rock’n’roll

Kevin K “Cadallac Man”

Published on 17 Nov 202217 Nov 2022 by veglamLeave a comment

KEVIN K is back with a double album (number 33!) that he describes as his own “Exile On Main Street”. “Cadallac Man” was written during the Covid lockdown while Kevin was grieving the loss of his beloved father (a World War 2 veteran.) The world has gone mad and the opening song “Dum Days” tells us about it rocking to a guitar riff sounding somewhere between early KISS and The STONES before offering us a chorus full of melody. Kevin has always been great at writing simple powerpop songs about girls and this album is no exception, just listen to “Girl Of My Dreams”, “Village Girl” or “High Over You”. “No Respect” is a typical KEVIN K song but this time with a serious topic since it is about the restrictions during the pandemic while “Every Night I’m Dreaming” sounds a bit like a mix of HANOÏ ROCKS and KISS “Unmasked” era. 1989 was a great year and Kevin celebrates it with a song offering us one of the catchiest choruses on the album and the song “Angelyne” was actually written in 1989 with Kevin’s Brother Alan while they were both playing in ROAD VULTURES. The acoustic THUNDERS/STONES influence can be heard on “I Miss You” and you’ll also find some glam rock boogie beats on “Pendleton”. While Kevin definitely knows how to write feel-good songs, he also knows how to bring melancholy in songs like “Tear Drops Don’t Stop”, “Start Me Down” or “Let Me Down” and you’ll be surprised by the JOHN LENNON influenced “Forgotten Boy”. Of course you’ll also hear traces of IGGY POP in “All Strung Out”, “Ride On”, “Zombie Heat” or in “Wrong Feels Right” and a tribute to the RAMONES (“No Ramones”) that Kevin used to play as a slow song. “A New Life” ends this new album mixing positivity with a need for a new start with melancholy. I can’t say that I’m a big fan of long albums but “Cadallac Man” is now in my exception list. Good job, Mr. K! /Laurent C.

Vicious Kitten Records

https://viciouskitten.bandcamp.com/album/cadallac-man

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Rob Moss And Skin-Tight Skin “Now With More Rockets”

Published on 11 Nov 202211 Nov 2022 by veglamLeave a comment

Rob Moss played in GOVERNMENT ISSUE and in a bunch of other hardcore/punk bands in the 80s. Then looking for new things to explore, Rob stopped playing music before coming back in 2016 writing 70s glam/Proto-punk rock’n’roll songs that ended up on his first album “We’ve Come Back To Rock’n’Roll.” ” His new album “Now With More Rockets” was made with the help of 17 guest musicians and continues to explore the rock’n’roll path. Opening song “A Rocket Ship To You” is a gothy rock’n’roll song reminding of some of PETER MURPHY‘solo albums, then “A Donkey” and “Bloody Shoes” rock in a STOOGES way and songs like “Red Beans And Gasoline” or “Rock’n’Roll Ralphs” (a tribute to Hollywood’s famous grocery store!) are good rock’n’roll tunes with a bit of a RAMONES meets 50s rock’n’roll vibe . You’ll also hear a bit of psyche with “Richard Jewell”, “Two Slices Of Bread” or “All Over Town”. and a touch of NEW YORK DOLLS in “RIP Van Wrinkle ’85”. “Ink Blue Smoke” has a good 70s groove and then turns into an up tempo punk rock song while “I’m On A Rocket Ship (Heading My Way Back Home)” leaves us with some addictive proto-punk/glam. “No More With Rockets” is not only a tribute to Rob’s musical influences but also a genuine rock’n’roll record. /Laurent C.

