Monday 28 December 2015

KULA SHAKER RETURN!! NEW SONG!!

Who are Kula Shaker, you ask? Well, I'm guessing you weren't an indie/rock kid during the 90s, then.



Kula Shaker are a band from London, UK, fronted by Crispian Mills, son of award winning actress Hayley Mills and director Roy Boulting, who had great success in the late 90s with their throwback Indian inspired psychedelic rock. I was quite into them as a pre-teen, having liked their classics such as the more Indian influenced Tattva and Govinda and the more classic rock songs Grateful When You're DeadHey Dude and their cover of Deep Purple's Hush (although admittedly unaware for a while that it was a cover).

The band split in 1999 but came back in the mid '00s. I'm actually pretty sure I won tickets to and went to see them at the ICA in London but it's all a bit hazy. 2016 sees the release of their long awaited 5th album, entitled K 2.0, in honour of their massive debut, K.


The band have treated fans to a new track, Infinite Sun. Whereas the Indian influence was a little lost in later records, it seems to be back, as Infinite Sun uses sitars and chanting as well as pure rock to create a catchy song which harks back to the band's old sound. From this song alone, the new album sounds promising. Kula Shaker might still be playing a style which can be considered dated by some, but good music is good music!

New video from all girl punk band, MAID of ACE


MAID of ACE hail from the East Sussex (UK) town of Hastings. Made up of sisters Alison, Anna, Abby and Amy, all with the cool initials of ACE (hence the name, I'm guessing), they've technically been rocking out together since their first gig at school in 2005 but only released their debut self titled album in 2014 and have slowly but surely been making a name for themselves in the punk circuit.

I believe I discovered the girls through their video for Bone Deth, which sees the girls cycling around town while shouting along to the song. The video is incredibly well shot and, although I may just be stupid, it took me a while to notice the trickery involved. Comparisons to bands like Civet and Distillers are obvious but still valid. As well as that raw, female punk rock style, the song itself was ever so slightly reminiscent of the punkier side of Japanese band Mad Capsule Markets. MAID of ACE don't really do the electronic/digital hardcore thing but there was something in it that made them stick out from straight up punk rock.



Stay Away comes off the new album due for release in the new year. It mostly has that straight up punk rock feel but also has a crushing groove in the chorus. The video is a little simpler than that of Bone Deth, with the band playing their track in what seems to be an abandoned house/squat.

For those who like dirty punk rock, MAID of ACE will not disappoint. They've got some European dates in the new year and will also be playing the magnificent Rebellion Fest in Blackpool in August (4th-7th).

CHECK THEM OUT!

Saturday 19 December 2015

Review: Deceit - Disconnected EP (2015)


  From the land of fried mars bars, haggis and bagpipes, new Edinburgh hardcore outfit, Deceit, have dropped their first EP, Disconnected
   
  With a majority of "hardcore" nowadays being more of the slow, sludgy beatdown kind a la Desolated and Nasty, Deceit draw influence from more of the 90s/early 2000s tough guy hardcore that I grew up listening to in my teens. Made up of former members of War Charge and Frontline, they're actually very reminiscent of other UK bands, such as Knuckledust and early Stamping Ground
  From the very first track, Worn, Deceit deliver a mixture of grooves, tough vocals and cool riffs. The vocals throughout are very similar to those of Pierre of Knuckledust, only a tad more coherent but with also a little less aggression. On final track, Control, there is even a hardcore 'OOF', which, although used by a fair few tough guy bands, was almost identical to those of Pierre. 
  Personally, this EP takes me back to the hardcore that got me into hardcore and therefore pleases me a lot. The songs are mostly along the same context of the struggle within today's society which can be very relatable. It might musically have its similarities to other bands but it doesn't hide the band's talent. It's also nice not to hear shout outs about a crew or "being hardcore". 
  
  Fans of 90s/00s UKHC will definitely love Deceit, whereas those into newer bands might find it dated and unoriginal. There's no surprises or experimentation on here but the songs still manage to not sound the same. Control is certainly the EP's highlight for me, with its crushing groove and gang vocals, but every song is enjoyable and the production quality all round is impressive for an unsigned band.

4/5


Wednesday 16 December 2015

Live Review: Punk Afternoon - Tune In TLV Showcase Party @ Ozenbar, Tel Aviv [14th November 2015]

Not On Tour

Let Us Be Spoken

SatuRated

The Driers

Zoo Harmonics

Document


Saturday, the Sabbath. Meant to be a day of rest, where you pray in the morning, eat, sleep in the afternoon and then go out and party at night. However, this afternoon sees the last show of the four day Tune In TLV Festival; the punk rock battle of the bands. 
   The afternoon actually starts out with a showing of the music documentary No Room For Rockstars (which I didn't see), followed by the fight to get a song onto the next Vans Warped Tour compilation. Kevin Kyman, founder of 4Fini Inc, who produce the Warped Tour, is here both for a Q&A after the documentary (I missed that too) and to be the one to choose the winner. Despite being a "punk afternoon", today's line-up is pretty mixed. 


Document


  I've reviewed post punk/new wave band Document before and I have to be honest, it probably wasn't the most positive of reviews. Despite that, the band respected my views. I was expecting the band to have maybe taken some of my pointers into consideration but today's performance doesn't really seem to differ too much from the previous one, besides being one member down and a whole lot shorter set.
  Being titled a "punk showcase", the band have comprised their setlist of their more upbeat numbers, including Where U Are and Weeks from the Reset Your Mind Ep. Newer songs, such as the appropriately named New Song and Made A Mess, are darker and slightly more electro in style. All in all, they seem to have picked the right setlist today.

