Blacklist - Electric & Evil CD (Spooky)
Australian 80s Heavy Metal inspired punk rock made by a bunch of beer friendly fuck-ups with - I'm sure - a huge collection of Motörhead, Tank, Nashville Pussy, Hookers, Antiseen and Venom...you know, the usual collection of biker metal rock bands. Like their fellow soul mates from
Onyas and Powder Monkeys (if they're still alive) this is pretty hilarious and laid-back and not as ball breaking badass as some of the US bands. Check out song titles like "Free Che What's his Name (the Guy on the T-Shirt)" and "Release the Gay Boy Beserker Attack" and check out the note on the back cover: "Downloading Music is Killing the Recording Industry, and so is the Blacklist"! The music rocks like the first Hookers album (before they went totally metal) and the first Nashville Pussy (before they went totally hard rock). A better cover would've been cool tho' - something like the last couple of High on Fire albums would be nice and the sound should've been rawer. But hey, all 11 tracks here kick ass in their own stupid manner and any band wrapping up their album with a cover of Venom's "Live Like an Angel" is very much on the right track. I live in the countryside now so I can drink as much as I want and drive around drunk without ever running into the cops - or anybody else for that matter - and when I'm out drunk driving in my station wagon, this is the kinda stuff I got on my car stereo! Cheers mate!

SN

Daughters - Demo 2004
Well, not much info came with this CD but it appears to be an all female rock band that spent 3 years in the USA and has now returned to the homeland (minus one member who is still in rehab!). Anyway, we have 4 tracks of quite different style of rock and some interesting stories being told. The first track, I wanna take a bath, is a nasty garage rocker. It is followed by Still the Same (with a little more Fame), a more rocking song about being famous.
I like the way how the band sticks in little spoken words things between the tracks…Get out of Here is when the band really rocks and I wish I didn't like it so much, closes the record and is a ballad about alcohol and is the best track on the CD. This is best heard when fucked up…

Scott

Deadman - SHIP AHOY! 7" (Crusher Records CR002)
This new Swedish group with former members of The Strollers, The Roadrunners and Norrsken, have formed a new psychedelic rock group called Dead Man. It is raw and pretty cool stuff. The 7" record has great artwork to go along with the musical vibe. Ship Ahoy, the title track, is a acoustic rock ballad strange thing. I really like the low and dirty production on this one and cool vocals. The B -side is the better song with Thousand Mile Smile and is much the same in quite an original style. This track starts off acoustic but becomes electric and is great. A really promising release by this new Swedish band.
http://www.crusherrecords.com

Scott

Death To Frank Ziyanak - Dirty Chords & Limericks
CD. Hi-Strung Recordings. 2004.
Cool little record from this DK duo (or trio?). It contains some fine catchy tunes with a twist of 60's garage sound. The song "Fe Fi Mo Fo" is a hit, and you catch yourself humming it over and over! "One Iota" has Lou Reed written all over it but it works really good. Pling-pling guitars, tambourines and kind of half-sloppy drums gives it a nice groovy feeling. I think that DTFZ easily could play a tripple concert with fellow Danes The Raveonettes and Viva Vertigo. I'm looking forward to hear more from them.
http://deathtofrankziyanak.mymusic.dk/

If You dig: 60's beat, Lou Reed/Velvet, sleazy r'n'r.

