RIDGEMONT: Colder Days: 12″

RIDGEMONT are a four-piece punk band from Allston, Massachusetts, and they released their fourteen song debut full-length, Colder Days. The band plays catchy, pop punk with gruff vocals and lots of energy.

With fast-paced songs, thick bass, great guitar leads, pounding drums and those gruff vocals, the band hits the mark every time. Songs that are short and to the point, no time for filler, and enough hooks to catch a thousand fish, this is one tight album. As you listen to the album, the songs just keep getting better and get stuck in your head. There isn’t one song or group of songs that stand out…the whole album stands out from the crowded playing field of mediocre bands playing this style of music. The album also comes with a great booklet that has a ton of stuff to read in it as well as the lyrics.

You need this album…really, you do. It’s a pleasure to get something like this and restore my faith in the old punk rock. Do yourself a favor and get this, and get a copy for a friend so that they can have good music with them when you’re hanging out with them.

https://www.facebook.com/RidgemontMA  http://ridgemont.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/mindlessrecords  http://mindlessrecords.bandcamp.com/album/colder-days

https://www.facebook.com/MissionSocialClub  http://missionsocialclub.com/

https://www.facebook.com/kissofdeathrecords  http://kissofdeathrecords.bandcamp.com/

http://www.kissofdeathrecords.com/

RIDGEMONT / TWO HAND FOOLS: Split: 7″

Two bands coming together on a split EP with two songs each. RIDGEMONT from Allston, MA and TWO HAND FOOLS from Cleveland, Ohio.

Up first is RIDGEMONT with their two songs of poppy punk that is hard-hitting and catchy as all get out. Lots of thick bass, gruff vocals and energetic…great stuff! TWO HAND FOOLS give us two songs of post hardcore that have a lot of melody and fantastic guitar playing and although quite a different beast from their partner on this EP, stand on their own quite well.

A great split with two bands that aren’t similar, but that’s the cool thing, getting a different sound and checking out different bands. Very cool!

https://www.facebook.com/twohandfools  http://twohandfools.tumblr.com/

http://twohandfools.bandcamp.com/  https://www.facebook.com/RidgemontMA

http://ridgemont.bandcamp.com/  https://www.facebook.com/mindlessrecords

http://mindlessrecords.bandcamp.com/album/ridgemont-two-hand-fools-split

THE CREDENTIALS ​/ ​STEELHORSE: Split: 7″

A two band, four song split EP between Boston, MA’s THE CREDENTIALS and Seattle, WA’s STEELHORSE. Each side features two unreleased tracks by each band and is the  final release from THE CREDENTIALS and the sophomore release from STEELHORSE.

The two songs from THE CREDENTIALS are peppy punk songs with slightly gruff vocals and are catchy as hell, well produced and shining examples of this now gone bands talent. STEELHORSE’s two songs are not as well produced, but still really good. Snotty vocals and a nice straight forward punk rock sound that I love.

Two great bands, four great songs that make me happy when I listen to them and they play with energy and conviction. It’s a shame that one band leaves the scene, but another one thankfully comes in to keep the punk rock light going.

http://thecredentials.wordpress.com/  http://thecredentials.bandcamp.com/album/consolation-prizes-ep

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Steelhorse/154248117950485

http://steelhorseisdead.bandcamp.com/  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rad-Girlfriend-Records/200258046719162

http://radgirlfriendrecords.bigcartel.com/  http://radgirlfriendrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-credentials-steelhorse-split

https://www.facebook.com/mindlessrecords  http://mindlessrecords.bandcamp.com/

THE CONNECTION / THE CRY: Split: 7″

This two band, four song split single is going to be just what you’re looking for if you like power pop done right, not too sweet, and just raw enough to keep the rock edgy. These two band really are perfectly suited on this release and will get you dancing around like a lunatic.

From Portsmouth, NH comes THE CONNECTION with their two songs and they totally rock out and have that hint of sweetness, especially on “She’s Gonna Leave You” with the silky vocals and the subdued playing. “Don’t Let Me Sleep Too Long” is a fantastic fast song that will have you jumping around while listening to it. Next up is THE CRY from Portland, OR and “Discotheque” is their first song and what a dose of fun it is. Great harmonies and the guitar playing is really tight. “T.C.P.” is a cover of THE BOYS and it’s not a straight cover, it’s more poppy, but still retains the high energy of the original and is very good.

