hear my most favorite <i>Austrian</i> punk rockers, <b><i>The Mugwumps</i></b> 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 "<b>Not Alone</b>". "<b>Psycho Pop</b>" 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 <i>Ramone</i> worship going on and you know I am talking about <i>Italy</i>. <b><i>The Riccobellis</i></b> start out with a sweet approach in my favorite of their two, "<b>I Need You Anyway</b>" and the <i>Italian</i> invasion is just getting started because <b><i>Tough</i></b> is waiting for you on the other side! Opening <i>Side B</i>, these are the remaining two songs from their last recording session with <i>Stefanino</i> and that makes me very happy. "<b>Queen Of The Last Hole</b>" veers off the well beaten path <b><i>Tough</i></b> 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 <i>The Automatics</i>' "<b>Tokyo</b>" is a great classic to go with and was also executed with lots of passion. <i>Japan</i> shows up again after them, this time in the form of <b><i>The Nerdy Jugheads</i></b> and they're just as vibrant as the <b><i>Woodcocks</i></b>! Fronted by <b><i>Yoshi</i></b>, they have an approach that is influenced by <i>Warning Device</i> era <i>Teenage Bottlerocket</i> and that is my favorite kind of <i>TBR</i>, but then lots of their own personality is added in. "<b>I Don't Wanna Go Back To The Nuthouse</b>" 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 <b><i>Rivelles</i></b>! Formerly of <i>Appleton,WI</i> and now located in <i>Spain</i>, 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 <i>Grease</i> inspired "<b>Sandy</b>" is lots of fun and has a great solo but the buzzsaw "<b>Revenge Mission</b>" has all the punch of a first <i>Ramones</i> record track, and that makes it my favorite.<br />
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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. <b><i>Paco</i></b> and <b><i>Marta</i></b> 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 <b><i>Rufus Recordings</i></b> <i><a href="http://www.rufus.es/product/rufus-x-mas-pack" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">website</span></a></i>! The Ramone Army is alive and well all over the world. That's a beautiful thing.<br />
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<i>Side A</i></div>
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<i><b>Woodcocks </b>are...</i></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Ryosuke</i>- Guitar and Vocals</div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Tomorrow</i>- Bass and Chorus</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Hiroshi</i>- Drums and Chorus</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">1</i>. "<b>Tonight, Tonight, Tonight</b>"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">2</i>. "<b>Tell Me</b>"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><i><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/themugwumps" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The Mugwumps</span> </a></b>are...</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><b style="font-style: italic;">Chris</b>- Guitar and Vocals</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Hank</i>- Bass</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Andy</i>- Drums</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-style: italic;">3</b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">. "</span><b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Not Alone</b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">4</i>. "<b>Psycho Pop</b>"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><b style="font-style: italic;">Roby Riccobelli</b>- Bass and Vocals</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Dave Riccobelli</i>- Drums</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Simone Riccobelli</i>- Guitar and Vocals</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><b style="font-style: italic;">5</b>. "<b>I Need You Anyway</b>"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">6</i>. "<b>I'll Be Waiting For You"</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><i>Side B</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><b style="font-style: italic;">Chris Polecat</b>- Bass and Vocals</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Robi Tuono</i>- Guitar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Biso</i>- Drums</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">7</i>. "<b>Tokyo</b>"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">8</i>. "<b>Queen Of The Last Hole</b>"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><i><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/The-Nerdy-Jugheads-167621243424350" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The Nerdy Judheads</span></a> </b>are...</i></span></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Yoshi Sucks</i>- Guitar and Vocals</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Yoshihito Memma</i>- Guitar and Backing Vocals </div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Ryo Saito</i>- Bass and Backing Vocals</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Kazu Bulgogi</i>- Drums and Backing Vocals </div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">9</i>. "<b>I Don't Wanna Go Back To The Nuthouse</b>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">10</i>. "<b>Chupacabra</b>"</div>
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<i><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/RIVELLES" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Rivelles</span></a> </b>are...</i></div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">Matthew</b>- Vocals and Bass</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Kevin</i>- Guitar and Vocals</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Nickole</i>- Drums</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">11</i>. "<b>Revenge Mission</b>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">12</i>. "<b>Sandy"</b></div>
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Sara Ramonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11013307036918312596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962731202872849489.post-67597046281622390672015-12-02T10:11:00.001-08:002015-12-02T10:11:07.242-08:00Ratbones- RatwarsAs 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 <i>Italy</i>, I first heard of <b><i>Ratbones</i></b> a couple years ago from my long time friend <b><i>Andrea Imbalzano</i></b>. That is a common thing for us, to constantly trade off new bands we think are cool and I was quick to appreciate their <i>Ramones</i> 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 <b><i>Ludo</i></b> and <b><i>Paolo</i></b>, <b><i>Andrea</i></b> was added in to take on the role as bass player and this newly regrouped <i>Genova/Milan</i> 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 "<b>Ratwars</b>".<br />
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The songs were recorded during <i>September of 2014</i> at <b><i>Evolution Studios</i></b> in <i>Ravenna, IT</i> by <i style="font-weight: bold;">Alex Bounty</i>, then from there the songs were sent across the ocean to <b><i>Johnny "Machine" Wilson</i></b> to be mixed and mastered at <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/johnnyftlp" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">FTLP Studios</span></a></i></b> in <i>Denver,CO</i>. Between the brilliant talents of both <b><i>Alex</i></b> and <b><i>Johnny</i></b>, 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, <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/riccardobucchioniart" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Riccardo Bucchioni</span></a></i></b>. He's always got a great sense for tailoring imagery in a very precise way to every band he works with and for <b><i>Ratbones</i></b>, 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 <b><i>Marylita</i></b>. Official release happened on <i>October 2nd, 2015</i> and this is the first one out on <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ibuyrecordswebzine" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">I Buy Records</span></a></i></b> with distribution by <b><i><a href="http://www.monsterzerorecords.com/products/ratbones-ratwars-7" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Monster Zero Records</span></a></i></b>. It was pressed to black vinyl, comes with a download code, and digital only can be purchased on their <i><a href="https://ratbones.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">bandcamp</span></a></i> page where the songs are streaming in full. </div>
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Since <b><i>Ludo</i></b> has always been the main force of creativity as far a songwriting is concerned for <b><i>Ratbones</i></b>, 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 <i>Side A</i> called "<b>Lost In East Berlin</b>". <b><i>Ludo</i></b> sounds great, coming through with <b><i>Andrea</i></b> and <b><i>Paolo</i></b> with a much more polished presentation music wise. This is my favorite song on the record for it's <i>We Want The Airwaves</i> 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 <b><i>Alex</i></b> added in. I adore it! The pace picks up with the more aggressive "<b>Operation Rebirth</b>" 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. "<b>Enemy In Me</b>" 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 <b><i>Andrea's</i></b> first contribution as a songwriter and it takes a different turn with it's more romantic approach but it blends well. Definitely some early <i>Screeching Weasel</i> vibrations going on in there and I have no debate for that!</div>
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This is one of my most favorite <i>7"s</i> 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 <b><i>Ratbones</i></b> does, and very well at that so make sure to get a copy of this <i>7"</i> for your collection! Stay tuned to their <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ratbonespunkrock" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">facebook</span></a></i> page for all upcoming news and if you find yourself in the <i>Seregno</i> area on <i>Saturday</i>, well I am very jealous of your chance to see them play a show with the <b><i>Manges</i></b> and none other than the MIGHTY <b><i>CJ Ramone</i></b> himself! Punk rock isn't dead. You just gotta keep looking for it and these guys are proof of it.</div>
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<i><b>Ratbones </b>is...</i></div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">Andre Ratbone</b>- Bass, Backing Vocals</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Ludo Ratbone</i>- Vocals, Guitar</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Paolo Ratbone</i>- Drums</div>
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<i>With keyboards on </i>"<b>Lost In East Berlin</b>" and "<b>Striped T-Shirt Girl</b>" by <i style="font-weight: bold;">Alex Bounty</i>; <i>and additional backing vocals by </i><b style="font-style: italic;">Johnny "Machine" Wilson</b></div>
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<i>Side A</i></div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">1</b>. "<b>Lost In East Berlin</b>"(<i style="font-weight: bold;">Ludo</i>)</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">2</i>. "<b>Operation Rebirth</b>"(<i style="font-weight: bold;">Ludo</i>/<i style="font-weight: bold;">Sex Dario</i>)</div>
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<i>Side B</i></div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">3</b>. "<b>Enemy In Me</b>"(<i style="font-weight: bold;">Ludo</i>)</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">4</i>. "<b>Striped T-Shirt Girl</b>"(<i style="font-weight: bold;">Andre</i>)</div>
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Sara Ramonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11013307036918312596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962731202872849489.post-68235024216780447822015-11-27T09:41:00.001-08:002015-11-27T09:52:20.113-08:00The Veterans- Qu4rtetI was lost in thought the other day about visual art in contrast to music and how they connect. Both are obviously mediums that belong to the same family but the initial point of sensory for the two starts in different locations. With this separation of entry, the beauty is that they both end up in the same place, which is your heart. So the song becomes a painting, paintings become music and at the most complex, it really isn't because the end result is love. I laughed at myself for having this sort of magic Dee Dee kind of idea and then I thought about the two songs I was listening to in that moment. I've always loved <i><b>The Veterans</b></i> because they're like a work of art in motion. Two strong elements are always there to define their unmistakable presence which are <i>Italian</i> punk rock greats, <b><i>Andrea Manges</i></b> and <b><i>Alex Bounty</i></b>, but there's always a change in the way their sound is delivered each time they record. Never taking away from the quality of their songs, these shifts in presentation are what hold my interest so I was most definitely excited when I found out that they'd be releasing a new single. It's called "<b>Qu4rtet</b>" and that's what I'll be professing my admiration for today.<br />
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The songs were recorded during early <i>2015</i> by <b><i>Alex Bounty</i></b> in phases with the drums being captured at <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/New-Mood-Recording-Studio-113502288734899" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">New Mood Studio</span></a></i></b>, then the remaining parts at <b><i>Evolution Studios</i></b>, and <b><i>Andrea's</i></b> garage. When that process was finished, <b><i>Alex</i></b> pieced it all together with his great experience and the end result of sound is seamless. Upholding their reputation with great imagery, the cover for the <i>7"</i> is lovely, featuring a photo shot in <i>Playa Palancar, Mexico</i> by <b><i>Linda Pineapples</i></b> and then the back has a great photo of this latest <b><i>Veterans</i></b> incarnation by <b><i>Stefano "Tave" Righi</i></b>. But it doesn't end there! As an added bonus, there is a gorgeous poster insert with an illustration designed by the incredible <i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/riccardobucchioniart" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Riccardo Bucchioni</span></a> </i>who also did the layout for the entire design of this <i>7"</i> accompanied by the lyrics to "<b>Rocket Summer</b>". I won't ruin the surprise too much but it's got everything you could think of in relation to the lyrics from a monkey, to hula girls, to rocket ships and I love it! I'll definitely be framing mine. Official release happened on <i>November 11th</i> by <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/stripedmusiccom" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Striped Music</span></a></i></b> and <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/itsaliverecords" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">It's Alive Records</span></a></i></b>, and yes! There is of course a download code included with the record that was pressed to black vinyl. Digital only is available through <i><a href="http://theveterans.bandcamp.com/album/the-veterans-qu4rtet" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">bandcamp</span></a></i> where the songs are streaming in full so go press play now if you've not given them a listen yet!</div>
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Like their first release, I was head over heels for the last two singles that got revealed together, and was curious to see what they'd do from a standpoint of personnel on "<b>Qu4rtet</b>". The change this time was for things to stay a little more constant with the four members of <b><i>Andrea</i></b>, <b><i>Alex</i></b>, then <b><i>Ally</i></b> returning from the last session, and the new addition of <b><i>Lorenzo </i></b>on drums which I thought was perfect because he's such a creative force in his own band and an incredible talent too! <i>Side A</i> holds the original offering of "<b>Rocket Summer</b>". Like I said in my last piece for the show report in <i>Italy</i>, I absolutely find<b><i> Andrea</i></b> to be one of greatest poets <i>punk rock</i> has ever had and this song is a perfect example of why I feel that way. Taking a simple element of trust in a relationship, he mixes in sci-fi metaphor and it makes for such a beautiful gem lyrically. Sonically, it's also breathtaking with a very intricate arrangement that is spot on cohesive with their influences(<i>Punk Rock</i>, <i>Surf Rock</i>, <i>Alternative</i>). Very <i>Beach Boys</i> in it's pop sensibility and leaning even a little more towards <i>alternative</i> too this time with the way <i><b>Alex</b></i> layered in the guitars, reminiscent of <i>90's</i> <i>Weezer</i>. That's something I can always become smitten with. This little more than three and a half minutes of perfection really is one of the most brilliant songs <b><i>Andrea</i></b> has ever written and makes it enough reason to buy the <i>7"</i> multiple times but there's a <i>B Side </i>waiting to be discovered! Staying in tradition with choosing cool cover songs, they chose this time to do the very cool <i>Go-Go's</i> "<b>The Whole World Lost Its Head</b>" and it's perfectly done. I love the way <b><i>Andrea</i></b> can take anyone's song and imprint his persona into it well enough that it becomes his own which he did without fail this time and <b><i>Ally</i></b> stepped in to contribute the backing vocals. She did a great job!</div>
