Review: Hotbox - White Trash EP [January 2017]

Every decade has its stand out genres; the 60s had motown and garage rock, the 70s had glam rock and disco, the 80s had punk and synth pop and the 90s had Brit Pop and grunge. For the late 90s and early 2000s, kids were starting to get into rap-metal and nu-metal. Although it may seem dated now, it still has its fans and none are more obvious than this band.

Hailing from South Israel (Arad/Beer Sheva), Hotbox, the country's answer to Californian outfit Hed PE aka (hed) Planet Earth aka (həd) p.e., have done a lot for the Israeli underground scene, teaming up with bands of various genres to put on guerrilla shows and even their own festival using their own equipment. After some wait, the band have released their new EP, White Trash. 

Most of the songs on White Trash (and the band's repertoire in general) have that same bouncy groove and macho flavour as the aforementioned Hed PE. In particular, first full track, Rap Guillotine, has a riff that sounds identical to that of Killing Time. I won't say it's a rip off, as I am fully aware that these things can sometimes happen (I once realised I had almost totally rewritten a TAD song and pretty sure I hadn't even heard it before) but many may see this as a little unoriginal. I happen to love Hed PE, so it's hardly a bad song to bare similarities to, in my opinion.

The rest of the EP stays with that Juggalo-metal type vibe with lyrics mostly containing expletives (motherfucker, shit, bitch etc..) and both sexually explicit and aggressive language in general. The band's MC, Cise2 (or..Dave), certainly has a fast Bionic Jive-like delivery but the lyrical content tends to be a little cliché most of the time. It's only by the last two tracks, Ugh! and Use A Friend, where a little bit more thought seems to have been put into his words. Whereas the former is still an angry track which anyone who's ever hated their job would relate to [raises hand], the latter is a more heartfelt ode to a friend who passed away. I say friend, there are signs that it is in fact about an actual pet dog as a opposed to "my dawg". Either way, the more meaningful lyrics teamed with a passionate vocal delivery on top of a laid back yet still heavy groove make Use A Friend the EP's stand out track. 

It's quite difficult to make music like this in this day and age, so Hotbox certainly get credit for not giving a fuck and playing what they love. Alongside punk and hardcore, I have a soft spot for rap-metal, so I see them as bringing something a little different to the scene out here. White Trash has a decent production and is fun for those who already love this genre. However, if they actually want to get anywhere and gain any recognition based on their music, they need to start bringing something new to the table. 

3/5

New video by Israeli noise makers, Kessef

Double Review: Useless ID - We Don't Want The Airwaves (EP) / State Is Burning (Album) [2016]

Photo by Adi Khavous

Things have been a bit quiet for Israel's biggest punk band, Useless ID, in recent years. All for good reason, though. Not only has vocalist and bassist Yotam Ben Horin been busy holding his own, doing solo acoustic tours and releasing another solo album, California Sounds, but the band has been in Colorado working on their 8th studio album, State Is Burning.

Before the album's official release, the band put out the We Don't Want The Airwaves EP on the famous punk label Fat Wreck Chords. 

We Don't Want The Airwaves

The EP's title track is a Ramones' tribute anthem that bounces along in sweet punk rock fashion, speaking of how great the Ramones were and also singing praise to friend and fellow musician Brandon Carlisle of Teenage Bottlerocket who died late 2015. It's a little different to what the band are known for, as it really takes a more Teenage Bottlerocket rock n roll punk influence, even including a key change! 

The rest of the EP is 2 tracks that don't feature on the album and an acoustic version of the album's title track. Right Wing Fascist Killing Spree is an acoustic anthem for peace which only an Israeli could write, as it touches upon conscription and not wanting to be involved in the war. Although lyrically similar to classic track State Of Fear, it is done in pure protest song fashion, with the angry acoustic guitar giving the song more meaning. Tension is a song I recognise from Yotam's acoustic shows. Here, the whole band have come together to give the once soothing song more of a kick, making it a melodic punk song which could have easily been on previous album, Symptoms. The acoustic version of State Is Burning which finishes off the EP is something else I remember from solo shows. Its chorus is memorable and poignant and, much like Right Wing Fascist Killing Spree, is made ever the more intense being just guitar and raw vocals. 

4/5




 As well as including We Don't Want The Airwaves and a full version of State Is Burning, which takes on a more aggressive Living End meets Anti-Flag sound, this year's most talked about album (in the Israeli punk scene, at least) is full of perfectly written songs, some even exploring areas of punk that the band haven't really done before.

  Fans were already treated to the album's minute long opening track, Land Of Idiocracy, prior to release. Starting with an "Aaaaah", it's fast, it's frustrated and it's politically charged. Basically, it's pure punk! Although Useless ID have done fast songs in the past, this leans more towards the stylings of Bad Religion, 7 Seconds and Pennywise with a hint of street punk, as opposed to their usual style. This is certainly a great kickstart to the album.
 This faster, more hardcore sound is not a one off on this album. Following track Stopwatch, 45 Seconds and Without A Choice are the other more hardcore tracks on this record. Stopwatch could almost be an Ignite song, with its bouncy opening bassline leading up to high speed drums and powerful vocals. Both 45 Seconds and Without A Choice are short blasts of 7 Seconds style hardcore that run right by you but are so good you could have them on repeat. Without A Choice is a pro-vegan, animal rights song which you'd really only notice when reading the lyrics. It's melody is just so enticing that it becomes the focus more than the sentiment. Sometimes it's good to have to search for the meaning.
  Genetic, Lonely Man and Detune are still pretty fast but more melodic and pop punk. Genetic could nearly be a Not On Tour song, although the guitar solo is of a higher, more impressive standard. Lonely Man is almost quintessentially Useless and Detune has a Say It Ain't So-like slow beginning which then zooms into some fast melodic pop punk paired with lyrics about the band's real feelings towards war and society.
 All the faster songs aside, there are those like Borrowed Time and How To Dismantle An Atom Bomb which might have hints of heavier punk roots in the verses but the choruses are pure Useless. Borrowed Time is especially infectious, having been in my head ever since I heard it. ..Atom Bomb has an anthemic hook of "We are, we are.." which sounds a little bit dated but probably won't stop anyone from singing along.
  Creation, Novice and final track, Closer To The Edge, would all sit perfectly on previous albums like Lost Broken Bones or Symptoms. I can't help but find similarities within some of the choruses, such as Yotam touching upon Dave Grohl-like vocals a la The Pretender on Creation and Novice resembling Man Eater (Hal & Oates). That might just be me. Night Shift is the only other track on here like We Don't Want The Airwaves, with a more simplistic punk rock rhythm and Ramones style guitar parts. This makes it one of the highlights, along with Without A Choice, Stopwatch and Borrowed Time.