JT

The Dexateens - Red Dust Rising CD (Estrus Records)
Not really too sure what to think about this band: On the one hand they do play a pretty sorry boogie rock, which is not cool in my book, but then on the other hand, a couple of the tracks on this album have a certain melancholy beauty that it's hard not to be touched by. Clichés are awash, and I'm not just talking about the cowbell on "Diamond in the Concrete" or a general imagery taken from the prairie, because that would be OK if it was just for that; it doesn't always have to be original to rock, you know. But annoying "authentic" slideguitar, somewhat bored vocals, and even a fucking banjo on the title track is hard to stomach. The vocals, though, weave into each other sweetly, and if songs like "Bitter Scene" or "That Dollar" are dreary and smell of motorcycle vests, "Diamond In the Concrete" and "Anna Lee" are good, full-on rockers in a classic, very Midwestern way, while the classic ballad "Devoted to Lonesome" (the title alone!), the long and wailing "Take Me to the Speedway", or the beautiful closer "Coal Mine Lung" are reminiscent of Neil Young's "After the Goldrush" LP, and as such perfect for that kind of mood, should you be unlucky enough to be caught in it on a grey day. Fugazi it sure as hell ain't, but should you find the world weighing heavy on your shoulders one day and need some clichés to assure you there's always someone feeling worse than you, I guess The Dexateens wouldn't be a bad bid. I just hope that day won't come too soon, where I'll be needing this album.
http://www.estrus.com

If you dig: Neil Young, Grand Funk, Rolling Stones

Jon A

The Diplomats of Solid Sound - Destination... Get Down! CD
(Estrus Records)
What to make of an album like this? An album of instrumental party soul, sounding exactly as if it was recorded in 1960. Efficient, proficient, and competent, very nice and laidback and all, but nevertheless archaic and somewhat sly. It reminds me of Quantic Soul Orchestra (reviewed in LowCut 16), Sugarmen 3, or for that sake all of the bands on the Desco label: Copying the sound and feel of 60's funk down to the suits and cheesy dance steps, but missing the soul of it in the process. I'm very much aware that I sound like a spoilsport and a puritan right now, and I know that most of these bands are intended to provide nothing more than a goodtime live version of the music we all dig dancing to, hip hoppers and garage rockers alike, but there's something too sterile about it, too nostalgic, too conservative, where I'd like to see an update of this music, rather than just another tongue-in-cheek replica in shades. That said, as I stated above, this album is nothing if not enjoyable and listenable; there's nothing to put your finger on here apart from my personal resentment of cloning, and I could even imagine listening to the album again on a whim, or if I had to concentrate hard on something else.
http://www.estrus.com
http://www.thediplomats.org

If you dig: Booker T. & the MG's, The Meters, Sugarmen 3

Jon A

DMBQ - The Essential Sounds from the Far East CD (Estrus Records)
Wow! This quartet sounds exactly like what I'd imagined On Trial would sound like before I actually heard them - I was let down by the latter, whereas DMBQ's psyched-out spacerock is all any pot smoker could wish for. Plus, they're Japanese, which is always cool, and almost always accounts for a slightly askew take on western music - not DMBQ though, who have been going on since the late 80's and releasing albums since 95. They get it all right down to the point, and they do it with a certain naivity - there's absolutely nothing blasée to find here - and absolute recklessness - just listen to "Nothing"'s oscillating trampede and you start holding on to your couch: This album is so noisy and heavy, you can't help smiling all over your face listening to it. Even if I dig some of the stuff, I'm not really big on the whole psychedelic scene - it's been a decade since I last had a ponytail; half years go by without me even toking on a joint - but when something like this gets thrust in your face, it's a pleasant experience. Now hie thee hither to thy mailorders, mushroom heads, you need this one a lot more than Julian Cope's latest sideproject!
http://www.estrus.com
http://www.dmbq.net

If you dig: Nebula, MC-5, early Pink Floyd

Jon A

The Doits - This Is Rocket Science CD (Wild Kingdom/Sound Pollution)
I've seen these rockers live and they really impressed me as did their "Big City blues" 7" single (2002. International Garbageman) so this full length album was more than welcome on my stereo. Its a bit slicker produced by Thomas Hedblom (mixed by Nick Royale), but when its this insanely wellcrafted garage powerpop it really gives the tunes a timeless classic feel. Some of Wild Kingdom's releases suffer from bland sugarcoated backing vocal harmonies but The Doits practise the perfect mix of rawness and melody. And its beautifully guided by guitarist Altay Sagesen's hoarse gutsy lead vocals in prime cuts like "Hold Me Down", "One More Day" (great piano by The Duke Of Honk), "Something's Got A Hold Me" and "U.G.L.Y.". If Flamin Groovies "Shake Some Action"-area is your kinda r'n'r poison then by all means get a copy of "This Is Rocket Science", classic 70s rock with a youthful freshness that's highly addictive.
http://www.thedoits.tk
http://www.soundpollution.se

