The Uber Rock Singles Club – August 2015 

Another month and I’ve received another glut of high end singles and EPs to review.  Just when you think the cupboard is bare slowly they trickle in but boy what a bumper month it has been with possibly the strongest selection so far this year reaching URHQ. This batch includes some of the very finest bands out there currently pressing wax once again proving that great bands are still out there making great records. Plus I’d not be doing my job by not giving you a nudge as to where to find these releases – so here I go!

 

The Hip Priests v’s Billy Hopeless – Split 7” (Little T&A Records)

 

This seems like a marriage made in heaven or should that be made in some sleazy dive bar with a contract signed in blood? Billy now free of his Bonitos and debuting his first solo single has jumped in at the deep end teaming up with the UK’s leading purveyors of pure filth and the undisputed kings of the 7″ The Hip Priests.  This one goes to the wire and as double teams go my money is on this pair.  Two great songs from two great bands this is a win/win all day long in my book and don’t be fooled by the volume of output from those Hip Priests because this just gets better and better and if this is what Billy Hopeless is going to be dishing up then I want more, more, more!

 

Billy Hopeless then coughs up a beauty that’s got a bigger punch than Ali ever had on ‘Gutterball’ Wow! What a great way to open your solo account with an up-tempo beauty that screams of intent.  It shows that Hopeless has lost none of his attitude and venom as he rocks and fucking rolls all over this fantastic offering. It’s also a stroke of genius to align himself with those Hip Priests as here they get ‘Wired, Amped, Skulled’. Right you know the drill by now with these cats, they write fantastic singles and are yet to fall below the line marked “excellent” or “brilliant” and yup you guessed it Little T &A Records have got themselves nothing short of single of the month (if there was such an award). Somewhat slowed down and dare I suggest “restrained” this has all the usual hallmarks of The Hip Priests; guttural bass runs from the box marked garage rock (only to be handled by experts in the field and not for beginners), plus a caustic riff that drives the song and fits tight right in there. I’m assured it’s the same bpm as your heart after a night on the rails on the Reeperbahn whilst laid staring at the walls at 7am. Guaranteed. Who am I to argue with that description? And you know what I do feel like I’ve been fucked over after listening to this split over and over and over again. You can get fucked over too via http://littletandarecords.bigcartel.com/ and https://thehippriests1.bandcamp.com/

 

Los Pepes – ‘And I Know’ (Wanda Records)

 

Next up we have four tracks from the irrepressible Los Pepes on the equally irrepressible Wanda Records, which is also a marriage made in heaven.  Full blast power poppin’ high energy rock and roll is the order of the day with Ben Perrier rattling off another irresistible slice of ear candy in the shape of the barbed ‘And I Know’. I just know that there isn’t going to be a duff track on offer here, Los Pepes don’t do duff tracks it’s that simple.  ‘Last Night’ has the sound and feel of an early Hanoi Rocks song – full of cheap speed and a shitload of gusto.  But wait! What’s this? Los Pepe don the lounge jackets and get ready for a late night slow dance in the shape of ‘Say Goodbye’ with lush backing vocals on the “ooooh’s and ahhhh’s” It’ll have a tear running down the cheeks of the ladies remembering those school discos. Fear not though pop pickers as ‘Popular Rules’ which finishes the EP off is spikey and rapid and classic Los Pepes.  Nice one boys it’s another fantastic slab of wax courtesy of Wanda and if I were on juke box jury it would be a massive hit from me! Grab your copy direct from the band via the following link http://lospepes.bandcamp.com/

 

Chuck Norris Experience / Marvel – Split 7” (Ghost Highway Records)

 

Here Chuck Norris Experiment bring the noise with a previously unreleased tune going by the name of ‘Everything Belongs To You’ whilst Marvel hit home the other side with the tasteful full force love machine rock and roll of ‘Motherfucker’.  Marvel are classy in a way that latter Hellacopters were.  Big production and a full sound which is everything you want for this type of hard rockin’ punk ‘n’ roll.  Off the back of the most excellent long player ‘Right Between The Eyes’ CNE have hit a gold seam and are mining it for every last drop of glunk rock gold they can.  Bringing the rock-n-riffs ‘Everything Belongs To You’ is following on from that long player and is another shot in the arm and a fantastic choice for this single.  This one comes in several choices of cover and also includes a great free poster of the cover art and is once is again of the usual high standard you’d expect from both bands and label.  It’s a no brainer just buy it via the following links https://chucknorrisexperiment.bandcamp.com/ andhttps://ghosthighwayrecordings.bandcamp.com/

 

Everyday Things – ‘Self Titled’ 7” (No Front Teeth)

 

It’s a release on No Front Teeth so of course it comes in different sleeves, and of course it’s on 7″ vinyl, plus of course it’s fantastic! Hailing from the dirty power pop capitol of the world – Canada- I know it’s a country but you get my drift, Everyday Things give us three tracks of sheer bliss. Two tracks on side A and just your one on side B. ‘All Day, All Night’ has the wonderful intro of some bass and snare hacking it out before the rest of the gang join in and knock out a couple of minutes of the type of dirty pop that early Hanoi Rocks originally perfected to great success or perhaps more recently The Exploding Hearts. Well it might be a few decades on but Canada clearly gets it and as the keys swirl so does my hear full of joy. To pick a favourite out of the three version available via http://www.nofrontteeth.co.uk is pointless I can love ‘em all. They might have a weird name but that doesn’t matter one iota because the music they’ve laid onto wax is totally blissful and a right triumph – but seeing as it’s on no Front Teeth what did you expect?