  In a lot of places on the record, Yotam's voice sounds much harsher than before and sometimes even unrecognisable. It could have come with practice or naturally due to being older, wiser and more pissed off with the world. Either way, it does sound good but unfortunately lends itself to resemblances to other bands and singers. Musically, guitarists Ishay and Guy, drummer Gideon and Yotam (bass) are all on point. There are no standout riffs or drum parts, as such, besides the aforementioned solo on Genetic and the Stopwatch bassline. However, there is no song that makes you want to skip forward. Most of the lyrical content sticks to what the band knows best; life in a war-torn country and having to grow up too fast. For fans of the more mainstream Useless ID sound, there might be a few tracks here which go over their heads but for those who have always loved their skater punk side, they have delivered and then some! 

4/5

New Sweatshop Boys demo track

 Despite constantly having to compete with this band when they do shows on the same day as Woolly Boy, Sweatshop Boys are the current Israeli kings of catchy and uplifting fuzzy pop punk. I may not have given them the best review for the last EP, Always Polite, Never Happy, but simply because the songs didn't do much for me compared to the songs on previous record, The Great Depression, not because I don't like them.

  Vertigo is a new track that the band are demoing as a taster of their next record which they will start recording soon. It has a bit of a Descendents/Pegboy/early Social Distortion feel, with raspy vocals layered over up tempo punk rock. The song seems to use "vertigo" as a way of describing one's personal downward spiral. Personally, it sees the band back on track on writing some both catchy and punchy socially aware anthems.

Review: Skid 24 - Home and Away EP [2016]

As already mentioned when I posted one of their songs, it's always nice to discover a local band purely by accident. Especially in this very small punk, I was surprised to discover a band I hadn't even stumbled across before.
 Skid 24's first EP, Home and Away, consists of 4 tracks of pure early 2000s pop punk rock. If you think of bands like Blink 182 and The Offspring, then you're close to what this Israeli punk 4 piece do.
  Opening track, Stop The Planet, has quite a The Kids Aren't Alright (The Offspring) sound to it musically, but the vibe changes when vocalist, Leo, begins. His vocals are very much more in the vein of Blink 182 and New Found Glory but due to his strong accent, some words come out sounding strange. Despite that, the song itself is catchy with a fairly serious tone.
  The rest of the EP has a more Blink feel over all. Actually, it's not just a feel but even sound like total replicas. The EP's title track is pretty identical to Rock Show and closing song, Swings, is reminiscent of more poignant numbers like Stay Together For The Kids and Adam's Song. It even verges on the Angel and Airwaves use of the "disco" beat, which makes the chorus easy to dance to. Rock City is possibly the most anthemic. With fast delivery, the song's chorus will be stuck in your head for a while, as will the song's main riff.

  In short, the obvious similarities and strong accent aside, this is personally quite enjoyable punk rock with added nostalgic value. The production quality is of high standard for such an unknown band and the songs are generally quite memorable. The vocals even grow on you after a while. I now sort of see it the same way I see Japanese punk; the accent acts as another instrument and just makes the whole thing sound more interesting.

   Skid 24 might not be exploring any new ground as such, but they're playing what they like and doing it to a good standard, which has to be respected. For anyone interested in downloading the EP FOR FREE, there are special codes to use via the band's bandcamp. The band has kindly given me a few to allocate as I wish. Go to http://skid24.bandcamp.com/yum and use any of these codes:


r2kk-3g37 uxmr-gkz3 vq85-b994 78nb-x96m ludm-et96
If all of these have already been used and you cannot access the free download, get in touch and I might be able to get hold of some more, but essentially this is a first come first served basis.

3.8/5

(Yes. That's really 3.8. It's seriously better than 3.5 but not quite a 4.)

Useless ID premiere new Ramones inspired song, We Don't Want the Airwaves

For many, this has been a long time coming.

Despite all being busy with other projects, Useless ID have managed to make a new album. Before the album's release, the first 7", We Don't Want The Airwaves, comes out on May 6th. An obvious tribute to The Ramones, the song is also dedicated to the late Brandon Carlisle of Teenage Bottlerocket. The song goes back to the band's earlier style of pop punk as well as having quite a Teenage Bottlerocket vibe.

Being fun and uplifting yet having a warm sentiment, the song is well crafted and should grab the attention of older fans who may not have liked the more serious style of last album, Symptoms.

Check it out!

Skid 24

Just when I thought I was aware of pretty much all the currently active punk bands in Israel, someone posts a song on a facebook group and helps me to discover that there's more!

Skid 24 are a fairly new band who play solid pop punk rock. Being a trio including 2 guys in their 30s, they play pop punk how it once was, not the crying self indulgence you tend to get nowadays, but just simple easy to listen to punk rock.

Check out the track Stop The Planet. I will do a proper review of the new EP, Home and Away, soon.