If you dig: Flamin Groovies, Johnny Thunders, Cheap Trick

Jens

The Doits - This Is Rocket Science CD (Wild Kingdom)
If you enjoy primitive raw retro rock n' roll then you should be all over The Doits. These boys are from Sweden and the band contains of members from cool acts like the Dixie Buzzards and others. The Doits sounds like a hungry punk band from the mid 80's. You know like a mixture between too much alcohol, Johnny Thunders And The Heartbreakers and Radio Birdman. The toughest tunes on this debut album are the punky One More Day and the stomping Something's Got A Hold On Me. This is a nice release from the same guy who earlier released the first records with the Hellacopters at White Jazz Records. Nowadays the label is called Wild Kingdom and the releases are still damn good. Well, purchase this record now. Doit.
http://www.thedoits.tk
http://www.wildkingdom.se

If you dig: Radio Birdman, The New Christs, New York Dolls

Pär

Double Space - Demo 2004
This is the first demo by this new Danish band. This 3 piece play a really cool style of noisy stoner like ROCK. No guitar solos, just strange, slightly psychedelic at times, songs. Tale opens the 5 track CD and is one of the more melodic tracks yet still quite distorted and fuzzed out. Twice at 12 is a more slow distorted, noise rock type track that really builds and has some frantic drumming at times. Bone is a pure heavy psych rock track and quite awesome. I really liked this track a lot. Seems like Teen Spirit is a faster track and more rockin'…still quite noisy…Key to ? is a bit more normal and melodic to start but then the band really takes off and shows what they have to offer in the 7 minutes. Great and very promising demo!
http://www.double-space.tk

Scott

Jadecroon - Silence Manitou CD (Silencio Records)
This four track is EP is, in my ears - a very atypical Finnish
production. Much more punky in its feel, and much less Finnish garage - which is a shame, at least for this particular rendition. The style of course - is Ameri-Punk, with a twist. As is often the case with punk releases that want to be mainstream, they end up being much less
punky and much more mainstream - sounding a lot like Avril, Blink etc. I don't even remember their names. But its a the style of choice for making money on MTV I suppose - so I recommend they send their record there, instead of here - at least if they expect a positive review.
They wont find that with me, however - they will get a sceptical yet
approving review. I may not agree with their style of music, but their
execution of it, is impeccable. At least they know how to play their
instruments, which is more than can be said for some of their more
famous partners in crime. I hope the best for them, but I definitely
wont buy their record.
http://www.jadecroon.com

If you dig: Avril Lavigne, Good Charlotte, The Play Offs

Kristian

The Flash Express - Introducing The Dynamite Sound Of... CD (Hit It Now!/Excited)
If you were one of the lucky few who saw Andre Williams & The Countdowns a couple of years back, you might have wondered whatever happened to the youngsters in Countdowns. Well, Brian and Lance formed this fantastic LA combo which is even more exciting that The Countdowns! Full-on ultra-tight super-energetic maximum soul blues garage rock'n'roll that'll get any human with a pulse do some crazy monkey dance moves. This is some sexy sweaty shit; "The Beat That Kills", "Movin It", "Flash One Time" etc., every song rips and just when you think you have them figured out, they do a roots/country rockin' version of Grand Master Flash's "The Message"!?! I cant wait to tell Jon A. that I prefer this version to the original 'rap classic', hehe. Right now they're on a Euro tour so go get flashed, baby, you wont regret it, I sure didn't!
http://www.theflashexpress.com
http://www.hititnowrecords.com

If you dig: John Spencer, MC5, Sly And The Family Stone

Jens

Hidria Spacefolk - Live 11AM CD (NEARFest Records NFR0006)
Ok, the great instrumental Finnish space rockers are back with an amazing (but not totally spaced out) like show from their only performance in the USA last summer. The band played at 11 in the morning, thus the name of the CD. Sound quality and mix is quite amazing and a great line up of tracks on this one including, all but one of the tracks from their Balansia CD as well as two tracks from Symbiosis. It is great to hear the response from the crowd, who really got to experience a unique band from our part of the world and also very different from the progressive rock bands that played at this festival. Great to see the festival arrangers open to this type of music. If you like space rock, then this is a must own CD!