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The Speedways “Talk Of The Town”

Published on 4 Nov 2022 by veglamLeave a comment

Following their cover 10′ “Borrowed & Blue” record and their two LPs “Just Another Regular Summer” (2018) and “Radio Sounds” (2020), “Talk Of The Town” offers us 13 new songs by London’s finest powerpop band The SPEEDWAYS. “Dead From The Heart Town” opens the record in a BITERS way before “Secrets Secrets” make us dive into 60s powerpop. The TOM PETTY influences can still be heard in “Shoulda Known”, “Strange Love” or in “A Drop In The Ocean” but the band also tried new things on this new album since guitarist Mauro sings on two songs (the sunny “Kiss Me Goodbye” and the poppy “Summer’s Over”) and you’ll get more various influences in songs like “Weekend 155” and its post-punk touches or in the epic “Monday Was The Start Of The Stars (To Forgive & Forget”) as well as in “Talk Of The Town” and its 80s funky vibe. You’ll still get the typical powerpop ingredients like vocal harmonies, teenage themes and 70s rock’n’roll guitars but with more spice thrown in. The SPEEDWAYS know how to write a catchy song, just listen to “A Song Called Jane And A Lie Called Love” and isn’t it one of the most important things when you play powerop? The release date is November 21^st (CD/Digital) and December 9^th (vinyl.) /Laurent C.

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https://thespeedways.bandcamp.com/music

The Golden Rat “We Got A Right”

Published on 3 Nov 20223 Nov 2022 by veglamLeave a comment

You’re probably familiar with Mr. Ratboy if you’re a regular here and especially if you enjoy General Labor’s rock’n’roll columns. Names like SOUR JAZZ, MOTORCYCLE BOY or PILL BOX must ring a bell too if you like your rock’n’roll dirty and glammy! Now based in Japan, Mr. Ratboy has joined forces with Hiroshi The Golden Arm, the “Japanese Johnny Thunders” and here they are showing us their impeccable taste through 15 covers reflecting their late 70s/early 80s teenage influences.
Brian James‘ “Ain’t That A Shame” is given a wonderful Johnny Thunders treatment just before a jewel version of “It’s No Enough” (The HEARTBREAKERS.) “Russian Roulette” (The LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH) has been covered again and again but this stripped down version is one of the best I’ve heard. You’ll also hear good versions of Lou Reed‘s “Rock’n’Roll Heart”, Patti Smith‘s “Dancing Barefoot” or The STRANGLERS‘ “No More Heroes.” The choice in covers sometimes get more adventurous and still interesting with The LITTLE ROOSTERS‘ “Ain’t Proud” or Mitch Ryder‘s “Ain’t Nobody White.” The ROLLING STONES‘ “Some Girls” definitely has its place here as well as The RAMONES “Don’t Come Close” and cult bands like MAGAZINE and The MODERN LOVERS are here too with fabulous versions of “Shot By Both Sides” and “She Cracked.” Australia is also represented with “a Minor Aversion” (The SAINTS) and a fantastic version of “Love Kills” (RADIO BIRDMAN.) The record closes quietly with The ONLY ONES ‘”The Whole Of The Law.” If you must listen to only one cover album this year, then get this one! /Laurent C.

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Lorne Behrman releases new video/single “I Hope The Sun Doesn’t Catch Us”

Published on 4 Aug 20224 Aug 2022 by veglamLeave a comment

NYC punk rock n’ roll singer-songwriter-guitarist LORNE BEHRMAN today (July 27) shines a light on the history of NYC rock with his Television-inspired song video, “I Hope The Sun Doesn’t Catch Us,” by sharing its video. This is the second single + video from his upcoming solo debut album A LITTLE MIDNIGHT due out September 16 on Spaghetty Town Records. It follows LORNE’s acclaimed 2021 four-song EP When I Hit The Floor, which prompted the esteemed Jesse Malin to note: “Real blood and guts rock and roll that bleeds with soul and redemption.” Watch the “I Hope The Sun Doesn’t Catch Us” video, directed by David J Barron and filmed in Manhattan, HERE. Also read a new Q&A below about the song that will be released digitally this Friday, July 29.

