Category: Reviews

Nancy Boys “Live At The Basement” EP

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Things have been very quiet in France when it comes to rock’n’roll these last couple of years. NANCY BOYS introduce themselves as the offspring of The FRENCHIES so they have knocked at the right door. These cats started playing together in late 2019 but only introduce themselves now with four songs recorded live. “Nancies Are Comin’ To Town” is a ROSIE cover and the first thing that comes to mind is that it fits them like a satin glove. “Swap Club Stud” offers us some cool 70s influenced cowbell rock’n’roll that makes you think that they might be right when they mention The FRENCHIES. “Gimme Love” has a bit of an early AC/DC meets BAD LOSERS vibe and “Bondage Love” brings us back to this moment in rock history when there was a fine line between hard rock and punk rock. Call it glam rock’n’roll, hard rock’n’roll or punk rock’n’roll, it’s only rock’n’roll and we like it ! /Laurent C.

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Vanilla Blue “Sweetheart”

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This is the second album from this 90s influenced indie rock band from Saint-Etienne, France. While the album starts on a melancholic note reminding of the French 90s pop punk scene with “Albuzy Wings”, it gets much more exciting with the second song “Pagan Crap” that delivers some cool tight glammy rock’n’roll full of energy. These guys are into SENSELESS THINGS and MC4, it is quite obvious when hearing the guitar melodies and vocal harmonies in songs like “My Precious Friends” (you’ll hear some great Jerry Lee piano in this one) or “Eternal Sunset”. Sometimes early PLACEBO is not that far (“Out Of Time”) but the band also gets into more adventurous Britpop territories in “The Gift”, “You Got To Live” or “Half of Us” and its MANICS vibe. On the other hand, VANILLA BLUE also offers us some sunny pop punk in “Again and Again” and “In an Empty Seat.” The good surprise is the psych-punk tune “Panic” featuring POISON IDEA‘s Jerry A. “Sweetheart” is one of the catchiest songs on here and “Darker Than Blue” leaves us with a post-punk note. Definitely worth checking out! /Laurent C.

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http://nineteensomething.bigcartel.com/

https://nineteensomething.bandcamp.com/

Lester Greenowski “Carpenter’s Cult”

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We all know that Lester is a man of taste. He is proving it again with this new album featuring 13 songs inspired by 13 titles of genius American filmmaker John Carpenter. Each song is introduced with a movie sample and of course, it’s starting with “Halloween”, Carpenter’s most famous horror movie here turning into a horror punk song MISFITS style. “Christine” is given a 60s rock’n’roll treatment while “Prince Of Darkness” (famous for ALICE COOPER‘s role) offers us some fine punk powerpop flirting with 80s heavy rock. “Vampires” is a good punk rock song à la The BOYS and “Assault Of Precint 13” and “The Thing” both bring the RAMONES to mind. You’ll also hear a LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH touch in the very catchy and 80s flavoured “They Live” and a CARS one in “In The Mouth Of Madness” as well as a FUZZTONES one in “Village Of The Damned.” On the glam punk side, “Big Trouble In Little China” has a bit of a PEPPERMINT CREEPS feel to it in the guitar melody. “Escape From New York” is a catchy hard rock’n’roll punk song, “Ghosts Of Mars” is a killer and epic dark punk tune that could have been on a DAMNED album and “The Fog” puts an end to this album with the spirit of STIV BATORS wandering around. This is a great album full of cinema and music references that shows more variety in its songs than the band’s previous records. Are you looking for a sci-fi/horror punk present for Christmas? This one is definitely for you!/ Laurent C.

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The Delinquents “Too Late, Too Little, Too Loose”

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Members of IDOL LIPS and RAZOR LIPS have joined forces in this new trio taking their influences from ’77 punk rock and early TURBONEGRO. The production is raw and some cowbell opens this record on “Delinquent” so it can’t be bad… Punk’n’roll guitars riffs and hooligan vocals with a NEW YORK DOLLS guitar touch make these songs highly enjoyable especially when the choruses get catchy (“Burning”, “Fix Me Up”, “What About You”). The RAMONES influence can also be heard in “Fall Down” or in “Love O” and if you liked high-energy punk rock’n’roll from the 00s, then you will probably love “Can’t You See Me.” You’ll also get a bit of glam with “Miss No Fun” so there’s no doubt that these Italian guys knwo what they’re talking about when it comes to rock’n’roll. Try to catch them if you can! /Laurent C.