Scott

Hipbone Slim & The Knee Tremblers - Have Knees, Will Tremble CD (Voodoo Rhythm)
Toe Rag Studios! Ex-members of Thee Headcoats and Milkshakes! Yeah, I hear and smell ya droolin' already like a rhino in heat, and don't worry cuz this fucker rocks harder than a thermonuclear Link Wray bastard lick from hell! I really grooved on 2003's "Snake Pit", and this is fortunately more of the same wildass dirty rockabilly, 60s r&b/beat and swamp blues by the suave Earls of London; Sir Bald Diddley, John Gibbs and Bruce Brand. There's are several celebrity guests on some of the 12 stompers like Micky Hampshire, Holly Golightly and Eli Hussock. Hipbone Slim is a band for people who believe nothing really exciting has happened in rock'n'roll since 1965! Hipshakin' raunchy'n'bluesy Billy-A-Boppin' for the inner delinquent in us all!!!
http://www.voodoorhythm.com
lopeciarecords@hotmail.com/hipboneslim.htm

If you dig: Headcoats, Cramps, Johnny Burnette

Jens

Hot Boogie Chillun - 15 Reasons To R'n'R CD (Drunkabilly)
It's quite an eclectic landscape of different r'n'r genres this exciting Belgium combo is providing; from rockabilly, dirty rhythm & blues, swamp soul, twangy blues to straight forward Supersuckers-like rock'n'roll. And they sure gets extra points in my book by naming themselves after a John Lee Hooker song and doing a scorching cover of one of my fave Peter Green/Fleetwood Mac songs, "Oh Well" (also a bonus CD-Rom track). Remember Sin Alley and their awesome girl howler, Martine? Well, that fine lady is doing guest vocals on "Chickpulling Machine", a should-be hit that equals anything Southern Culture On The Skids ever done. Hot Boogie Chillun has been around for over 12 years and they sure got the cojones to make it big. This ain't no neo-billy retro thing, its big fat greasy 'n' juicy catchy raunch'n'roll played with guts and heart. ITS ALIVE!!!
http://www.hot-boogie-chillun.com
http://www.drunkabilly.com

If you dig: Southern Culture On The Skids, Supersuckers, Powersolo.

Jens

The Knockout Pills - 1+1 = Ate CD (Estrus Records)
What a pleasant surprise to open a package from Estrus Recordings and find among the CDs a new album by Tucson, Arizona's speed punks Knockout Pills! Their first album (reviewed in LowCut 9) completely took me by storm, and judging by the interview I did with them following that (http://www.lowcut.dk/011_lc/interview/knockoutpills.asp ) are even nice and relatively smart to top it + only one of them wears blackrimmed glasses. Grown-up men, they appear to have a very relaxed attitude towards punkrocking, no attitudes or postures or nothing, and that's possibly why their music rings so true and straight forward. Second album holds no surprises, 31 mins, 12 songs that all last between 2 and 2 1/2 mins, except the last one, "Wait for the Apex", which adds 2 mins of feedback noise to close the album, and only one song, second last "Teller 159" with a sort of an Irish folksong flavouring, plays in midtempo; the rest of them surge ahead at full speed. That's my kind of band! A fine flair for melody does nothing to set them back, but the real clou here, as it was on the debut, is the magnificient non-production courtesy of singer/guitarist Matt Rendon, done on a four track, that has everything in the red; cymbals crashing, drums pounding, guitars and bass tearing, and impeccably snotty vocals all bursting out on top, threatening to do your speakers in for good. Brilliant! And the cool thing about Knockout Pills is they make it all sound so easy and natural. Absolutely awesome!
http://www.estrus.com
http://www.knockoutpills.com