  Their performance on stage is still a bit static, bar drummer Amir, who is still the most enthusiastic. With frontman Nir now on second guitar duties, this may also be hindering their opportunities for some movement and better crowd interaction. Speaking of which, it is still early and not many people have turned up. Those who have bothered to come in and watch them seem to be satisfied. I think that kind of sums Document up; their songs are pleasant enough but there is still nothing in their live performance to really grab you. They are much better on record and I am still looking forward to hearing a new album.
3/5 
    

Zoo Harmonics



  Zoo Harmonics have been around for quite some time already and, in my eyes, should have already broken the UK and American pop punk market with the debut album Business In The Front...Party In The Back. With a new bassist, Gal, in tow, the band have been working on new songs and set to release a new album.
   With Dror (lead singer/guitarist) having now cut his hair, a slightly new sound seems to have come along with it, as the band play a short set of mostly brand new songs. The band already previewed Signs From Above through a live video they did for another showcase and a lot of the crowd, including myself, already like it and are digging it tonight. As the band themselves state, it has a more "stoner" flavour compared to their previous material. Personally, I've always considered them a mixed bag and not just pop punk, so I would have been more concerned if they weren't experimenting more. 
  The other new tracks are also really promising, including the comeback of Obsessions, which will hopefully be on the new album. Throughout the set, the band rock out as usual, although it is weird seeing Dror unable to wave his hair around. There is still the masterful Ron (guitar/backing vocals), who manages to always make his present known with some high octane antics to energise the crowd.
  As interesting as hearing brand new material is, it is the closer of oldie Henry And Claire which really gets me and other Zoo Harmonics fans going. It would have been nice to have heard more from the first album, but having been given a short time slot, the band understandably wanted to showcase their new material. I think they've done a good job and I am so looking forward to the new album.
4/5



The Driers



   I'm going to keep this short because what can I say about The Driers that I haven't said before? They are a fun trio who play a mixture of alternative 90s rock and a little bit of electro brit pop to boot. Basically, they play the kind of music that brings out the inner child in me and use male/female vocal harmonies that simply make me happy. 
  Despite having released their first proper EP recently (see review), their short set mostly consists of non-EP tracks besides the brilliant Who Doesn't and Lipstick Buds. Some are already classic tracks from their repertoire, including the punky Fifty and the bounce inducing Delayed. Others I didn't really recognise but were interesting to hear and I'm hoping they'll turn up on a new record in the near future.
  As much as I love them, I still stand by my opinion that Ronnie (guitar/vocals) and Tomer (bass/vocals) could act a little more excited on stage and interact more. The speaking duties in between songs are mostly taken on by drummer Ben. It could be good to hear what they have to say for once....plus, Ben talks faaaar too much for a drummer. (סתם)
4.5/5


SatuRateD




   I'll hold my hands up! I had no idea who SatuRateD were until tonight. I was actually outside before they started and walked in a little of the way through their set. I was happily surprised to see Dror of Zoo Harmonics back on stage, this time on drums. He was joined on stage by Shirel (guitar/vocals) and they make a pretty damn good team. I believe the band was originally a trio but it seems to work perfectly well as a duo.
   In complete opposition to what I had originally thought they might be (metalcore), this duo play a mixture of garage rock and grunge. Some of it is pretty standard (but still enjoyable) Nirvana/Mudhoney-esque material, but a song like Someday Blues really stands out due to it's more unconventional beats and generally just sounds more original. The band also do a cover of These Boots Are Made For Walkin', which is normally a staple of ska or Oi! shows. It was nothing spectacular as far as covers go. Their originals, despite at times sounding a little too formulaic, still hit the spot if you're no stranger to pure "grunge".
4/5


Let Us Be Spoken

  


  Another band I didn't know much about, Let Us Be Spoken take the stage next and totally change the tone of the evening. This punk show is getting its first dose of metalcore. Whaa??

  I technically have no problem with metal or metalcore. I proudly wear my nu-metal beginnings on my sleeve and still like some metalcore and groove metal. What bugs me though is how metalcore bands act. Although I say that I like a lot of interaction and movement on stage, sometimes acting like you're some massive touring band who's been around for decades just seems really unnatural and over-the-top when you're a fairly unknown band. Metalcore bands tend to do this and Israeli bands, in particular, know how to put on that sort of spectacle really well.
   Let Us Be Spoken give us all the usual metalcore catchphrases (mostly in Hebrew): "I want you all to sing along on this one", "I want to see you all go crazy" etc.. The look, the jargen and the melodic metalcore is all there. The clean vocals sound like Killswitch Engage and are not all that terrible. However, I'm still not entirely sure how many times I can hear this type of thing. 
  As unoriginal as this may sound, they are certainly an entertaining band and they do get me punching the air a bit. Maybe I'm just in an openminded mood tonight, but the breakdowns, the thrash parts and even some of the choruses have me a little bit sucked in. There are also a few metalcore fans in tonight who are getting swept up in all the excitement. Let Us Be Spoken may have been a bit out of place tonight, but I like variety.
3/5