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This was a wonderful return for a band that's so much more than a side project for me and I think they will always be able to make something worth adding to your collection. Make sure to pick this gem up from either <b><i><a href="http://www.stripedmusic.com/7-the-veterans-qu4rtet/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Striped</span></a></i></b> or <b><i><a href="http://www.itsaliverecords.com/distro.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">It's Alive</span></a></i></b> and go press like on <b><i>The Veterans</i></b> <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/theveterans" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">facebook</span></a></i> page if you haven't done so! </div>
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<i><b>The Veterans </b>are....</i></div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">Andrea Manges</b>- Lead Vocals</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Alex Bounty</i>- Guitars</div>
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<i><b>Ally </b>from <b>Teenage Bubblegums</b>- Bass</i></div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">Lorenzo </b><i>from </i><b style="font-style: italic;">The Ponches</b>- Drums</div>
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<b><i>Tracks</i></b></div>
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<i>Side A</i></div>
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<b>Rocket Summer</b>(<i style="font-weight: bold;">Andrea Manges</i>)</div>
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<i>Side B</i></div>
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<b>The Whole World Lost Its Head</b>(<i style="font-weight: bold;">Go-Go's</i>)</div>
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Sara Ramonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11013307036918312596noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962731202872849489.post-30914451956684055312015-11-12T09:35:00.001-08:002015-11-12T09:38:18.019-08:00Italy, KJ Jansen, and meTwo and a half years... I hadn't seen one face from <i>Italy</i> in that amount of time which was way too long!! Needless to say, on <i>October 21st</i>, I was full of anticipation to get back out to a location that feels more like home to me than lots of other places. After weeks and weeks of sunny skies, rain clouds were the first thing to greet me as I walked out the front door of my place that morning and I knew this would be no easy journey to my destination. After a 45 minute delay on the first flight caused my wait for a connection in DIA to grow from less than one to five hours and seeing enough tie dye t-shirts to make any self respecting punk rocker barf, I boarded a direct flight to <i>Frankfurt</i>. Praise <i>Dee Dee</i> for teaching me how to get my way inside of an airport minus the calling anyone motherfuckers part. Only he could do that!! From there I was just a short hop away from <i>Milan</i> and FINALLY, I made it. To the land of good coffee, pizza, beautiful architecture, many of my dearest friends, music I hold very dear, and handsome punk rockers. Italia Ti Amo.<br />
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<i>What I did on the 22nd, 23rd, and 24th of October. Time well spent!</i> <br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">After finding my gracious host </span><b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><i>Chris Polecat</i></b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> at </span><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Malpensa</i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">, there wasn't much time to do anything else other than take a shower, get dolled, and head to Salsomaggiore. Specifically to the </span><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><b>Devils Den</b></i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> because none other than </span><b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><i>KJ Jansen</i></b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> was playing an acoustic set there. This architect of 90's pop punk is so special to me and while I adore </span><b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Chixdiggit-8907162509" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Chixdiggit</span></a></i></b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">, getting the opportunity to see him perform in a more stripped down way was something I was really looking forward to. Another part of going to this show that made me happy was finally getting to meet </span><b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><i>JC Atom</i></b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">, a friend and fellow writer for his own webzine </span><b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><i><a href="http://masonramone.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Massoneria Ramonica</span></a></i></b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> which I love for the sense of honesty and humor he can always project each time he creates a new piece. After hanging out, meeting a few new faces, and of course getting reacquainted with good wine, </span><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">KJ </i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">started to play, making</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> an atmosphere only he can create. In all honesty... l can grow a little weary with pop punk heroes when they perform this way but <b><i>KJ</i></b> managed to become my favorite one in about two minutes. No fun you'd expect from one of his electric performances was missing and he was completely engaging as always, including everyone in the moment right from the start. That's what I love about this man. You're never in observation of his craft because he makes you a part of it. I OF COURSE was in the bathroom when he played "<b>I Remember You</b>" which was one of the two songs I wanted to hear most but it was no huge loss because the whole set he played was filled with lots to smile for. There was a great cover of Cheap Trick's "Surrender"at the end, and our completely winsome pop punk superhero was finished for the night!!</span></div>
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<i>KJ and Tough at Sound Bonico.</i></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">KJ </i>was perfect and I was so excited to know that after catching up on a little desperately needed sleep, I'd be seeing him again the next night in <i>Piacenza</i>. With his strong devotion to doing everything precisely on the day of a show he's playing, <i style="font-weight: bold;">Chris</i> and I were the first ones to arrive at <i>Sound Bonico</i> besides the staff and I got reacquainted with more good wine as he got the back line set up. Are you sensing a theme for this girl Dee Dee yet? Not long after, familiar faces began to arrive and then <b><i>KJ</i></b> joined by <b><i>Diego</i></b>. While <b><i>KJ</i></b> and <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ToughPunkRock" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Tough</span></a></i></b> were announced on the bill, there was a pretty big secret in the works. Not only would they be playing their own sets but at the end of <b><i>Tough's</i></b>, <b><i>KJ</i></b> would come plug in with the guys to surprise everyone with an electric set of six <b><i>Chixdiggit</i></b> songs! <b><i>Chris</i></b>, <b><i>Biso</i></b>, and <b><i>Robi</i></b> as his backing band could only be a good thing. <b><i>KJ</i></b> went on to do his set, opening the night and was nothing short of fantastic once again as he effortlessly filled the room with his infectious charisma. Lots more smiles going and singing along. This was my favorite of the two sets I got to see him play and I recorded him doing "<b>Brunette Summer</b>" which you can see <i><a href="https://youtu.be/tHDRJYtMkMI" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">here</span></a></i>! Next up it was time for <b><i>Tough</i></b>. I make no mystery when it comes to my love for this now part <i>Piacenza</i>, part <i>Milan</i> trio and this time I was just as excited as I was the last time I saw them in <i>Rome</i>. In true <i>Ramones</i> fashion, they wasted no time delivering what they do best, ripping through so many songs in a short amount of time including a nice range of selections from their discography. It was great to finally see the new ones from their <b><i>Hurricane</i></b> 7" in person and of course as always, yes I cried when they played "<b>Hey Baby Monster</b>". It happens!! In addition to all this, it was the first time I got to see them play live with <i style="font-weight: bold;">Robi </i>since he joined as guitarist and there was no surprise in how impressed I was with him. I've been crazy for that guy ever since the first time I heard <i>Mega</i> and he proved himself to be a total asset for <b><i>Tough</i></b> too. As things were closing for their set, <b><i>KJ</i></b> inconspicuously crept on stage and it was time for the debut of a little band we call <b><i>Toughdiggit</i></b>. These guys only had one sound check as far as rehearsal time was concerned, but the chemistry between everyone was super cohesive and I got my wish to see "<b>Melissa Louise</b>" be played! The set was short but so much fun and since I had the feeling lots of people who couldn't be there would want to see it, I recorded four songs(click <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><a href="https://youtu.be/s4sQI-EWWU8" target="_blank">here</a></span></i> or <i><a href="https://youtu.be/gUillUCU-jo" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">here</span></a></i> to see them)!! </div>
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<i>Toughdiggit at soundcheck and in action!</i><br />
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Now we arrived on <i>Saturday</i>... Which was the one day that made me choose to be back in <i>Italy</i> during this specific time. As a total Summer Sissy/Autumn type person, I had decided that's when I would go season wise but my wizard of rock 'n' roll science/chosen brother <b><i>Andrea Manges</i></b> started to suggest this particular weekend. There was great purpose to this suggestion as I soon discovered this would be the first opportunity in my life that I'd be getting to see the band that initially brought my attention to Italian punk rock. In <i>Italy</i> no less and yes I'm talking about the <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/themanges" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Manges</span></a></i></b>!! My mind was made up from that point and this show was appealing for obvious reasons but also the <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ThePonches" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Ponches</span></a></i></b> would be playing and the show would be taking place at a long running squat in the heart of <b><i>Milan</i></b>. So the stars are aligned in a very magical way to do something I've always hoped for, and fuck yes I'm going. After arriving to my former writing partner of <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ibuyrecordswebzine" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">I Buy Records</span></a></i></b> and forever brother <b><i>Andrea Imbalzano's</i></b> flat with <b><i>Chris</i></b>, we made our way along with him and his beautiful girlfriend <b><i>Ale</i></b> whom I am crazy for to the show. All I can say is, Holy Shit!!! I was aware <i>Milan</i> could be a clusterfuck of people during the day but my social anxiety began to be dizzying in those crowds that seemed even more dense at night. It was totally worth it to be a brave little girl Dee Dee though because after clearing the gauntlet of earthlings on those crowded streets, we were at our destination, <b><i>Cox 18</i></b>. I loved everything about the feeling of this place from the somewhat hidden door as we entered, to the layout of the patio, and of course the inside because my brothers the <b>Manges</b> were waiting there. After a big hug from my tallest brother <b><i>Mass</i></b>, I said hello to one of my most favorite painters in the world, <b><i>Manuel</i></b>, and finally got to place a voice with the talented <b><i>Mayo's</i></b> face. After <b><i>Andrea</i></b> appeared I can't describe the way I felt in any other way than to say I was at home. Home is never a location and always a feeling to me!! <b><i>Chris</i></b> and I decided to take a walk down the street while things were getting set up with the very cool <b><i>Raffaele Meles</i></b> for a drink and then I started to see them appear from every direction... There's really no way you're gonna go to a big show like that in <i>Milan</i> without knowing the presence of <span style="color: #3d85c6; font-style: italic;"><a href="http://snafurock.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">SNAFU</span></a> </span>and this was also something that made me happy! I found my favorite agent of their special forces for some terribly missed hugs and then it was back to the squat for some rock 'n' roll.</div>
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<i>The Ponches and The Manges at Cox 18!</i><br />
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I have admired the <b><i>Ponches</i></b> for quite some time now but really had no clue what I was in for as I watched them go into motion. In a word they are powerful. In more they are one of the best live bands I've ever seen and I was so happy just to exist in the moment while they were on. "<b>Hum</b>" is one hell of a record too but I will save that for another time, because as they were starting to tear down, I was moving quickly to stake my claim on a spot in the front. It's kinda crazy to love a band for as many years as I have the <b><i>Manges</i></b> and after so many missed opportunities, submitting to the fact that I may never see them live, then it all changes in one instance of good fortune. This moment is one that I place above anything monetary because it was my dream coming true. They played so many songs I am infatuated for from "<b>Barrage Of Hate</b>" to "<b>All Is Well</b>", then even a couple of the new ones that will be revealed on their upcoming "<b>Florida EP</b>", but that wasn't all cause they chose some great covers too!! I stood there with little hearts in my eyes for "<b>Judy Go Home</b>", the <i>Ramones</i> songs they always give great honor to, and in the end it was "<b>Say Goodbye To Your Generation</b>". It all was over way too fast for my liking but all things that matter are this way: You treasure them while they're happening, and you take the memory with you. I'll have that picture in my head forever. If you look at it you'll see one of the greatest poets punk rock has ever had, an entirely commanding bass player that no one can compare to, an enigmatic guitarist that just draws you in, and then a drummer who leads from the back of the stage with more integrity than 1000 punk rockers put together. <i>The Ramones</i> may have saved my life but I will always be ready to tell you in a heartbeat that it's bands like the <b><i>Manges</i></b> that keep my pulse strong.<br />
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What a night and previous two days to be grateful for.<br />
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In closing I'd like to send a special thank you to all the bands, venues, everyone who went out of their way to connect with me, and last but not least <b><i>Chis Polecat</i></b> who is the reason I even got to go in the first place.<br />
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Then there's one last thank you. It's the biggest one and for my father who suddenly took ill as I was leaving for this trip. Sadly he passed away a few days after I got back home... Papa never fully understood what I do with Ramona Confidential but would always proudly tell anyone he spoke with, "<i>My daughter Sara is a writer!!</i>". This was our bond in life, for him to always motivate me to do what I loved and while I did disappear to take care of him as his health declined, I commit to return back to this, as my way to honor him. No matter what happens, my friends, remember this time we have to exist is so short. So do not use it for anything less than what you believe in. That is a life worth living.</div>