New single and video from Israeli drum and sax duo, Malox

When It comes to Israeli bands, there tends to be the odd gem here and there that incorporates more traditional music in a creative way that comes off sounding incredible. Amongst acts like Boom Pam and the internationally known Balkan Beat Box, Malox, made up of Eyal Talmudi (saxophone/bagpipes) and Roy Chen (drums), bring us fun blasts of experimental jazz, Gypsy music and ska with punk aggression, a la acts such as Acoustic Ladyland, Gogol Bordello or even Madness. I witnessed them for the first time randomly at a show at the Rogatka and was simply taken in by how simple yet fun it was. 

The track, Natanya, is the second single after their Walk Like An Egyptian cover to come from the new album Gaza Trip. For those, like me, who love both drums and saxophone and the idea of both together is almost sexual, this should not disappoint. It's not too crazy or long like some experimental music but is still fun and frenzied.  

The video, directed by Ben Tversky of Zaga Zaga/The Driers etc.. and shot by local show-filming legend Liran Rehana, is simple but suits the vibe of the track. It also features some familiar faces from the Israeli punk and alternative scene. 

If this interests you, Malox are having a release show tonight, 31st March, at Buscula, in Tel Aviv. Tickets are ₪43 in advance here. 

Review: Copout - Spray Paint [2016]

Formed by 3/4 of the original Fourfunzies line-up, Copout from Rosh HaAyin, Israel, have recently released their first 7", Spray Paint.

As much as I loved the guys and did enjoy a few Fourfunzies' songs, there was always something a little bit too experimental with them which I didn't always get. With Copout, long term friends Uri (guitar/vocals), Omer (bass/vocals) and Nir (drum/vocals) still keep the essence of interesting, non-typical punk chords and slight jazzy arrangements but somehow wrapped up in a more hardcore punk package.

With 8 tracks in total, this record runs for a little under 8 minutes. The songs are short and mostly pretty fast, with the whole band joining in on vocals and putting all their blood and sweat into the playing. Oh No! kicks things off with a joyous ditty about time wasting. Anyone who hates having deadlines for either college papers or work will relate to this track. It might not be long enough to really be considered an "anthem" but its "Procrastination is the one thing I do great" chorus is catchy enough to be memorable and sung at shows. 

There are other melodic parts throughout which could be considered hooks, such as in Where Is Your Mind? and closing track Tied Down. The latter is the longest, most melodic and most structured song here. The others are all still good short blasts of punk, which I guess is what they're going for. The song writing is at least relatable and doesn't touch too much on politics. Personally, that's great. The record as a whole needs to be listened to a few times for the songs to get inside your head, but they will. 

Copout take the style and structure of acts such as Lifetime/Kid Dynamite/Paint It Black/basically anything with Dan Yemin, mixed with the energy of old school hardcore like Black Flag and Minor Threat and try and put a more technical spin on it. The band even include an impressive cover of Black Flag's Spray Paint, hence the record's title. They speed it up a bit more, utilise switching vocals and generally play it a whole lot tighter than the original. The tightness might lose the tracks initial intensity but only a tad. It's pretty hard to out-angry Henry Rollins.

I'm certainly looking forward to hearing a full Copout album but I've not been totally blown away by this. As a side note, they are a tight and impressive band to watch live, so if you ever get the chance, go do so.

4/5

Review: Not On Tour - Bad Habits [2015]

   When it comes to punk in Israel, there are certain bands who have the talent, songs and potential to be an almost worldwide success. From the moment I discovered the music for video Silly Thoughts around 4 years ago when I moved to Israel, Not On Tour stole my heart. I have always had a soft spot for female fronted bands but Not On Tour go beyond just being a female fronted band. Along with Sima's strong vocal delivery, the rest of the band are able to play at breakneck speed and harmonise during their super short but catchy songs. They are certainly the most popular band in the more pop punk/skater/hardcore scene in Israel and have also made waves in Europe in the last few years. The band did a Europe and UK tour a couple of months back in light of the new album Bad Habits and the band are about to head out for another tour this summer. Hopefully, the good word has and will spread further. 

   Being a regular gig goer, I have seen the band a countless amount of times, both at packed shows and at shows a bit light on numbers. Along with classics from the self titled debut, the N.O.T On Tour Ep and second album All This Time, the guys have also played songs which feature on the new album, some of which have been in the live repertoire for quite some time. Album opener, Flip, is a track I think I recognise, although I could just be confused as it is similar in places to a previous track, I Wanna Be Like You (from All This Time). After more listens, the half tempo "This ship is sinking. Save yourself. There's nothing left to see here.." chorus really gets stuck in your head. 4th track, Write It Down, I definitely know from shows. As is common of Not On Tour, the song is short (although at 1:32, it's nowhere near the shortest on the album) and catchy, with its chorus that suggests repeatedly that we'd better..well...write it down. It is one of their songs which is at a nice enough tempo to be able to really appreciate the song fully as well as dance to.
   I have heard Gut Feeling (track 2) before as they are meant to be bringing out a video for it soon. At 1:19, it is still not the shortest on the album. While listening, I tend to often expect (and hope) that the song goes on for longer. It also has one of those choruses that can easily get stuck in your head, which has sort of been Not On Tour's specialty over the years and there's a fair bit of it here. In Rumours (track 3), they have us singing "This can be over when we say the word..", especially the anthemic singalong part right at the end. Without checking the name of the track, I have been singing one of the songs as "Cos it's a different kind of weapon...Cos it's a different kind of reign." Turns out the song is called Different Kind Of Weather (track 6). Ooops! Close, though.
    In Stuck In A Rut (track 10), you'll be sympathising with how front woman Sima "Never got things done" and was "Stuck in a rut" but has since "Found a way out." I can relate to this song's concept of having once been lost in life and putting things off but am I completely on track now? Hmm. I don't know. I think I am more akin to seeing myself as "Failing to succeed", as sung in Failing (track 15).