Not On Tour




  Last band of the night is the amazing Not On Tour, whom I have spoken of many a time on this blog, I'm sure. Like all the other bands tonight, they have a much shorter set than usual but still manage to get the crowd going with their mixture of high speed hardcore punk and catchy melodies. 
  They do not have their usual crowd here tonight. This could be a mixture of the show not being hyped up all that much and the fact that many Not On Tour fans may not have bothered going due to the rest of the line-up. That aside, there is still a few of us who have come to give our support in this battle of the bands. 
  The band are on point. Sima's amazing voice, Val's melodic riffs, Nir's heavy bass and Gutzy's crazy fast drumming are ever present, as always. I can't really say much else, to be honest. I got a little bit too wrapped up in the show, including blindly head butting someone by accident (turned out to be a friend and they were fine about it), so I didn't really pay attention to the setlist. Knowing Not On Tour, they more than likely played songs off the new album, along with a few from All This Time and the N.O.T On Tour EP and maybe only one from the self titled debut, like one of my favourites, Silly Thoughts. Personally, I love hearing their older material, but they do know how to chose the catchiest and more crowd pleasing ones at every show.  
4.5/5


   Straight after Not On Tour's set, I went for hummus nearby and, upon leaving, ran into Val of Not On Tour. I asked him if a winner was announced and he said that they had won. It was rightfully awarded and hopefully being on this compilation will give them much further international success than they have already been getting. 

  It was great to see Zoo Harmonics with new material and SatuRateD were an interesting and pleasant discovery. The show as a whole could have done with a whole lot more attendees but those who were there still had fun and hopefully, like myself, discovered a few new bands.


For more photos, you can also check out Yahel Galili's photo album, Tune In TLV - PUNK Showcase



Saturday 12 December 2015

Killswitch Engage drop video for new song, Strength Of The Mind


  I personally have never been as big on Massachusetts metalcore band Killswitch Engage as most of my friends are, despite having given out stickers and lanyards around the time of Alive or Just Breathing as a young street teamer for Roadrunner Records. I never even listened to that album all the way through, despite liking My Last Serenade and a few other tracks.

  Since that era, original vocalist Jesse (Leach) was replaced with Howard (Jones) only to return again in 2012. I may have lost my way with this band, and it was certainly nothing personal against Howard, but I might start to go through their suff again if the new track is anything to go by.

 Strength Of The Mind is a taster of what is to come from the eagerly awaited next album, due March 2016. It's still a pretty trademark KSE sound, with Adam's (Dutkiewicz) mix of heavy and melodic riffs and the contrast of harsh and beautiful clean vocals. The song is also lyrically very positive and and empowering. Personally, I feel like the song's meaning gets lost amidst the music. It's lyrically quite hardcore and doesn't really fit their melodic metalcore. Nevertheless, I respect the concept and the band still do what they do best.

Friday 4 December 2015

Ignite release new single "Nothing Can Stop Me"

The amazing Orange County hardcore punk band, IGNITE, just dropped a new single from their forthcoming album, The War Against You, set for release 8th January 2016 via Century Media.


Having fallen in love with them since hearing the song Veteran, I always eagerly awaited what they will bring out next. Our Darkest Days was a good record; not something I have been listening to over and over again despite having anthemic songs. It just all seemed a bit too "polished" compared to previous records.

This new single, Nothing Can Stop Me, has the same high quality production and almost commercial sound as the last album. It still has front man Zoli's amazingly distinctive vocals but over all has a very Rise Against feel, which isn't a bad thing. It's catchy and "easy listening" enough to bring in some new fans and still has heavier punk parts near the end, which will appease long time fans. It is also a positive message and quite empowering, something that has always been another attractive quality about the band.

Personally, I'm hoping to hear more of a mixture of grooves and fast paced hardcore on the new album like on the early material. Criticism aside, it is still great to finally hear something new from the boys which is still essentially IGNITE!

Skunk Anansie go clubbing on new track and video, Love Someone Else


In a similar vein to some other acts I have written about on here, such as Incubus, Alanis Morissette and Republica, my fondness for Skunk Anansie goes way back to first hearing the song Weak. It was really when I saw the video for All I Want that I knew this was a band for me.

Over the years, the band has experimented with styles and kept more of a leaning to their softer side than that of their heavier, groove-based material. The bass lines are still there and Skin's strong vocals might never ever fade, but I personally haven't been able to connect too much with more recent material, such as the Wonderlustre and Black Traffic albums, despite still having beautifully well written songs and the odd uptempo rock out number

Love Someone Else comes from the forthcoming album, Anarchytecture, and incorporates that rave feel, that has been present in the band's later years, which is supported by the video being set in some sort of squat party. Normally, the electro pop would be mixed in with some heavy parts, but this track is pretty much a straight forward dance track and very MTV friendly. Skin still belts out the chorus which is sure to be able to get a crowd going, but it makes you wonder if this would have been better as a Skin solo track, if she was ever to go back to that.

With enough publicity, this song has the potential to get the band's name out into the UK charts again, which they have failed to do in recent years compared to in the rest of Europe. I'm still intrigued to check out the rest of the album, hoping to hear a mixture of styles, funky bass lines and Skin's unmistakable high notes.



Saturday 28 November 2015

Review: Seas Of Mirth - Esmerelda EP [2015]


  From the murky waters of Nottingham comes the pirate themed folk band, Seas Of Mirth, who have been..err..making waves (sorry) in the music scene for some years now.

