SOME UNCOORDINATED BASTARDS (SUB): Drive Slow: CD

This band from Ferndale, Michigan got together back in 2012 when their previous band broke up. This is their debut full length album.

Loud, fast paced, punk, vocals are mostly yelling, it’s rough around the edges, not really smooth in the usual sense, but with the roughness and sort of choppiness to it, but overall it works. It’s for a rough, in your face crowd that’s looking to get worked up in a craze, then start rioting just for the fun of it. It would really work as late night music for a small, packed venue with people in leather jackets bouncing of the walls drinking, smoking, and whipping about, all in a really good time.

This is great for someone that’s really into the punk scene. It’s really good partying music for the late night crowd who follows this genre.

Review by: AMY EAST

https://www.facebook.com/SUBwalter?_rdr=p

https://subpunk.bandcamp.com/

DIRTCAKE: Self-titled: CD

This stoner rock band from Montreal, QC has put together a fun album that’s a lot of fun. Having started back in 2006, they have been busy playing and perfecting their sound.

Good clear lyrics that are playful all around. It’s not so much metal, it’s rock but it’s similar to classic rock, but with a modern feel and sound to it. The instruments don’t overpower the vocals, nor do the vocals overpower the instruments, it’s a nice balance between the two. It’s heavy and hardcore at times, it also has a bit slower rock mixed in and it’s real heavy, with screaming mixed in with the singing, and it works overall. They found a way to balance the heaviness of hardcore rock/metal with lighter rock mixed in.

A great mixed sounding album that I find myself listening to quite often and enjoying it over and over again.

Review by: AMY EAST

https://www.facebook.com/pages/DirtCake/192632164243341

https://dirtcakerock.bandcamp.com/

THE DANSE SOCIETY: Seduction / The Society Collection: CD

Seduction is the debut studio album by English gothic rock band The Danse Society. It was released in September 1982 on the band’s own record label, Society. The CD features the original Seduction LP cover along with the other sleeves from the Society Records period. Sleeve notes have been written by Danse Society keyboardist, Lyndon Scarfe and also included is a complete discography of the band.

Interesting vocals and overall sound, with clear and easy to understand lyrics. The album is a collection of songs from their 1982 album under the same name along with tracks from their highly acclaimed 12″ singles “Somewhere/ Hide and Woman’s Own.” Other tracks include their first single “Clock” with classics “These Frayed Eyes” and “The Seduction” also featured. The album has an interesting sound to it that has a sense of foreboding, and a powerful sense of individuality that I don’t believe another band could replicate. Synthesizers play a key role in the unique sound it has, the overall feel to this album is hard to describe due to the different layers and sounds to each track. It isn’t too highly fast paced, nor is it mellow, it lays somewhere in the middle.

A classic, hard to find album that includes the terrific “Danse/Move” and makes me want to dance. How could this be anything other than a treat?

Review by: AMY EAST

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http://www.thedansesociety.org.uk/

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DOBERMANN CULT: Lions Share Of The Dog Years: CD

Dobermann Cult has delivered hardcore punk from Stockholm, Sweden since 2006. In 2007 they released their first CD called When The Shit Hits The Fans on French label Mass Prod.

The album really hits you right in the face with its hard, heavy, fast paced music that has screaming with singing mixed in. Lyrics aren’t really clear, but you get the gist of what is being sung. It’s got a great thrashy, head banging type of feel to it. To the right kind of crowd I can see this to be a rather big hit. It has terrific high energy, it’s powerful, and the energy it portrays hasn’t wavered since the album started.

A mighty fine NYHC styled album that stands out from the crowd and is a definite treat to listen to.

Review by: AMY EAST

https://www.facebook.com/dobermanncult?fref=nf

https://gaphals.bandcamp.com/album/dobermann-cult-lions-share-of-the-dog-years

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WHISKY PIG: We Don’t Want This Night To End: CD

This band of miscreants from Madison, WI. have whipped up a few songs to get under your skin and into your ears.

Rough vocals with a loud, fast pace, nice breakdowns set to loud, heavy metal/punk influenced robust music. The lyrics are overtly sexual and it’s all about guys drinking, partying songs that are all about sex, partying and drinking. Every song grabs you and doesn’t let you go, cramming your ears full of the abuse that they have created. The songs are stabs of debauchery that come at you in bursts of pure energy.

In my mind, a very fun album that requires multiple listens.

Review by: AMY EAST

https://www.facebook.com/WhiskyPig?fref=nf

KYRBGRINDER: Chronicles Of A Dark Machine: CD

Kyrbgrinder is a hard rocking trio from London, UK with a unique style of metal. At the nucleus is front-man Johanne James (also drummer for Threshold) and supported by Aaron Waddingham (guitars), and Dave Lugay (bass). The members of Kyrbgrinder teamed up with Threshold’s Karl Groom at Thin Ice Studios to record this, their third album entitled Chronicles of a Dark Machine.

