Live Review: LISP/Petey's Dead/Methods @ Keoss Studios, Tel Aviv [8th September 2016]

Awww yehh! New band time! Tonight, I've come to Keoss studios in Tel Aviv (which has suddenly been doing more and more shows) to check out the debut shows for two punk trios. One is practically a supergroup and the other is a sort of reboot of a previous band.

Methods

Starting off the night is alt. rock/metal/punk/whatever trio Methods. Methods have been quickly gaining recognition and rightly so! I've already been impressed by their previous performances and their tracks online. Tonight, they start off their set a little differently than I remember, with a more progressive and jazzy instrumental, slightly reminiscent of bands like And So I Watch You From Afar and 65daysofstatic. Although not normally my thing, it still has enough groove and interesting parts to make my head sway. From there on in, the band continue with their own blend of alt. rock sensibilities and technical musicianship. Throughout their set, a mixture of different bands come to mind, including alternative legends Therapy?, post-hardcore band Quicksand, British metallers Earthtone9 and even fast melodic punk band Strung Out. The already familiar Sub-dimension and 1.1 have a few heads bobbing and the rest of the set is equally enjoyable. Drummer, Vladi, might have a few fumbles tonight here and there, but he is still one of the best technical drummers I've seen.The band are difficult to pigeonhole, but that makes them more intriguing and exciting.

3.5/5

Petey's Dead

Coming from the remains of the fairly unknown SaveIT, Petey's Dead still play the same Flatliners inspired punk. As well as new material, the band play the odd SaveIT track, such as the punchy and thought provoking Dennihalation In The Middle East from said band's first EP. The band may tackle quite political and serious subjects but do it subtly, which makes for good listening. There is nothing quite mind blowing about their performance but the material is incredibly well written. With guitarist Matan now in the ever-popular Not On Tour, Petey's Dead are getting more recognition and chances to play than SaveIT, so hopefully the music will start to speak for itself at shows and things will pick up.

3/5

LISP

While Petey's Dead is practically the same band with a new name, LISP is yet another product of different members of different bands wanting to create something new together. In this case, not only do we have Not On Tour bassist, Nir, and Kids Insane drummer, Yoni, but former Kids Insane guitarist, Assaf, is also on board.

Despite all being talented musicians from very reputable bands, LISP isn't quite the blend of hardcore and skater punk one was expecting. Instead, the songs tend to go along a more pop-punk vibe. As pleasant as the songs are, nothing quite grabs you or shocks you at all. Yoni's drumming does stand out, although not purely because of his skills like in previous bands. His heavy handed and more hardcore style comes off sounding a little out of place with the songs themselves.

Despite only having played one show, LISP are already in the process of making an album. It could very well be that their songs are just growers, so they might sound better on record. Either way, I'm looking forward to checking it out.

2.5/5

Therapy? release new EP along with new video Tides

 It's been almost a year since the release of Therapy?'s Disquiet album (see my review here), and now they release the Tides EP. The EP features the Disquiet track Tides, as well as 2 new songs and a remix of their track Insecurity. Along with the EP's release, the band release a video for the title track.
 The track takes in a little bit of influence from bands like Husker Du, with a catchy chorus and fuzzy guitars throughout. The video is a little complicated for me to fully understand, but is probably open to interpretation. It aptly takes place at a seaside, in keeping with the song and the song's back story of how frontman Andy Cairns would watch waves from a pier when in need of inspiration. 

 As a side note, this song, after listening to the Disquiet album pretty much on repeat for a good part of last year, subconsciously influenced some of my newer material for Woolly Boy. They might not be a typical punk band, but there are elements of it in there. More importantly, they know how to write a hook!

Live Review: DUST/Knees Please/Methods @ Tachles Bar, Tel Aviv [25th February 2016]

Tonight sees me back at Tachles Bar to see 2 of my favourite Tel Aviv bands, Dust and Knees Please, and new band Methods.

Methods

 Methods are a pretty new Tel Aviv trio. Playing songs which flick in between styles, all three members are incredibly competent musicians. Although their first song, entitled "2", has quite a melodic punk feel with vocal harmony and a clean riff, their material in general tends to have a bit of Quicksand meets Prong vibe, which, I guess, essentially could be considered a "Helmet vibe".
 The songs in general tend to be very coherent and easy on the ear. Even the shouting is something your parents won't be too bothered by. Bassist Greg and guitarist Max gel together, both in terms of playing and their vocals. It might not necessarily be super pitch perfect harmonies all the time but they are in sync and give the same amount of energy. Drummer Vladi is one of those more professional drummers I tend to see often at shows like this. Not only is he listening through headphones but his actual technique and use of varying time signatures and drum patterns is impressive and possibly what makes them such an interesting new band. Some of the more dance/drum n bass beats he does gives everything a bit of a Therapy? feel. They seem to have that same sense of experimentation with mixing rock with electronica and are giving each in the right dosage.
 They seem to be in their very early stages, as the fact all their songs are currently numbers proves. This could be their thing a la Karma To Burn and other such bands but either way, it doesn't really matter. 1.1, the only track of theirs currently online, is a good example of what they do, although they definitely show their skills more in other songs. The crowd, both those familiar and unfamiliar with the song, were dancing a bit and nodding their heads. Actually, there was a fair bit of dancing throughout and they got quite a good crowd for an opening act.
  Methods seem to manage to mix the easy listening metal of bands like Helmet and Prong with the more technical musicianship of bands like Deftones and Tool and create something that actually sounds quite fresh.