While I was living and studying in Derby, I remember seeing Seas Of Mirth at a very early stage with what I believe is almost a completely different line-up to now. The fiddler was a friend of mine from class. I can't remember if it was the same time, but two other "future" friends were also in the band and are there to this day.
  I never really got the whole pirate theme thing and I am not a fan of folk in general but the band's sense of humour still grabs me. Having grown to a nine piece band, consisting of instruments such as cello, accordion and bouzouki (!), they are still active 8 years, which is both admirable and impressive. 



  The Esmerelda EP, the band's latest offering, delivers 3 different tracks of their weird signature style of folk. The title and leading track is quite a romantic sounding song. Bearing in mind the band's persona and theme and paying closer attention to the lyrics, it seems to be more of an ode from a pirate to his wench. It still has a sea shanty vibe that the band are known for due to the violin and vocals but with an added spaghetti western rhythm. The vocals, sung by Fruitshoot Pete, bring to mind that of Nick Cave, especially in the softly sung parts of the verses.
  The EP changes pace with Hands Off My Chest. As soon as it begins with an a cappella voice declaring "...you will never get your hands on my treasure chest", you know this is going to be a fun song. It bounces along in an almost ska punk way, at times, but ultimately has a very Zappa feel. The midway change not only brings to mind Zappa but also Mr Bungle, as it explores jazz and progressive rock. 
  Final track, Even A Bull Needs Milking, has a catchy accordion hook (first time I've written that sentence) along with a galloping, early Broadway type rhythm a la Putting On The Ritz. The mixed male and female vocals are pretty and the musicianship is spot on, but the song generally isn't as punchy as the previous two, even when it goes frantic. 
  
  Compared to previous releases, the production on this record is immaculate and proves that the band really mean business. They're obviously going to make some people scratch their heads but seeing as folk stylings made a comeback with the likes of Mumford & Sons and Laura Marling, there is certainly more of an audience now who will respect Seas Of Mirth's direction and musical experimentation. I'll certainly be looking forward to the next album. 

3.5/5

Friday 27 November 2015

Daphne And Celeste are back with a surprisingly good track!

  


Ok, let me explain a few things.

  First of all, for those who have no idea who they are, Daphne and Celeste (Karen DiConcetto and Celeste Cruz) were a pretty disliked pop duo who still managed to have a short successful run near the turn of the new millennium with a few playground insult related songs (U.G.L.Y and Ooh, Stick You) as well as a cover of Alice Cooper's School's Out. Despite being American themselves, I think this was very much a British thing, in the same way as Ruby Wax and Lloyd Grossman. 
  They famously (somehow) got booked to play the main stage at Reading Festival (I don't think they did Leeds) in 2000 and were bottled by many a disgruntled "alternative" festival goer. After that, their reign just suddenly stopped, forever to be left in the vaults of our minds as the annoying girls who got bottled at a rock festival. 
  Personally, being the open minded weirdo that I am, I didn't mind them all that much. I guess I also sort of had a crush on them both. Maybe half because of that fact and half because of my simply curious mind, I decided to do a search for Daphne and Celeste to maybe see what they were up to. To my surprise, I found a music video for a song that they released earlier this year.

  Joining forces with electronic producer Max Tundra, the girls' single, You and I Alone, is a fair far cry from how they were a quarter of a century ago. Tundra has created a tune which is simplistic yet still catchy and even a tad "edgy" (make of that what you will). 
   Quite honestly, this track could have had anyone singing on it. The girls are hardly doing anything challenging vocally and are still clearly being helped by auto-tuning. That aside, the chorus was in my head for ages after my first listen of this.
   I am also blown away by how they have both barely aged. Obviously, they've grown and matured somewhat but they look practically the same. Celeste, in particular, is still pretty hot. But don't get me wrong. That's not really important here.

  If you're curious about the girls' new direction, check out the track below.

Saturday 21 November 2015

Live Review: Azor, Deaf Chonky, Saint God @ Etzabotz, Tel Aviv [12th November 2015]

What's this? A new place? Where on earth is Etzabotz, you ask? Well, it's a sort of art studio that doubles up as a venue and is conveniently in front of the now defunct Koro. I've popped my head in there a few times before to check out what's going on, but tonight I'm here to see the new line-up for rockers Azor as well as some bands I've never checked out before.


Saint God


   As I walk into Etzabot and say hi to the guys from Azor, really the only people there I recognise, there's some heavy rock being played. As I turn towards the very small stage with darbukas buried underneath it, I see a male duo on stage. The band turns out to be Saint God, made up of two guys from Etzabot itself. With only guitar and drums, they still manage to get a cool sound via the use of effects.
   Shura (vocals/drums) and Tim (guitar) play with the right mixture of tightness and looseness; they are musically competent yet still have the feel of a laid back jam session. Vocals are sometimes a tad inaudible due to the venue's low quality sound, but it's all still very coherent. The music style seems to flip between grunge, shoegaze and even black metal, incorporating blast beats and evil snarls. It's definitely the first of its kind that I've heard before, therefore I'm impressed by Saint God and glad I arrived just in time to see them.
4/5


