HOT RODDIN’ ROMEOS: Russian Roulette: CD

Launched in 2007, HOT RODDIN’ ROMEOS they released their first EP The Crown and now they have their newest CD, Russian Roulette out on Splatterhouse Wreckords.

This thirteen song CD starts off with “Wishin’ You Were Gone” a 1950s style rock’n’roll burner of a song with a ton of energy and excitement galore on the guitar playing, with strong drumming, pounding bass guitar and powerful lyrics that end off the song with swearing and arguing and a child asking where’s his mom. “Russian Roulette” kicks off with the sound of hand cuffs closing and a strong rockabilly beat with some great lyrics, guitar playing and this song will certainly stick in your head after you’ve put the CD away. The band really gets down and lays the rock’n’roll sound down, but it isn’t slavishly done because even though they use that as their major style, you can hear some harder edges to their sound. Other songs on here that stood out were “”My Baby Left Me “Cause I Didn’t Have No Hot Rod””, which had some blues mixed in, “Diamond Ring” with its country influence, “Trailer Trash Whore” which I loved, “Romeo Is Always King”, and “Six Inch Heels And Dynamite”. There is a bonus song at the end which was a cool acoustic number that had a country / rock’n’roll feel to it. There is just a ton of great songs on this CD that it was hard to pick out just a few to highlight.

This had a great assortment of styles that made for a great listen, and the band is incredibly talented. This is on album that will be in the car when my wife and I go out for a drive.

https://www.facebook.com/hotroddinromeos  http://thehotroddinromeos.com/  https://www.facebook.com/SplatterhouseWreckords  http://splatterhousewreckords.com/  http://splatterhousewreckords.bandcamp.com/

ANGIE AND THE CAR WRECKS / HARD MONEY SAINTS: Live Death Match: CD

HARD MONEY SAINTS and ANGIE AND THE CAR WRECKS go to battle on this CD with only one true winner, the listener on this eleven track live album.

The CD starts off with five songs from HARD MONEY SAINTS who play some fast paced rockabilly and get things off with a literal bang with “Big Bang”, a super catchy song that these three guys play with energy. These guys play rockabilly with a punk feel and energy, but still retaining the classic rockabilly sound that will get you up and dancing. “The Slip” is a great song with super fast guitar playing that is just outstanding, and “Come Back Baby / Rounder” is a great classic sounding blend of two songs that bring to mind Sun era rockabilly. “Suicide Shift” is one of those songs that will get you up and dancing, the kind of song that the STRAY CATS would have killed for before they broke up, and “Ol’ Grey Dog” has some of the tightest drumming on the CD, the guitar playing is going to grab you as soon as you hear it with its finesse, and the bass is bouncy and full. The vocals are not yo country music twangy, they are strong and give you the feel of classic rockabilly. ANGIE AND THE CAR WRECKS start off their part of the CD with “31 Coupe” and the guitar playing is energetic, the vocals are mixed with some screams and the song almost is played like they are daring you to come at them with it dirty playing by the band. “Hell Riders” starts off slow and then kicks into high gear with some punky guitar playing, strong vocals and forceful drumming, “Moonshine” has a great sound, almost punk, but with early rock’n’roll mixed together, “Your Day Will Come” has some nice dual male and female vocals with the gruff male vocals taking front and center with the tough sounding female vocals blending nicely. The band is playing super tight on the CD with energy to spare that would get you up in front of the stage as soon as they started playing. “Draggin’ Down” has a great part in it where Angie breaks down and starts laughing in the middle of the song, it makes her personality shine on this album, and “Billy Ghoul” is about a serial killer and is just as creepy as on their studio album.

Both bands play their hearts out and you can’t go wrong if you are a fan of rockabilly, this will get you dancing and will get played a lot. If either band comes to town, slick back your hair, put on your poodle skirt, and get your ass out to see them.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hard-Money-Saints/226196980434  https://www.facebook.com/angiecarwrecks  http://www.angieandthecarwrecks.com/  https://www.facebook.com/SplatterhouseWreckords  http://splatterhousewreckords.com/  http://splatterhousewreckords.bandcamp.com/

SOK AND THE FAGGOTS: Shit Happens When You Party Naked: CD

Based out of Tacoma WA, SOK AND THE FAGGOTS take a little bit of punk, some metal, and a whole lot of rock and roll to create their brand of crazed fun. In the summer of ’06, the band got together and in 2007 they released their first recording titled Kickin Names And Takin Ass, and in 2011 SOK AND THE FAGGOTS released their first full length album titled Shit Happens When You Party Naked on Splatterhouse Wreckords.

“3 Drink” is the barn burner that starts off this collection of offensive, yet hilarious songs with some fuzzy guitar from Captain Shitbeard and The Felonious Drunk, pumping bass guitar from Big Papa Cunt who also does vocals, powerful drumming from The Sexual Tyrannosaurus and gruff vocals from Sok Scum. “Die When You Die” is a happy song about life…no it’s not, it’s an angry song that is great to sing along with, which describes the whole album really. The production is pretty clear, with some rough edges, but it feels right and the band plays like maniacs on this album, just staying on the right side of crazy, but only just. The songs are tight and played fiercely, some of the ones that were stuck in my head were “Murder”, “Brickfight!”, “Substance Abuse”, “Shitty Titties”, and “Buttfuck The Dead”. As you can see from the titles, this is an album that may not be for everyone, but damn…it made me laugh out loud and the band plays some great punk rock with almost death metal vocals at times.