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“Nuits Blanches” V/A

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Lollipop Records have been running their label and record shop for long now in sunny Marseille, France. This new compilation was originally an idea from T.Boy (LULLIES) so it’s not surprising to hear Les LULLIES opening the record with “Dernier Soir” a catchy powerpop rock’n’roll song in French. Then you’ll hear the very good “Electric Fear” by PARADE who are more influenced by British indie rock and post-punk followed by SCANERS and their ’77 punk rock/new wave on speed from outer space influenced by The BRIEFS. ALVIDA offers us some fun candy powerpop with a French yéyé touch on “Moustique” while FOOD FIGHT seem to be more influenced by The CLASH in their song “Permanent Departure Master.” On the dirty garage side, you’ll find HOLESHOTS, POGY ET LES KEFARS from Marseille and LA FLINGUE (with some ex-HATEPINKS members) with a brilliant poetic song title “A genoux dans la pisse.” Side B starts with a good dose of punk rock : “Red Signal” by BOSS mixes 70s British punk with early 80s American new wave and BART AND THE BRATS brings the original DEAD KENNEDYS spirit back to life. Then, a bit of French powerpop with “Epluchure” by ASPHALT and some American influenced powerpop meets TEENAGE FANCLUB in a very catchy “Find Out (feat. Pogy)” by ALMOST LOVERS. 60s garage, powerpop and LOU REED mix quite well in “This Love In Me” by PLEASURES and The SUTTLES offer us a pretty good bubblegum song with “Lucy.” Marseille brings us more powerpop with FLATHEAD and “Sunset Girl” before TEENAGE HEARTS put an end to this album with their bootboy glam bovver rock song “Simple Needs.” They say this album should become a cult record in 15 years and maybe it will but the great thing about it is that you’ll hear a lot of new French bands and none of them suck!/Laurent C.

http://lollipop.records.free.fr/

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Baby Scream “Castell de Pop”

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A new album by BABY SCREAM (Juan Pablo Mazzola) to end this year softly. Opener “Castaway” has a bit of an acoustic SMASHING PUMPKINS vibe. You’ll hear many piano parts on this album in songs like “Kill Your Idols” or “Explosions” and beautiful BEATLES-like vocal harmonies in “Back Home (feat. Ky Anto)” or in “Spirits”. If you like it more intimate and even quieter than quiet then “Chillin'” will be the one for you and if want to get a bit more adventurous then listen to “The Hurt and The Weak” and its electronica beat. The songs sometimes sound fragile in an Elliott Smith way (“Here”) and it sometimes feels like Juan is playing just right next to you (“Castell de Pop.”) Stripped down and beautiful, you’ll get seduced. /Laurent C.

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Steve Vincent “Poison Heart” EP

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The idea of recording a few cover songs appeared when Steve was recording for his album “Recovered From My Past” and jamming on The STONES “Dead Flowers.” Mattias Johannsen from TRENCH DOGS joined in and they gave a new birth to this all time rock’n’roll classic. “Poison Heart” (Dee Dee Ramone) is a great choice for a cover song and here it sounds closer to Stiv Bators version than the RAMONES one. Steve has always wanted to do his own version of the BAY CITY ROLLERS‘ “Saturday Night” so this EP was the perfect occasion for it. You’ll also find two acoustic versions of somgs that are on Steve’s album : “Yesterday’s Man” and “Life Ain’t No Bed Of Roses.” Check it out! /Laurent C.

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The Erotics “Rot In The Shade”

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Albany’s sleaziest rock’n’roll band The EROTICS are back with 10 brand new songs for Christmas produced by Don Furry. “Knockin’ On Death’s Door” opens the album with a good dose of 80s hard rock before “Helltown Boogie” and “You Got Me Shakin'” both take us back to the 70s in an AEROSMITH/CHEAP TRICK way. “Diamonds” slows things down and “Dia De Los Muertos” offers us some good heavy rock with Spanish lyrics while “Too Hot To Stop” and “Scream Like A Demon” both sound more like the band’s previous albums. “When The Wolves Are Howlin'” is an interesting song, kind of a mix between RATT and horror rock and “Bless Your Heart” has a bit of a POISON “Nothin’ But A Good Time” vibe. “Hungover On Christmas” puts an end to this album making sure you’ll keep it sleazy even on Christmas. The EROTICS have tried new things on “Rot In The Shade” without betraying their style. Good job! /Laurent C.

http://www.eroticrocknroll.com/

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