Deaf Chonky


  I like new blood. I love giving new acts a chance and watching the music scene grow. Like with the opening act, I had no idea who Deaf Chonky were before tonight. Another duo, this time two girls, take stage and play a set full of Bikini Kill style rock, experimental musicianship and general weirdness.
   Both girls, Tamar (drums) and Adi (guitar) lend their hands to vocals, which is mostly the sort of shouting associated with riot grrl. Although the girls tackle different styles, it's still pretty minimalistic, which isn't a bad thing.
  Most memorable of the set is Bad Things Could Happen. It goes off at tangents, even touching upon experimental poetry, but always circles back to its simple yet catchy chorus. Another highlight was when drummer Tamar played a bit of harmonica. I'm a sucker for harmonicas, so that made me smile.
   They might not be the next best thing nor the most amazing musicians, but Deaf Chonky do bring something a little different to the table.
3/5


Azor


  Finally, Azor take the stage. Now remember, folks..I'm an honest guy. I don't do bias and will always say what I really think of a friend's band. As my promo of the band shows (see article), I was genuinely impressed from the start by the stoner/punk rock trio, and with new bassist, Shahar (ex-fourfunzies/Woolly Boy), they are on just as good form, if not better.
   Although Azor played the Koro closing show recently in their original lineup, it was a very short set. It therefore feels as if I haven't seen them for a long time. Tonight, drummer Alon is in his trademark leopard skin (print) leggings, Shahar actually sings back up, which I've never seen him do before, and guitarist/main singer, Yuval, is placed in front of the stage (due to lack of space) and waves around his curly mane as he rocks out.
   It's still not totally straight forward what to label the band. Songs like Port City Girl and Paris (bearing close similarities to the Oasis classic, Cigarettes & Alcohol) are more in the vein of classic rock, whereas Shine In The Dark and Magic World are Black Sabbath influenced stoner. Natasha, written and sung by Alon, is their punkiest track. It is not only my highlight of their set but possibly my favourite song of theirs. It has me singing along and throwing my hands in the air.
  The setup tonight is weird, as they are all quite far apart and god knows how they are able to not see each other and still play so tightly. Yuval does go on stage when possible and Shahar also joins Yuval on the floor in front, so I think that helps and definitely proves them to be a well-oiled unit. 
  Due to his accent, which is natural and unavoidable, Yuval's vocals sometimes sound a bit weird to my ears, nor does he have the most impressive of voices, but what he lacks in that department he makes up for with his high energy and showmanship. Both Alon and Shahar also give it a little something on stage, and the overall remarkable musicianship is great to witness. All masters in their field.
  They definitely get the crowd (of about 7 people) dancing like crazy and cheering for them. It's a shame that this was a poorly turned out show, but they've proven in the past to be able to get a big crowd going and will soon be playing to bigger.
4.5/5

Terror's new video for "Sick and Tired"


  New Terror video for the track Sick and Tired off of The 25th Hour. All I can say is... it's quick and it's tough!

Friday 13 November 2015

Good Charlotte new music video for Makeshift Love

 

 

  I already posted the lyric video for Good Charlotte's new single Makeshift Love, but here is their new video. 

   The song, as I've mentioned before, is back on original form and is just what I consider "pop punk", instead of all this "easycore" malarky.

  The video focuses on some sort of app/personal service where a representative breaks up with your other half in person for you. Kind of an interesting concept but the whole filming of it seems a bit low budget for GC. Over all, real GC fans shouldn't be disappointed.



Tuesday 10 November 2015

Alanis Morissette's "All I Really Want" Covered By Fucked Up


I've been meaning to post this for the passed week.

   This year marks the 20th anniversary of one of the first albums (if not THE first album) I ever got: Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill. YouTube channel, CBC Music, asked a few Canadian artists to cover songs from said album, including beloved hardcore punk outfit Fucked Up.

    The band cover the album's opening track, All I Really Want. As a 9/10 year old who was already into quite rock based music, this was an absolute killer track and most possibly my favourite until my tastes matured and I started paying more attention to songs like Not The Doctor and Wake Up

   Of course, the song sounds pretty different. The song's repetitive riff is still in tack but there is an over all harder tone to the whole thing. This is definitely strengthened by front man Damien's snarling vocals. 

   At times I wonder if he's actually heard the original, like the way he does "AWOO AWOO.." in the parts where Alanis tends to do that weird yodelling type thing she does. However, his dramatical improvising near the end shows that the message of the song is not lost on him.


  If you, like myself, are a fan of both Alanis and Fucked Up (I'm more into Alanis. Haven't quite found anything of FU to really grab my attention), then this is certainly worth a listen.     

Congrats on the 20th anniversary, Alanis, and good job on the cover, guys!

Live Review: IndiRegev @ Ozenbar, Tel Aviv [15th October 2015]

Ha Pussy Shel Lucy
Sagol 59

Skarate Kid
OSOG


Oh, Ozenbar! It's been a while. It's certainly been a while since any show vaguely punk related has happened here and tonight sees a show headlined by one of Israel's most legendary punk bands, despite having a name that implies it's purely reggae. It is actually an interestingly mixed bill tonight, with the crowd also being a mixture of street punks and reggae lovers.

