Live Review: Punk Rockers United @ Jan Jack, Tel Aviv [19th January 2019]

It's been a while since I've done a live review and I am a bit behind with some that I have planned to do. To get things started again, here's a review of Punk Rockers Unite, a ska/punk/Oi show I went to recently at Jan Jack, a rehearsal rooms and studio in Tel Aviv that has also been putting on shows for quite a while now.

Hystericus

Starting off the night is ska punk trio, Hystericus. The band is essentially a continuation of guitarist/lead singer Doh-Doh's previous band Ska-Be-Us but with new members Liri (drums) and Matan (bass). Despite singing in Hebrew, both the old Ska-Be-Us songs and the soon to be released newer ones have a vibrant and internationally appealing sound to them. Sometimes Israeli accents can be off-putting (personally) whether in English or in Hebrew but Doh-Doh's vocals are always fun to listen to.

With songs deeply rooted in the Israeli skating culture such as Hummus Skateboard and Geveret, Ze Lo Tayelet (Madame, This Isn't a Promenade(?)) as well as more personal songs like Ani Ohev Lehagid 'Ani Ohev Otach' (I Love To Say 'I Love You'), the music is very uplifting and well executed. Although the turnout for tonight's show is a bit low, there's still people skanking about and even some regulars (like myself) singing along to songs they recognise. Definitely a fun start to the evening and a band to keep an eye on. 

Can this new album come out already?!

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Free Sergio

They've been on a bit of a break, but melodic punk 4 piece Free Sergio are back in town (they've actually all now moved here from "somewhere up North") with a bunch of new songs from their upcoming album Arrows.

As much as the new songs stick to the band's staple No Use For A Name/Flatliners inspired sound and the playing in general is tight and pretty faultless, nothing really stands out for me in this set. And I'm not the most familiar with No Use For A Name so even the song they cover doesn't do much for me.

I'm personally a bit disappointed that they didn't play anything off of their Take Control EP, especially the infectious So Far Yet So Close and Block The Entrances (it's heavy breakdown near the end was always a favourite of mine at their shows). However, they're still a technically talented bunch who have been  and I'm looking forward to giving Arrows a proper listen when it drops.

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Shortfuze

Finishing off the night is Shortfuze, basically the only Oi band in Israel (besides the cover band Oi Lo and a handful of others that contain some influences). I have already written about the band before and my opinion has only slightly changed.

As much as I love Oi, it can get a bit samey if you reuse common topics and phrases. Unfortunately, there's just too many similarities to other bands and even particular songs to be able to rate Shortfuze on their own merits. I thought they were maybe attempting a cover of The Business' Suburban Rebels but it turns out that their chorus for The Power of Oi just happens to be quite similar to that of the aforementioned classic. This could very well be an artistically intentional throwback, in which case I admire the creativity, but...you can never really know.

Although not groundbreaking, the music is nevertheless fun, good old fashioned oi. I still think Oved Shaot (Working For Hours) is a great song and guitarist Ran's solos really brighten up each song. I'm interested in hearing a full body of work, however I do still feel a little uncomfortable with Israelis using British phrases (e.g. "Come on, you wankers") and talking about being "working class". It's not that I find it "offensive", but it does just feel a tad inauthentic. If they can focus on writing more songs based on personal experience (whether in Hebrew or English) then they could be on to a winner.

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Review: Krang - Singalong [January 2018]

Skate punk might not be as big as it was in the 90s but fast paced, melodic and slightly tongue-in-cheek punk rock isn't dead. One example is the hugely fun Krang from Czech Republic, named after the pink brain-like alien from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. While the artwork to Singalong does include said baddie, this new album has a more general 80s/90s' pop culture theme compared to it's predecessor Baddest Brain, with titles like IDDQD (a cheat code for the original DOOM game), Kick Ass or Chew Bubblegum (They Live quote) and I Ain't Got No Time To Bleed (Predator quote).

Like before, the tracks on here are pretty short, fast and bouncy with vibes akin to Satanic Surfers, Millencolin and even Sum 41's more melodic side only with slightly more..er..European sounding vocals. Although I've heard stronger accents on records before, you can't help but notice it, especially when mixed with the odd grammatical error. This isn't an entirely bad thing, though - at least they're not pretending and it makes them distinguishable. 

Besides the movie quotes and retro references, the odd song tackles slightly more relatable subjects. King of a Dancefloor, for instance, is an anthem against violent dancing at punk and hardcore shows. Personally, I don't think hardcore dancing is something to be complaining about so strongly but it's clearly an important enough problem for the band...and I respect them wanting to get that message across. Ironically, the song is pretty kick-ass and might make you want to break things!