4.5/5 

Knees Please

 I've written about Knees Please before, and I even got them to play my birthday show. Despite both band names that they have had over the past years, I still stand by the fact that they bring back a familiar sound of the more heavier, sludgy side to early grunge that makes me feel happy. Certainly seems to have the same effect on the crowd here tonight. They could just be drunk and/or stoned, but, hey, that's their people.

 The band play only three songs from their Where's Ma Money? debut and four currently unreleased tracks. I don't think it matters all that much to the crowd as many of them are either here to just jump around like crazy to anything or to just sit and stare at the band's two models. I haven't heard I Came Blood live for a while so it's nice to hear it tonight. It's a weird song lyrically, but has an awesome groove which many here appreciate. New song Barry The Lizard is a personal favourite of mine, being more funky and crazy than the others.
  Guitarist and vocalist Alex and drummer David are on great form as always, with David always managing to cover small mistakes with ease, such as losing a stick, continuing with one hand and quickly grabbing another stick. However, it is new bassist, Ben, not to be confused with the previous bassist also called Ben, who currently steals the show for me every time I see them. Not only is his playing on point, but he is ridiculously enthusiastic, charismatic and also joins in on vocals which shows has really stepped Knees Please up a notch. 

4/5

DUST

  DUST seem to have become my Tel Aviv version of Knuckledust. There used to be a time when Knuckledust were playing in London almost every week and I would go and see them. DUST seem to be constantly doing shows and I'm managing to catch them almost every time. To be honest, seeing and hearing pretty much the same set over and over again can be a tad tedious but it's lucky that they have some tunes that simply really get me pumped.
 From their intros alone, songs like their opening song Slipping Away and Numb get me moving and smiling. It's a little bit complicated to get fully into it tonight as the "floor" is filled, but I manage to get a bit of a boogie on. Everyone else starts push pitting and running about as each song gets going, and frontman Evya does his part to get involved. Newer songs like Plastic and typical set closer Sick and Tired are starting to become more recognisable at shows and I can't wait for them to come out in recorded form.
  The band are still super tight. It's obvious why Ofek was also taken on as the new Kids Insane guitarist; not just because they're friends but the boy has something. Not only can he play but he plays with a certain style and passion. I think he got even better since growing his hair...
  It's hard for me to get totally bored of DUST but this fan is desperate to hear new songs. NEWER songs. I wouldn't even mind a cover here and there. Just switch it up a bit!

5/5



All pics by David "Doh Doh" Rosen

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.

I just want to tell you all ... CHECK OUT RYAN HAMILTON!

   This was originally meant to be a post of his latests video, but I've decided to simply make the a general post of how great I think singer/songwriter Ryan Hamilton is.

Formally of indie band Smile Smile and later teamed up with Jaret Reddick of successful pop punk band Bowling For Soup to form People On Vacation, Hamilton released his solo album last month. I had the honour of reviewing it for TOXIC Online, and one of my tag lines has even made its way on to a poster for the album (pictured above). It is simply a very cleverly written album with relatable songs, all wrapped up in a mixed alt. pop/classic coating. You can read more about it in my review here.

From that album, Hamilton has released two singles and videos, both you can see below. Both Karaoke With No Crowd and 4 Letter Verb are bouncy rock numbers with a classic sing-along feel. It's hard not to be taken in by the "ooh la la"s on Karaoke.. or tap your feet to 4 Letter Verb's main riff. Whereas pop punk bands of today express their feelings in an angsty and pretty whiny way, Hamilton manages to wear his heart on his sleeves with pride and deliver uplifting music all at the same time. 

He has just finished a house party tour in the UK and is planning on going back again in March of next year. Although I don't think he yet performs with a full band like on the record, the songs are strong enough to get a great atmosphere going without the big production. If you missed him this time around, check him out on these dates:

As a side note, I just want to check something. Am I the only person who sees a resemblance between Hamilton and British Radio DJ and latest judge of X Factor UK, Nick Grimshaw?