OSOG


Starting tonight's proceedings off is On Shoulders Of Giants, more commonly known now as OSOG. I've been aware of the band and even know guitarist Shmida (HaPussy Shel Lucy) for quite some time but I still hadn't seen them. I checked out some acoustic videos online and didn't really know what to make of it.
   Live on stage, OSOG perform as a seven piece, including a fiddler, a ukelele player and someone doing the ol' slide guitar. I suddenly realise that they are not the ska band someone had once described them to me as being. Throughout their set, the gang play a mixture of blues, country and folk which still manage to get some punks in the room having a boogie.
  Personally, with the exception of the well crafted political number Government Is Organised Crime, it's all a bit "text book". Seeing as it's blues and country, they're of course sticking to the structure, meaning 8 bar blues, classic chord progressions etc.. Some songs even sound familiar. Keep Calm (He's Dead) is practically Johnny B Goode with different lyrics and Wake Up In A Jacuzzi takes its hook from the Everly Brothers hit Wake Up Little Susie.
  As old fashioned as their style of music is, all seven of them manage to have a great deal of fun on stage.  It could be said that they look like a pretty hipster folk band, but they somehow manage to add a bit of punk energy to the whole performance. Front man, Avital, seems to be a very natural leader and has a perfectly hairy presence.
   OSOG's songs, despite being a tad unoriginal at times, are still undeniably catchy and they certainly make some great bar music. I just imagine that even to dedicated country/blues fans this is going to seem like nothing and maybe even a bit gimmicky. Do they really need that many people?
3/5

Skarate Kid 

   I have been meaning to review this band for a while. Skarate Kid are a new name in ska. Actual ska. Not ska punk, but 2-Tone influenced ska. And reggae. They just happen to include a few members of punk bands, including Itay (saxophone) and Gofen (bass) of HaPussy Shel Lucy and Doh Doh (guitar) of Mad Choice/Beer7.
    The name already makes you smile, but seeing Itay arrive on stage in a "Karategi" is what really makes them special. The band's style of ska and reggae is something that this country, especially in this scene, hasn't really seen for a while. Their shows so far have already managed to get in a good crowd, but tonight they do the Ozenbar proud by getting a good amount of people into the main area to check them out and have a bit of a dance.
   The band have well crafted songs, taking influence from some of the darker sides of bands like The Specials and The English Beat as well the more reggae side of bands like The Clash. In the same way as old school 2-Tone, a number of their songs have political or at least socially aware context but there is generally an aura of positivity and good vibes. That comes through in the performances too, especially as Itay bounces about on stage and gets the crowd riled up at every opportunity. As great as the rest of the band are, Tal (guitar/lead vocals), Doh Doh, Gofen and Liri (drums) are unfortunately upstaged by Itay. They all get into the spirit of things, dancing about on stage and joining in on vocals, but in comparison, they all seem just a little too chilled and reserved. However, the music is generally laid back, so Itay's antics sometimes seem a little out of place yet undeniably entertaining.
   While watching Skarate Kid, especially tonight with Itay kitted out and Gofen dressed up a little bit, the band (in a similar way to OSOG) come off just a tad gimmicky. As well as playing saxophone, Itay does dancehall-style toasting and does it in a fairly strong Jamaican accent, using Jamaican colloquialisms. There's nothing wrong with dressing up and incorporating things into a stage performance to create a persona, but when you're essentially a serious band, putting on an accent can seem a little fake. Some people in this PC world of ours could describe Itay (a candidate for Hipster or Hasid) as almost mocking Jamaican toasting by putting it on in such a way. However, one could also say that the Israeli and Afro-Caribbean accents are not too different and that it's something that comes naturally to him, like with Matisyahu. They are playing reggae, after all. Either way, when he takes lead vocals on Sleng Leng, it's clear to see he's a born performer and the place goes crazy. Fake accent or not, man dem ga skillz.
  Skarate Kid are definitely a band worth seeing if you have any interest in reggae, ska or even dancehall and I'm looking forward to a full record soon.
3.5/5

Sagol 59



   I turned up tonight not having a clue about Sagol 59. I assumed it was a band. I was therefore a bit surprised to see a DJ and a rapper on stage. Not one to shy away from a mixed bill, I got myself a space near the stage to try and soak in the performance.
  Israeli rap and hip hop is still a bit of a new territory to me, really only relating to acts like Shabak Samech and Peled who have a punk/alternative music connection to them. While watching Sagol 59 tonight, his style doesn't really do anything for me. It sounds like bedroom rappers; just the same sort of unimaginative flow throughout. Lyrically, from what I could make out (as I still have problems following Hebrew lyrics live), he has some good content, although he tends to overuse name dropping, especially in his freestyle, which comes across as a bit lazy and a ploy to gain some credibility. He evens name drops local punk band member friends of his. Although I did initially find that kind of cool to her names of people I personally know, it started to come across like slipping names into every other line is what he does.
  Dj Popalova is on the decks, or technically the laptop and one turntable. His transitions, where there are some, ware pretty good but I'm not entirely sure what he's doing with the turntable. There is no outstanding scratching or interesting use of samples, only a scratch here and there which isn't too impressive. It sort of reminds me of the guy from Sleaford Mods who just presses play and then stands around bobbing his head and drinking a pint. The backing music in general sounds a little outdated, but Sagol has apparently been around for a while, so the tracks themselves might be from a while back.
  Main highlight tonight is the guest rapper they get to come up (name?). He has a more interesting flow than Sagol 59, with changing patterns and a tougher, more convincing delivery. It also wasn't until he took the stage that people in the crowd start cheering and going "Ohhh" in between lines.
   It was nice to get a little hip hop into tonight's show but, personally, it wasn't the best performance I'd ever seen.
2.5/5