Sara Ramonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11013307036918312596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962731202872849489.post-16359169576574537762015-08-23T10:11:00.001-07:002015-08-23T10:11:03.296-07:004 Way Wedding Split- Moms Basement RecordsFor anyone who knows me even on a very basic level, it will probably come as no surprise to know that my choice for any close friend is one who can talk music infinitely. While it's a great quality, this also means that I won't be perceived as a jellybean brain when I am happily describing the nuances that make me head over heels for a <i>Ramones </i>demo or am flipping my shit over getting outbided on a LP I really wanted(I do both of those in abundance haha). The right kind of pal understands those things and this leads to one of my very favorites, a guy I know named <i style="font-weight: bold;">John</i>. He fits that role of being completely dedicated to music with total precision and that is why I'm so excited he decided to start a record label!! <i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MomsBasementRecords" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Moms Basement Records</span></a> </i>is the newest entity in the <i>American </i>label scene that is definitely worth taking notice of and it's first release is focusing around a very special occasion. A wedding!! <i style="font-weight: bold;">John </i>tied the knot with his lovely gal <i style="font-weight: bold;">Angie </i>back in <i>June </i>and to celebrate this day accordingly, a four way split <i>7"</i> has been put together with some great bands. That's what I'll be covering today!<br />
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Because there's four separate bands on this release, I'm not going to dive into each recording process but instead focus on what happened after all songs were submitted! I can definitely say that everyone sounds great though and all production info for each of the songs is listed in the liner notes if you're a nerd for that sort of thing. I am! Coming from the talented vision of <i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.nicksgarioto.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Nicky Rivets</span></a></i>, the cover was designed to be lighthearted in humor and is very cohesive with the wedding theme. A pair of gravestones are placed in the front of a graveyard bearing the names of the bride and groom, with extended skeleton hands holding onto each other. They're joined by ones for the bands in the background and I think it turned out great! I especially like the moon and then the jewel toned dark red color that was chosen for the sky. It almost looks like something from Tim Burton's imagination and I think that is very cool! As I mentioned above, this is the very first release for <b><i>Moms Basement Records</i></b> and they sure did not skip out on making it special. As of <i>Friday, August 21st</i>, there were a total of 500 <i>7"s </i>pressed into five different variants which are black, white, clear, red, and a splatter of all four colors! 25 of each were put into limited boxsets which are already sold out! One of them had a ticket inside granting the lucky purchaser free test presses for life from any future label releases so good luck to whoever bought them! So as of now you can buy the splatter and CD-Rs from <b><i><a href="http://www.storenvy.com/stores/731631-moms-basement-records" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Moms Basement</span></a></i></b> or the <i><b><a href="http://www.themachineshoprocks.com/Mom_s_Basement_7_p/mom1.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Machine Shop</span></a></b></i>; then the black from <b><i>The Putz</i></b>, the white from the <b><i>Young Rochelles</i></b>, the red from <b><i>Eaten Back To Life</i></b>, and the clear from <b><i>Horror Section</i></b>. For the <i>European</i> punk rockers who dread international shipping charges, sit tight! A small quantity was sent to <b><i><a href="http://www.stripedmusic.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Striped</span></a></i></b> and they should have them soon. Now that we have all that out of the way, YES you can just get digital only from the label's bandcamp page where the split is streaming in full so go check it out <i><a href="http://momsbasementrecords.bandcamp.com/releases" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">here</span></a></i>!</div>
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Now let's give that 7" a spin! <i>Side A</i> opens up with the horror pop punk favorites of mine who are none other than <b><i>Horror Section</i></b>. My "dreamy Dr. Frank-esque" description for <b><i>Teflon Dave's</i></b> vocals is once again 100 percent accurate as his pop perfect voice just melts anything in a more straight across love song called "<b>Forever Close</b>" but it doesn't lose any of the brilliance you know from his other songs. It's a lovely start and next up you'll hear their companion band from the "Split In Two" LP, <b style="font-style: italic;">Eaten Back To Life</b>.<b style="font-style: italic;"> </b>"<b>I Wanna Be With You</b>" is a great little gem that takes quite a different approach from their usual vocals with <b><i>Tommy</i></b> singing the lead this time! Anyone who's a fan of this band knows he can most certainly sing from the backups he does and I really like the job he did as a lead. His voice gives a different flavor to the lyrics that are still most certainly <b><i>EBTL</i></b> and the guitars are wonderfully melodic as always. The B Side takes a turn into more traditional American pop punk and first up is the <b><i>Young Rochelles</i></b> doing a cover of <i>The Queers</i> "<b>Psycho Over You</b>". Now while this is a cover and a very well done one might I add, I am totally excited about it because I think this is hands down THE BEST I've heard the <b><i>YR</i></b> sound vocally on any recording. Without any modern vocal enhancements, <b><i>Ricky</i></b> sounds fabulous and completely three dimensional in his singing. I've never met their new guitar player <b><i>Randy</i></b> before, but I like this guy! His backups add in another layer to their presence that gives it a much greater fullness. Best lineup and sound for those guys yet! Last but not least on this split is a band that fills my little Riff Randell eyes with one million hearts every time. Yes, I am absolutely talking about <b><i>The Putz</i></b>. They are simply one of the most immense signs of hope for <i>American</i> pop punk in the present and "<b>She's The Best</b>" keeps that reputation with me in less than twenty seconds. <b><i>Billy's</i></b> wittiness as a lyricist in their songs is the first ingredient that makes them so catchy, then the signature backing vocals no other band these days is doing quite the same make it a total beauty. Great solo in that one too!!</div>
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I think this was a completely victorious first effort from <b><i>Moms Basement Records</i></b> so make sure to add the <i>7"</i> to your collection before it disappears and then keep watch for what's next! Also stay tuned to all four of the band's facebook pages which I've linked below as well because lots is happening. Starting with <b><i>Horror Section</i></b>, they've got plans to release a brand new <i>7"</i> through <i>Eccentric Pop Records</i> soon and a show with <i>Dan Vapid And The Cheats</i> on the <i>29th</i> in <i>St. Louis</i> if you're in the area! <b><i>Eaten Back To Life</i></b> will be working with both <i>Moms Basement</i> and <i>Eccentric Pop</i> for a first time vinyl release of their <i>2012</i> album "Killer" so you can bet that will be something that turns out awesome! I wasn't able to get any updates from the <b><i>Young Rochelles</i></b> but they're always working on something and I have double the news for <b><i>The Putz</i></b> to make up for it! First, they will be going on tour with a very cool band from <i>Saitama</i>, <i>Japan</i> called the <i>Hum Hums</i> for a few dates in the <i>Midwest</i> next month. They will also be working with <i>Moms Basement</i> for a first time vinyl release of their debut album "Hole in One" and then to close things up for <b><i>Putz</i></b> headquarters, They are still in search of a full time replacement for the position of guitarist with the ability to deliver killer harmonies who can tour! If you are located in the <i>Indiana</i> area and would like to try out, don't be shy and send them a message! Anyone who gets to work with <b><i>Billy</i></b> and <b><i>Dougie</i></b> is getting a pretty sweet deal.</div>
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Seeing a release like this gives me a lot of hope for our little scene so make sure to support it, punk rockers!</div>
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<i>The Bands...</i></div>
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<b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/horrorsectionband" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Horror Section</span></a></i></b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Teflon Dave</i>- Vocals, Guitar</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Tommy Boyer</i>- Lead Guitar</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Nick Habit</i>- Bass</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Gabe Usery</i>- Drums, Backing Vocals</div>
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<b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ebtlhorrorpunk" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Eaten Back To Life</span></a></i></b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Tommy Boyer</i>- Vocals, Guitar </div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Nick Habit</i>- Guitar </div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Eric Perry</i>- Bass</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Jake Pfaff</i>- Drums</div>
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<b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheYoungRochelles?fref=ts" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Young Rochelles</span></a></i></b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Ricky Rochelle</i>- Lead Vocals And Drums</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Rookie Rochelle</i>- Bass</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Randy Rochelle</i>- Guitar And Backing Vocals</div>
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<b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/theputzrock" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The Putz</span></a></i></b></div>
<i style="font-weight: bold;">Billy Putz</i>- Bass And Lead Vocals</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Tyler Wrong</i>- Guitar And Backing Vocals</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Dougie Tangent</i>- Drums And Backing Vocals </div>
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<b><i>Tracks</i></b></div>
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<i>Side A</i></div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">1</b>. <i style="font-weight: bold;">Horror Section</i>- "<b>Forever Close</b>"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">2</i>. <i style="font-weight: bold;">EatenBack To Life</i>- "<b>I Wanna Be With You</b>"</div>
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<i>Side B</i></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">3</i>. <i style="font-weight: bold;">Young Rochelles</i>- "<b>Psycho Over You</b>"(<i>Queers)</i></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">4</i>. <i style="font-weight: bold;">Putz</i>- "<b>She's The Best</b>"</div>
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Sara Ramonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11013307036918312596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962731202872849489.post-50436917373168593792015-08-01T10:11:00.001-07:002015-08-01T10:11:03.880-07:00The Mugwumps- "Can't Be The One"The single aspect that made last year such an exciting one for punk rock was watching the return of bands that seemed to be long gone!! That alone had me on could nine and for the first time in years, I felt a greater hope for our little universe that can sometimes seem to be disintegrating. It can get a little depressing to look back on years that were so much more vibrant compared to now BUT, if there is even one glimmer of hope, I will be right here to hold it up high and make sure it is heard! <i style="font-weight: bold;">The Mugwumps </i>of course held a big role in my utter happiness for <i>2014</i> and while it was beautiful to see them return, it was phenomenal to know that they wouldn't be going anywhere, anytime soon. In conversations with <i style="font-weight: bold;">Chris Mug </i>right around the release of "<b>Mutation In The Family</b>", he had let me know that another batch of songs were ready to go for a second new record, so I waited. Like Riff Randell with little hearts in my eyes I waited for any news from my most favorite <i>Austrian </i>boys... At the start of the year they announced that the new songs were being mixed but as we all know how the overwhelmed pressing plants creep along at a snail's pace these days, the wait was not over just yet! With a little patience and ten Hail Dee Dee's said per night, I am so happy to say that the moment has arrived for "<b>Can't Be The One</b>" to be revealed, and I am beyond honored to be the first person to review it.<br />
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The songs were recorded during November of 2014 at the <b><i>The Weirdo Garage</i></b> in <b><i>Innsbruck, AT</i></b> by <b><i>Matthias Magerle</i></b> and <b><i>Matthias Mayr</i></b>. After that process was finished, the tracks were sent over to a favorite of mine in the recording industry who is none other than <b><i>Bruno Barcella</i></b> at <b><i><a href="http://www.tupstudio.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">T.U.P. Studio</span></a></i></b> in <i>Brescia, IT</i> to be mixed at his fortress of analog brilliance, then <b><i>Justin Perkins</i></b> took things over from there to do the mastering he always does such a lovely job with at the <b><i><a href="http://justincarlperkins.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Mystery Room</span></a></i></b> in <i>Milwaukee, WI</i>. I must say these two made a fine pair in finishing the process because the sound is fantastic! The artwork/layout that was put together by <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/junitmediendesign" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Mario O. Eberharter</span></a></i></b> includes photos of the band taken by <b><i>Max Raggl</i></b> who did a great job capturing their fun personality and then some drawings by <b><i>Chris Mug</i></b>. I always love his little creatures so much! This time he made a mummy that also makes an appearance on a poster that comes with the record too! <b><i><a href="http://www.monsterzerorecords.com/products/mugwumps-the-cant-be-the-one-lp" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Monster Zero Records</span></a></i></b> once again shows their fabulous taste in music by making "<b>Can't Be The One</b>" available on your choice of <i>CD</i> or <i>LP</i>. The vinyl comes in black or a limited yellow and as always, yes, it will include a download code! You can buy digital only and stream the album in full over at <b><i>The Mugwumps</i></b> <i><a href="https://themugwumps.bandcamp.com/album/cant-be-the-one-cd-lp" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">bandcamp</span></a></i> page that also has their full discography available for streaming or purchase. The fine people of <b><i><a href="http://www.stripedmusic.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Striped Music</span></a></i></b> will also be carrying both formats of the album in their distro soon and to mark the occasion, have made a very cool exclusive t-shirt designed by <i style="font-weight: bold;">Manuel Manges </i>that ties into one the songs! Make sure to check that out. I really love it. </div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Chris</i>, <i style="font-weight: bold;">Hank</i>, and <i style="font-weight: bold;">Andy </i>gave us a first look at "<b>Can't Be The One</b>" by making a video(click <i><a href="https://youtu.be/AQISIs8m0fE" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">here</span></a></i> to see it!) for the first track called "<b>Peek-A-Boo/The Hate Monger</b>" which had me shrieking with delight right away due to it's very <i>Head</i> style approach(think "Love Theme Of Head/The Tribulations Of Chinaman)! The first part is over in 35 seconds, then with a millisecond pause they launch straight back into a lightening fast speed for the second part. The lyrics are campy and fun describing an evil clone attempting to take over the world, showing in no time at all exactly why I love this band so much. While it's true that lots of people can pick up instruments and go for the minimal approach, it takes true talent to turn it to genius and THAT, my friends, is exactly what <b><i>The Mugwumps</i></b> do! Never disappointing with a variety of tempos, things slow down in the next track, "<b>Tokyo Tapes</b>", holding an extremely beautiful melody made it an instant favorite of mine. These twelve songs keep moving with so much energy and different themes too! "<b>Iron Moon</b>" veers off into a more sci-fi type direction, telling the story of runaway nazis hiding on the other side of the moon, "<b>King Mastadon</b>" is very playful and really illustrates what it could be like to discover one, then "<b>Fin Fang Foom!</b>" adds in a comic book monster set to a slower tempo. Let's recap all this. So far we have: an evil clone, nazis from space, a mastadon, a monster, and yes, I am smiling from ear to ear because someone remembered punk rock can be fun! I'm so glad these guys aren't afraid to show it and while a lot of the content on this record is as exciting as <i>Kung Fury</i>, I was also of course a total sucker for the love songs <b><i>Chris</i></b> does such an incredible job composing. "<b>Can't Be The One</b>", a great kind of scared of love song is perfectly full of <i>1950's</i> charm but my most favorite is "<b>The Way I Do</b>". This is the one that had a girl getting teary eyed like a dummy(me haha) because it's that beautiful. The lyrics are so poetic to a point where you can really see the story through his perspective and the emotion in his voice is just goosebump inducing. It could have been a <i>Dee Dee Ramone</i> song and I truly think it's one of the best he has ever written. But the surprises keep coming! When details started being announced for this record, I had saw that an all time favorite punk rocker of mine would be doing some guest vocals but I didn't ask on which song before I heard it! I didn't ask because I know the voice of <b><i>Andrea Manges</i></b> as well as my own heartbeat and there he was, singing the last part in "Chinatown". The song is really cool with a strong element of danger and I think it was perfect to include <b><i>Andrea</i></b> in it because he is always able to give off that badass vibe with such great ease! So yeah, that one is another favorite and I guess I'll just go ahead and say that's my feeling for all twelve songs going into the closer, "<b>Teardrop/C.B.T.O.</b>" a hybrid of two different songs that works so well starting with heartbreak but ending in an ode to being a misfit in life. Which is something I can more than relate to!</div>