The 1840s release video for new song, Smile

   Those who have read my blog before will know that I have a soft spot for Israeli '90s-style alt. rockers The 1840s. Their sweet harmonies and bouncy rhythms really strike a chord with me. I put them on a show as headliners but the turn out was disappointing. I guess most Israelis don't get this sort of thing.
    Smile is from the band's latest release, The Eighteen-Forties, which officially comes out today (review soon to come.) Both the track and the video are sweet. Technically, they're both bittersweet when you really pay attention.
    If you have ever liked bands such as Pavement and/or Guided By Voices, you will certainly appreciate The 1840s lighthearted melodies.  

Review: The Driers - See You In Never [2015]

   After a lot of hard work playing shows and writing new material, Tel Aviv rock trio The Driers finally deliver new EP, See You In Never, featuring latest drummer Ben (Mad Choice/Zaga Zaga/a bunch of other stuff). 

   As readers of my blog will already know, I have seen this band a bunch of times and enjoy their refreshing slab of 90s style alt. rock. The five tracks on this EP are all songs that I recognise and love. If I am not mistaken, these are also songs which have been in the band's repertoire for quite some time. Whereas some of the newer material I've heard in live shows are a little bit more along the Weezer style of alternative rock, the songs here could almost be considered pop rock.

   Contagious gets things off to a heavy start. Some thumping drums in the intro lead to an upbeat, rock-out number with a bouncy chorus. Although guitarist Ronnie sings the first verse, from thereon in we hear the now trademark sweet harmonies that her and bassist Tomer do so perfectly. Ronnie also sings main vocals for second track Who Doesn't and fourth track Porchlight. Who Doesn't is pure rock in the choruses but, due to Ben's drumming techniques, explores other rhythms and styles throughout the song. Porchlight sounds incredibly lighthearted and quite poppy. The intro is one of my favourites of theirs, as the opening guitar riff is soon accompanied by the bass that harmonises beautifully. The song can easily be mistaken as a cover of some sort of song by Shangri Las or even The Supremes, as it has a hint of that traditional style of writing plus an easy listening quality to it.
   Tomer takes up main vocal duties on third track Lipstick Buds and EP closer A.L.A.R.M, which makes sense, as they are both pretty bass led. Because of the bassline and the groovy drumming, both songs have quite an electronic/new wave sound to them. Lipstick Buds has it mainly in the first verse which then leads to the hard hitting chorus of "You want to be my never again". All Driers' choruses are easy to sing along to but this has to be the catchiest of them all. The song has interesting vocal melodies and a generally fun and uptempo nature.
  A.L.A.R.M could be considered the EP's party song due to it's disco beat in the chorus. However, Tomer's vocals and the song's lyrical content add dark undertones, making the song a little bit edgier than the rest of the EP.

   As I have heard these songs many times before, I was really hoping to hear something new on this EP. Luckily, we are promised a full length soon which will hopefully have some cool surprises. I love the band's use of harmonies, especially blending both a female and male voice together, similar to bands like Band of Skulls and Spiderbait. That, plus the musicianship and songwriting, make these songs very enjoyable, as long as you appreciate pop sensibilities in rock music....which I do.

4/5

Review: Ash - Kablammo! [2015]

   "Ash?" you say? Yes, Ash. Anyone remember them? During the 90s, the three-piece were known for hits such as Kung Fu, Girl From Mars, Goldfinger and Oh Yeah! from the album 1977 (from 1996), all of which were songs that made me, at about the age of 9/10, think that they were one of the coolest bands ever. It wasn't until the album Meltdown (2004) that the band garnered success with singles such as Shining Light and Burn, Baby, Burn. New album Kablammo! is the band's first full length since 2007's Twilight of The Innocents, the first album released as a trio after the departure of guitarist Charlotte Hatherley. Somehow, both that album and 2012's Little Infinity EP completely passed me by.
   

   Upon hearing the thunderous drum intro to Ash's first single Cocoon (also the album opener), they now had my full attention again; it is an absolute return to form. A slight nod to punkier hits such as Kung Fu, Burn, Baby Burn and even A Life Less Ordinary (from the movie of the same name), the chorus will have you sweetly singing "COCOOOON" along with frontman Tim Wheeler in the chorus. Shutdown (track 10), like Cocoon, is reminiscent of  the band's more 'full throttle' material, where songs like Let's Ride (track 2) and Hedonism (track 8, not a Skunk Anansie cover) still rock out yet have a more commercially acceptable quality to them. (On a side-note, the latter's intro reminds me of the title music to a franchise of British adult movies. I'll say no more.) Machinery (track 3) is also fast paced, but has elegant strings and warm vocals that give the song a Manic Street Preachers type feel. 
   The band's softer side, as seen at different stages throughout their career, is still present on this album. Free (track 4) beautifully rumbles away, Moondust (track 6) is a heartfelt orchestral masterpiece and For Eternity (track 11) is essentially Robbie Williams' hit She's The One in some form of alternate universe. 
   As good as the aforementioned tracks are (specifically Cocoon, Let's Ride, Moondust and Hedonism), stand out track on this record is undoubtably Go! Fight! Win! (track 5). Going in the same thumping vein as Envy (the only new song from the Intergalactic Sonic 7"s compilation), the whole song felt like a salute to rock and roll revival bands like Rocket From The Crypt (I can't really think of any others, to be honest). Not only does it have the thumping drumming, but it has a heavy guitar riff, organ hits, a bouncy chorus and... cheerleaders! It is definitely the most rock and roll on this album and possibly the most rock and roll track they have ever done. What would have made it even more impressive for me would have been a brass section, although then it would REALLY sound like RFTC. 