If you dig: Ramones, New Bomb Turks, Stooges, Riverboat Gamblers

Jon A

Los Dragos - S/T CD (Nicotine Records)
Maybe I'm just in a bad mood, but as far as I can see - Los Dragos is just another one of those bands, who think a good track is fast and furious. That a lot of echo will save a vocalist, that distortion is there to be used, a lot - and that a blues riff can save a track. Take "Last Kiss" for instance - very nice and promising intro, but the vocalist manages to fuck it up... At least the riff continues throughout the track - which in itself isn't exactly a plus either. I don't know - there's just something about this entire CD that rubs me the wrong way. It's been seen before, OK - so has a lot of the other stuff we review. But this CD and this band, just go into the same category as Last Vegas and all the other bands I "kinda" didn't like, it's all a little too stereotypical, without being it all the way
through. It's psych, when they try and make a Texas shuffle. Its hard rock when they try for a 12 bar. Its a nice try, and the world wouldn't be the same without it. But in this particular style of music, the Bassholes still rule, along with the Soledad Brothers - for the simple reason, that they make it both exciting, and cool - these guys just want it to be cool.
http://www.losdragos.net

If you dig: The Bassholes, The Soledad Brothers, The Last Vegas

Kristian

Mahard's Bazar - Texas Oil/Miami Jam 7" (Legal Records)
Price for a book on India, with lots of pictures 10$. Price of
instruments, $$$. Price for gathering a bunch of guys up from Finland, free. Price of putting it all together on Mahards Bazars debut single - Priceless. This is one of a kind! Especially considering the other brilliant stuff that comes out of Finland, this one single has to be
described, in my book anyway, as an awe inspiring tribute to both the
monotonous minimalism of finish garage, and the tropical rhythm of
Indian Bollywood soundtracks. I was confused when I first got the
single in the mail. I opened it and thought - hmmm, as you will too if
you look at the cover art. Putting it on, I still didn't get it - but
there was that special something about it all, that made me reset the
needle, and try it again. And then it hit me - like I hadn't been
paying attention to the music in the first place. The rhythm of it
all, the constant driving of one instrument, most visible on Miami Jam
- it all made sense to me. Combine it with a sitar LP by Ravi Shankar,
and you have the perfect mood music for a night on your favourite
Afghan carpet. Combine it with The Rolling Stones or The Beatles, and
you have the making of a classic rock club. It's amazing - what is it
they've done here? I cant even begin to explain how fusing of Indian
rhythm and simple monotonous instruments can forge a beauty like this.
I know it's a cliché, but what do they put in the water up there? If
you only buy one record to dance to this summer - buy this one!
http://maharadsbazar.cjb.net

If you dig: Ravi Shankar, The Doors, (late) The Beatles

Kristian

Mainliners - Dead Man's Hall/Daughter Of Dime 7" (Crusher)
"Dead Man's Hall" is a heartfelt soul-ish keyboard-driven ballad that recalls bands like Animals and Them. In fact Robert Billing's powerful and impressive voice is pretty close to the pipes of Van Morrison and Eric Burdon. The more uptempo "Daughter Of Dime" is a raw tuneful rocker comparable to The Troggs, great stuff! Apparently the British Invasion's 60s influence never stopped, so if you're retrophiliac then check out these Swedes' competent brand of soulfuzz. If somebody told me this was made in 1965 instead of 2004 I could easily have been fooled.
http://www.themainliners.com
http://www.crusherrecods.com

If you dig: Them, Animals, Troggs

Jens

Midnight Evils - Breakin' It Down CD (Estrus Records)
Noisy, drunken bunch they are at Estrus Records, but hey, at least they sound like they fucking mean it. In fact, if it wasn't for the sheer volume and boundless energy, Minnesota meatheads Midnight Evils would be a rather dull boogierock band, but as it is, the pure recklessness and perseverance keep their bluesy hardrock on the better side of average. Loud guitars and trio crude hollering almost deafen out clichés like "Move With You All Night Long", "Gettin' Down on the Midnight Hour", "Lost Control", or, hold on, "Party, Party, Party"; and the fervour is catching enough to make you overlook the fact that this really isn't much.
http://www.estrus.com
http://www.midnightevils.com