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It's amazing to think about everything <b><i>The Mugwumps</i></b> have accomplished since their start in <i>2002</i>. They've never had a moment that I haven't felt anything but admiration for and with that being said, I honestly feel "<b>Can't Be The One</b>" is their best work to date. Make sure to get on ordering this record from <b><i>MZ</i></b> or <b><i>Striped</i></b> because once it's gone, you'll be bummed to not own one of the best punk rock records made in the last ten years. They're playing this evening in <i>Bergamo</i>, <i>Italy</i> for the <i>Monster Zero Summer Mash</i> so make sure to go catch their set if you're nearby and if you're not able to make it, there's still a couple more exciting things coming from them! Very soon, they'll be making an appearance on a six way split from <i>Rufus Recordings</i> and then something else with <i>One Chord Wonder Records</i> which I won't say too much about since it's not been announced yet, but you will definitely be into it! Promise. Go like their <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Mugwumps/442654559211173" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">facebook</span></a></i> page if you haven't yet to stay tuned for what's next as always and in closing I'd like to say: Thank you <b><i>Mugwumps</i></b> for giving me such a big reason to smile with this amazing record. Punk rock has a chance when people like you are around.</div>
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<b><i>The Mugwumps are...</i></b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Chris Mug</i>- Guitar and Vocals </div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Hank Hollywood</i>- Bass </div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Andy Hectic</i>- Drums </div>
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<i>With guest vocals by </i><b style="font-style: italic;">Andrea Manges </b>on "<b>Chinatown</b>" <i>and additional backups by </i><b style="font-style: italic;">Matthias Mayr</b>.</div>
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<i>All songs written by </i><b style="font-style: italic;">Chris Mug</b>.</div>
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<b><i>Tracks</i></b></div>
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<i>Side A</i></div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">1</b>. <b>Peek-A-Boo/The Hate Monger</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">2</i>. <b>Tokyo Tapes</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">3</i>. <b>Iron Moon</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">4</i>. <b>Can't Be The One</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">5</i>. <b>The Way I Do</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">6</i>. <b>Dyna-Mite</b></div>
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<i>Side B</i></div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">7</b>. <b>King Mastadon</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">8</i>. <b>Fin Fang Foom!</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">9</i>. <b>Cast A Spell On Me</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">10</i>. <b>Chinatown</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">11</i>. <b>If You Wanna</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">12</i>. <b>Teardrop/C.B.T.O.</b></div>
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Sara Ramonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11013307036918312596noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962731202872849489.post-30293293238031679752015-07-18T10:11:00.001-07:002015-07-18T10:11:09.683-07:00Radioactivity- Silent KillVery few songwriters posses the confidence in me that goes to the extent of where I would blindly follow their next step with full support before even hearing it, because I'm that sure of what they do. If you take a look at this very small list in my mind, you can count on seeing <b><i>Jeff Burke's</i></b> name right there. The special breed of rock 'n' roll he creates is something I became quite devoted to as a fan of the <b><i>Marked Men</i></b> and when I saw his path evolving into a new band called <b><i>Radioactivity</i></b> year before last, it was a no-brainer to become instantly smitten with their debut self-titled record. That first set of thirteen songs brought to life by <b><i>Jeff</i></b>, <i style="font-weight: bold;">Mark Ryan</i>(another songwriter I completely adore!), and <b><i>Gregory Rutherford</i></b> still makes an at least weekly appearance in my rotation. After the addition of <b><i>Daniel Fried</i></b> on second guitar who also has a long running history with the guys in other bands(<b style="font-style: italic;">Mind Spiders</b>, <b><i>Bad Sports</i></b>, <b><i>High Tension Wires</i></b>), the <i>Dallas/Ft Worth, TX</i> based trio became an even more powerful quartet releasing a great <i>7"</i>, but I was beyond thrilled to see news that a second full length <i>LP</i> was on the way. It was a bit of a tease, but the kind you want to hear a few tracks that were leaked starting last <i>April</i> but the whole record has been revealed my anticipation has been 100% satisfied."<b>Silent Kill</b>" is here!<br />
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The recording process for these songs began shortly after their first record was released and wrapped in the <i>Fall</i> of last year at <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/CoolDevicesStudio" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Cool Devices Studio</span></a></i></b> in the <i>Dallas/Ft Worth</i> area of <i>Texas</i>. For the same reasons I love a studio like <i>T.U.P.</i> in <i>Italy</i>, I love <i><b>Cool Devices</b></i> as well which is owned and operated by <b><i>Jeff</i></b> and <b><i>Mark</i></b> due to their analog approach in sound. The work they do is impeccable, truly capturing what any band does that spends any time there and this recording came out beautiful. Mastering was handled by <b><i>Matthew Barnhart</i></b> at <b><i><a href="http://www.chicagomasteringservice.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Chicago Mastering Service</span></a></i></b> and with the audio portion complete, the cover art designing duties were taken on by <b><i>Patrick Lillard</i></b>. Featuring imagery shot by <b><i>Brian Maryansky</i></b>, this time the cover took on a more dark feeling in appearance that aligns well with the album title. Official release happened on June 29th from <b><i><a href="http://www.dirtnaprecs.com/website/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Dirtnap Records</span></a></i></b> and I have to say right here how much I appreciate this label's level of professionalism. Their releases always arrive in absolutely pristine condition and in record time! The copy I ordered was in my hands within three days of placing an order on release day, and it's like this every time I order from <b><i>Dirtnap</i></b>. People deserve the praise when they're kicking ass at what they do so I will most definitely recommend your business going to this label and their record store <b><i><a href="http://store.greennoiserecords.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Green Noise Records</span></a></i></b> which always has a great selection to browse from! Going back to this amazing release, it is available on a <i>black vinyl LP</i> or <i>CD</i>. There was also a very limited clear vinyl variant that I was lucky enough to get and it is now sold out! Digital only is available through <b><i><a href="https://dirtnaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/radioactivity-silent-kill" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">bandcamp</span></a></i></b> where all songs are streaming in full so go press play if you've not heard them yet. I'll wait for you! </div>
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In thinking about exactly what it is that I love about <b><i>Radioactivity</i></b>... well, it's a lot of things! The songs they play hold an excellent mixture of influences, ranging anywhere from the boldness of <i>60's </i>garage rock, to true punk rock(I'm talking what took place in the mid to late <i>70's</i>), and then in that fundamental spirit, they branch off into a place that is only them. When you hear <i style="font-weight: bold;">Radioactivity</i>, you know exactly who you're hearing from the first few seconds of sound and once they're engaged with their instruments, there's this incredible wall of sound that is always present. It's engaging and impactful but never comes across as a pompous display of skill! It's always very deliberate and sincere. All of these elements were present in their debut record but moving into "<b>Silent Kill</b>", it is even more defined and expanding into a much heavier realm. <i>Side One</i> opens up with "<b>Battered</b>" which is a full on <i>rock 'n' roll</i> assault, moving quickly to create a backdrop for <b><i>Jeff's</i></b> powerfully beautiful voice. I was crazy for this song right away but something I thought was very cool is just when it starts to fade, those last few notes lead into the next track, "<b>Stripped Away</b>" which is an entirely different little universe, but the transition is seamless. "<b>Way Out</b>" is one of my first favorites to show up, with a darker tone and some very well done backing vocals by <b><i>Jeff's</i></b> brother, <i style="font-weight: bold;">Mark </i>that add in another layer of depth to the song. The title track follows right after with a great hook and my second favorite, "<b>No Connection</b>" closes this side and is a good representation of this band's growth. A lovely ballad driven by a steady bassline, slower in pace but just as impactful and with some great lyrics that are very open to a listener's interpretation. <i>Side Two</i> transitions right back into the more upbeat energy <b><i>Radioactivity</i></b> has mastered with "<b>I Know</b>" but there's some surprises to be found! "<b>Where I Come From</b>" is a great example of that. Just an absolute gem with a haunting atmosphere, chill inducing vocals, and it is another one I really love. "<b>Silent</b>" is also fantastic with a wonderfully shot video you can see <i><a href="https://youtu.be/jQqpKnraA5M" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">here</span></a></i> if you've not checked it out yet but my most favorite song on the whole record is the last. An almost dizzying rhythm leads into "<b>Pretty Girl</b>" and everything about it is addicting. It's an ending that shows these guys are a force to be reckoned with and works like some kind of subliminal mind trick on me because all I want is just to play the record a few more times when it ends all too soon! </div>
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I think it's not so easy for most bands to make a powerful debut and then followup with an effort that is just as mighty, but shifting into a different energy that solidifies presence. Like <i>The Ramones</i> did with <i>Leave Home</i>, that's what <b><i>Radioactivity</i></b> has done with "<b>Silent Kill</b>" and that, my friends, is a beautiful thing. Make sure to pick this record up from <b><i>Dirtnap</i></b> or from the band as they are planning on some tour dates and to stay tuned for exactly where those will be happening, keep watch over at their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/radioactivitytx" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">facebook</span></i> </a>page. I'm hoping they'll be coming my way!</div>
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<b><i>Radioactivity is...</i></b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Jeff Burke</i>- Guitar, Vocals</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Mark Ryan</i>- Bass</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Gregory Rutherford</i>- Drums</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Daniel Fried</i>- Guitar</div>
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<i>With backing vocals by <b>Mark Burke</b></i></div>
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<i>All songs written by <b>Jeff Burke</b></i></div>
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<i><b>Tracks </b></i></div>
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<span style="font-style: italic;">Side One</span></div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">1</b>. <b>Battered</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">2</i>. <b>Stripped Away</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">3</i>. <b>Not Here</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">4</i>. <b>Way Out </b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">5</i>. <b>Silent Kill</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">6</i>. <b>No Connection</b></div>
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<i>Side Two</i></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">7</i>. <b>I Know</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">8</i>. <b>No Alarm</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">9</i>. <b>Where I Come From</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">10</i>. <b>Silent </b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">11</i>. <b>With You </b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">12</i>. <b>Pretty Girl</b></div>
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Sara Ramonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11013307036918312596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962731202872849489.post-52835615128854783092015-07-08T10:11:00.002-07:002015-07-08T10:23:54.519-07:00The Piniellas- Struck Out LookingBack in late <i>2011</i>, I took notice of a newly formed band from <i>Seattle</i> called <b><i>The Piniellas</i></b> due to their association with one of my all time favorite bands. Anyone in the know and with good taste quickly grew fond of the <b><i>Wanna-Bes</i></b>, who during their run of activity from <i>96'</i> to <i>04'</i> put out a small handful of what in my opinion are some of the best to happen in <i>pop punk</i>. After I discovered it was their drummer <b><i>Scott Matthews</i></b> now fronting this new outfit, I fully tuned in and became an instant fan with the release of their "<b><a href="https://the-piniellas.bandcamp.com/album/without-a-fight-ep" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Without A Fight</span></a></b>" <i>EP</i>. I was so excited to hear something coming from them that is sadly becoming more rare by the day for American bands who describe themselves as a part of this genre. It's classic, uncomplicated, catchy <i>rock 'n' roll</i> that's true to what the architects of <i>pop punk</i> from the late <i>80's</i> and early <i>90's</i> actually created!! Praising <i>Dee Dee</i> for a sound I treasure showing some signs of life in a country it was born in, I became smitten with what I first heard out of them but naturally, it wasn't enough for me and I wanted more. There was a long wait for that to happen but I can say with full confidence that these guys made it more than worth the wait and then some. Their first full length album called "<b>Struck Out Looking</b>" is finally available and exactly what I want to make sure you check out today!<br />