   Kablammo! is an easy album to listen to from start to finish. There's a hint of that "Spaghetti Western" sound hidden in there which I'm not really a fan of, but the album is nevertheless an interesting collection. The slower songs may bore some people and the rockier ones might not be everyone's cup of tea, but this is definitely an impressive album for a band whom many have seemed to have left behind. They still know how to pen a song and are not afraid to show that, even as a rock band initially, they have the essence of pop within them. Cocoon even has a bloody key change. Who still does key changes anymore? 
I'm hoping this gives them equal success to that of Meltdown from over ten years ago. 

4/5

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.

VIDEO FOR DEAD SARA'S "SOMETHING GOOD"

   If you don't know by now, I am pretty infatuated with an exciting band from LA called Dead Sara. Their latest album, Pleasure To Meet You, has been high on my playlist recently and I am generally in love with their writing style and Emily Armstrong's powerful vocals.
   Despite both the album tracks Suicidal and Mona Lisa preceding Something Good as singles, Something Good is the obvious chart topper off the album. It is beautiful, uplifting and catchy as hell. But then...I've already said this in a previous post. 
    They have now released a video for the track and I have to admit, I'm not totally blown away by it. It basically involves a lot of dancing, train stations and the band running around from place to place. It reaches a high point when the band finally join in with some contemporary dancers and everyone is just letting go and free, but I would have liked to have seen some band performance and more of Emily passionately singing her heart out. Either way, if this song doesn't finally get Dead Sara any [proper] mainstream success, I don't know what will.

             

Review: Jeronimo - Jeronimo EP [2015]

   

    Back in December, I went to a show at the Koro to see three bands I had never heard of before. One of them was the young band Jeronimo. I was impressed by these guys' rock riffs and energy that I even put them on the first Punkalovich show, which unfortunately they had to pull out of because of personal issues. The band are back on track again and released their long awaited self titled EP.

   Opening track, Aircraft Boneyard, starts off heavy and quite epic. Drummer Itamar's spacious fills over guitar feedback followed by a tribal rhythm tell us that we're expecting something big. We're then hit with a cool riff that leads us into full throttle mode similar to the likes of Kyuss et al. I definitely remember this as one of the ones I liked when I saw them. The chorus is catchy and will have you singing "THEY'LL BRING YOU DOWN" along with them. However, the song feels like it is a little bit longer than it needs to be. The mid-section and solo in particular feel like they could have been cut short. It is all well-played, though. Next track, Scratch, has that similar hard hitting feel. The opening riff is reminiscent of something you might hear in a Disturbed song. Don't get me wrong...the song itself sounds nothing like Disturbed. That's just the best comparison I can come up with for that riff. The song itself is pretty rocking but the vocals bug me a tiny bit. I'm not expecting Israeli bands to sound exactly like American or British bands but when an accent is a little bit too strong, it can throw me off a little bit. Guitarists and vocalists Auriya and Yonatan share singing duties throughout the record and it's at the beginning of this track that the Israeli accent really shines through. 
    Torch Torture takes the tempo down a bit. Compared to the first two tracks, it has more of a Alt. Rock vibe. It slowly dawned on me that it sounds a little bit like Kool Thing (Sonic Youth) only a fair bit slower. What really sticks out on this track, possibly due to the weird mixing of the EP in general, is the bass playing. Throughout the song, and especially in the chorus, bassist Eilon does some pretty crazy runs which sound great. The track really picks up near the end when the band turn up the volume a bit more for a heavy instrumental section before rocking out on the final chorus. Next track Jeronimo is, I guess, almost meant to be the band's theme song. This is definitely one of the main songs that got people moving at their shows (when there were people). It runs on a bit of a repetitive riff throughout a good part of it but we do get a break in the song which builds to a continuous proclamation of "JERONIMO".
   Stabbing Sound comes across as something heavily influenced by the British Invasion of the 60s. It has a simple yet rocking main riff and a catchy chorus. Final track Zero Kills' riff has Queens Of The Stone Age written all over it, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. With Auriya's raw vocals, the song takes on a more grunge feel. There is some wonderful musicianship all round from the middle part right up to the end. 
    As I already knew from their live shows, Jeronimo are very competent musicians but some of the songs sometimes feel like their lacking something. It could be because of the accents, the tempo being too slow on some tracks, or how certain instruments and vocals sound too high or even too low in the mix...but whatever it is, the EP is still enjoyable. In a way, the flaws do give it a raw quality. The overall subject matter of the EP is still a little bit lost on me, however that doesn't necessarily spoil the enjoyment. Musically, Aircraft Boneyard is my favourite, with the emotional chorus of "You feel OK" and instrumental finish on Zero Kills making it the stand out track.