City Rats


City Rats, eh? I'm not going to say much I haven't already said about City Rats in previous reviews. I start to love them more and more every time I see them. They're pure street punks but some of songs are hardcore to the bone, especially ever since they got Not On Tour's Gutzy on the drumming throne. I still stand fixated as he crosses his arms playing both the hi hat and floor tom at the same time.on the track 2012.
   The crowd goes crazy as the guys smash through their set. You definitely don't need to be drunk to enjoy City Rats, but it does seem to be the protocol, as people of all ages fall over each other while these Russian-Israelis sing about life as they know it and, most importantly, beer and partying.
4/5

HaPussy Shel Lucy


  Having seen this band about twice before, I've always enjoyed them but still never properly fell in love with them. HaPussy Shel Lucy also seem to have gone from being a very important band in the Israeli punk scene to more of a band just for diehards. Unless more people are going to their shows in other cities, the turn out tonight, compared to the almost full Barby show I once saw them at, is pretty small.
  I unfortunately missed the very beginning of the guys' set, but entered to the sight of people already running around and pointing in the air. Although the band still plays punk rock, there's a hint more of a ska punk feel on the later stuff due to the band's inclusion of Itay on saxophone two years ago. Sometimes, it even goes into Dog Eat Dog territory, which, for me, is awesome!
  There's a lot of crowd participation on big hits such as Vodka Redbull, Batlan (trans. slacker/bum) and Haruach Peudalit (unsure of the best translation for this). A friend of mine even leaves the show with his shirt completely ripped front and back. I'm not entirely sure what was going on to result in such destruction but whatever it was, it didn't seem to phase him or anyone else.
  As great as the band's classic songs are, a personal highlight for me was fairly new song Sum Chadash (A New Drug?) which they play as a sort of encore at the very end of the set. It's a blend of punk rock and ska moments which bring to mind some of the heavier material by The Urge, an absolute favourite of mine.
  If HaPussy Shel Lucy didn't bring a sax player into the mix, I am not too sure how I would feel about them. This addition gives something new to the Israeli punk scene and has almost helped the band reinvent themselves. I'm definitely looking forward to the new album.
4/5

(If anyone has any HaPussy Shel Lucy pics, please send them my way.)

Thursday 5 November 2015

Good Charlotte - Makeshift Love (Lyric Video)

                                 

 There is a whole group of girls (and some guys) now in their mid to late 20s who are pretty happy right now. One of the leading pop punk bands of the early and mid 2000s, Good Charlotte, have returned and even released a track along with a lyric video.
   Despite the Good Charlotte brothers (Benji and Joel Madden) reaching out into sunny Sugar Ray style alternative pop with their Madden Brothers project and their collaboration with Waka Flocka Flame, new single Makeshift Love is a pretty good return to form, as if it was written during their heyday. It's got that typical mixture of a heavy pop punk riff and tinny drum beats in the verses. The chorus is anthemic and could hopefully get the band a whole new following of 15 year old girls as well as appealing to the old fans. 




Wednesday 4 November 2015

MC Lars discusses the disappointment of new lineups on the cleverly titled "Sublime with Rome (Is Not the Same Thing as Sublime)"





 I must admit, I haven't really followed MC Lars' career. I didn't even realise he was sill doing anything. I remember him having a bit of hit with both iGeneration and Signing Emo when I was at Uni and I remember seeing gigs for him listed, but I didn't really get too into it. However, I randomly saw this video pop up while checking out the new video by this song's subject, Sublime With Rome.
  Fo those who don't know, Sublime With Rome is essentially a reincarnation of the popular 90s ska punk band, Sublime. It was originally a collaboration between ex Sublime/Long Beach Dub Allstars members Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh and young singer/songwriter Rome Ramirez. Initially playing Sublime songs (as "Sublime" before being forced to change the name), the band are now a new band in their own right.
  MC Lars, however, is not impressed by SWR, nor other acts like Wu Tang and Misfits. On the song Sublime With Rome (Is Not The Same Thing As Sublime), he seems to see the idea of replacing a crucial member after their death or departure a desperate cash-cow, especially when they charge a fortune for gig tickets and merch. Many people must agree with this. I have friends who saw Misfits and were just not impressed compared to what they had seen of and heard about the Danzig days.


  The song is catchy and incorporates a Sublime flavour while still characteristically being MC Lars' style of comical, yet also whiney, hip hop. It comes from Lars' new album out this week, The Zombie Dinosaur LP.   

  

Tuesday 27 October 2015

Check out the new BACKFIRE! song and video - Where We Belong


   Dutch hardcore veterans Backfire! are bringing out a new mini album in the new year entitled Where We Belong on Strength Recs. From it, they release a music video for its title track. It's straight up pure hardcore spirit! Nuff said..


Friday 23 October 2015

Faith No More release cool video for Sunny Side Up

   I've been meaning to review the latest Faith No More album, Sol Invictus. It's garnered mixed reviews from fans and critics alike, but the essence of the band is still there throughout.

This track, Sunny Side Up, is from the more lounge side of the band but still has that trademark creepy-yet-soothing Patton touch to it. The video, directed by Joe Lynch, is a simple yet effective concept, bringing to mind the Bloodhound Gang video for Fire Water Burn or any video that has involved pensioners acting as the band. (For some reason, examples slip my mind but I'm sure they exist. Comment below if you know of any.)

Sol Invictus is out now on Reclamation/Ipecac Recordings.