If you dig: Zen Guerilla, Motörhead, Soledad Brothers

Jon A

Mouserocket - S/T CD (Empty)
It seems like Alicja is taking a break from the nihilistic punk esthetics of
the Lost Sounds and Destruction Unit here. Weird and varied and definately
not punk at all. This has an overall folk inspired feel to the whole thing
and stylewise it recalls splendid bands like Slovenly, Yo La Tengo,
Breeders, Sonic Youth, Pixies, Syd Barret-era Pink Floyd and a whole range
of other late 60s hippie bands. This is another one of those great US indie
bands that seems to be able to take almost anything and, no matter how
quirky it might be, make it their own. You never know in which direction the
music is going but it still works just fine. Clinging guitars laced with
cello and keyboards and with a Alicja's for the occasion nice vocals and
Robby Grant's (who sound a lot like Frank Black) ditto, this is a really
nice piece of hippie dippy folk rock weirdness. Nice and poppy but always
with a an off-beat angel to make things just a little bit dangerous...and
did I mention that the cover of the Seeds' "Alone Again Or" is quite
amazing. This is a record that will get better and better for a long time,
so maybe in half a year it might have earned itself one more razor blade.
But for now, I rest my case.

SN

Nightstalker- Just A Burn LP (Nasoni Records 036)
This is the 4th release by this Greek 3 piece band and the first on Nasoni. The band's last release, The Ritual was pretty cool. The band have been heavily influenced by the mid-90's Monster Magnet sound but this release really shows the band moving into their own rock sound, leaving the psychedelic sound behind. This is likely due to the guitarist who formed the band left in 2004 (although he appears on one track). All Round (Satanic Drugs from Space) starts off the LP and this track grooves and the sound production is quite good. I don't think the new guitar player, Tolis burns it up quite like Harry but he is still good. Just a burn is a pretty normal stoner track but Don't blow my High has a really cool smooth groove to start and then becomes a bit hard drivin' like Dozer. Line slows things down a bit and the slow part reminds me of ZZTOP before the heavy part kicks in. Voodoo U Do is a slow power rocker and has a really cool psychedelic middle section. Iron is one of the heaviest tracks on the LP but has this really cheesy "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah" chorus… come on guys…. Silver Shark starts side B and is a great track with cool dual tracked lead guitars. Explode is a ballad and features Harry on lead guitar. Give it All features the lead vocalist and drummer playing some harmonica as well on this rocker. Shadows, ends this record and is my favourite track on the record. It is a great song with a lot of nice psychedelic touches to it. While the band has lost it's Monster Magnet sound, they have not created a record that really kicked my ass. I somehow expected more from these guys. Still a pretty damn good record.
http://www.nasoni-records.com
http://www.nightstalkerband.com/ns.htm

No More Lies - 41°46,5'N-3°1,9'E CD (BCore Disc)
Hey, some time the speccy gits do have all the fun! Proof that it's possible both to have the correct punkrock opinions AND enjoy life and have fun at the same time, this Catalan trio from Saint Feliu de Guíxols - hence the map legend - on their third album supposedly have put behind them earlier postpunk leanings (I'm informed, I haven't heard their earlier stuff) for a more straightforward punkrock. Also behind them are the Fugazi inspirations, which on this album only shine through in the vocals, reminiscent of an Ian Mackaye shouting his head off and giving a fuck about hitting the tune. And it's all to great effect: Despite obvious and typical hardcore song titles and subject matter like "My Sinking TV", "Bad Catholic Education", "Youth Powered by Anxiety", "Anti-Denial Song", or the song "Catalan Official Parasites" dealing with the suckers that become cops, this is one of the most positive hardcore records I've heard for ages, and that's fantastic! Plus they're fine lyrics, even if they aren't original. Even if the tempo slows down a tad halfway through, around the hit-friendly "Youth Powered by Anxiety", this album is energetic and fresh enough to keep you jumping through the summer and forget for a half hour about the worst winter within living memory or for that sake recent Danish and US elections.

