The Uber Rock Singles Club – October 2014
Written by Dom Daley & Johnny H
Sunday, 12 October 2014 04:00
With the “C” word already being uttered on an almost hourly basis on our TV screens we thought it was time for us to join the Christmas stampede and get in there good, deep and early with perhaps the first Christmas single review of 2014 anywhere on the World Wide Web, s this time around Dom Daley and Johnny H take in new releases from the likes of Dirt Box Disco, CJ Ramone, The Killing Floor, David Bowie, The Old Firm Casuals and a whole host of other great singles courtesy of No Front Teeth Dirty Water and Go Ape………
The Arrogants – ‘Introducing’ (Dirty Water Records)
You could be forgiven that it’s 2014 and the cool cats in The Arrogants are all under the age of eighteen as they play ad near perfect a combination of ‘60s mod and garage rock you will find anywhere in the world today. In fact their sound would have men three times their age blushing with embarrassment. Lead track of the four on offer here is the swinging ‘Mr Devil’, a song that does or says exactly what you’d expect for a classic garage ‘60s rock sound and is a mightily fine introduction to an impressive new band. Hailing from Lille in France, for ones so young they have the chops to do really well and it’s easy to see why Dirty Water Records have picked them up. Young, loud and snotty. (Dom Daley)
David Bowie – ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide’ and ‘Knock On Wood’ (Parlophone)
Is it just me or have the quality of vinyl these 40th anniversary singles are being pressed on suddenly gone from early 70s quality to early 90s wobbleboard quality? Whatever the nerd in me might think of the static loving clicky pressings though the music contained within the grooves on these last two singles from the Thin White Duke camp is pretty much untouchable. Granted ‘Knock On Wood’ is no speed fuelled run through a la Otis like proportions but the 2005 mix of the song from ‘David Live’ is still a pretty damn decent version. In saying that though I wonder if could Otis have ever delivered ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide’ with Bowie’s equal measures of self loathing and menace as he introduces the very last version if the song to be played by Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars? Probably not, but with Bowie promising some new material to accompany the ‘Nothing Has Changed’ retrospective due out in November there’s no time for looking back, especially when the virgin vinyl I ‘ve just paid nearly £10 for is jumping like an original copy from four decades ago. (Johnny H)
Death Koolaid – ‘Vol 1’ (No Front Teeth Records)
Death Koolaid are female fronted noisesters whose sound is bordering on metal/punk and not a million miles from Wendy O during her Plasmatics phase. These reprobates are going in the singles round up even though it’s a very nice looking red vinyl 10″ but that’s an EP isn’t it? It can’t be classed as a full LP so there you go. Noisy opener ‘Rains’ covers all bases but it soon makes way for the very nasty ‘The Horrors’ a song that storms out my speakers taking no prisoners as it pounds me into submission. Siren Sycho has a vocal delivery all of her own as she spews out the lyrics in uncompromising totally pissed off fashion. Oh and while I think about it this record is pressed almost as thick as a sliced loaf. Side two is as equally uncompromising as the first with ‘Do You Know What You’re In For’ crossing the metal punk grind bridge, but it’s the last track that that leaves the best impression. ‘P.P.K.R’ (which I’m presuming is Proton Protractor Kanine (sic) Reactor) will pound and beat the listener into submission. As No Front Teeth expand their expansive roster with its hundreds of great new bands, here it is the sound that is expansive too. Uncompromising until the last. Nice. (Dom Daley)
Fuck Knights -‘A Taste Of Puke’ (Go Ape Records)
With Dom’s quandary about whether to include a 10″ in this edition of The Uber Singles Club, I suppose I should also add this six track 7″ from the wonderfully monikered Fuck Knights to the list of tenuous inclusions. At least this 12 minutes of garage punk is pressed on black 7″ vinyl by those fine people at Go Ape, the fact that it just happens to feature six speedy slices of “queasy listening” is just coincidental. As with all Go Ape releases we’ve received here at URHQ this is another mighty interesting release sounding at times like what Jello Biaffra fronting the Yardbirds might sound like. This is some seriously cool shit, and I’d really like to hear more from the Minneapolis trio. Standout cut for me is ‘I Know That You Can Hear Me’, a song that is the anti-prog anthem to be played whenever things get a little to capey here in the office. (Johnny H)
CJ Ramone – ‘Understand Me’ (Fat Wreck Chords)
After the success of ‘Reconquista’, last year’s Pledge album, CJ Ramone has gone all work crazy on us and has just finished a follow up record, this time coming out on Fat Mike’s label, Fat Wreck Chord. Basically if you are expecting more of the same then you’ll not be disappointed because ‘Understand Me’ is CJ doing what CJ does best, keeping the spirit of the Ramones well and truly alive. It’s loud it’s catchy and it’s great! Buy it HERE! (Dom Daley)
Dwarves – ‘Trailer Trash’ (Greedy/Recess Records)
Also just recently signed to Fat Wreck Chords are the muthafuckin’ Dwarves. Whether their relationship with the label will last anywhere past their initial scheduled 7″ is of course open to debate but in the meantime if you have yet to discover this year’s magnificent ‘The Dwarves Invented Rock & Roll’ LP do yourselves a favour right now and go pick up a copy over at the band’s webstore. For those of you who are either 1) looking to test the filthy dirty waters of the new record or 2) are sick fuck completists then this lovely blue vinyl 7″ will satisfy both camps. The A side being as solid a slice of punk rock smut you will find anywhere on this wacky planet of ours today, whilst the flip side is the “blink and its over” ‘Unpredictable’, something you could never accuse the Dwarves of not being that’s for sure. Snap this up while you can and rejoice in a single so smutty HMRC will have to refer it to vice for guidance on how to handle it. (Johnny H)