   Not On Tour essentially play hardcore punk but the addition of Sima's melodic (although still raw and aggressive) vocals and the band's backing harmonies give their music that pop punk quality. Most songs, with the aid of Gutzy's awesome drumming, are super fast, such as thrashiest song No Communication (track 11) and title track Bad Habits (track 9), but there are still those which go along the more pop punk vein, such as Black Coffee (track 7) and Sick Of This Mess (track 8). The 16 songs on here range between 0:42 (Waiting In Line, track 14, possibly my favourite on the album) to 1:44 mins long (Sick Of This Mess), so you can hear the entire album in one short bus journey. It kind of leaves me wanting more but also wanting a little more diversity. The band have songs in their early repertoire which are more chaotic, have breakdowns and generally show the band's versatility. Bad Habits could do with a lot more variety, in my opinion, but it is certainly not a disappointment.
 
4/5

Live Review: Incubus @ Amphi Park, Raanana [9 June 2015]

     Out of all my reviews so far, I have done a lot of local bands and a few touring bands, including the odd fairly big name like Republica and '68, but this takes the biscuit!

   Incubus have been a part of my life since around the age of 12/13 when, after hearing from an elder whose musical tastes I admired about bands like Korn and Limp Bizkit, I discovered them along with other bands on the Family Values Tour '98 album. The song New Skin was unlike any of the other rock or metal I was hearing up until then. It had djembe, it had funk elements, it had rapping....it just really grabbed me. The album S.C.I.E.N.C.E, the band's second official full length release, became the soundtrack to my teens along with System Of A Down's self titled debut and more punk stuff like Lit's A Place In The Sun and even Sick Of It All's Call To Arms. As years went on, the band garnered success primarily with the album Make Yourself and later also had hits from Morning View. They may be one of those bands whose original fan base has been disappointed by later releases (myself included) but after about 16 years of never having seen them, I was excited to hear that they were coming here. The new material, that some of you may have heard on the blog already, has impressed me, so that was another reason to go.


   It's the evening of the show and I somehow confused myself about what time the show was actually starting. I tried to get to Ranaana from Tel Aviv as fast as I could but still managed to miss opening act Tatran, an Israeli fusion band (I guess). After finally finding the correct entrance and the box office to collect my ticket, I zoom down to the VIP area (not bragging, just explaining) which was right in front of the stage. The venue's layout is a bit different to what I'm used to. First of all, it's outdoors. I've been to outdoor concerts before but they didn't have separate areas with seating before. Normally in arenas, seated areas are to the side or further back and standing room is down by the front....this was the opposite. The stage practically faces a hill of which standing room was from the middle part of the hill upwards. Despite having seating there and an allocated seat on my ticket, I join a few other people who are standing in the aisle.

   Of course, there's massive screaming from the crowd at the sight of frontman Brandon Boyd alone. I'm going to admit, back in the day when I had band posters on my wall, I had a Brandon Boyd one. Does it mean I had homosexual feelings towards Brandon back then? Maybe. Do I have homosexual feelings towards him now?.... I think tonight I do! You can't ignore it; the man is pretty. After a dreamy introduction, the band starts things off with Wish You Were Here. Good choice! As the aisle I'm standing in starts to fill up, fans are singing along and there's a little bit of head movement. I can't help but feel the band are a bit static. For those who don't know, Incubus are known for their set up on stage having each member quite a distance away from one another. Not too dissimilar to other bands, especially on big stages, but the Incubus guys are like 5 corners of a pentagon (not pentagram). Apart from the odd convulsion from Brandon, there's not much else happening on stage. It is cool, however, that we see drummer José side on, as we can properly observe his beats and fills.

    As the only Incubus records I've ever owned and/or heard in full are S.C.I.E.N.C.E, Morning View and the most recent Trust Fall (Side A) EP, I really only recognised the tracks from those releases and the obvious hits. I didn't recognise second song Anna Molly from Light Grenades but the heavy riff and the beautifully sung chorus had everyone else very enthralled. Even now, I have "I picture your face in the back of my eyes.." implanted in my brain. Following two songs were Adolescents and Absolution Calling. When I first heard Adolescents (from If Not Now, When?) four years ago, I thought it was a super boring song and ignored it up until this moment. I was slightly taken in by the dreaminess of the song and the unconventional vocal pattern. Absolution Calling, in my eyes the second best track form the Trust Fall (Side A) EP, goes down well with the crowd. I even caught myself singing "I REMEMBER FEELING THE OPPOSITE OF FALLIIIING" along with Brandon. This was then followed by a song I didn't recognise at first until the chorus. It was Vitamin, the only song in the set to come from S.C.I.E.N.C.E. Now, Vitamin is a heavy song; it has a cool build up in the verses leading to a rock out chorus along with some funky drum soloing and djembe action. I start to realise that I'm one of the few people in my vicinity (and as I look back, at the concert in general) who is properly going crazy for this song. I'm guessing most people here only know and like Make Yourself onwards, right?
   To be fair, I have the opposite problem, as people in the crowd join in on songs like In The Company of Wolves, A Kiss To Send Us Off (which I particularly enjoyed tonight and seemed to be a crowd favourite), Here In My Room and Sick Sad Little World (a heavy funky number that I also enjoyed), all of which I hadn't heard before. Obviously, bigger hits Are You In? and Pardon Me were in the set; the former getting people dancing to its sexy slow jam and joining in on the "woo hoo hoo"s while the latter, right from the quiet intro, had everyone passionately singing along to Make Yourself's second most iconic track. Nice To Know You (Morning View) and Megalomaniac (A Crow Left Of Murder) help inject a little extra does of heaviness into the set while newer songs Trust Fall and Dance Like You're Dumb seem a little lost on people. Trust Fall isn't such a great song, in my opinion, whereas Dance Like You're Dumb is not only my favourite off the new EP but one of my favourites songs at the moment. How no-one else is going crazy to this, not even clapping along to the gospel-like section in the middle, is beyond me.
    As the band goes off, we all know that they're coming back and there's just screaming galore. They return and kick back off with a lovely rendition of "the big chill out hit of about 15 years ago", Drive. Bassist Ben Kenney sits himself upon an amp and the whole performance is pretty sweet as almost the entire crowd joins in on the whole song. This is then followed by two songs I am unfamiliar with, The Warmth and set closer A Crow Left Of Murder. The warmth has a bit of a 311/reggae feel leading to a breakdown ending, all which I really liked, and ..Left Of Murder just rocked out with some cool dance beats and heavy guitars. I may have made a mistake sleeping on that album..