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The recording process began in <i>July</i> of <i>2013</i> with Guitar, Bass, and Vocals being done at <b><i>Scabbey Road Studios</i></b> in <i>Atlanta</i>, <i>GA</i> by <b><i>Joe Queer</i></b>. The drums were later tracked by <i style="font-weight: bold;">Scott</i>,<i style="font-weight: bold;"> </i>who returned to his post as drummer back at home in <i>Seattle, WA</i> during <i>May</i> of <i>2014</i> at <b><i>Crackle And Pop Studios</i></b> by <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><i><b>Johnny Sangster</b></i></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">. Mastering was done by the always highly skilled capabilities of <b><i>Justin Perkins</i></b> at </span><b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><i><a href="http://mysteryroommastering.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Mystery Room Mastering</span></a></i></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> in <i>Milwaukee</i>, <i>WI</i>. The cover art was done by <b><i>Ole O'Brian</i></b> of </span><b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/inebriatedoleart" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Ole Art</span></a></i></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">. I've been a fan of <b><i>Ole's</i></b> self described "low brow toon art stuff" style for a few years after discovering him through his band, </span><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">The Evil O'Brians</i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> located in </span><b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><i>Germany</i></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">. He does a lot of really cool monsters but his ability to be versatile came through for </span><b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><i>The Piniellas</i></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> in a scene from a baseball game. With the batter not doing such a good job, an assorted less than amused crowd in the stands is looking on featuring anyone from <i>Lou Piniella</i> himself to my personal favorite, <i>Johnny Ramone</i>(of course!). I love all those little intricate details and this cover art is a perfect representation of why people are taking notice of what he does.</span><b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><i> Julie Moore</i></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> completed the layout and with everything done, </span><b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><i><a href="http://www.kidtestedrecords.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Kid Tested Records</span></a></i></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> is handling the release! It's available on </span><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">CD</i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> for now from the band or label as far as physical formats go, digital only should be showing up on iTunes soon, and</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> you can also stream the songs in full over on <b><i>The Piniellas</i></b> <b><i><a href="https://www.reverbnation.com/thepiniellas/album/101151-stuck-out-looking" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">ReverbNation</span></a></i></b> page.</span>While I'm elated this album is available, I do really feel that it is worthy of being pressed to vinyl also. Hopefully that will happen at some point because these guys deserve it!</div>
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Thanks to my <i>Resident Riff Randell</i> tactics of persuasion(aka asking about it repeatedly haha!) and super secret keeping abilities, I got to hear this album when the recording process was finished. I've been smitten since the first listen and simply put, <b><i>The Piniellas</i></b> get it. In the first ten seconds it's easy to tell they're a band that's graduated from the class of <i>Rock 'n' Roll High School</i>. Starting out by playing in a way that honors the foundation, they also nod towards the early <i>90's</i> where bands did things right, but then there's also a vibrant streak of <i>Paul Collins</i>-<i>esque</i> pop sensibility with <b><i>Scott's</i></b> vocals. Joined by <b><i>Leif's</i></b> <i>Dee Dee</i> powerful bass playing and spot on backing vocals, these songs are nothing short of attention grabbing and my accolades given can be easily verified in the opening track. It's like a breath of fresh air to hear a song like "<b>Count 1-2-3</b>" with it's straightforward and effortless approach. Just stripped down rock 'n' roll with a playful story line of taking a romantic chance and a chorus that gets stuck in your head right away! It actually lines up numerically with the title as well at one minute and twenty three seconds. I thought that was a cool coincidence. In one of my favorite <i>Johnny Ramone</i> interviews, he talks about the importance of a good bridge in a song which I couldn't agree more with and "<b>Another Night</b>" has it in spades along with some lovely harmonies. "<b>Run Away</b>" is a song that people who've been following this band will know from the <i>EP</i> but it's got a nice update, played just a touch faster and remains one of my favorite songs. In thinking of my top picks though, the next two that follow are tied for first place. "<b>Mystery Girl</b>" has such a cool intro that's very <i>Riverdales</i> where the guitar is quickly joined in by the bass, then drums, sticking to my brain like glue and then the absolutely beautiful title track "<b>Struck Out Looking</b>" comes in next. Things are taken down a notch tempo wise for this very doo-wop inspired song about not taking a chance in love and I'm so crazy for the backing vocals in it! It's got all the appeal of a <i>1950's</i> ballad but exists in the moment! Some other highlights you'll discover are in "<b>No One Cares</b>" featuring <b><i>Joe Queer</i></b> making a guest appearance to sing the bridge, "<b>Not Looking For Love</b>" being a perfect anti-romance anthem, and the closer, "<b>I Wanna Be Normal</b>"which lyrically is exactly about what the title says. That kind of down to earth approach is something that's easy to connect with, actually makes <b><i>Scott</i></b> stand out as a songwriter, and I think it's very cool.</div>
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<i>Pop punk</i> within the <i>U.S.</i> has needed a swift kick in the ass for years and after all the waiting, it's wonderful to see a band like <b><i>The Piniellas</i></b> take things back to basics. They're the reminder that <i>rock 'n' roll</i> can be fun and not so over convoluted with unnecessary influences. "<b>Struck Out Looking</b>" without question is taking a spot in my top five for this year so I of course recommend it for your collection, punk rockers. Shortly after the album was recorded, both <b><i>Miles</i></b> and <b><i>Jeff</i></b> were added on to complete the band as a solid four piece and they've been sounding magnificent live. After playing some big shows with the likes of the <i>Mr. T Experience</i>, <i>Screeching Weasel</i>, and <i>The Queers</i> recently, it's safe to say this band will only continue advancing in their pursuit of showing that <i>American</i> <i>classic pop punk</i> is far from dead, so be sure to like their <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/thepiniellas" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">facebook</span></a></i> page if you haven't yet to stay tuned for what's next!!</div>
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<b><i>The Piniellas are...</i></b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Scott Matthews</i>- Vocals and Guitar</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Leif Larson</i>- Bass and Backing Voclas </div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Jeff Mangalin</i>- Guitar and Backing Vocals</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Miles Ezra Freeborn</i>- Drums </div>
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<i>All songs written by <b>Scott Matthews </b></i></div>
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<b><i>Tracks</i></b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">1</i>. <b>Count 1-2-3</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">2</i>. <b>Another Night</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">3</i>. <b>Run Away</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">4</i>. <b>Mystery Girl</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">5</i>. <b>Struck Out Looking</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">6</i>. <b>Down And Out</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">7</i>. <b>No One Cares</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">8</i>. <b>Without A Fight</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">9</i>. <b>I Think Of You</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">10</i>. <b>Not Looking For Love</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">11</i>. <b>Head In The Clouds</b><b> </b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">12</i>. <b>I Wanna Be Normal</b></div>
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Sara Ramonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11013307036918312596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962731202872849489.post-91596139603666657252015-06-17T10:11:00.001-07:002015-06-17T10:11:07.722-07:00Pool Party- Pool Party Number OneThe concept of stirring the pot seems to be something that many people who hang around the scene these days tend to balk at and I just don't get it. That type of majority enforced censorship makes me wonder if these people actually listen to music they claim to like because since the dawning of punk rock's inception, bands have been raising a middle finger to what's comfortable and that my friends is part of what makes it exciting!! I often wonder what these people would think if bands like the <i>Ramones</i>, <i>Dwarves</i>, <i>Sloppy Seconds</i>, or <i>Angry Samoans</i> were just playing their first shows tomorrow? Surely any of those four wouldn't give a shit and I'm glad there's still newer bands pursuing creative expression on their own terms like <b><i>Pool Party</i></b>. While I haven't followed them since their start, this quartet of guys who take on some outlandish personas to make catchy songs from <i>Florida</i> first caught my attention with a song called "<b>Teenage Weirdo</b>" a couple years ago. They've got a brand new LP out called "<b>Pool Party Number One</b>" and that's what I'll be covering this time!<br />
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The songs were recorded during <i>January</i> of <i>2014</i> by <b><i>Rick Carmona</i></b> who also shares a producer credit with <b><i>Pool Party</i></b> and mastering was handled by the always reliable talents of <b><i>Dave Williams</i></b> at <b><i><a href="http://eightfloorsabove.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Eight Floors Above Mastering</span></a></i></b>. <b><i>Brian Butler</i></b> at <b><i><a href="http://www.theupperhandart.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Upperhand Art</span></a></i></b> took inspiration from the cover art of <i>2 Live Crew's</i> "<i>Move Somethin</i>" and transformed it into a brightly rendered cartoon version of the band, still including the big butt, and a awesome lyrics disclaimer haha. This coordinates perfectly with the <i>LP</i> which is a really pretty yellow with blue splatter! Now all these choices were sorted and ready to roll shortly after the recording was wrapped and it should have been out before the year's end, but due to the nightmare that happens far too often these days with pressing plants focusing on some garbage like a RSD reissue that's easily found on discogs, this record got pushed all the way to <i>April 7th, 2015</i>... The only way to solve this problem is to STOP buying that crap and support the smaller labels that are busting their asses to bring something cool to you. Record store day should be any damn day and a true music lover shouldn't need a gimmick to support the cause. Rant over. It needed to be said. The <i>LP</i> and <i>CD</i> are brought to you by <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MoosterRecords" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Mooster Records</span></a></i></b> and <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/itsaliverecords" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">It's Alive Records</span></a></i></b>. Check out the <b><i>Mooster Records</i></b> <b><i><a href="https://moosterrecords.bandcamp.com/album/pool-party-number-one" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">bandcamp</span></a></i></b> page to stream it in full or buy digital only! <br />
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I scored a promo CD from the always fantastic people of <b><i>Mooster</i></b> back in <i>November</i> and was immediately smiling from what I heard out of the first song which is the title track, "<b>Pool Party Number One</b>". The stage is set for sleaze, fun times, and the guys being number one at it of course in a Sloppy Seconds kind of way with a great solo. A unique dimension is added in by <b><i>Creep Guirdo's</i></b> always sleazy and exotic vocals. Next up in the first few seconds, you hear a growl coming out of <b><i>Hand Gloveless</i></b> who takes the lead for "<b>Underwater Lights Out</b>". I really like the <i>Joey Vindictive</i> influence you can hear in his vocals with the <i>Vindictives</i> being one of my all time favorite bands and this song too is just as fun, following suit with the opening track's bravado. Two fun punk rock songs lead into 12 more and some of my favorites were "<b>M.I.A In M.I.A</b>" featuring both Creep Guirdo and Hand Gloveless trading off on lead vocals, "<b>Undress For Success</b>" with it's well written bridge and leads, and the very rock 'n' roll "<b>Straight Skin</b>". "<b>Freaking Out</b>" ventures into a little different territory with it's slowed down tempo in the verses and more experimental guitar parts. They really nailed the feeling of anxiety through sound in that one! "<b>Drinking By The Pool</b>" kicks things back into party mode and the closer "<b>This Party's Never Over</b>", that's very classic <b><i>Pool Party</i></b> and has some cool sounding keyboards!<br />
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It kinda sucked that this record was so delayed but in a way, the timing of the release kinda clicks because I think it works out great as a summer record. Get with <b><i><a href="http://moosterrecords.storenvy.com/products/10477899-pool-party-number-one-lp-or-cd" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Mooster</span></a></i></b> or <b><i><a href="http://www.itsaliverecords.com/store.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">It's Alive</span></a></i></b> for you copy and it seems like <b><i>Pool Party</i></b> is always on the move with new plans so follow their <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/PoolPartyWut" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">facebook</span></a></i> page if you haven't done so yet!<br />
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<b><i>Pool Party is...</i></b><br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">Creep Guirdo</i>- Vocals and Guitar<br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">Dick Dumb</i>- Bass and Backing Vocals<br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">Hand Gloveless</i>- Vocals and Guitar<br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">"Inner" Toobs Malloy</i>- Drums and Backing Vocals<br />
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<i>With Special Guests...</i><br />
<b style="font-style: italic;">Joe The MC-1 Koontz2</b>- Baritone Guitar on "<b>Freaking Out</b>"<br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">Vic Vaporu</i>- Keys on "<b>Pool Party Number One</b>" and "<b>This Party's Never Over</b>"<br />
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<i>All songs written by <b>Pool Party </b>except for </i>"<b>Drinking By The Pool</b>", <i>written by the <b>Dogmatics</b></i><br />
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<i><b>Tracks</b></i><br />
<b style="font-style: italic;">1</b>. <b>Pool Party Number One</b><br />
<b style="font-style: italic;">2</b>. <b>Underwater Lights Out</b><br />
<b style="font-style: italic;">3</b>. <b>I Don't Feel Like It</b><br />
<b style="font-style: italic;">4</b>. <b>S.L.O.W</b><br />
<b style="font-style: italic;">5</b>. <b>Favorite Girls</b><br />
<b style="font-style: italic;">6</b>. <b>M.I.A In M.I.A</b><br />
<b style="font-style: italic;">7</b>. <b>Undress For Success</b><br />
<b style="font-style: italic;">8</b>. <b>Baby Pants</b><br />
<b style="font-style: italic;">9</b>. <b>Straight Skin</b><br />
<b style="font-style: italic;">10</b>. <b>Boob Massage</b><br />