“I Hope The Sun Doesn’t Catch Us” is tough and tuneful NYC rock with a tender emotional heart that embraces the lyrical surrealism and guitar flights of pivotal band Television. The video by LORNE, who previously played in The Dimestore Haloes, L.E.S. Stitches, The Dead Tricks and most recently The Sweet Things, was premiered yesterday (July 26) by MXDWN, which noted the video: “…gives viewers an incredible sight of Behrman strumming his guitar with fantastic talent and singing about hoping that the sun doesn’t catch us, as we follow a man and woman on the streets of New York trying to get away from the sun that is blaring down on them.”

The 10-song A LITTLE MIDNIGHT is a series of New York City vignettes haunted by shadows but guided by light. The words here are literate and lacerating, recalling the street poetics of Lou Reed, Richard Hell, and Television. The songs feature stark and fluid guitar playing in the spirit of The Stooges’ James Williamson, Johnny Thunders, and Lou Reed.

“This album is about struggling to be reborn,” LORNE shares. “Wanting to run back to the arms of toxic people or the patterns of self-destruction. It’s about clawing your way to a new existence while acknowledging all the causalities, and all you’re letting go. You glimpse a new life, but you don’t feel it yet.”

The album’s raw but polished production aesthetic is courtesy of producer Matt Chiaravalle (Warren Zevon, Joe Bonamassa, Spacehog). A LITTLE MIDNIGHT was mastered by Grammy-nominated engineer Joe Lambert. Wyldlife bassist Spencer Alexander designed the album artwork, and it is a subtly playful homage to the cover of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ Damn the Torpedoes.

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Robbie Quine “Glitter Hole”

Published on 25 Jul 202231 Jul 2022 by veglam1 Comment

We’ve been following The BARBARELLATONES for years now and although Robbie has been releasing songs on a regular basis we were impatiently waiting for a new album. Here it is under his own name ROBBIE QUINE. “Eclipse” opens the record with an interesting mix of 70s glam rock and medieval vibes reminding a bit of the latest DAMNED stuff before “Betty Page” takes us to mysterious psychedelic rock’n’roll lands. “Just Another Emo Day” sounds more like an epic 60s ballad than an emocore song and “Glitter Train”, “Creeps Me Out” sound close to the cryptic glam rock you can hear in The BARBARELLATONES albums. If you need to hear a great new wave punk song mixing late 70s Berlin and early 80s New York together then “New Wave Girl” is the one for you and if you’re looking for a 70s glam ballad about sharing make-up with a girl then listen to “Glam Rock Girl.” You can also hear some VELVET UNDERGROUND influences in “Run Rabbit Run” and more glitter rock flirting with 60s psych in “Electric Pussycat.” “The Loneliest Clown” brings a comedy/tragedy element to the album and the album ends with a gothic glam touch with “It Came From Beyond” and the sweet and finely arranged ballad “Ode To A Mermaid.” Robbie says that if you put this album in your pipe and smoke it, you will exhale LOTS of glitter. We believe him! /Laurent C.

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Toward Space releases new video “Modern Medicine”

Published on 18 Jul 202218 Jul 2022 by veglamLeave a comment

Richmond, VA band TOWARD SPACE has just released a new video for their new single “Modern Medicine”. This time the band takes us into a dream-like atmosphere slwoly turning int a psychotic nightmare in which groovy bass, Lynch-esque guitars and naughty nurses all meet under 80s lights and a vintage horror movie mood.

Director/Editor
Seyla Hossaini

Produced by Toward Space

Cast
Haley Jeannine
Temple Woodard
Morgan MacGregor
Sable Grayson
Taylor Damizia
Alex Flowe
Erica Fox
Miriam Hossaini
Kaili Fox

https://towardspace.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/towardspace/

Joe Normal Releases New Video “Summer Jobs”

Published on 2 Jul 2022 by veglamLeave a comment

Joe Normal (The Zeros) has just released his new video “Summer Jobs”:

“I was raised on the comedy of Benny Hill, The Little Rascals, and The Uncle Floyd Show, so I wanted to make a video for “Summer Jobs” that brought a bit of that kind of humor to my song’s blue-collar ‘stick it to the man’ storyline. Please join me for a melody and a laugh.”

– Joe Normal