3.5/5

Review: Dead Sara - Pleasure To Meet You [2015]

 

    I have been awaiting this album for quite some time now. Having fallen in love with the LA rock outfit Dead Sara since seeing the video for and hearing the song Weatherman, the self titled album blew me away. Frontwoman Emily Armstrong's voice stands out amongst many other singers out there right now, not even just the female ones. She is able to sing melodies that blend with guitarist Siouxsie Medley's sexy riffs in such a wonderful way. Dead Sara somehow manage to be both bluesy, heavy, energetic and mellow all in one album. The follow up, Pleasure To Meet You, has proven to have similar dynamics and just as catchy tunes.

   I already posted two tracks from this album already, Mona Lisa and Something Good. Mona Lisa was a little bit harder to grasp at first; there's quite a bit going on in the song. After a while, you find yourself humming the intro, playing the verses in your head and every so often shouting "I KNOW WHAT YOU WANT BUT IT AIN'T GONNA BE WHAT YOU LIKE!" Something Good comes at you straight away as just a really sweet and well-penned country-tinged song. The melodies, both vocal and guitar, are something your gran could even appreciate, but there's enough bite that it just doesn't seem like a cheesy pop song. This song has already had a bit of airplay and TV exposure that I'd be quite disappointed if it doesn't become a massive hit. It's like a slightly harder HAIM song....and everyone likes HAIM, right?
    The song Suicidal was a good choice for album opener...unless it was purposely made that way. It shows the band's heavier side, in a similar way to debut album tracks such as Weatherman and my personal favourite Test On My Patience. I haven't asked the band themselves the real meaning behind the song, but judging behind the lyrics it does seem to be speaking to those who have ever thought their life wasn't enough and telling them that they should never give up. It seems to be almost laughing at one's own concept of wanting to end their life, which I for one can relate to. If this is not quite the meaning of the song, then that's at least what I take from it when I head bang along to "Run and blow my life away. I wake up to another day."
   All the songs on this album have something special about them; there's a little bit of something for everyone. Lovesick, Greaser and Feel Right At Home all lie in the mainstream hard rock category, with catchy choruses and mixtures of heavier and softer parts. "Baby we're lovesick" is a chorus you won't be forgetting in a hurry and Greaser's chorus will have you waving your arms side to side while also trying not to break into Buggles' Video Killed The Radio Star (you'll know what I mean). Feel Right at Home has more of a groove to it than the others, coming off a bit like Black Crowes (whom I love). Mr Mr has an almost Black Keys vibe. It has echoey guitars and bluesy riffs along with pounding drums. There's a riff at the midway mark and at the end of the whole song which gives the song a headbanging quality.
    Radio One Two is possibly the nearest this album has to a punk rock song. Starting off with more of a new wave sound, it breaks out into a joyous singalong. Every song could be considered to have mainstream likability. There are also two slow songs on the album; Blue Was The Beautiful You and For You I Am. The former is bluesy with an explosive chorus and the latter sounds at times like it could be an Alanis song (which isn't a bad thing) and is slow but builds and builds into something emotionally beautiful.
        If you haven't listened to Dead Sara yet and you consider yourself a rock music fan, then I suggest you get on it straight away. They are a super cohesive unit, with Emily's voice definitely being at the forefront. This album has every chance to hit mainstream success; hopefully, it already is. It's hard to pick highlights as it changes at every listen, but Radio One Two and Something Good stand out for me right now. Whether the album itself is as good as the self titled album, I don't know...but it definitely hits a spot.

5/5
   

SOME MORE NEW VIDEOS

   Sometimes I post new videos separately but other times, like this, I like to just take a bunch of them and put them in one post. Now...I've noticed that sometimes I post stuff I like but this is a bit of a mish-mash.

Comeback Kid ft Poli Correia - Losing Sleep 

   Comeback Kid are one of those hardcore bands I always wonder whether I should have been more into. I remember seeing them at a really small show in London (at The Verge, I think) and I bought their Turn It Around album. At the time, I think I barely listened to it, so from thereon in, I never really paid much attention. A couple of years ago, due to a badly organised "hardcore"/metalcore show, Comeback Kid ended up stuck in Israel without a show until local heroes Kids Insane got in contact and hooked them up with a show at Koro, Tel Aviv. Instead of headlining, they were the first band and the place was absolutely packed and sweaty as hell. Great show, though, and since I've given the band more attention. This track from Die Knowing is heavy and groovy. Is it groundbreaking? Probably not, but I like it. The video is simply a mix of live and studio footage but shot incredibly well. 