<b style="font-style: italic;">11</b>. <b>Strut My Stuff</b><br />
<b style="font-style: italic;">12</b>. <b>Freaking Out</b><br />
<b style="font-style: italic;">13</b>. <b>Drinking By The Pool</b><br />
<b style="font-style: italic;">14</b>. <b>This Party's Never Over</b>Sara Ramonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11013307036918312596noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962731202872849489.post-45915744009350899112015-05-18T10:11:00.000-07:002015-05-18T10:22:59.545-07:00The Vapids- "Punitive Damage/Thin Skin"At the dawning of punk rock's emergence into the music universe, <i>Teenage Head </i>was the <i>Canadian </i>answer to the <i>Ramones</i>. Lots of great bands sprouted up on either side in <i>America</i> and <i>Canada</i> from that point on, but at the peak of things in the early nineties which in my opinion was the last era to see ones start who completely understood the gospel of this message, <i style="font-weight: bold;">The Vapids </i>were there to meet <i>The Riverdales</i>. While the <i>Canadian </i>counterparts from the <i>70's</i> or <i>90's </i>never seem to be revered as they should be, it's hard to take a look at <b><i>The Vapids</i></b> even on a superficial level and deny the power of their contribution. From their start in <i>1993</i>, to what seemed to be the last release which was "The Point Reamins The Same" EP in <i>2009</i>, they did not rest for a moment, managing to make more than <i>20 releases</i>, <i>countless comp appearances</i>, and almost <i>500 live performances </i>happen. Since then, <b><i>Jimmy</i></b> has released three fantastic solo 7"s(click <i><a href="https://jimmyvapid.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">here</span></a></i> to check them out if you've not done so yet!) but in mid <i>December</i> I did a double take and blinked my girl Dee Dee eyes twice to make sure I wasn't mistaken at what I was reading on his <i><a href="http://www.jimmyvapid.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">blog</span></a></i>. He announced something that I was extremely surprised to see... <b><i>The Vapids</i></b> were coming back with new material! From then I was on standby, waiting for a glimpse at what was to come and finally got to hear last week what I will back 100% as one of THE BEST punk rock releases of 2015, "<b><i>Punitive Damage/Thin Skin</i></b>".<br />
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After freaking out over these songs in the first listen I decided to search out <b><i>Jimmy</i></b> for a closer look at the process that brought all this to life and lucky for me, he kindly obliged. The songs were recorded during late <i>November</i> of <i>2014</i> in the span of just a few hours at <b><i>Matthew's</i></b> house by his roommate <b><i>Nathan Daniel Burger</i></b> on an analog tape machine. Mastering was done by <b><i>Alan McC</i></b> who kept things computer free as well, running the tape through an old tube EQ machine. I love everything about the way these songs were recorded because the plain and simple truth is: If natural talent is present in a recording situation, modern fixes and trickery just aren't necessary. You won't hear any bullshit auto-tune here! Just good songs by a veteran band, who knew exactly how to bring their work through in an honest way with the help of a good engineer. Keep it mono, people! Please. <b><i>Jimmy</i></b> handled the artwork which was nicely inspired by <i>The Misfits</i> "3 Hits From Hell" cover art and it turned out great. It's simple but makes a bold statement, just like <b><i>The Vapids</i></b>! Release is happening today on <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/surfinkirecords" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Surfin Ki Records</span></a></i></b> which is a fantastic label ran by my pal <b><i>Carlo</i></b> out in <i>Pisa, Italy</i> since <i>2009</i>. This first pressing is available in the limited amount of <i>300</i> copies. <i>100</i> on solid red wax with a red cover or <i>200</i> on black wax with a black cover is what you can choose from and it comes with a digital download code. Hang on before you think to yourself, "But I don't want to pay international shipping charges!", because the label actually has a flat shipping rate of 7 euros to almost any country outside of Italy, no matter how much you order. That is a good deal! </div>
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A couple new songs might not seem like much to get excited over but <i style="font-weight: bold;">The Vapids </i>show that a few seconds is all they really needed to pull you in with the first track, "<b><a href="https://soundcloud.com/surfinkirecords/skr072-side-a-01-punitive-damage" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Punitive Damage</span></a></b>". Less than fifteen seconds into it had me completely engaged and so happy to hear what was coming in through on my headphones. This band has a wonderful way about them where the initial foundation they built that could be compared to <i>The Ramones</i> at their toughest, <i>The Dead Boys</i> lack of fucks to give, and the grittiness of <i>Dee Dee Ramone ICLC </i>all rolled into one always stays true as the main element, but evolution is also there. They become bigger and brighter each time. The guitars are full of attitude, <b><i>Scotty's</i></b> drumming is on point, and <b><i>Jimmy's</i></b> voice as always is a total punch in the face. One that that you want! Aggressive and magnetically beautiful all at once, he knows exactly how to use it with his skill as a magnificent poet. To be honest, that two minutes and seventeen seconds telling a story of personal transformation could have easily appeased my little rock 'n' roll heart because the song is THAT GOOD but there was another one waiting. "<b><a href="https://youtu.be/0tcc_9ThZjM" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Thin Skin</span></a></b>" is an even quicker, under two minute burst of what they do so well with some great changes, and grabbed hold of me just as fast. Those two perfect songs had me head over heels but there was another one waiting at the end that impacted me the most. Untitled and meant to be discovered on the flipside, you'll quickly pick up on the fact that it is a memorial song. It was written for <b><i>Robert "Robo" DeGrunt</i></b> who played guitar for <b><i>The Vapids</i></b> from <i>2004</i> to <i>2008</i> and left this world much too soon in <i>2012</i>. Full of pain but so lovely, the song deeply touches on the loss, who <b><i>Robo</i></b> was to them, and had me in tears pretty fast with the way <b><i>Jimmy</i></b> connects to the emotion in it. It's the only one you won't hear unless you buy the record for now and I think that's the way it should be. </div>
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As this 7" is released, it's pretty uncertain if <b><i>The Vapids</i></b> will ever play again but I can tell you wholeheartedly that this little gem belongs in your collection. Get with <i><a href="http://surfinkirecords.bigcartel.com/product/vapids-punitive-damage-thin-skin-7-preorder-contest" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Surfin Ki</span></a></i> for your copy before they're gone and you can stay tuned to the band or <b><i>Jimmy's</i></b> solo work which there will be news for on both fronts soon through their <i><a href="http://thevapids.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">website</span></a></i>. It was an absolute honor to write for this band and in closing, I thought the only way this review should end is with the lyrics for the untitled song, so here they are in memory of <b><i>Robo</i></b>...</div>
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<i>"This one goes out to metal black </i></div>
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<i>And BC Rich guitars</i></div>
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<i>Anyone who's lost a friend </i></div>
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<i>Vanished into the stars</i></div>
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<i>This one goes out to you, our brother </i></div>
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<i>There never was, or will be another</i></div>
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<i>Souvenirs in picture frames</i></div>
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<i>No tombstone flowers</i></div>
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<i>We merely blinked and you disappeared</i></div>
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<i>The hand of god had struck the hour</i></div>
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<i>We hang our heads and cried</i></div>
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<i>No time to say goodbye</i></div>
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<i>There's not much that we can do</i></div>
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<i>But keep your torch burning</i></div>
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<i>Think back as the years go bye</i></div>
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<i>And this shitty fucking world keeps turning </i></div>
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<i>It's already seemed so long</i></div>
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<i>We wrote you a song</i></div>
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<i>We waited three years for this</i></div>
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<i>And it's the last song we ever write</i></div>
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<i>From us and the ones who loved</i></div>
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<i>We'll see you in another light</i></div>
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<i>There never was, or will be another</i></div>
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<i>This one is for you, our brother</i></div>
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<i>A blank space fills the air</i></div>
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<i>You went where the eagles dare"</i></div>
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<b><i>The Vapids are...</i></b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Jimmy Vapid</i>- Vocals and Guitar</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Scotty Vapid</i>- Drums</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Eric Felgner</i>- Bass</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Matthew Ellis</i>- Guitar</div>
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<i>All songs written by <b>Jimmy Vapid</b></i></div>
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<i><b>Tracks</b></i></div>
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<i>Side A</i></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">1</i>. <b>Punitive Damage </b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">2</i>. <b>Thin Skin</b></div>
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<i>Side B </i></div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">3</b>. <b>Untitled</b></div>
Sara Ramonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11013307036918312596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962731202872849489.post-39706530712607241122015-04-29T10:11:00.000-07:002015-04-29T10:11:12.662-07:00Neon Bone- Sick Of MeI've got a twenty second rule whenever I hear something new. If a song doesn't grab me within that time frame, it's on to the next and I have never proven myself wrong with choosing to let my intuition guide me as a Resident Riff Randell in this rock 'n' roll world. With that being said, <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/NEON-BONE/184268238253466" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Neon Bone</span></a></i></b> is a band that has never failed this test with me once. Armed with a very natural capability to write catchy pop punk/punk rock songs, <b><i>Lars</i></b> has hits the mark every time and I'm always so impressed he can continue that with that level of quality when he's put out five releases in the under three years I've been a fan of his. That's something not just anyone can do! Last <i>December</i> when I reviewed "<b><a href="http://ramonaconfidential.blogspot.com/2014/12/neon-bone-year-zero.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Year Zero</span></a></b>", I mentioned that he was in the process of recording the next batch of songs that would be coming out this year. What I didn't mention is I had already gotten to hear the demos and was very much looking forward to a moment that has now arrived for us all to discover a great new 7" from this one man, kick ass machine from <i>Germany</i> called "<b>Sick Of Me</b>".<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwZIFQulPcZ6JW0QgWIk6SOQlR4r4ZAZh94NpmTLQncLTiEedqLUKbOXdt7eR89QyldodFWfqAgaNKQFcgpOUXyjfBsM5poM8RLcXJF3hywQ2uYXLIOIoqqlZLZutqIvTNCHACx6JGsCU/s640/blogger-image--1891856442.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwZIFQulPcZ6JW0QgWIk6SOQlR4r4ZAZh94NpmTLQncLTiEedqLUKbOXdt7eR89QyldodFWfqAgaNKQFcgpOUXyjfBsM5poM8RLcXJF3hywQ2uYXLIOIoqqlZLZutqIvTNCHACx6JGsCU/s640/blogger-image--1891856442.jpg" /></a></div>
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The whole process before release was handled entirely by <b><i>Lars</i></b> this time! He recorded, mixed, and mastered the songs during late <i>2014</i>. With this being his first completely solo run of doing all that on his own, it sounds great! Staying in a <b><i>Neon Bone</i></b> tradition that makes collecting his records so fun and never having any two album covers that are alike, he designed one based off of an underground comic, "<i>The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers</i>". The inspiration's charm really carries through and ties into the title, depicting a cartoon <b><i>Lars</i></b>, out on the street! Official release happened on <i>April 13th</i> and is being made possible by none other than the purveyors of fine <i>European</i> punk rock, <b><i><a href="http://www.monsterzero.nl/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Monster Zero Records</span></a></i></b>! The <i>7"</i> is available right now on their <i><a href="http://monsterzerorecords.bigcartel.com/product/new-neon-bone-sick-of-me-7" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">webstore</span></a></i> and you can find it digitally on <b><i>Neon Bone's</i></b> <i><a href="https://neonbone.bandcamp.com/album/sick-of-me" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">bandcamp</span></a></i> page where you guessed it, the whole thing is also streaming for your listening pleasure. As a highly ranking member in the church of vinyl, I of course recommend the real thing but definitely go press play so you can check the songs out!<br />
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The title track "<b>Sick Of Me</b>"is first in line to be heard on <i>Side A</i>, showcasing the high energy, classic pop punk sound that he has nailed down! His lyrical premonition of a relationship's end is kept simple and it doesn't have to be anything more with the power and reverence in <b><i>Lars'</i></b> vocal capabilities that you can always count on, also shining through. Tying into the visual approach of <b><i>Neon Bone</i></b>, any of this project's videos are always entertainingly unique, humorous, and you can see this for yourself in the one he made for this song. Click <i><a href="https://youtu.be/V_r6wYgJg-M" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">here</span></a></i> to see it and fear not, my fellow punk rockers!! That's a stunt double in the place of my #1 record for <i>2014</i>. The second track "<b>Bucket Full Of Shame</b>" takes a different turn into a slower pace with some well placed keyboards and a bit of a new wave influence too which pleases me since I've always loved his covers of songs like <i>Depeche Mode's</i> "<b>Not Tonight</b>" as one example. It's always cool to see songwriters work in an inspiration from another genre and blend it to their sound. <i>Side B</i> opens with "<b>Rock 'n' Roll Heart</b>" another resounding quick tempoed track with a great solo and my favorite for this time, "<b>Dreamgirl</b>" closes things out! While I go crazy for punk rock that kicks your ass, I can't help it! A well done ballad always captures me. I've said it before and due to memory loss from being a girl Dee Dee or it being totally essential, I'll say it again that the 50's and 60's are key to pop punk's survival in present day! I'm so glad to see people like <b><i>Lars</i></b> not only get this but make original songs that pay tribute to that beautiful foundation of where the best love songs ever made were created! "<b>Dreamgirl</b>" is nothing short of being a little gem that greats like <i>Buddy Holly</i> would be proud of.<br />