Other songs of importance include the short and anthemic No Fun In Fundamentatlism (where the Sum 41 vibes are most prominent), the fun and catchy Indian Jones Hates Nazis and Snakes and the band's impressive twist on The Beatles' classic Help! which still keeps the song's original essence while also being faster, harder and generally...more punk! 

I had the privilege to see Krang live in Tel Aviv last year. I meant to write about it but..yeh..never got around to it.. Anyway, as fun as they are on record, they are definitely a band to be experienced live for all their energy and on stage antics. Singalong in particular is just missing a little bit of that magic but is still an album worth checking out, especially if you're not into most modern day "pop punk".

3.5/5

Live Review: Toy Dolls + Aviv Mark ve HaNetzach @ Reading 3, Tel Aviv [9th December 2016]

Once in a while, a legendary act will come to Tel Aviv. Normally it's a 60s/70s rock band or a singer/song writer but on the odd occasion like today, we get to witness one of the oldest British punk bands. The Toy Dolls might not be all that relevant in the scheme of punk rock nowadays but a lot of the bands that are would tell you that they were a big influence. Therefore, there are a lot of punk fans, both old school and new school, attending tonight's show at Reading 3, a pretty swanky looking venue in the north of Tel Aviv by the sea.

Aviv Mark ve HaNetzach

   Opening up tonight's event is local band Aviv Mark ve HaNetzach (which I think stands for "Aviv Mark and The Eternity"). Previously known as Aviv mark ve HaMavet ("Aviv Mark and The Death"?), it's a pretty typically mature-aged Israeli "alternative" group. With two drummers, they come off a bit like Melvins but just not as heavy or as interesting. There's the odd good riff and sometimes the two drum kits are put to good use by playing different patterns at the same times but it does also get a little messy. With my attention to Hebrew lyrics never really at its best in a live setting, I can't really say much about lyrical content but the vibe is mostly dark. It's more 80s new-wave meets 90s grunge and just similar to quite a few bands I've seen/heard out here before. It is still fun to watch, especially the energy of both drummers and the bassist, but out of all the acts in Israel who could support tonight's main act, this choice doesn't really make sense.

2.5/5

The Toy Dolls

   To some, The Toy Dolls are a joke punk band only famous for their version of Nelly The Elephant. Tonight, there is many a fan who knows that they are more than that and the band prove it.

   Arriving on stage in their grey and red suit-like attire with tiny red ties and iconic sunglasses, Olga (guitar and lead vocals), Tommy (bass) and Duncan (drums) are met with raucous applause and cheering. I personally clapped the loudest for Duncan (Redmonds), for I am a Snuff fan and admire him for being a great singing drummer.

   Being a band with a repertoire spanning 30+ years, it's hard to get every song and every hit into a set. Although the band doesn't supply the likes of  I Got Asthma, James Bond Lives Down Our Street or The Devil Went Down To Scunthorpe, they still do the fun Spiders In The Dressing Room, the rocking Idle Gossip and their superb and almost metallic rendition of Bach's Toccata in D Minor.

  Seeing and hearing The Toy Dolls in person is actually quite an interesting experience. Alongside silly songs like the catchy The Death Of Barry The Roofer With Vertigo and the infamous crowd-pleaser Nellie The Elephant, the latter of which unsurprisingly getting the greatest reception, they also play comparatively more sentimental songs such as Alec's Gone and She'll Be Back With Keith Someday. Using more melody and having deeper lyrical meaning than some of the others, these are personal highlights for me as I found myself singing along.

   As the band play through their set, that is practically all they do. There doesn't seem any need for too much banter, jokes or self indulgence, they basically play one song, say "thank you" and then crack on to the next one. Normally I would criticise a band for not being engaging enough but I can't accuse The Toy Dolls of that. Olga and Tommy are always looking at the crowd and encouraging them to sing along. The two also have good chemistry on stage, often jumping about and swapping places, doing Status Quo style synchronised guitar swaying and just seeming to be full of life. This rubs off on the crowd as even people standing at the back and the sides start to dance. Although the crowd aren't as rowdy as what I've seen before, the few that do find themselves on stage get quite heavily escorted off by security. Sometimes this makes sense if a crowd member is getting in the way of a performance or interfering with the musicians. That didn't seem the case this time and came off as unnecessarily aggressive.  

We hear more covers nearer the end of the set, including the instrumentals Wipe Out (The Surfaris) and the timeless classic When The Saints Go Marching In, but it's the final encore where we get the bouncy "la-la la" sing-along of She Goes To Finos to round off a fun night.

  Everyone has a different interpretation of what punk is. The Toy Dolls might not be as tough and serious as Sham 69 nor as fast and aggressive as Discharge but they do what they do well, with charisma and from the heart.

4/5

All photos courtesy of Miguel St Labao

New video from Against Me!

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.)