36 Crazyfists - Swing The Noose

    Another band that I haven't really cared about over the years since about the release of their second album Bitterness The Star on Roadrunner. I was doing some street teaming for RR at the time and I think I had to hand out stickers for that release. I have to say, if it wasn't for a facebook friend still being really into the band (you know who you are) I probably would not have even known about this video and the new album Time and Trauma. Thing is, judging by Swing The Noose, their sound and even music video cinematography hasn't really developed since the early 2000s. Frontman Brock's vocals are a little off putting. It's similar to vocalists I do like, such as Claudio Sanchez of Coheed and Cambria and Daryl Palumbo of Glassjaw etc., but he sounds almost constipated. It's certainly not the worst thing I've ever heard; chorus is pretty decent and the last minute has some good moments. Then again, it's not brilliant, either. The video is a tad confusing although at the same time captivating. What do you lot think?

New Found Glory - One More Round

   NFG's Resurrection album has been out since October, but has it been getting as much attention as earlier works? If not, I don't really know why it shouldn't. I haven't heard the album in its entirety yet, but the singles have so far been impressive. One More Round is standard NFG; it has those cool riffs and pop punk vocals mixed in with some gang chants and some heavy grooves. Video is pretty fun, with the band getting smashed to pieces. Seems to be in keeping with the song's notion of perseverance. I totally have to get this album at some point. Hell...I think I should just get the whole discography. I seem to be doing that a lot lately with a lot of bands i should have been into a long time ago. 

The Offspring - Coming For You

   Another comically violent video comes form yet another legendary (pop) punk band, The Offspring. Coming For You is the band's first release for 2015, with an album expected for later in the year. The song starts off with drums that sound not too dissimilar (to me, anyway) to those of Howlin' For You by Black Keys but we're then greeted by Dexter Holland's unmistakable voice. The song as a whole sounds like a number of their more commercial sounding songs from the last few albums. It's sort of hard for me to decide whether i like it or not. I was one of those people who actually didn't mind Days Go By on the whole as an album, so hopefully the next album might have some more hardcore punk stuff to go with this sort of thing. I don't want to give too much of the video concept away, but if you don't like clowns or mimes, watch with care!

Teenage Bottlerocket - Haunted House/They Call Me Steve

   Punk rockers Teenage Bottlerocket are releasing new album Tales From Wyoming on 31st March and it's already kind of sounding like it's going to be a good one. They already released a video for Misfits style song Haunted House back in February and this week premiered the Minecraft inspired song and video They Call Me Steve. The latter has that ever-so-slightly-slower-paced Bouncing Souls type vibe which I kind of dig. Even the vocals make me think of Bouncing Souls...but I guess the two bands are not that different. 

Blur - Go Out/There Are Too Many Of Us

   Yeh that's right! I'm moving away from punk and hardcore and going back to my Britpop roots. The legendary Blur's new album, The Magic Whip, will be out 27th April. We have so far been treated to two songs and videos; Go Out and There Are Too Many Of Us. The former has an almost new wave punk feel just with Damon Albarn's distinctive vocals over it. It's a little bit like On Your Own, a personal favourite of mine, but stranger. And then there's the video which is basically just an instruction video on how to make homemade ice cream. Incidentally, I used to have that same tupperware container...
   There Are Too Many Of Us is also a bit creepy in its sound but has more of a serious tone. The video is purely a performance video that looks very DIY. The band themselves look like they haven't changed a bit. It's quite solemn and I can imagine this song being used for serious scenes in film and TV. 

Sleater-Kinney - A New Wave

   Admittedly, this post is about a month late but I just had to post it. Sleater-Kinney are one of those bands I've always known OF, possibly since about the age of 13, but I never properly got into them. They have released their eighth studio album, No Cities To Love, on 20th January after a ten year hiatus. First single, A New Wave, has, funnily enough, a hint of new wave about it but is also essentially a catchy alt rock hit. I first heard the song as a live performance and was into it, but along with the video, I was converted. And I never really liked Bob's Burgers...

ANOTHER NEW SONG FROM THE AMAZING DEAD SARA

  I bloody love Dead Sara. I was blown away by the self titled album, full of great riffs, infectious grooves (not the Suicidal Tendencies funk metal band) and amazing vocal melodies by singer Emily Armstrong. In the lead up to the release of new album Pleasure To Meet You, a music video for new song Mona Lisa was posted to Youtube. Now, via soundcloud, we can hear another new song called Something Good. Something Good both rocks and is quite beautiful and joyous. Some might consider it poppy in the same way Paramore's Still Into You was...but they are both still incredibly well written and performed songs. I've probably said it before and I'll say it again...I just can't wait for this goddamn album!!