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After watching a successful tour with a full backing band happen for <b><i>Neon Bone</i></b> last month through pictures, this next step of having a <i>7"</i> be released by one of the best labels in pop punk these days is something that makes me smile because this kind of passion deserves to be noticed! I've seen it from the start when I heard the first track and have no doubts that whatever is next for <b><i>Lars</i></b> will be wonderful. Add "<b>Sick Of Me</b>" to your collection, punk rockers and while you're at it, make sure to pick up a free download of "<b>Year Zero</b>" from <b><i>Neon Bone's</i></b> <i><a href="https://neonbone.bandcamp.com/album/year-zero" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">bandcamp</span></a></i> if you've not done so. Like always, any release outside of the newest one is free on there!<br />
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<b><i>Neon Bone is... </i></b><br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">Lars Hannemann</i>- Everything!<br />
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<i>All songs written by <b>Neon Bone</b></i><br />
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<i><b>Tracks</b></i><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">Side A</span><br />
<b style="font-style: italic;">1</b>. <b>Sick Of Me</b><br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">2</i>. <b>Bucket Full Of Shame</b><br />
<i>Side B</i><br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">3</i>. <b>Rock 'n' Roll Heart</b><br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">4</i>. <b>Dreamgirl</b>Sara Ramonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11013307036918312596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962731202872849489.post-75732710528505588862015-04-10T10:11:00.000-07:002015-04-10T10:11:02.448-07:00Tough- HurricaneIf they're willing to stay the course, a band's evolution is something that comes quite naturally and gracefully with time but when it is consistently brought on with no choice, this is the truest test of endurance. In watching the changes <b><i>Tough</i></b> has gone through since the very beginning, their presence has never once become diluted but only solidifies with each passing year and this makes me love them all the more. This is a band that's supposed to be here in this moment and is a constant source of inspiration for those that are willing to turn their sights towards <i>Italy's</i> magnificent punk rock scene. After a very successful release of their 7", "<b><a href="http://ramonaconfidential.blogspot.com/2014/07/tough-obey-ramones.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Obey The Ramones</span></a></b>" last year and a change in their lineup occurring soon after, I was excited to see what this now <i>Piacenza/Milan</i> based trio would do next. I'm happy to have an answer for that curiosity in the form of another 7" entitled, "<b>Hurricane</b>" and that's what I will be making sure everyone out there who's tuned into this little radio frequency knows about today!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfxojEt26d3oxgXERKib574EkNggZ9_4eYTJuwLjGCZY9Z3hrSkq9EuJPi7fJEh0Sop5JTMsHnc4UjZ4FZhtGY_gsgcpkjpKUnGnwuRaTeocdKdf7tkCeqTQ8hVprdQNRkxpAdLpEhkGA/s640/blogger-image--435859069.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfxojEt26d3oxgXERKib574EkNggZ9_4eYTJuwLjGCZY9Z3hrSkq9EuJPi7fJEh0Sop5JTMsHnc4UjZ4FZhtGY_gsgcpkjpKUnGnwuRaTeocdKdf7tkCeqTQ8hVprdQNRkxpAdLpEhkGA/s640/blogger-image--435859069.jpg" /></a></div>
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The songs were recorded during mid <i>January</i> at <b><i>Giardini Sonori</i></b> Studio in <i>Piacenza, IT</i> by <b><i>Cristiano Sanzeri</i></b> and mastering was done by <b><i>Alessandro Vanara</i></b> making this the band's second time working with them. With as strong as the "<b>Obey The Ramones</b>" sessions turned out, this was a great choice to return to the same place and it's easily proven by what is heard! Along with <b><i>Tough's</i></b> always hands on approach as self producers, this studio catered to the vision and made the finished product a repeat success. I am simply crazy for the cover art done by <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/riccardobucchioniart" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Riccardo Bucchioni</span></a></i></b>. It's a very cool continuation of the previous 7''s cover, taking the already battle scarred cat and making him ten times more menacing with a face that's become completely exposed to the elements, revealing the skull but for some reason he's still alive! That striking transition is a perfect example of why I see <b><i>Riccardo</i></b> as a superhero of imagery in the punk rock realm and I'll be so proud to own another piece of his work! The layout also done by him is well complimented by a beautiful photo of the band taken from a shoot done by <b><i>Serena Groprelli</i></b>. With all that finished, official release is today, <i>April 10th</i> and is once again being brought to you by <b><i>Kevin Aper</i></b> and his team of badasses at <b><i><a href="http://www.monsterzero.nl/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Monster Zero Records</span></a></i></b>! I just never run out of admiration for that label. Digital only can be found on <b><i>Tough's</i></b> <i><a href="https://tough.bandcamp.com/album/hurricane" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">bandcamp</span></a></i> page and you can stream the whole thing for free too!</div>
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By the looks of the cover art, it's pretty obvious that things are moving into a more tumultuous place with the songs and that is confirmed with the title track, a tale of chaos and anticipation of betrayal called "<b>Hurricane</b>" waiting to greet you first. <b><i>Chris Polecat's </i></b>direct approach as a songwriter is going strong as he wastes little time with his wording and like a true member in the church of the <i>Ramones</i>, he takes less and gives more with a full picture of his emotion. His downstroked to perfection bass lines and well defined, powerful voice are joined by <b><i>Biso's</i></b> always accurate and monumental skill as a drummer. As a longtime <b><i>Tough</i></b> fan, those are elements I can count on and this leads into my curiosity with the newest member, <b><i>Robi Tuono</i></b>. I admire <b><i>Robi</i></b> on so many different levels with his work done in other projects(<i>Mega/Drawing Dead</i>) and he proves once again to be a total asset as the new guitar player. with the exception of "<b>Badly</b>" which is a simple expression of romantic desire, the other two tracks, "<b>Hey Hey Hey(oh no)</b>" and "<b>Sick Of You</b>" stay on the path of the first. My choice for standout track is "<b>Sick Of You</b>". It's an honest expression of a painful situation, narrating a relationship as it falls apart which is sad BUT I love it because in these times when so many others will make a song like that into a display of pure emo garbage, <b><i>Chris</i></b> does not. It's still purely a punk rock song and still very much <b><i>Tough</i></b>.</div>
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As someone who is wildly in love with the concept of a band putting their all into a small time limit, I'm impressed as hell with what <b><i>Tough</i></b> did inside of four songs that clock in at under eight minutes. Our forefathers built that foundation in <i>1974</i> and with more than 40 years passing by since, it's wonderful to see bands like <b><i>Tough</i></b> still getting it. Get this 7" from the <a href="http://monsterzerorecords.bigcartel.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b><i>MZ</i></b> <b><i>store</i></b></span></a> or of course the fine people at <b><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><a href="http://www.stripedmusic.com/tough-official" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Striped Music</span></a> </span></i></b>who should be carrying it soon! <b><i>Chris</i></b>, <b><i>Biso</i></b>, and <b><i>Robi</i></b> of course won't be resting with this newest effort and besides playing shows, you can expect to see them recording a new full length LP in the beginning of next year so stay current with all those details as they develop on their <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ToughPunkRock" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0b5394;">facebook</span></a></i> page!</div>
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<b><i>Tough is...</i></b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">ChrisPolecat</i>- Bass and Vocals</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Robi Tuono</i>- Guitar and Backing Vocals</div>
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<i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"><b>Biso</b></i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">- Drums </span></div>
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<i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">All songs written by <b>Chris Polecat</b></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Tracks </i></div>
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<i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">1</i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">. <b>Hurricane</b></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">2</i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">. <b>Hey Hey Hey(oh no)</b></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">3</i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">. <b>Badly </b></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">4</i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">. <b>Sick Of You </b></span></div>
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Sara Ramonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11013307036918312596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962731202872849489.post-29860149751956486402015-03-31T21:05:00.003-07:002015-04-01T10:11:25.648-07:00Sweet Baby- "It's A Girl!" Eccentric Pop Records Reissue by Danny "Panic" Sullivan<i>When I first heard about this reissue happening, I was both very excited and wanted to celebrate it in some way! Being that Ramona Confidential has never taken a standard news approach and reviewing a reissue is something I don't generally do, I racked my little Dee Dee brain for inspiration and then it happened, a light turned on! In thinking of this obscure gem being reintroduced to the scene 25 years after it's initial appearance, what better way to mark the occasion than by bringing a well loved member of pop punk's rich lineage out of obscurity to talk about it? That turned my attention directly to Danny "Panic" Sullivan. There's at least a thousand reasons to admire this man in just viewing the monumental contribution he's made as a musician to our community but with the great fortune of becoming a friend of his over the last year, I've discovered that his well spoken ability to talk about music is also something I enjoy about this architect of the 90's very much! This along with the great love he's expressed for Sweet Baby's "It's A Girl!" made him the perfect and only candidate I desired for the job, so one evening with my "more guts than brains" approach, I asked him if he'd care to write a piece about this record that I could share with you all. Luckily he agreed! Make sure to stop by the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EccentricPop" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Eccentric Pop Records</span></a> <a href="http://eccentricpoprecords.storenvy.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">webstore</span></a> or <a href="http://www.interpunk.com/item.cfm?Item=226164" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Interpunk</span></a>(that's the only place now to get the bonus 7" bundle from!) if you've not preordered the record yet because it is selling FAST. Official release date happens on April 7th for this beautifully put together reissue and this is where my chatter ends. Here he is, the wonderful Danny "Panic" Sullivan giving his personal take on Sweet Baby's "It's A Girl!" </i><br />
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<b><i>Sweet Baby</i></b> "<b>It's A Girl!</b>"</div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><i>A Wordy Scribe About A Deceptively Smart Album For Romantic Dummies.</i> </span></div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /><b><i>Sweet Baby</i></b> - an <i>East Bay</i> pop-punk band that was criminally ignored/underrated during their brief existence & their sole album "<b>It's A Girl!</b>" deserves to be emblazoned in the pantheon of classic albums in our beloved & misanthropic genre of punk rock.<br /><br />I was introduced to this prodigious album through a friend/bandmate in a (also) short-lived punk band we were both in. He was one of the lucky few who actually had the vinyl copy of this melodic gem while I had to resign myself to the cassette format (which I had purchased thricely over time due to excessive playing).<br /><br />The albums' hold on me was immediate for a few good reasons:<br /><br /><b><i>1</i></b>. Musically - it was an amalgamation of early era <i>Beatles</i> (especially the chord structures & harmonies) & the <i>Ramones</i> (concise & rambunctious).<br /><b><i>2</i></b>. Lyrically - it tackled all the profundities regarding romance (yearning, having & losing) & the words were sometimes sincere, sometimes humorous & sometimes both.<br />&<br /><b><i>3</i></b>. Thirteen songs in just over twenty five minutes. Melodic AND economical!<br /><br />Recorded in <i>1988</i> by engineer/producer extraordinaire <b><i>Kevin Army</i></b>, "<b>It's A Girl!</b>" has not aged sonically or lyrically (um...correction on my behalf. The song "<b>Telephone Booth</b>" bellies it's lyrical age due to telephone booths being rather scarce as of <i>2015</i> compared to the halcyon days of the eighties).<br /><br />The opening salvo of "<b>It's A Girl!</b>", "<b>Baby, Baby, Baby Baby, Baby, Baby, Baby (I Love You)</b>" (all one minute & eleven seconds of it) signals the intent & nature of the the album & will not likely be misconstrued as a convoluted civics lesson, an explanation of binary arithmetic or a passionate dissertation of religious or political didacticism. This song would make both the <i>Beatles</i> & the <i>Ramones</i> proud....& there's still twelve to go!<br /><br />Being that "<b>It's A Girl!</b>" is about a girl, or a myriad of them, the genius prevails throughout the album from the three profundities I mentioned above:<br /><br /><i>Yearning for the girl</i>- the songs "<b>Two Tons of Dynamite</b>", "<b>There's This Girl</b>" & "<b>Gotta Get A Girl</b>" all exemplify this feeling & the song "<b>This Talk About The Girl</b>" adds an insouciant cognizance towards current events compared to the more topical, more important girl.<br /><br /><i>Having the girl</i>- from the joyous ("<b>Baby, Baby, Baby, Baby, Baby, Baby, Baby (I Love You)</b>", "<b>She's From Salinas</b>" & "<b>Resuscitation</b>"), to the demented ("<b>The Way She Gets Around</b>"), these songs exemplify the punch drunk feeling of being in love.<br /><br />&<br /><br /><i>Losing the girl</i>- "<b>Year After Year</b>", "<b>Telephone Booth</b>" & "<b>Pathetic</b>" embody the despair of romantic love lost. "<b>Pathetic</b>" has to be quite possibly the most mirthful sounding song in modern recorded music to report on a break-up.<br /><br />Additional props go to "<b>She's From Salinas</b>" for the <i>Venus de Milo</i> reference (absolutely clever) & their cover of "<b>Daddy Cool</b>" that respects both the <i>Rays</i> & <i>Darts</i> versions, but gives it a British Invasion/punk kick in the proverbial pants.<br /><br />The album naturally wouldn't exist without the band of course. My appreciations to <b><i>Dallas</i></b>-for his sundry, sincere vocals & his engaging charisma throughout the album; <b><i>Matt</i></b>-for his knack for brilliant guitar/chord structures & his <i>Lennon-esque</i> backing vocals; <b><i>Richard</i></b> - for his bass playing adaptability, switching from <i>Dee Dee Ramone</i> root notes on one song to <i>Paul McCartney</i> walking bass runs on another with such ease & <b><i>Sergie</i></b>-for his melodic drumming , encapsulating a saunter & shuffle with punk rock energy. <br /><br />Thank you <b><i>Sweet Baby</i></b> for making, to these eyes, ears, nose & throat, the best <i>East Bay</i> pop-punk album of all time! May this reissue garner the attention "<b>It's A Girl!</b>" & the four of you so richly deserve!<br /><br />A special thanks to Sara for letting me pontificate, <b><i>Eccentric Pop Records</i></b> lovingly reissuing this masterpiece & <b><i>Scott "Gub" Conway</i></b> for turning me on to <b><i>Sweet Baby</i></b> in the first place.<br /><br />XO<br /><b><i>Danny "Panic" Sullivan</i></b><br /><i>Somewhere on earth</i>...</span></div>