This album has fast and furious tempos, high energy, not too heavy or too light, clear and easy to understand lyrics, in your face music, really good vocals, and nice emphasis on the guitar. Overall it’s a really nice fit, with everything just seeming to be seamless. They really couldn’t improve on this. Not too dark, which makes this a good album to energize a crowd and put them into a frenzy. Throughout the album the energy, power, and overall feel don’t diminish, it stays the same which is hard to do but they have pulled it off.

The energy is continuously high and it’s fun throughout, making this a great album to throw on and listen to.

https://www.facebook.com/Kyrbgrinder

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DEL-TOROS: Surfvival Of The Rockest: CD

Del-toros are a three piece surf/punk/stoner band from the town of Alkmaar (West Holland). These guys have been slowly, but steadily releasing great music and playing around Western Europe and Scandinavia since they formed a few years ago.

Really nice guitar solo right at the beginning. Nice tempo, smooth, high energy, and fast paced. Lyrics are nice and clear to understand. The guitar plays a big role in this album, it’s the back bone that gives the music its rough around the edges feel, and it shouldn’t be taken lightly. It’s heavy, fearless, not so much in your face but you can’t help but to notice it and pay attention.  The vocals are really good and nicely done. Have the real sense of true and real hard rock. Easy to dance to, the energy doesn’t slow down; it’s consistent throughout the album. Its multidimensional, nothing is flat on this album, and nothing boring.

Over all its fun, a really nice mix of good music, fun lyrics, high energy, nice tempo, and good vocals makes for a well balanced album and a really good time.

Review by: AMY EAST

https://www.facebook.com/pages/del-Toros/296387355448

https://del-toros.bandcamp.com/album/surfival-of-the-rockest

http://www.del-toros.com/

https://www.facebook.com/LighttownFidelity

http://lighttownfidelity.bandcamp.com/

JOHN WETTON AND THE LES PAUL TRIO: New York Minute Live at the Iridium, New York 2013: CD

John Wetton, the vocalist from ASIA, UK, and King Crimson, is playing a selection of the songs that inspired him, many of which are not available on any other release. This new live album also includes unique renditions of his solo hit “Battle Lines” and the ASIA mega hit, “Heat Of The Moment.”

On this live album, you get vocals that are a little bit rough sounding, however it’s nice not to hear smooth vocals too often. It’s a lively fun packed live concert that is different from the other album in terms of energy and the sound of it, but it’s similar to the feel. It’s not a new take on ’80s music, it’s modern, kind of more mellow and slightly darker. It’s a nice change from the more party love songs. I don’t want to use the word depressed its more serious sounding, just dark, but in a good way. It’s similar to light rock from the 1970s sort of. It’s kind of sad music in a way but its rather nice.

With great playing and fun versions of the songs, this made for a great listen and is something that I will be playing quite often. A very good album that is recommended to his fans.

Review by: Amy East

http://www.johnwetton.com/

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http://www.cherryred.co.uk/

JOHN WETTON: THE STUDIO RECORDINGS ANTHOLOGY: 2 CD

John Wetton, best known for his work with Asia, UK and King Crimson has released a new double CD compilation of his solo work. You get thirty-two tracks of his best songs from the beginning to his more recent songs.

Very nice, smooth and classical instrumental feel to it in the very beginning, the progress to light rock which was very nicely done. The vocals are smooth, but with a nice roughness too. The first two tracks, “The Circle Of St. Giles” and ” “The Last Thing On My Mind” are really nice slow songs, with track three, “Hold Me Now” being a little more peppy but still similar to the other two. “Where Do We Go From Here?” is a lot more peppy, more energized, not a slow song, it’s a fun dancey song. All of the songs seamlessly transition from one to the other with the energy picking up from slow and mellow, to high paced fun. “Where Do We Go From Here?” has lyrics that are fun, more love song than anything, but it’s fun and not at all sappy. “Another Twist Of The Knife” started out mellow with piano playing, then the vocals came in right on time, with it being not so much a love song, but more like a sad song due to a break up, none the less it’s full of emotion, and it makes you feel the lyrics. Disc two is very similar to disc one in terms of music, lyrics and vocals, however the tempo is faster and the energy is a bit more than the other one. It does go between fast paced, high energy, and powerful and is a lot more varied than the other disc. If disc one was more of a love song this one is more of getting over the breakup and starting to heal from it and live again. The emotions are there for all to feel and relate to.

The double album is a great retrospective of his career and showcases the talent that he has. There are songs on here that will make you dance, laugh and cry…a great mixture.

Review done by: Amy East

http://www.johnwetton.com/

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