YET ANOTHER NEW INCUBUS TUNE

  A while ago, I posted a lyric video for the new single from alt. rock giants Incubus called Absolution Calling. Not only have they now released a proper music video for the song, fitted with west side story style choreography, but we have also been treated to another lyric video (possibly the official video, too) for new song Trust Fall. Whereas Absolution Calling has been more of a grower, Trust Fall packs slightly more of an immediate punch.
  Instead of an album, the band are set to release 2 EPs, one of which entitled Trust Fall (Side A) which is due for release March 24th. 

Incubus - Absolution Calling

Incubus - Trust Fall

  In other Incubus news, they are of course touring; more importantly, Incubus are scheduled to come to Israel. They will play Ranaana Amphitheatre on June 9th.

NEW TRACKS FROM RECENT AND UPCOMING RELEASES

  I came across a few tracks and videos from recent and upcoming releases by some great bands.

Millencolin - Sense & Sensibility

  Sense & Sensibility, not to be confused with the Jane Austin novel and period drama of the same name, is the first track to be released off of Swedish punk band Millencolin's upcoming album True Brew. Back in my mid teens, I was aware of Millencolin because of the music videos for songs like Fox and Kemp. I don't think I ever properly liked them back then; same thing could be said about a number of skate-punk bands. It took me until recent years to check out albums such as Pennybridge Pioneers, which I remember the release of, and For Monkeys to really get the band. This new track stays true to the Millencolin sound, including the unmistakable voice of frontman Nikola Sarcevic and the bouncy rhythm. The song tackles the subject of racism and I guess the irony behind having just as much hate for racists as the racists do against the minorities. The "You're just a racist clown to me" line of the chorus is catchy and poignant enough to get stuck in your head. The video is cool and simple, being shot in the back of a van..or at least made to look as such. For those who like videos of the band just rocking out, this will not disappoint.
If this track is anything to go by, True Brew has the potential to be another great Millencolin record for the adoring fans. Due for release April 28th.

Dead Sara - Mona Lisa

   I'm not entirely sure how it happened, but I only realised yesterday that I no longer liked Dead Sara on Facebook and had therefore completely missed the release of this single and video for Mona Lisa from upcoming second album Pleasure To Meet You. I fell in love with Dead Sara upon the discovery of the song and video for Weatherman. It's a bit of a task to label Dead Sara. They are a rock band but not simply a rock band. Their self titled debut is an array of groovy riffs, frontwoman Emily Armstrong's powerful vocals, heavy drumming and cool harmonies, managing to showcase both heavy headbanging tunes and beautiful ballads. I am hoping for the same, maybe even a tad more, from the followup. Mona Lisa, certainly seems to show off the band's more (dare I say it) "hipster" side, especially in the video. The song itself is certainly not a disappointment; it still has that familiar heavy Dead Sara sound which builds up to an "explosion" which you know must be getting everyone at their shows going nuts. I know I would be. They once again manage to come up with a catchy refrain in "I know what you want but it's not gonna be what you like". This is definitely a great easer for the album and I'm hoping to be "on it like a car bonnet" when Pleasure To Meet You drops late March.

Shredhead - Walk With The Dead 

   Shredhead are an Israeli metal band who are slowly but surely making a name for themselves abroad, having even relocated to Berlin during the recording of latest album Death is Righteous released back in January. The album was mixed and mastered by Tue Madsen (Suicide Silence, The Haunted, Sick Ot It All etc.). I haven't yet heard the album but if Walk With The Dead is anything to go by, it must be pretty damn cool. I have to admit, though, it's not really my thing. The video, however, is an absolute must-see. The South Park-esque animations show the band in different situations and encountering an absolute smorgasbord of celebrities and TV/Movie characters, including some Israeli local celebrities that I recognise who have helped the band throughout the career with both promotion, videos and shows. The video is worth seeing with friends so you can play a game where you need to write down everyone you see. The one with the most names wins!

 Bloodshot Eyes - Happy Ever After (Summer's Gone)

  I don't know that much about Bloodshot Eyes except that they are a melodic punk (I guess..) band from Hod Hasharon, Israel. If you like melodic pop punk, then check out their recent single Happy Ever After (Summer's Gone). Personally, for me, I think it may take time for me to really like it. There's something there...I just need to keep going back and looking for it. It's certainly not 2 dimensional, with dynamic changes which should appease a variety of punk/hardcore music lovers. It is, however, the vocals that I am finding slightly off putting but you can't do much about an accent. 