Sara Ramonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11013307036918312596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962731202872849489.post-53961348693700892432015-03-20T10:11:00.001-07:002015-03-20T10:15:34.392-07:00The Dumbheads- Heartbroken IdiotsAs someone who takes the typical, old fart punk rocker route with the digital age, I tend to turn my nose up at it in many ways! There's a certain sense of wonder that the younger generation will never know with the rush that comes from hanging out in a record store for hours, looking for that one big score of the day. Carefully analyzing LP jacket covers and taking in all the sensory elements that just don't exist behind a computer screen are a huge loss in my opinion, but even I will admit there is one thing I really like about these newer times that wasn't so easy before! The part I enjoy most about our little underground world in present day is how much easier it is to discover new bands. That expanded view of what's going on is something that makes this girl Dee Dee rather happy and as a music writer I'm always combing the globe for punk rockers who are deserving of attention! Sometime around the beginning of last year, I came across a demo from a band called <b><i>The Dumbheads</i></b> that I really liked. Then through the powers of social networking, I befriended one of their members, <b><i>Alex Dumbhead</i></b>. After helping him out with checking the English on some of their lyrics, my interest in the band grew and I've been watching closely to see when the album would happen for this pop punk/punk rock quartet based out of <i>Belgorod, Russia</i>. Fast forward to about a year or so later and it's finally arrived! A collection of songs going under the name of <b>"Heartbroken Idiots"</b> and that's what I'll be recommending today!<br />
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The songs were recorded in a few different phases starting with the drums in <i>May</i> of <i>2014</i> at <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/NuSoundStudioPro" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Nu Sound Studio</span></a></i></b> by <i style="font-weight: bold;">Sergey Androsov </i>who also did mixing and mastering. Next, the guitar and bass parts were tracked at their rehearsal room by a friend of the band named <b><i>Ivan</i></b>, and then all vocal parts were completed last during late <i>Summer</i> to mid <i>Fall</i> by the band themselves. Even with the parts being divided this way, the overall sound is seamless and everyone did a great job! The cover art done by <b><i>Kirill SKVRT</i></b> is cool, a sketch showing the torso of a punk rocker dressed up in a leather and a <i>Ramones</i> shirt. Classic! I always really like red, white, and black imagery too. This was executed well along with the layout done by <b><i>Dmitry Bodrov</i></b>. <b><i>Dmitry</i></b> also holds another role in this release by his starting up a label called <b><i>Pleasant Screams Records</i></b> to do a short run of <i>CDs</i> for it! Official release happened on <i>February 24th,2015</i> and is available either on <i>CD</i> as mentioned before or you can also get it digitally on <b><i>The Dumbheads</i></b> <i><a href="http://dumbheads.bandcamp.com/album/heartbroken-idiots" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">bandcamp</span></a></i> page where it is also streaming in full! As luck has it, their free downloads on bandcamp are used up for now but they want to make sure everyone can still get it at no cost and were awesome enough to provide me with a mediafire link to the MP3s! Click <i><a href="http://www.mediafire.com/download/pto5xjgx891iyun/The+Dumbheads-+2015+-+Heartbroken+Idiots.rar" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">here</span></a></i> to be directed to that.</div>
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Music is just the same as romance for me. It's gotta grab you in less than a minute and hold your interest without any voluntary efforts. That's when you know it's good, and that was the experience I had heading into the first track, "<b>Hide'n'Seek</b>". Starting with a solid <i>90's</i> pop punk influenced foundation(from bands like <i>The Riverdales</i>, <i>Hanson Brothers</i>, <i>Huntingtons</i>, and <i>Manges</i>), then some early punk rock sensibility added in and a few melodic touches, the end result is a highly catchy sound! <b><i>Alex Dumbhead</i></b> is a natural with his beautiful voice that commands your attention with it's power as he narrates a frenzied story of terror, being stalked as prey. The kick ass guitars, bass lines, drumming, and solo reveal these boys are well rehearsed and they had me hooked! The mid-tempoed "<b>Wait It Through</b>", a song about getting over a rough time follows and is my absolute favorite of the album. Now it's time for <b><i>Alex Boozer</i></b> to step up and do some lead vocals on "<b>Don't Wanna Walk Around With You</b>". Evenly matched to <b><i>Alex D</i></b>, he's got a strong tone as well with a more melodic approach and a simple song that's easy to figure out from the title turns out beautifully. The title track "<b>Heartbroken Idiot</b>" comes in fourth. This was the first song I heard from these guys in a demo version and it's nice to hear it with a greater fullness. Simply a message of chasing away a broken heart with booze is something most of us can relate to and it's got a great hook! What I like most about this band is that they don't stay on one track lyrically. They move from dark, to romance, to introspective, and there's some humor to be found as well! "<b>Petfucker Monster(From Outer Space)</b>" made me crack up with laughter. I love seeing bands throw caution to the wind and do something absurd because that's a tradition in our realm! From the very start of punk rock's existence in songs like <i>Beat On The Brat</i>, it's always been there and needs to keep going. That's what separates us from the crybaby emo people! To list a few more highlights, you'll find a fantastic cover of The Kids "<b>Do You Wanna Know?</b>" that I adore , another excellent love song "<b>By My Side</b>" that is my second favorite, and there's also a wonderfully arranged ballad, "<b>My Love Is True</b>". Things wrap up just as fast as they started with "<b>Bad Trip</b>" and my natural choice is just to go back to the start of the album for a repeat.</div>
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"<b>Heartbroken Idiots</b>" is nothing short of a great introduction to some cool rockers from <i>Russia</i> so I most certainly suggest for it to be checked out and added into your rotations. Go like <b><i>The Dumbheads</i></b> <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/thedumbheads" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">facebook</span></a></i> page because new plans are already in the works with a six song <i>EP</i> set for release in the <i>Fall </i>that they currently are seeking label support for. I think they're definitely worthy of being on vinyl and will be looking forward to hearing that. It's always nice to find a new band to get into because that's something that doesn't happen so often for me these days and I think these boys will be holding my attention for awhile. </div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Dumbheads are...</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Alex Boozer</i>- Vocals and Guitar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Mighty</i>- Guitar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Alex Dumbhead</i>- Vocals and Bass</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Gleb Hleb</i>- Drums</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>All songs written by </i><b style="font-style: italic;">The Dumbheads </b>except for "<b>Do You Wanna Know?</b>", written by <b><i>The Kids</i></b></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tracks</span></i></b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">1</i>. <b>Hide'n'Seek</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">2</i>. <b>Wait It Through</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">3</i>. <b>Don't Wanna Walk Around With You</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">4</i>. <b>Heartbroken Idiot</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">5</i>. <b>Petfucker Monster(From Outer Space)</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">6</i>. <b>Motherfucker</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">7</i>. <b>Fuck You</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">8</i>. <b>Mutated Rats</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">9</i>. <b>I Can't Stop Staring At You</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">10</i>. <b>My Love Is True</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">11</i>. <b>Do You Wanna Know?</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">12</i>. <b>Stuck In My Head </b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">13</i>. <b>Dark Eyes</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">14</i>. <b>By My Side</b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">15</i>. <b>Bad Trip</b></div>
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Sara Ramonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11013307036918312596noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962731202872849489.post-1397860629955044742015-02-18T10:11:00.003-08:002015-02-18T10:53:49.072-08:00Drawing Dead- Adieu, Ciao, See You SoonI was a little late to the party with writing about <i>One Chord Wonder </i>releases when I first reviewed <i>The Manges</i> "Plan Honolulu" just about a year ago but had been paying attention to what this label was doing since it's start! This means I of course was already familiar with a <i>Milan</i> band called <b><i>Drawing Dead</i></b>. Consisting of <i>Mega's </i>frontman, <i>OCW's</i> CEO, and a couple members from <i>Colin Farrell</i>, this band had some promise to catch my interest with their debut self titled record and did! Punk rock that stays close to the elementary principle with a heavy streak of <i>90's</i> passion is easy for me to love and that's exactly what they do, so it was great news to hear that they'd be starting to record some new material last summer. That's what I'd like to tell you about this time. An album called, "<b>Adieu, Ciao, See You Soon</b>"!<br />
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The songs were recorded and mastered during <i>August</i> of <i>2014</i> at <i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/New-Mood-Recording-Studio/113502288734899" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">New Mood Recording Studio</span></a> </i>by <i style="font-weight: bold;">Frederic Mazzei</i> who also shared the role of producer along with <i style="font-weight: bold;">Drawing Dead</i>. Great sound from Freddy as always! The cover art is cool, featuring <b><i>Stefano Bevilacqua's</i></b> nicely shot photography of the band paired with a retro image from <i>Django</i> done by <b><i>Raffaele Carrieri </i></b>and it worked well! Release happened on <i>January 16th</i> and is a co-production between <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ocw.records" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">One Chord Wonder</span></a></i></b> and <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/RufusRecordings" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Banana Brain</span></a></i></b> of <i>Rufus Recordings Emporium</i> for 150 LPs that come with a download code. 150 CDs were also made possible by <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/monkeyrite" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Monkeyrite Rec.</span></a></i></b> and <b><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Commando-Records/685235484904924" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Commando Records</span></a></i></b>. Digital only can be found on <i>OCW's</i> <i><a href="http://ocwrecords.bandcamp.com/album/ocw010-drawing-dead-adieu-ciao-see-you-soon-lp" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">bandcamp</span></a></i> page and it's streaming in full.<br />
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The first thing I noticed in giving the LP a spin is that there is a definite progression in sound from the guys. They already had something cool going in the first record but the presentation this time overall is definitely a lot more polished and I like it! Track one, "<b>Over The Storm</b>" starts things strong and is a <b><i>Robi</i></b> tune. This guy is without a doubt, one of the <i>Italian</i> punk rock scene's most magnificent poets, coming in just after greats like <i>Andrea Manges</i> and <i>Chris Polecat</i> for me. He connects to an emotion and the words just build around a great song about moving past a big loss. Next up is a sweeter, mid tempo <b><i>Dave</i></b> led one called "<b>Bad Girl</b>" and it's a nice representation of that progression I mentioned with his vocals that have branched out of the rougher more straight punk tone and now offer more of a melodic approach. As a <i>Tough</i> fanatic, "<b>Faster Than Biso</b>" brought a big smile to my face and of course is one of my favorites on this record. Using <i>Biso's </i>drumming<i> </i>speed as a metaphor for the way a woman can quickly break a heart is pretty genius. That's like, lightening fast heartbreak haha! Romantic <b><i>Dave</i></b> is terrific(don't get me wrong!) ,but "<b>Target: Lorraine</b>" really shows his wit and sense of humor I like so much, focusing around the scene in <i>Back To The Future</i> where <i>Marty</i> scares the shit out of <i>George</i> and it has a really cool <i>Riverdales</i> influence too. I love that one and as an <i>80's</i> movie junkie "<b>Teen Wolf</b>" also was a big hit with me. <i>Boof</i>, <i>Stiles</i>, <i>Mick</i>, and van surfing, it's all in there. Yeah! There's a lot of range in the thirteen tracks this album has to offer but the way it ends with two ballad style songs was a great move. Both "<b>Million Piece Puzzle</b>" and "<b>How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye?</b>" are beautifully arranged gems.<br />
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Somewhere around the release of "<b>Adieu, Ciao, See You Soon</b>", the band played it's last show and parted ways. It's a bummer to see things like that happen. Especially with a band that is steadily developing into something better with each move but hey, that's rock 'n' roll and things ended on a wonderful note with this LP! Make sure to add it to your collection by visiting <b><i><a href="http://ocwrecords.bandcamp.com/album/ocw010-drawing-dead-adieu-ciao-see-you-soon-lp" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">OCW</span></a></i></b>, <b><i><a href="http://www.rufus.es/product/drawing-dead-adieu-ciao-see-you-soon" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Rufus Recordings</span></a></i></b>, or <b><i><a href="http://www.stripedmusic.com/lp-drawing-dead-adieu-ciao-see-you-soon/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Striped's</span></a></i></b><span style="color: #3d85c6;"> </span>webstores and stay tuned to each of the guys' individual efforts. <b><i>Robi</i></b>, <b><i>Dave</i></b>, <b><i>Lollo</i></b>, and <b><i>King Mob</i></b> are all passionate for what I believe in as a punk rocker and I'm glad they once made up a band called <b><i>Drawing Dead</i></b>.<br />
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<b><i>Drawing Dead is...</i></b><br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">Robi</i>- Guitar and Vocals<br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">Dave</i>- Bass and Vocals<br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">Lollo</i>- Guitar and Backing Vocals<br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">King Mob</i>- Drums<br />
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<i>Additional backing vocals on </i>"<b>Teen Wolf</b>" <i>by <b>Freddy</b></i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Keyboard in </i>"<b>Bad Girl</b>" <i>and </i>"<b>How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye?</b>" <i>by <b>Greta</b></i><br />
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All songs written by <b><i>Drawing Dead</i></b><br />
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<b><i>Tracks</i></b><br />
<i>Side A</i><br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">1</i>. <b>Over The Storm</b><br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">2</i>. <b>Bad Girl</b><br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">3</i>. <b>Faster Than Biso</b><br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">4</i>. <b>Target: Lorraine</b><br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">5</i>. <b>A Coffin For You</b><br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">6</i>. <b>New Tattoo</b><br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">7</i>. <b>Blue On Blue</b><br />
<i>Side B</i><br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">8</i>. <b>When You Love</b><br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">9</i>. <b>If You Live, Shoot!</b><br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">10</i>. <b>Shapeshifter</b><br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">11</i>. <b>Teen Wolf</b><br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">12</i>. <b>Million Piece Puzzle </b><br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">13</i>. <b>How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye?</b>Sara Ramonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11013307036918312596noreply@blogger.com1