If you dig: Millencolin, Fugazi, Riverboat Gamblers

Jon A

Sacred Sailors - s/t 7" (Crusher)
Here is the first single from the youngsters who recently released the sparkling debut album We Gave It All To You. Thanks for giving us this one on vinyl; CD sucks, as you all know! This pleasant piece of plastic comes in a nice cover and contains the first track from the album and a new song called Love Sound. The new song is a fucking great up-tempo garage beat that you just cannot miss. So get your dirty hands on a copy and don't forget to check up their album.
http://www.thesacredsailors.tk
http://www.crusherrecords.com

If you dig: The Soundtrack Of Our Lives, Hellacopters, Roky Erickson

Pär

John Schooley - And His One Man Band CD (Voodoo Rhythm)
This Austin born and raised citizen has made some huge marks in modern (underground) rock'n'roll history while paying his dues in cult bands like The Revelators and The Hard Feelings, and now Mr. Schooley has gone solo with his own one man band. And compared to the one man bands of the world I'd rate him among the very best. Armed with only a kicksnare, slideguitar, harmonica and a gutwrenchin' howl this motherfucker cooks up some of most infectious delta blues trash mayhem I've heard in a while. Its more tuneful than Bog Log III and Lightning Beat-man (Voodoo Rhythm's head honcho), not unlike BBQ, and while it gets frantic, distorted and over-the-top at times, many of the tunes evoke classic blues artists of the past like Elmore James, Hound Dog Taylor and Son House. This is truly the devil's music in a southern fire'n'brimstone we-are-all-going-to-hell preaching sorta way, and this honky got the blues bad, baby! Great covers of Howlin' Wolf, Rufus Thomas and Jimmy Reed. Definitely my pick of this issue. Viva Voodoo Rhythm!!!
http://www.voodoorhythm.com/johnschooley.htm
schooleyomb@hotmail.com

If you dig: Bob Log III, Oblivians, Hasil Adkins

Jens

SMALL AXE - Public Thief CD (US 2005)
This is the new unreleased record from the US band (New York) called Small Axe. These guys play down and dirty nasty rock and roll. Here you get 13 tracks in 38 minutes. Vocalist, DJ Miller has a really nasty dirty grungy vocal but somehow it goes with the music quite well. At times (his best singing) he reminds me of Rosetta West. The longest track on this CD is 3:51 and the shortest 1:10 (not really a track..strange ghostly noises and feedback…). Most of the stuff on the CD is rocking but Strange to Eat is a very emotional track and really different from the rest of the CD. They have some great song titles like Muddle your Brain, Decapitate the Swarm, and Love it Ugly… I wonder if these guys ever make it to Europe??? This is their 5th release so it is about time for this dirty rock and roll to make it our way! http://www.smallaxerock.com

Scott

Sonic Negroes - Hallelujah, Motherfucker 7" (Inam)
This is the second deal from the Swedish rockers in Sonic Negroes. I didn't like their first EP Get Down that much, but this seven-inch is much better. This single contains of four straightforward punk rock tunes and the favourite is without doubt Kicked Around. That one blew me away and I hope they will deliver more stuff like that on their upcoming releases. The other songs aren't that exiting though. However, you should really check up the Sonic Negroes if you're into Swedish rock.
http://www.sonicnegroes.com
http://www.itsnotaboutmusic.com