   Overall, the setlist is pretty decent and seemed to have most people satisfied. There was one guy shouting for I Miss You who must have been disappointed. Personally, I would have liked some more from S.C.I.E.N.C.E, although Vitamin was quite an interesting and surprising choice. It's funny... when you look back over the band's career, you notice that they were once this dreadlocked Mr Bungle inspired nu-metal band who have now turned into the epitome of clean cut modern rock. I wonder if the band's demeanor is all that different now from back then. As great as the songs were, the band in general seem pretty boring on stage. We had some nice backdrops on screen throughout the set but not really enough from the band themselves. Brandon does his best to check in that we're ok and having a good time but doesn't really talk to us. Also pretty sure he shouted "Tel Aviv!" at one point. Can't really blame him, and most of us here tonight probably are from Tel Aviv, but still...it's Raanana, dude. Guitarist Mike Eizinger just doesn't seem all that excited at all to be playing and even DJ Chris Kilmore could have been a little bit more enthusiastic.
   From where I was standing, the bass and kick were pretty overpowering throughout most of the set, but I was very near the front. I sort of wonder if I should have been humble and moved further back to see if it sounded any better. All that aside, am I glad I came?

Yes!

3.5/5

 

NEW VIDEO FROM YOTAM BEN HORIN!!

   As some of you may know, Useless ID frontman Yotam Ben Horin has moved (back) stateside to help further his solo career. From his last solo album, Distant Lover, he has released a video for the song Sad. Filled with Hollywood Blvd street entertainers and great sights, we see Yotam following an incredible blonde to the subway where his heart gets a little bit bruised. Yotam has managed to still keep this LA filmed video an Israeli affair by teaming up with Israeli actors and film crew.
    For those already familiar with Yotam's solo work, it will not surprise you that this song is beautiful and melancholic; others expecting acoustic punk should still be pleasantly surprised. Both the song itself and the video hit a sensitive spot inside you. Yotam definitely knows how to pen a song.
  Yotam has been working on new recordings which I'm hoping we'll hear in the not so distant* future. 

*Genuinely no pun intended.

New Artist Promo: Azor

 
    I have really only done one band promo on this blog so far and that was because I was sent a special email requesting it. Luckily, they also happened to be a really cool band (Yawning Dog promo). This artist promo is brought to you purely out of being impressed by the band and thinking they bloody deserve a write-up. Due to illness, I unfortunately missed their debut show at BanditoFest in Tel Aviv. However, their performance was filmed and I really liked what I saw and heard. I also got to see them this passed weekend to a bit of a disappointing turn out. They nevertheless rocked out.
  
   Azor are a "power-trio", comprising of Yuval (ex-Inside Job/Erev Rav/Leah Katamin) on guitar and main vocals, Alon (Almonim Metim) on drums and vocals and Ori (ex-Beats 69/MASTERD) on bass and vocals. Yuval and Alon met for the first time in a crazy jam night; they were having an awesome session and decided that they should actually join up and make some music together. In October 2014, after finishing other music projects and having free time ,the two started to work on songs that Yuval wrote. The idea was to create something new while still hanging on to that old vibe of free and energetic rock music. After working as a duo for a while, old childhood friend of Yuval's, Ori, was brought in as bass player to really bring the whole thing together. The name Azor purely comes, as far as I'm aware, from the name of the area Yuval lives and that the band practises in, which is just south east of Tel Aviv near Holon.

The band takes their influences from a range of places. They take the heavy riffiness of Black Sabbath, the fun rock and roll vibe of bands like MC5 and the "grunge" edge of the likes of Nirvana as well as incorporating Mediterranean and Eastern elements. Having more of a punk background, it is refreshing to see these guys just playing some invigorating rock and roll. It is also nice to see the "punks" at shows getting their groove on to this sort of thing.
All three members are very good musicians. Yuval has written some great riffs and plays some blinding (that's British slang for "really, really good") solos, Ori plays cool bass lines and gives off a very joyous demeanour and Alon is an absolute nutter on the drums. Possibly one of the most creative new drummers I've seen at shows in the scene in a while. I actually first witnessed the band before their first proper show at an acoustic event. Yuval played acoustic guitar while Alon borrowed my cajon and was blasting out some pretty trippy beats.

After only having played their first few shows very recently, Azor are already working on the first album ''High Tempo Flight'', which is due for release in April, and plan to go on a European tour thereafter.  I urge you all to check them out if you ever get the opportunity to see them in person. In the meantime, you can see Beeran Production's filming of the band's debut show. 


   

Live Review: The Stubs/DUST/Left @ Koro, Tel Aviv [13th March 2015]

  Tonight, I come to Koro (yes...that place again. Tel Aviv's kind of small, you know..) for a bit of a mixed line-up show. This is the Tel Aviv leg of the Israel tour for Polish rocker The Stubs. From a few of the tracks I had previously checked out, these guys sounded fun and I wanted to check it out in person.