This is going into the repeat play pile for sure, especially when my neighbors start playing the (c)rap music that seeps into my house from outside when its warm out. I loved the album, but if you get it, have an open mind and don’t be a PC cop or else you will hate it.

https://www.facebook.com/SplatterhouseWreckords  http://splatterhousewreckords.com/  http://splatterhousewreckords.bandcamp.com/

THE LOAD LEVELERS: America…Fuck Yeah!!: CD

This fifteen song album from Seattle, Washington’s Load Levelers is chock full of what they call “barncore” or what we called punkabilly in the 1980s. They were established in 1998 and have had endured many trials and tribulations, but thankfully with this lineup, have given us an album that kicks ass.

“Hudson Hornet” gets the ball rolling with a hard-hitting song that has more than a taste of that old punk rock mixed with rockabilly and great gang vocals and a nice little bass solo in this über catchy song. “Skinhead Girl” is almost a complete punk rock song that keeps the catchy factor at one hundred, the damn song just sticks with you like molasses on a warm day. “Miss Molly” brings the country to the front in their punk and country mix and will have your foot tapping right off of your foot, and “Shut Yer’ Yap” has some nice crunchy guitar, pounding drums, bouncing bass and countryish vocals mixed with great background vocals, female vocals and a great saxophone solo. Kurt Colfelt on guitar and vocals has the ability to go from country twang to punk swagger all in one song and plays the hell out of his guitar, John Wooten guitar and vocals is every bit Colfelt’s equal in the band with the same compliments for him, Tim Aynardi on electric bass keeps the beat nice and steady and throws in some slick sounds, Noa Mahoney on drums has the soft touch on the country tinged songs, but can pound away with vigor on the fast songs and Michelle Thurston’s backing vocals are a definite pleasure with her sweet voice that has a bite. Other songs that got the repeat from me were “Canada” maybe because I’m from there…lol, “Hogfucker”, “Methlab”, “Texas Love Kit” “Pinky Toe” and “No Guts…”.

This was a great album with a diverse bunch of songs that flowed well into one another. These guys would be a riot to see live and would have the crowd up and dancing, and of course drinking.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Load-Levelers/262768289879  https://www.facebook.com/SplatterhouseWreckords  http://splatterhousewreckords.com/  http://splatterhousewreckords.bandcamp.com/

ANGIE & THE CAR WRECKS: Half Grass: CD

Five piece psychobilly band that’s heavy on the ‘billy, their previous two albums, 2010’s Bender Bound EP, and 2011’s Boozed and Bloody, have been well-received and now we have their album, Half Grass.

ANGIE & THE CAR WRECKS have a great, fun and energetic sound on their album, you can almost feel their smiles as you listen to Half Grass’ eleven tight songs. “31 Coupe” gets the album off to a raging start with the band hitting all cylinders on this terrific song, that energy continues into “Draggin Down”, where the band is doing everything to get you up and dancing. “Dark Ride” is where the psycho part kicks in with its spooky sound and feel, and that carries us into “Billy Ghoul” where it’s not as spooky, but still a twisted little song all the same. Some of the songs that stood out for me were “Bottle & Friends”, and “Maniac” which reminded me of BOW WOW WOW a bit with the drumming, the guitar playing and the dual vocals, especially from Angie Ball who plays acoustic guitar and sounds like Annabella Lwin from BOW WOW WOW on a few tracks. “Duster Death Machine” had the sound and feel of being in a juke joint back in the 1950’s with its more traditional country sound, “Bender Bound”, and “Your Day Has Come” were other killer tracks and last song “Creeper” had a nice bluegrass sound.

A cool and varied album that took me all over the place with its diversions into similar, yet different genres. This was a trip that was well worth the journey and you don’t even have to sit beside toothless rednecks to have fun.

https://www.facebook.com/angiecarwrecks  http://www.angieandthecarwrecks.com/default.html  http://angieandthecarwrecks.bandcamp.com/music  https://www.facebook.com/SplatterhouseWreckords  http://splatterhousewreckords.com/  http://splatterhousewreckords.bandcamp.com/

 

BASS LINE BUMS: Gettin By: CD

This three piece punk rock band from Austin, Texas with core members Marc on drums and Joseph on lead guitar and vocals. They have previously released  their first EP in 2006 called Out on the Town and released a full length album in 2009 called Back to the Grind and now, signed to Splatterhouse Wreckords, they have released Gettin By.

“Juke Box” is the first track on this album and what a track to start things off with, pounding drums, bass guitar that rumbles, guitar playing that is melodic, but powerful and vocals that bring to mind a street punk band that isn’t taking any crap from anyone with the power and just right amount of gruffness. “Forgotten Dreams” keeps the energy going and made me want to turn the song up, but my wife was sleeping so I had to control the urge, matter of fact, the whole damn album needs to be played loud. BASS LINE BUMS have made a rallying street punk album that will get your energy levels up and your fist pumping and would be incredible to see in concert. The gang vocals just make you want to sing along, the guitar playing from Joseph is crunchier than a taco from Taco Bell, the bass guitar just bangs its way through the album giving power and melody, and drummer Marc sure does beat the hell out of his kit, but keeps the beat steady and tight. There really are no songs that I would skip over or think are just ok, everyone one is an anthem waiting for you to sing along to and the energy that these guys bring to the songs is infectious.

This is by far, one of the best street punk albums that I’ve heard in a long time and now that I live close to Austin, these guys had better put me on the list to go see them. I really can’t recommend this album more if I tried…BUY IT!!!

https://www.facebook.com/basslinebums  http://basslinebums.bandcamp.com/  https://www.facebook.com/SplatterhouseWreckords  http://splatterhousewreckords.com/  http://splatterhousewreckords.bandcamp.com/