Two bands playing power pop, both doing things just a bit different, one more ’60s influenced and one more ’70s, but both killing it. A great split and a great way to hear two masters of the genre.

https://www.facebook.com/theconnectionRnR  http://theconnectionmusic.wordpress.com/

http://the-connection.bandcamp.com/  https://www.facebook.com/thecrypdx

http://www.thecrypdx.com/thecryenter.cfm  http://thecry1.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/MoosterRecords  http://www.moosterrecords.com/

http://moosterrecords.bandcamp.com/

THE DEMERITS: Shake: 7″

From Berwyn, IL comes this three-piece rock-n-roll band where simple trashy guitar, driving bass & caveman drums form the basis of a glorious racket. Add in some B-52’S AND THE CRAMPS as well as some fuzzbox and you get the trashy garage rock that will infect your ears and the only cure is more music from them.

Two songs that get better the more you listen to them. “Shake It!” really will make you shake it with the pounding groove and the shouted lyrics will be easy to yell back at the band in concert. “In A Band” is a nice little banger of a tune telling us the way it is being in a band, but also pointing out that they love it.

This is one great little single that begs me to ask for more from them…I need more songs!!! A short and to the point pair of songs that will be played a lot around here.

https://www.facebook.com/thedemerits  http://www.thedemerits.com/

http://www.moosterrecords.com/  https://www.facebook.com/MoosterRecords

 

COLD FEELINGS: American Industry: 12″

Sacramento, California’s COLD FEELINGS have released their seven song debut album on Oi! The Boat Records. The band consists of members of long running Northern California punk bands MONSTER SQUAD, WHISKEY REBELS and BUILD US AIRPLANES.

“American Industry” puts the album into high gear with a very melodic punk song that is catchy and could be a big song for them if radio played good music for a change. “With You” has great gang vocals, an incessant beat that gets you rocking out and keeps the melodic standard set by the first song going. “Older Now” has great guitar playing and the vocals are a little raspy and made this a little edgier. “In Between” is a nice fast-paced song with a ton of energy and power and the background vocals really add a lot to the song. “Pain & Ecstasy” is a bit more mid-paced and still manages to keep the great enthusiasm going. “Ordinary” slows it down a bit more, but the rock power that they bring to the song as well as the background vocals remind me a bit of SOCIAL DISTORTION, which is never a bad thing. “Germantown” ends the album on a high note with great lead and background vocals as well as some of the best playing on the album.

A great album with tight playing and a real love for what they’re doing shines through on this release. It’s not Oi! or streetpunk, but the melodic punk rock really made for a fantastic listen and now I’ve found another band to love.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cold-Feelings/130100027073047?fref=ts

https://www.facebook.com/oitheboat  http://www.oitheboat.com/

VOI!CE OF AMERICA: Volume One: 7″

Voi!ce of America is a new series of 7″ compilations from Oi! the Boat Records highlighting Oi! bands from different parts of the country. Volume 1 tackles the southwest of the U.S.A. and features THE WARLORDS, BRICKTOP, THE TOUGHSKINS, and ALL CITY BOOTBOYS. Each band gets one song to give us all that they have and win us over.

First up is THE WARLORDS with “Aggro”, a hard-hitting bruiser of a song with great, gruff vocals and a chorus that will get you singing along and hyped up. BRICKTOP gives us “Walk Away”, a song with gang vocals aplenty, great guitar playing and a fast pace that continues and even ups the energy level from the first song. THE TOUGHSKINS rip through their song, “Numb” with urgency and a nice fuzzy guitar sound. ALL CITY BOOTBOYS are last on the bill and their song, “Sleeping Where We Fall” starts off with terrific bass guitar, a bit of guitar, then the drums kick in and off we go! A great song with energy and nice gruff vocals and gang vocals that made this a perfect end to a great EP.

Four songs that are all meat, no fat or gristle here at all, tasty and still leaves you wanting more. This is a great way to hear some bands that may be new to you and then go out and get more from them. A great sampler from a label that never fails to release winners.

https://www.facebook.com/oitheboat  http://www.oitheboat.com/news

VICTORY: Laced Up: 7″

This is the debut four song release from VICTORY, a street punk band from St Paul, Minneapolis. The band is composed of ex-members of THE SUBVERSIVES, EIGHTYSIXED, THE VIRGIN WHORES and PIST & BROKE.