Raiden - The Devil's Handprint

  Finally, previewed this passed weekend, I bring you the heaviest track on this post. Raiden from Essex (which is basically very far east London, for those who don't know) are a band who I never thought would emerge with anything new. I knew they were doing the odd show here and there once or twice a year but they have actually brought out a new track. Raiden are one of those bands I was aware of in my teens when I was knocking about the HC scene in London. I believe they had a track on a compilation which at first I thought was too metal for me, but after a while appreciated it. I still never properly followed the band; I'm not even too sure I've ever seen them. They were/still are part of the EBD (Essex BeatDown) scene which is basically the insane younger brother to the LBU (London Black Up) scene. 
  New track, The Devil's Handprint, starts off with some beautiful yet also menacing classical guitar playing. Seeing as I was already familiar with the band, I knew this wouldn't last for long. As expected, after about a minute, the blastbeats, shredding and blood curdling screams kick in and we are treated to some proper metal. Also as standard, we get a beatdown near the end. It's short, which I normally prefer but I actually wish there was more. Hopefully this means there's a new record on the way and more tracks for me to check out.
  If you like death metal, black metal and/or beatdown hardcore, check out Raiden. 

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

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

Promo and Interview: Yawning Dog

   For my first promo and interview article, I have the honour to bring to you YAWNING DOG!! The band have had the privilege of being named 2014 Breakthrough Artist of the Year by Musically Fresh, a well-known music site that this dummy has only just found out about!! 

  Yawning Dog hail from Hemsworth in West Yorkshire, UK and like loading peoples' ears with crazy, distorted grunge. I sent a few questions to guitarist and vocalist Sam and lead guitarist Ryan and they were willing to cooperate.

...Sort of....

1. How and when did the band form?
   
   Ryan: We all met in a room 1 day before our 1st gig and played some music, and we saw that it was good.
2. What kind of material were you playing around with at the beginning?
   
   
   Sam: Cloth.
3. Where was your first show?
   
   
   R: First Show..
   S: Snooty Fox in Wakefield, with Penguin
   R: We were rubbish.
   S: Penguin we(re) awesome.
4. What and when was your first release or upload?
   
   
   R: We have nothing to say on this matter.
   
   :/
5. Who is the main writer of the band?
   
   
   R: We complete each other..
   S:  We're like 4 nuts in a ball sack
   R: Any idea that anybody has is channeled through the inner spirit of the dog and comes out mangled and with more fuzz and shouting.
6. What is the Hemsworth/West Yorkshire scene like?
   
   
   S: We're half of the bands in Hemsworth, and the other is better.
   R: Yeah, Jam Abraham are an awesome band
   S: Hemsworth is a very small town though
   R: The West Yorkshire scene in general is great though.
   S: Check out Allusondrugs, Forever Cult, Treason Kings, NARCS, Valours.
7. What are your dreams for the band?
   
   
   S: I want to win X Factor
   R: I once dreamt we'd play and people would turn up, and then the next week they did… Spooky
8. What's the weirdest thing to happen to you or that you witnessed at one of your shows or on tour?
   
   
   R: Playing in a prison
   S: Thats how we met
   R: I was in for insider trading
   S: I was a Cheese thief
9. What is everyone's aftershow snack of choice?
   
   
   R: We're all too full from the big fat grungeyness
10. What's your poison?
    
    
    S: Arsenic
    
    (They probably would have said that even if I just asked "Favourite drink?")
11. Best venue you played at?
    
    
    R: Probably Parish in Huddersfield, for our single launch
    S: 360 in Leeds is great as well, we want to play there again at some point.
12. Worst venue you played at?
    
    
    R: 'Castonbury'; it was a fundraiser for a rugby club in Castleford and we were really out of place.
13. What was your favourite kids' show growing up?
    
    
    S: Teen Titans
    R: Thomas the Tank Engine
14. What's your favourite show now?
    
    
    R: Collectively we all enjoy Trailer Park Boys
    S: Breaking Bad and Simpsons
15. Pearl Jam or Soundgarden?
    
    
    S: Smashing Pumpkins
    R: Sonic Youth
16. Rancid or NOFX?
    
    
    S: The Clash
    R: Minor Threat
    
    ("Neither" would have sufficed, too, you know?)
17. What's your favourite recent chart/pop song?
    
    
    S: They're all too good
    R: We're all massive fans of Nicki Minaj and you can hear that in the music.
18. What was your favourite release of 2014?

           S: Allusondrugs EP

           R: Led Zeppelin Re-issues

For any of you dotted around the UK, these are Yawning Dog's upcoming dates, including a tour with Bi:Lingual.

17th Jan - Santiagos Bar, Leeds
29th Jan - Mulberry's Tavern, Sheffield*
30th Jan - Players Bar, Wakefield*
31st Jan - Carpe Diem, Leeds*
1st Feb - Parish, Huddersfield*
19th Feb - South Sea, Sheffield
26th Feb - Spread Eagle, York
*Bi:Lingual Tour support

Here are all the links where you can check out the bands work and follow them on their merry journey through life..:

Don't Be Shy, Vlad

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGKXSMq71Rc

I've Only Got One Ghost

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgCrMpGJO1c

https://www.facebook.com/yawningdogtheband

https://soundcloud.com/yawningdog

https://twitter.com/Yawning_Dog