Left

   The show starts off with local duo Left. I am still unsure if I've actually seen these guys before or not but I had checked their bandcamp and liked what I heard. The duo consists of Asaf Leizerovitz on guitar and main vocals and Roy Chen on drums and extra vocals. Throughout the set, I realise I've seen the drummer before. His ambidexterity and flawless techniques made me think of the drummer of another duo, Verminn. Turns out...yeh, that's him. He also drums for quite a few other bands so this must be his life. All power to him!

   What you discover from both listening to and watching Left is that they mostly float somewhere in between stoner rock and full on garage rock anthems. Songs like tonight's set opener I Wanna Get To Know You, Ghost and Betterman lean more towards the stoner side of things. The former and the latter are more sultry and intense, with the former reminding me of QOTSA, with its "I wanna get to know you" refrain getting stuck in my head by the end of the song. Ghost is like a more haunting Led Zepplin with a "groovy" riff and pounding drums. Asaf's vocals are powerful and on point on all songs; at the same time, even quite endearing. The track called 7 (not a Prince cover) is not so much "stoner rock" but has more of a slight space-rock/horror punk feel about it, filled with high octane drumming and an intense riff. If you were running away from sort of hungry monster trying to take over your planet, this song would be a suitable soundtrack. 

   Tell Me, Matter of Control and Rogues in the House are where I hear the bands more garage rock influences. Tell Me is ridiculously catchy and, personally, is quite reminiscent of the BBC song from Austin Powers. Maybe that's just me! Matter of Control takes things to a more MC5/New York Dolls level, with wailing vocals and an intoxicating rhythm that had a few people dancing tonight. Rogues in the House is also very danceable with a hint of White Stripes about it...just with more interesting drumming.
  As well as proper songs, Left also have a few instrumentals, such as Power To The People and Headbanging which they play tonight. The former is quite techno/disco and had me nodding my head along up until it goes batshit crazy like a heavy dance track; the latter is a slow paced trippy number with an infectious riff and can definitely get you banging your head.  

  Asaf and Roy are great musicians. Roy's drumming is mesmerising and Asaf has some great riffs and a well tuned voice. I will add, however, that they do look quite mismatched as a band; Roy looks and plays like more of a metaller whereas Asaf has a "geek-chic" look about him. Fortunately, they work well together and I was very impressed. 
  See Left play with Shifka Chiefs at Levontin 7 on 21st March.
4/5

DUST

   How many times have I written about DUST already? This hard hitting and groove-led hardcore band just keep playing wherever and whenever they can. Playing songs off their self titled EP (such as the popular and catchy Midas Touch, Numb, with its epic sounding intro that always gets me pumped, the invigorating PMA, the amazing Slipping Away, the groovy Title and even the short blast of fury that is Brain Fuck Your Skull) as well as newer songs which are still familiar from previous shows (Bloody Knuckles and constant set closer Sick and Tired) all manage to get quite a few people in the crowd dancing and moving, despite it not being the biggest turn out I've seen for Dust before. 

Frontman Evya is not afraid to get amongst the viewers as the rest of the band full rock out on stage. As much as I love them, they need to start playing some "new-new" songs; songs we haven't heard several times before. That, and they should also release a proper album, like....NOW!

  You can see Dust play a lot of shows in the near future, I'm sure, including a Fanzine show at the Central Bus Station in Tel Aviv on election day.
4/5

The Stubs

  Now we come to the main event. It's always fun when an overseas band comes here. At the same time, it's a bit disappointing when they don't really get the right reception. I guess there is a good number of people here tonight for Polish band The Stubs, but it just doesn't feel like the normal crowd for a punk rock show. And these guys are pure punk rock and roll. 

  As the band starts, they don't have a full room straight away but slowly people started coming back in and all eyes were on them and lots of feet were moving. From the get go, with the Hellacopters-esque Nation Of Losers, we get the idea that this show is going to be full of hard rocking songs. The band are being quite energetic but I can imagine that touring takes the wind out of you as they could have smiled a bit more. 

  Their set basically continues along the garage rock/rock and roll kind of lines. Highlights of the set include the fast paced Straight and White which also has a nice change of pace in the middle, Salvation Twist with its "WOOHOO" chorus, Timmy with its cool wailing guitar intro that leads into groovy rock and roll, the riff laden and Rival Sons-esque There's No Mother and oldest song in the set, Highway Demon, which pretty much sounds like an angrier and heavier country song. During the set, guitarist and singer Tomek thanks us for coming and a little bit about themselves. Bless him, though...he seemed out of breath from all the rocking.

    Show closer Rudy's Blue Boogie, as the name suggests, has a bluesy riff quite reminiscent of Canned Heat's On The road Again...but punkier. But it might not have been enough as they left the some of crowd wanting more. I think we must have all been having fun as the set actually felt quite short. 

   If you like bands like MC5, Stooges, Hellacopters, Bombshell Rocks etc.. then The Stubs' back catalogue is definitely worth a listen.
4/5

Review: Zaga Zaga - 2 Songs Demo + 4 Songs EP = Zaga Zaga 7 Inch (2015)