Saturday 10 October 2015

New Found Glory get help from fans on new video


 Yesterday, October 9th, pop punk legends New Found Glory released their Resurrection: Ascension album, a rerelease of last year's Resurrection through Hopeless Records. The album features two new tracks, two re-workings (with guest vocalists etc..) and bonus acoustic tracks. 

  Ready and Willing II is a re-working of Ready and Willing, simply with an added array of guest vocalists:

Ryan Key (Yellowcard)
Mike Herrera (MXPX)
Chris DeMakes (Less Than Jake)
Chris Carrabba (Dashboard Confessional)
Chris Conley (Saves The Day)
Matt Pryor (The Get Up Kids)
Brianna Collins (Tigers Jaw)
Mark Hoppus (Blink 182)
Garrett Dale (Red City Radio)
David Wood (Down to Nothing)


  The video for the track features bands (mostly amateur bands) playing and singing along to the track in their bedrooms, garages, schools, practice rooms...anywhere, really. (All bands are listed in the info of the video.) We also get treated to karaoke style captions. It's a fun and interesting video, as was the original video, which had a premise of the band, played by younger actors, coping with fame and the media. This one leaves more of a focus on the music and the lyrics without trying to be too clever, which makes it a subtle yet entertaining delight.



Original video.


Monday 5 October 2015

Live Review: Hardcore Attack! @ Tachles Bar [Thursday 1st October 2015]

DUST

03 (Efes Shalosh)

Dam Al Zona

Sick Society


Tonight, I come to Tachles Bar in south Tel Aviv for a night of some of Israel's up and coming hardcore bands, including a band I haven't seen or even heard of before.


Sick Society


   First up is fairly new thrash influenced band, Sick Society. I've seen them at least a couple of times before but wasn't really into it. The last time that I remember was at the Zimmer and the whole set was a bit of a mess. Their drummer, Andrey, just wasn't on point; unable to keep tempo and sloppy fills which thus made everything sound very mediocre. By tonight's performance, the band has certainly done some hard work. Andrey's playing is tight, showcasing some impressive blast beats, and the sound over all is better than before.
 They might not be doing anything new but there are parts that make me nod my head and other parts that get a lot of the fans tonight going berserk. Songs like All Nazis Are Bastards and Black Penguin Society are more in the vein of simple street/crust punk, making them sound like many of the other Russian/Israeli bands out here. Other songs such as crowd favourite, The Slaughter, has a more crossover backbone and sounds especially impressive tonight.
  Guitarist, Johnny, plays some really old school style solos which, when he gets them perfect, fit really well and help them stand out a little bit more. Frontman, Alon, looking as thrash as possible, might not have anything unique about his vocal style or presence, but he loves the music and he loves the crowd. He shows that by crowd surfing, managing to return to the stage just in time to continue the song. He also brought a bit of fun to the party at the very beginning by wearing a Lucha Libre mask, but that quickly lost its charm, as it pretty much always does.
  My views on Sick Society have changed slightly and I definitely enjoyed them more tonight than before, they're just not interesting enough right now, although newer songs, The Dancing Monkey and "The Last Song", do show potential and progress.

3/5

Dam Al Zona


   Here's the band I'd never heard of before. Dam Al Zona (lit. Blood On A Whore), are a four piece from Tel Aviv who simply play some crazy shit. They look like they should be playing old school death metal but, instead, have that crust/early hardcore punk sound. The songs seem to be mostly in Hebrew, and due to live vocals for this sort of stuff being generally quite unclear, I couldn't tell you much about what they were talking about, but the songs are short, fast and chaotic.
  Frontman, Yuval, brings some hardcore punk ethos to the performance. He verges on the line of GG Allin, stripping off to his underwear, banging his head with the mic and even letting crowd members kick him and jump on him while he writhes about on the floor covered in (what I hope was) beer. Sometimes, the time keeping on the whole wasn't also kept in check, but it was certainly an energetic live performance worth seeing.

3/5


03


   I've written a bit about 03 (Efes Shalosh) before. They're one of those bands that I've grown to like more and more over time. Especially since taking on guitarist Lemmy (Sintax), the whole stage performance and even the sound are somehow both much tougher. 
   Frontman Jenia has always been consistent. He has sung for both Instinct and Brutal Assault (maybe even others) and his vocal style hasn't changed. Luckily, 03 are musically more metal than the previous bands and thus doesn't just sound like a carbon copy of either one of them. He moves about the floor space, trying to get crowd members riled up and ready to move, which always helps in a performance.  
  No Racism is currently the band's stand out track, with cool grooves and some great "chugs" in the middle. They have more songs in their set than before and the newer ones sound even tougher. Comparisons to bands like Terror and Death Before Dishonour are obvious, although I'm eagerly awaiting the band's upcoming album to hear what else they have to offer. 

4/5


DUST


   Dust! How many frickin' times have I seen Dust now? I can't even count. Over the last few months, I've must have seen them at least once a week (I just didn't bother writing about it.) Yet another band who are meant to be releasing an album soon, these guys and their mix of unconventional stoner time signatures and hardcore aggression just gets me every time. They still practically do the same set over and over again, which, for a band who has to have been around now for at least 2 years already, you'd think would have expanded a little bit more. There are some new songs, but they're harder to get into. I'm ok with odd time signatures but when a song doesn't really settle into a groove, it's hard to follow and enjoy it. That's the feeling I get with some of the newer songs. That being said, I can't wait to hear the new album. 

4.5/5

All photos by Sharon Ronen