Stalin Video – ‘Vivisektion’ (No Front Teeth Records)
Always a label to try something new and innovative No Front Teeth release this one sided five track 7″ from noise punks Stalin Video. Offering real value for money on this highly collectible single. I guess the key question is “what do they sound like?” Well how about no nonsense punk rock ‘n’ roll with songs to rattle middle England. Made up from members of The Gaggers and South Carolina’s Now In 3D, this one sided riot on wax also comes in a variety of hand printed sleeves as NFT stay one step ahead of the game and continue to knock out some of the best punk has to offer. It’s short and most certainly sharp and saving the best until last ‘Reverse Tan’ is a cheap thrill you’ll want again and again. (Dom Daley)
The Old Firm Casuals – ‘Never Say Die’ and ‘Perry Boys’ (Volsung and Pirates Press Records/Oi The Boat and Randale Records)
Just like with the Dwarves single reviewed earlier in this edition of The Uber Rock Singles Club this pair of mighty 7″ers from The Old Firm Casuals give those who have not invested in a copy of the band’s immense ‘This Means War’ long player (and if you haven’t yet…why not?) a chance to try before you buy whilst also giving the hardcore collector a chance to get a full in robot chubby. It’s the blue vinyl ‘Never Say Die’ recorded with San Jose Earthquake’s players that is the real coup for the latter camp as it’s a slightly different take on one of the album’s best tracks. ‘Perry Boys’ though probably is the album’s best track and as result this version was released as a teaser for what was to come. I’m not so sure about the Watford Jon picture on the label of the B side though. I’ve been having nightmares for weeks after seeing that. (Johnny H)
Ministers Dead/The Bleach Boys – ‘Split’ (No Front Teeth Records)
The Bleach Boys offer up two tracks on this split 7”, kicking off with the SLF tinged ‘Guantanamo Bay’ in all its raw as fuck glory. It’s nothing new or innovative but it’s good honest punk rock that’s uncompromising and in your face. As is their second submission ‘Death List’. Flip this bad boy over and Ministers Dead also have two tracks in which to impress and with a much harder sound ‘Wake Up Time To Die’ certainly shakes any cobwebs out of the old ear canal. This is very good spikey, raw and confrontational punk plain and simple. ‘Suit Sentence’ follows suit (ouch) as it hurtles out of the speakers. Old school is the new school on this impressive outing and it’s another winner from the guys at No Front Teeth. (Dom Daley)
The Killing Floor – ‘Corruption Capital’ (Self Released)
If tributes bands are the anti-everything that Uber Rock stands for then downloads should be the anti-everything to The Uber Rock Singles Club. However as most vinyl releases now come complete with a download code, the two packaged together now appear to be working in perfect harmony together to signal the death knell of the Compact Disc, a format I have always loathed. Anyway I digress, the reason I’m reviewing this download only track here is because it’s been ages since we last heard anything new from The Killing Floor, and this track totally rocks the block too. So whilst the haircuts may have changed the New York/London rockers still sound largely like they did on their excellent debut album, albeit there is now an element of all things epic added to proceedings, making ‘Corruption Capital’ sound like a logically progressive step up for the band. The single is available from iTunes via this link, or if like me you don’t go anywhere near anything Apple related you can listen to it for free via this link. Welcome back lads, it’s been way too long. (Johnny H)
Miscalculations – ‘A Silent Defence’ (No Front Teeth Records)
A new single from the very impressive agit punk outfit Miscalculations is always welcome especially you get the added attraction of a B side that wasn’t on the album, the bass driven ‘Clairvoyant Stare’. With a sound that is both sparse and raw there’s also minimalist keyboard (or should that be synth) to awaken some interest. It’s got a quality all of its own. Its part early Joy Division and part early New York alternative punk scenesters like Television, but whoever it reminds me of doesn’t really matter because these songs are excellent and they really grow on you after a few spins Also in fine NFT tradition the comes in several collectible versions, so hurry along if you want one. (Dom Daley)
Dirt Box Disco – ‘I Don’t Want Anything For Christmas’ (STP Records/Deadfly Recordings)
To finish off this edition of The Uber Rock Singles Club we have the second single from a band who were always destined to record a Christmas single, doing just that. That band is Dirt Box Disco and if you have ever been lucky enough to see them live then you will already know what I mean when I say that every live show they play is a “special occasion”, so with that in mind I honestly can’t think of anyone better to give everyone’s favourite time of the year an extra special Spunky tribute. With a back catalogue of sing-along anthems behind them that puts the Dirt Box lads right up there with the likes of Slade, Cock Sparrer and Twisted Sister there was no way ‘I Don’t Want Anything For Christmas’ wasn’t going to be as catchy as chlamydia at an office party. It’s just you don’t really want to be finding yourself singing it out loud in the middle of October…which I have done on many occasions. Thankfully, for you then, this single isn’t released officially until November 17th so you won’t have to risk looking like some Christmas loving loon like I have. With that in mind though I reckon with the right amount of exposure and airplay this could be a huge smash for the band. Let’s start the “DBD For Xmas Number 1” campaign right here, right now! You in? Oh and before I forget, for the more serious minded folk ou there the B side ‘Punk By Numbers’ is a real belter of a song too in the same vein as ‘Smackhead’ which I know is still a firm favourite with many DBD fans. So that’s it from me and Dom, and the almost near perfect way for us to say “Adiós”. We’ll hopefully see you all same time same place in around about 4 weeks time. (Johnny H)