  Regular readers of this blog (pffft...who am I kidding?) will already be aware of crazy Tel Aviv noisemakers Zaga Zaga from previous articles. This week finally saw the release of the appropriately named yet lengthy 2 Songs Demo + 4 Songs EP = Zaga Zaga 7 Inch. Despite having 6 songs in total and an elaborate title, this record has a total running time of approximately 7 minutes.
  As the title suggests, the first 2 songs are the same as last year's demo. From the get go with Song About Food and Customer Service (although this time spelt ...Costumer Service, which is either an accidental error or a purposely misspelt play on word), we get a barrage of fast finger picking, frantic drumming and full bodied vocal projection AKA shouting. The rest of the EP continues along the similar musical premise. 
   Either due to the songs being short or resulting in such, there is nothing too complex or deep within the lyrical content. However, they are not just shouting nonsense; Song About Food... and The Dancer are both reflect on real experiences and are quite relatable. While the former is the sort of song you'll have running through your mind as you shout at an incompetent waiter/waitress, the latter focuses on "the scene" and how people act at shows. At least that's what i take from it. Damn That Dog and Samba Samba are less obvious to me. I have not yet asked the band the meaning behind those songs, but there must be something. Samba Samba has an amazing middle section, which somehow (although I'm pretty sure it doesn't) sounds like it has a small horn section at parts. The band also covers Charles Bronson's Youth Attack; although hardly reinventing the track, they retain the aggression of the original, adding a little "Zaga Zaga-ness" preventing it from sounding too much like a carbon copy. Last track (I Just Called To Say) I Hate Your Band, reverting back to literal titles, is again a song focusing on experiences and personal opinions. If you've ever wondered why a certain band you think are atrocious are still managing to release record after record, play shows and get countless media coverage, then you could relate to this song. It is also catchy enough to have you shouting along to it.
   When I first saw the band, I wasn't totally taken by them. I saw them as just a repeat of Pinkeye Revival, a band that featured some of the Zaga Zaga members which I was not all too impressed with at the time. However, the more I see the band live and with the tracks on this record, I am beginning to admire the passion, aggression and musicianship (as masturbatory as it can come across at times) of Zaga Zaga.
  For fans of Charles Bronson, The Locust, Dangers and other fucked up shit!

4/5 

Live Review: First Punkalovich showcase - The 1840s/Mock Up/Woolly Boy @ Koro, Tel Aviv [5th February 2015]

   Thursday saw Punkalovich put on it's first ever show. The show took place at our most loved venue, Koro. The show was initially put on to be my band Woolly Boy's first show in Tel Aviv. With the addition of The 1840s as headliners and finally young band Mock Up closing the line-up, we were all excited for this show. All three bands are different in style and this show could either be filled with all sorts of people or could be a poor turn out.

Woolly Boy

Photo by David "Doh Doh" Rosen

   Like the Haifa show, I'm not going to give my own band, Woolly Boy, a review as such. We tried a few new things this time around. I still used a hi-hat, frying pan and triangle as extra percussion but also brought my macbook with me to incorporate some samples including a purposely made recording of my friend's sister saying our name which I used as an intro. I think this worked pretty well, but the other sample I used during the show probably could not be heard above the guitar. Ah well...you live and you learn! I think our songs sounded pretty good and we even did the folk-punk type song "He Didn't Love You Anyway" which we didn't do for the Haifa show. Most of our crowd seemed to be friends of Mock Up and the other bands. I guess we were competing with a few other "punk" related events tonight so were missing some of the usual suspects. We still got a bit of "moshing" action at the beginning but I think a good number of those guys left the room as I definitely ended up with far more space to move around in. Hopefully people enjoyed us. 

Mock Up

  Jeronimo were originally meant to play this show but for personally reasons had to pull out. Luckily, rock band Mock Up came highly recommended by them and were more than happy to do the show. Good thing they did as they brought the majority of the audience tonight. 
  After a short intro, the band kick off with the explosive Closing The Gates, which after the punkiness of Woolly Boy gave people a dose of almost Led Zepplin-mixed-with-Muse tinged rock. The kids here tonight seem familiar with it and completely get their "push mosh" on.  Numbers such as Quiet Desperation and Beginnings may have softened the mood a bit but still got a good reaction from fans. The former has an extremely beautiful and groovy harmonic middle melody which had me smiling. The song Weapon heavily brings the groove with a super solid bass line and slick drumming.
 The whole band are incredibly good musicians. Guitarist Nativ plays amazing riffs and uses his pedals to make the absence of a second guitarist almost unnoticeable, bassist Ilay plays cool licks and rocks out with his beautiful long hair (not going to lie...I might have a small guy crush here..) and drummer Rom is incredibly energetic and plays without fault. Singer Gooly has a vocal delivery similar to that of Kelly Jones of Stereophonics or even Matt Bellamy of Muse. The overall style he was giving off was also quite similar to "Madchester" bands like Oasis and Charlatans. I find him a bit static tonight, not really moving or showing much expression. That changed with set closer Apple, their heaviest song with a riff I find so familiar. The more I think about it, it reminds me a little of Disturbed's cover of Genesis's  Land of Confusion but i'm sure there's something else. Either way, it's a hell of a riff and got Gooly jumping into the crowd and getting them all riled up again. 
  Mock Up are definitely a great band with some beautiful musicianship. I did however feel like this was some sort of "high school prom" concert. All the fans here today just seemed to be kids from school; that may be why they all decided to leave immediately afterwards if they indeed have school in the morning. Now..I was in a band when I was at Uni so I've had fans who were mostly classmates and friends of classmates but you never really know if the fanclub comes based on merit. Hopefully they will get more recognition and more outside fans.
3.5/5

The 1840s

  As mentioned in a pervious write-up, The 1840s are a band I've always had a soft spot for. Their show the other week had a bar completely full of people checking them out. Tonight, however, a lot of people have gone and only about a total of 10 people have remained to watch. We were all actually uncertain as to whether the band started already or was still doing sound check as there was hardly anyone there when they started playing.
  The setlist was similar to the Rothschild show, including older songs like the catchy This Different Life and tonight's closer the 60s-like rocker Rainbow and newer songs like Get To Me, the bouncy Take Off Thy Clothes and the absolutely mesmerising Heart of Midnight, with it's tribal rhythms and sparse vocals. Unlike last time, the Smiths' cover (There Is A Light...) got more of a reception as I and some of the Koro owners were jumping and singing along. It still sounds so different to the original but they somehow make it sound like theirs.
  Why more of 1840s fans didn't show up tonight..I don't know. Maybe because it wasn't a free show? Maybe because it was with bands they hadn't heard of? Maybe because they all work Thursday night? Who knows? The important thing is that the band still played in a fairly empty venue and sounded great and I for one are glad they came. 
4/5

NEW SINGLE AND LYRIC VIDEO FROM CANINE!