 

Dysnea Boys / Jiffy Marker – Split 7” (Karmazois Press/Debt Offensive Recs)

 

‘Party Prison On Titty Beach’!!! Well what else did you think it was gonna be called? That’s Canada’s Jiffy Marker for you.  Punk rock, furious and in your face. Ramped up and amped up, these guys rock and roll at the altar of the Ramones and aren’t about to hang around for the adulation.  Good on ‘em I say this is punk rock as it should sound. Dysnea Boys on the other side are bringing the noise on this their second single. It’s more OFF!/Black Flag old school noise but just as in your face as Keith Morris’ mob and dare I whisper it just as good on this evidence. In less than the two minutes it takes for this slice of prime punk rock to finish you’ll be already wanting more as ‘Christian Bail’ really hits the spot, great record! Pick up your copy via the following link http://www.glunkrecords.bigcartel.com/product/dysnea-boys-jiffy-marker-split

 

Temporal Sluts – ‘Cosmocracy’ (Mental Beat Records)

 

Italian punks Temporal Sluts provide a TKO 7” via a swift one two to devastating effect.  They certainly bring the glunk with them on ‘Cosmocracy’.  Coming from the same musical camp that previously occupied by such great bands as The Humpers and The Joneses these Italian boys also have great choruses on this two track single.  Racing in with ‘Cosmocracy’ it’s all guitars a blaze on this mighty fine slab of riff-a-rama punk rock ‘n’ roll. A quick word of warning though whatever you do – don’t Google Temporal Sluts and Dark Room in the same sentence because it’s not all rock n roll that’ll flash up.  Back to the music though and the B side might just edge it here as that piano they’ve added to ‘Rum Dark Room’ is excellent and it really packs a punch.  All in all this is another excellent single which is available via the following link http://www.stripedmusic.com/7-temporal-sluts-cosmocracy/

 

Lesli Sanders – ‘The Haunting Truth Of My Self Portrait’ (Self Released)

 

The name might sound familiar to fans of Prophets Of Addictionas Lesli Sanders releases his first solo EP ‘The Haunting Truth Of My Self Portrait’, and quite the departure from the day job it is too.  Incorporating synths and creating a huge soundscape it has elements of ‘80s giants like, dare I say it, Duran Duran, as well as the likes of Flesh For Lulu.  ‘Self Portrait’ kicks things off and is a slow burner and I love the bass run and the guitar is put through its paces with a great solo. Another curveball is ‘Return The Smile’ which is led by a really nice piano line as it gently meanders through its five minutes.  Saunders is really mixing it up again on ‘Nothing Free’ as it reminds me of Tubeway Army, again with some great arrangement this really works and grows on the listener. Lesli pretty much plays everything on this so it’s a true solo record. By the time we hit ‘Take Me Away’ this has hints of some of Tyla’s acoustic solo material and a hint of Faster Pussycat ‘House Of Pain’ if I’m honest and everyone liked that didn’t they? To finish off this excellent five track EP ‘My Religion’ is a sparse guitar and piano ballad; Pure and simple and I’m so glad Lesli had the sense not to come in with the big drums and guitar solo and as such closes this EP with another top tune as he offers a different side to his day job in The Prophets Of Addiction. A most welcome EP this is too, and you can get your copy via the following link http://www.poarocks.com/. Great stuff

 

Lovesores / Born Loose – Split 7” (Catastrophe Records)

 

Ah ha! Two of America’s finest round up this month’s blazing Singles Club with a split that has two songs from each with one original and one cover, capiche? Right Lets begin with the artwork. How very fitting and quite frankly beautiful and before you’ve even dropped the needle into the groove you just know this is going to be eight and a half minutes you’ll gladly never have back. Life is for living and living is listening to two of the finest exponents of punk rock and roll on the planet! ‘Cross Eyed Cat’ by Lovesores has all the licks and rhythm to make this cat jump around like a teenager before Scott Drake enters the fray endorsing the really really good time I was alluding to earlier. Here’s where this gets serious as Lovesores take ownership of ‘Nightcrawler’ by The Candy Snatchers Drake is all over this like a rash and totally gives it everything, this boys and girls is how to do a cover don’t try this at home leave it to professionals like Scott Drake.  Flip this bad boy over and it’s the no holds barred out and out debauchery of Born Loose and you just know that ‘Whiskey Holiday’ it’s a full on audio assault and again this band rip the shit out of it and deliver what is nothing short of manna from heaven. This is simply brilliant stuff. but wait in pay back for Lovesores taking on a Candy Snatchers number Born Loose set fire to ‘Fast, Fucked & Furious’ by The Humpers as only Born Loose could and totally kick the living daylights out of it. Ignore the shipping costs this is one EP you will look back on in years to come and be pleased as punch to have in your collection and a reminder that your still one of the cool kids because we know this shit is the bomb.  Order your copy via https://www.facebook.com/catastropherecords. Trends may come and trends may go, but once you lay down a single on 7″ or 10″ or even 12″ of wax you know that if it sounds like this it’ll sound like this until the end of time. Ageless, trendless and always class!

See you next time folks!!!!