Back in 2007 I got to be the opening act (in a tour around Germany) opening for a killer band called The Cheeks, that’s when I met Chris and Kono. I’ve been a fan (and a friend) of their stuff ever since. They got back together and joined forces with Alex Schönert (guitar, backing vocals), Pele Götzer (bass, backing vocals) and Remco Reents (drums). This new band is called Velvet Attack (btw, brilliant name!) and it sounds amazingly well. Relased by “Soundflat Records” (one of the few strictly hardcore 60is labels left), their debut album is pure 60’s bliss. Produced by “Alaska Winter” (Pop Und Die Welt), stuff in here carries the same vibe (and flag) from previous releases by them, everything is wicked cool here. If you like 1960’s Psychedelic Pop and Rickenbacker guitars this is the album you need to listen right away. From the catchy “The Double Of Cylinder Man” to the Fuzzy “Daughter Of The Sun” these songs are custom made for nostalgia seekers, and they are filled with beautiful harmonies. The mid tempo breaks, the trippy bass lines or guitar arrangements are well thaught in every track. Some people might have a difficult time trying to figure out whether this album was released in 2022 or back in 1968, Songs like “Sound Of Tomorrow”, “Hellfire” or “She’s a Human Doll” are perfectly tributes to an almost forgotten era of music, a time when dressing in style and using loud Pop guitars was almost like a statement…..well, it still is. Knowing them when it comes to songwriting and recording I can tell that everything here was planned. The atmospheric and almost scenery “(It’s The) Dawn Of The Summer’ closing the album is a great example of knowing how to put together an album from the very beginning to the very end. It comes with a beautiful and stylistic artwork done by Eckhart Maronde and Kono. Definitely suitable for Love, The Animals, 13th Floor Elevators or The Zombies fans. /Juan Pablo Mazzola.
Tag: Germany
The Loyal Cheaters release new video “Me Myself & I”
Italian/German punk rock’n’roll band The Loyal Cheaters have just released a new video for their song “Me Myself & I”, a track from their debut album “Long Run… All Dead!” released earlier this year on Dead Beat Records.
Torpedohead “TRPHD” EP
German rock’n’rollers TORPEDOHEAD are still rocking hard and this time they will make vintage lovers happy since they have released their new EP on cassette tape! The opening song is their single “One Step Ahead”, a punk rock’n’roll song in the vein of AMERICAN HEARTBREAK, powerful and full of melody and sing alongs. “Heartbleed” bring us some sunny hard rock with a catchy pop punk chorus while “Don’t Care About You” also has an angry heavy rock vibe. Side B (well H in this case) opens with “Ain’t Your Life” and its AC/DC influenced intro before heading to a more glam metal direction with another catchy chorus (seems like the band has such a facility to write good choruses!) “Candyhatefuel” dsiplays the powerpop side of the band while “Shot On Mars” ends this EP with some 70s influenced rock’n’roll full of energy mixed to a modern powerpop chorus. The perfect format for this EP and the perfect summer tape! /Laurent C.
Torpedohead release video for new single “One Step Ahead
Torpedohead release video for new single “One Step Ahead”.
Rock n’ roll power trio Torpedohead are back with the brand new single “One Step Ahead”.
The video showcases the band performing in a no frills, let the music do the talkin’, sleazy bar room, delivering a stompin’ underground rock groove with a sticky chorus in classic Torpedohead style.
The new single “One Step Ahead” will be paired with the EP „Trphd“, released on 27th May and also serves as the first single from a new full length album to be released end of 2022 !
Combining a riff oriented hard edged sound with melodic supercatchy choruses and fast and furious punk n’ roll while transforming this into their own modern rock sound, Germany’s power trio Torpedohead lives the imagination of a 70s stadium rock n’ roll tape coming through a trashy 90s stereo, digitally remastered today for speeding down the autobahn !
Watch „One Step Ahead“ here:
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http://www.instagram.com/torpedohead_official
The Cheap Pops “Winless Summer”
The CHEAP POPS are a pop punk from Germany. They’ve probably used their Lookout records after intense listening hours. You’ll get the short and fast songs with melodic vocals and the kind of things you’re expecting from a band in that style. “Star Wars” sounds like a mix of RAMONES and NO FX (although they don’t have only good things to say about Fat Wreck Records in the song “Fat Wreck”) and “Slobs” and “Beavis and Butthead” are good teenage summer songs. The CHEAP POPS say goodbye in pure punk style with a catchy “Shut Up.” They describe their album as “Short, fun and careless” which is quite a good description for it! 90s pop punk enthusiasts, go for it! /Laurent C.
Velvet Attack releases first single/video “(She’s a) Human Doll”
German garage/psych/freak beat band VELVET ATTACK have just released their first single “(She’s a) Human Doll/DR. Jesus Gonzales” on Soundflat Records.
The band was formed in 2018 by members of The CHEEKS, JELLY PLANET, KLEE and ASTRAKID.
Vocal harmonies à la BEACH BOYS and BYRDS meet 12 string guitar soundscapes and fuzz attacks, without losing sight of the HERE and NOW!
The band is working with renowned producer Alaska Winter (Pop Und Die Welt) on their debut album to be released in late 2021.
You can watch the video for “(She’s a) Human Doll” here:
Brigitte Handley “Köln” EP
The DARK SHADOWS‘ singer/guitarist is back with a 5 song record on beautiful indigo blue 120g vinyl.”Köln” is a tribute to Brigitte’s adopted city. The German influence can be heard from the start in a KRAFTWERK synth on “Köln” (a song recorded with Matahari Ranch.) The vocals in the verse are almost rapped while the catchy chorus brings 00s MADONNA to mind, this is brilliant synthpop! “Daylight” is a modern vampirish goth song with robotic voices and a good vocal line “look outside, daylight goes…” designed to make you dance only at night… On B-side we can hear the dark and poppy “Lament Of A Lost Soul” that was on the “After Dark” 7″ picture disc, the already classic “After Dark” and it’s DAMNED (“Phantasmagoria” era) vibe and the very cinematic “Still Lives…” The records comes out with a full colour poster and lyrics, and that’s one more good reason for you to order it!/ Laurent C.
brigittehandley.com
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Brigitte Handley “After Dark” 7″ (Picture Disc)
BRIGITTE HANDLEY (The DARK SHADOWS) is releasing her new single in those weird quarantine/lockdown times. Two songs on a beautiful colourful 7″ vinyl picture dic. “After Dark” is a catchy pop song with a dark twist in which you’ll hear early British punk/rock’n’roll influences such as The CLASH in the guitars/bass and 80s goth rock touches. This song would have been perfect as the soundtrack of some cool 80s post modern vampire movie. B-side offers us a remix of “Lament Of A Lost Soul” by MATAHARI RANCH. Dark electronic, melodic vocals and distorted surf rock guitars are mixing together in order to give the song a new interesting aesthetic compared to the dark folk influenced version you can hear on “The Edge Of Silence.” Ordering records may take a little more time these days, but this one is definitely worth it! /Laurent C.
http://www.brigittehandley.com
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