This was so well promoted that it completely sold out one hour and 45 minutes after the preorder started and had a second pressing done…pretty damn sweet! “Laced Up” is about skinhead pride and you can hear the sincerity in the singer’s voice while the band rips things up behind him. “American Nightmare” is a song that wants to put the boots to shitty state of affairs in America for the working stiffs and is a damn fine angry song. “Glory Days” has a fantastic chorus, the band is playing with conviction and has you remember your glory days. “Real Heroes” opens with the “I love the smell of napalm…” sound bite from Apocalypse Now and was written by WWII veteran Corporal Joseph Piché who passed away in 2011. It is a very strong and intense song about fallen heroes and what they gave for the world.

With only four songs, it really leaves you wanting more and going back to re-listen to it again. They really are showing everyone how good Oi! can be and how powerful it can be to get your message out.

https://www.facebook.com/oivictoryoi  https://www.facebook.com/oitheboat

http://www.oitheboat.com/

MARTHA DAVIS: Policy: CD

MARTHA DAVIS released her first solo album entitled Policy in November 1987 and some of the musicians who worked with her on the album included Clarence Clemons, Kenny G and Charlie Sexton. Five songs were released as singles from the album, but none of them were to become hits in America, but “Don’t Tell Me the Time” was a top 10 song in Australia.

“Tell It to the Moon” is a song that should have been a huge hit with the hooks, her powerful voice filling your ears, and the instant you hear it, you want to hear it again. “Just Like You” is another song that should have been a hit with the saxophone solo, the beautiful instrumentation and again her voice! “Heaven Outside My Door” is a very beautiful slow song that goes right into another slower song “Don’t Tell Me the Time” which is every bit the equal to previous songs from THE MOTELS. “Rebecca” keeps the slow songs going with a very brooding song that is actually quite beautiful. “What Money Might Buy” takes a look at the young kids who end up as prostitutes on the streets. “Don’t Ask Out Loud” is a slow song with the beautiful combination of Davis’ voice and the saxophone interweaving and making it a standout track. “The Hardest Part of a Broken Heart”, “Lust” and “Bridge of Sighs” keep the slow songs going and the latter really has the power to draw you in with the sax and Davis’ heartfelt vocals crying out to you. The upbeat “My Promise” is still slow, but has a more positive outlook and is the most purely romantic song on the album.

I can’t understand why fans of THE MOTELS didn’t pick this up in droves, the only thing that I can think of is the lack of faster songs on the album because the quality is still here. If you are a fan of her previous work, you need to get this album and see where she ended up and hear the beauty on this album.

https://www.facebook.com/MarthaDavisMotels  http://themotels.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Culture-Factory-USA/161614307253980?sk=wall

http://www.culturefactoryusa.com/

THE MOTELS: Shock: CD

This is the fifth and final studio album from THE MOTELS until they released the album Clean Modern and Reasonable which was issued in September 2007. They were working on another album to be released after this, but Martha Davis decided to go solo and the band broke up nearly two years later.

The album does have more flourishes of the ’80s, but it still holds onto the great songwriting, the seductive vocals of Davis and the sinewy saxophone that peppers their music. Singles released from this album include the U.S. top 40 “Shame,” the Top 100 title track “Shock,” as well as an Australia only release “Icy Red” that did not chart.

The singles “Shame” and “Shock” start this album off on a fantastic high. Both songs being full of life and sublime beauty that still resonates after all these years. “Hungry” is a nice slower song with great saxophone and Davis’ beautiful vocals making you get shivers. “Annie Told Me” has a nice slow beat and is full of lush keyboards and plaintive vocals, plus a great sax solo. “Icy Red” continues the slower set of songs, but is so full of emotion and bleakness that its cold sound and would fit in perfectly with a walk in the woods on a snowy day. “New York Times” brings the pace up a bit more and sounds like it could have been a single in its own right. “State of the Heart”, and “Cries and Whispers” keep things upbeat and are full of hooks, while “My Love Stops Here”, and “Night by Night” are slower and especially the latter sound like classic slow songs from the band.

Yes it has a definite ’80s sound to the production and the effects in the songs, but the good thing is that the songs are still of a high standard that it still works. The band was consistent, putting out great music time and time again and never received the recognition that they deserved, get this album and all of the other remastered albums and enjoy music that is timeless.

https://www.facebook.com/MarthaDavisMotels  http://themotels.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Culture-Factory-USA/161614307253980?sk=wall

http://www.culturefactoryusa.com/