 It has been a while since I've written anything and I would like to start off with helping spread the new single from Israeli metalcore band Canine. As mentioned in a previous gig review, I have a connection to these guys and support them in their steps to world domination. Last Words Live Forever keeps the Canine vibe that we heard on the Degeneration Ep but with even added blast and thrash elements. New singer (Ben) Saada has absolutely amazing scream vocals. How he doesn't lose his voice every time beats me! The clean vocals are good too. Not too whiney.
  From what I can tell (I haven't asked the band themselves) the song seems to be from a soldier's perspective revolving around the saddening incidences where families find out their loved one has died in battle. It is a strong topic and quite important to many living in this country. I must, however, point out that "words" cannot be "dredged in blood". I think they mean drenched. Anyway..
   The musicianship and production on this track (recorded, mixed and mastered at Cast Iron Studios) is astounding. The beatdown from around 3:33 to 3:40 is pretty cool and the track ends up going into melodic heaven.

Good job, guys!

Cain and Abel 90210 seem different in their new video...

Israeli rock/metal trio Cain and Abel 90210 have released their new album/Ep/whatever Videodrome (which I will review all in good time) and from it comes first single and video for Lakach Zman. For those already familiar with the band, you'd know that their previous music videos and even live performances in the past have been done wearing masks and the whole concept of the band seemed really fun and pretty mental. This video shows the band in quite a different light...or cloud-covered shade, as the case may be. It is simply just the band, unmasked, rocking out at the beach on a bit of a dreary day. Although some of the lyrical content is still quite witty, the concept of "it takes time to understand things" is quite a poignant and relatable one. Musically, I have been unable to get the song out of my head since I first heard it. I'm a sucker for catchy melodies and this song has it. It is also simple enough Hebrew for me to enjoy it, which is kind of what I always liked about the band. The track has almost a later era Type O Negative feel...and you have to love that, right?

For those who read and understand Hebrew, the lyrics are included in the video description for you to follow. For those of you who don't but would like to understand the song...you can try google translate...but I wouldn't trust it. Morfix has a chance of working better.

Live Review: The 1840s @ Rothschild 12, Tel Aviv [20th January 2015]

  

  I have heard of Rothschild 12 in passing but have never been there; neither for a show, for a meal or simply to hang out. I actually wasn't too sure if I got the right place when I turned up tonight. After asking if there was a show, I was directed into the establishment's main room which seemed fairly packed for a weekday night. There is a stage with the gear set up at one end of the room and almost everyone is seated at tables. Straight away, this seemed like one of those strange places to be holding a show. I certainly wouldn't have a punk show here...unless they moved the tables. That could work, I guess. 

  An hour later than expected (which was pretty late already), The 1840s take to the stage. I have come tonight in support of the band who I have not seen in quite some time. They were one of those bands I had gotten into during my first year or so living here. They might not be punk or hardcore, but they have great songs. They have also had a recent line-up change. Eviatar, who used to play bass, is now on lead guitar with new addition Dani taking over bass duties. Avishai (Efrat) is still the lead singer and Adam remains on drums. Once upon a time, the band was called Avishai Efrat and the 1840s but this new line-up helps to show them as a full force and one coherent unit.
  With the room already filled with a mostly seated audience pretty much right up to the front of the stage, I decide to stand in a small corner right by the stage. They start the set with new track Get To Me which we have already been treated to with a rehearsal room video. Despite being a new track, the song very much sets the tone of the rest of the set and doesn't deviate from the 1840s sound we are already familiar with. It's a sweet alt rock number with nice melodies and beautiful catchy harmonies sung by Avishai and Eviatar. It's very much reminiscent of Brit Pop and even American alt rock...basically that "90s sound" that people of my generation were treated to all over the radio and TV instead of the weak hip hop the kids get now. There seems to be a bit of an issue with the kick drum moving forward. This can happen to many a drummer at shows and although it happened tonight, drummer Adam showed no real sign of worry and it was most probably barely noticeable to the majority of tonight's crowd. 
  The rest of the set carries on in the same fashion as the band plays a mix of old and brand new tracks. We get to hear crowd pleaser This Different Life and the "heavier Beatles"-esque Rainbow both from the band's Pushing Squares Down Back To Size EP, as well as other memorable tracks from previous shows such as the thumping I Call Mine and the "track to end all proms", No. Newer songs do not disappoint; Heart Of Midnight especially stands out for me. The dreamy guitars on a bed of almost tribal drumming gives the song quite a psychedelic quality. The song is a bit repetitive but not dull in the slightest. The band also treats us to a cover of The Smiths' There Is A Light That Never Goes Out. As opposed to a straight forward cover, the song was quite unrecognisable to start with until I started paying close attention to the lyrics. It had the 1840s twist to it; slightly higher in pitch harmonies and just generally a different rhythm to the original.
  As much as I love the band, there is not much else to say apart from that they play sweet songs with beautiful vocal harmonies. I am not saying the songs sound the same but they do practically have the same blue print. If you ever liked bands such as Pavement, Flaming Lips, Ash and/or The Bluetones, then The 1840s are worth checking out.
 Whether it's because of the style of the genre or just how they perform, I feel like the band needs to put some more life into their performance. Everyone is competent at their instruments, but really only Adam is giving good drum face. In all fairness, tonight is a pretty formal affair so there's no real need for a lot of movement or head nodding.
4/5

The 1840s are planned to play Punkalovich's first show along with (my) new band Woolly Boy at Koro Tel Aviv on 5th February. Come check them out!

https://www.facebook.com/events/716180188489829/?fref=ts