If you dig: Hellacopters, Sewergrooves, Supersuckers

Pär

Sweatmaster - Tom Tom Bullet (CD Bad Afro)
It's invasion of the Finnish guys today - as Sweatmaster return with their second long player, and finally! The expectations have been high, but somehow, I didn't really expect anything new from them - having already placed them in their booth, I only wanted them to execute their minimalist rock for me, again and again - and they do
that, to some extent, on their new record. But the record also includes a very welcome addition of instruments and expressions to the band. Compared to Sharp Cut, this is much less Sharp, and much more expression and - shoot me for saying it - TSOOL. Some of the tracks, express a pseudo psych composition, to my ears, tracks like The Kid
and Evolution Never Came This Way - which features a piano, and is the
one song that makes this record perfect in my ears. But Sweatmaster
are a primal band, and you can't take that away from them. The bass is
beating, primal tribal rhythm like, the guitar thrusts in its characteristic staccato rhythm - and the drums accentuate that. Even the new instruments are primal. On Evolution Never Came This Way, the jazz/blues like piano fills are pounded through, again, reminding us that these guys play hard-ball, even if their sound has changed a lot, and become much more faceted. But it also has it's classic Sweatmaster tracks, like the single Song With No Words, and the MC5 like Kick This Town. This band will be an inspiration for generations to come - and have already created a lot of publicity for Finnish bands, outside of Finland. I have a hard time comparing this LP to their
first album, because I loved that one so much. But they are so different, that I can say - both records are the best they've ever done, in their own way. Don't just buy one, buy both - and get in tune with the Sweatmaster way!
http://www.sweatmaster.net

If you dig: Tussler, Kings Of Leon, TSOOL

Kristian

Texas Motherfuckers - Retaliation CD (Motherfuckin' Records)
Its roughneck hardrock/punk'n'roll time again and the testosterone truly runs rampant during these 9 tracks from this Malmø combo. Ugly, loud, dirty, unrepentant and not unlike a slower version of Puffball these fuckers will probably not please people who like their r'n'r sophisticated and innovating, but I'm sure Lemmy would love to drink himself silly to these tunes. The only problem with "Retaliation" is the mixed sound quality, the cD seems like a compilation of songs recorded between 1999 and 2003, a tune like "The King" sounds like its recorded in someone's bathroom! "Desert Shakes" differs a bit but its a decent stab at Stoner sludge rock, though I prefer the fast songs. Texas Motherfuckers got a lot of potential, I've seen'em live a few years back but I was too drunk to really remember that much, haha. Anyway, when they can afford to get a topnotch production I'm sure their promising hardass brand of headbanger noize will blow a few minds out there. http://www.texasmf.com

If you dig: Motörhead, Stooges, The Grinners

Jens

Three Speed Automatic - Villa Rocka LP (Nasoni Records 031)
This is quite a strange mix this record by this Dutch band. The A side is tracks gathered from their debut CD, No Mans Land. Side A is pure rockin' stuff with some pretty cool tracks but over all I was not that impressed but damn the B side totally blew my mind! It is a long adventure that was recorded for a cult Dutch film called Horizonica. This is worth the money for the record alone. I hope that his band will record more stuff like this as I really enjoyed it. It is hard to describe but it is damn good psychedelic music.
http://www.nasoni-records.com
http://www.3speedautomatic.com

Scott

Tijuana Hercules - s/t CD (Black Pisces)
This trio hails from Chicago and plays some kinda dirty ragged old blues punk. A fair way to describe their sound is like a blue delirious Tom Waits on drugs. Do you get it? Their sound is very modest and they play on stuff like tin cans, and that's cool. I didn't like this record until I heard the last slow song When The Moon Comes Up Wild. The most of the other tunes are unfortunately more in an up-tempo beat and not that interesting. The singer and guitarist John Vernon Forbes barks with a forceful whisky voice and ends the record with a heart aching scream; It's been a lousy life! I agree. I would buy the record right away only for that last brilliant song.
http://www.tijuanahercules.com

If you dig: Tom Waits, Howlin' Wolf and cheap whiskey

Pär

The Ugly Beats - Bring On The Beats CD (Get Hip)
I got this CD the same day I found a used copy of the 60s garage comp "Teenage Shutdown : You Treated Me Bad", and after half a bottle of Jim Beam I had trouble hearing which was which, haha. Retro? You bet! Totally irrisistable garage pop with a grand authentic feel helped by a tasty Farfisa organ and some charming British Invasion-style vocal harmonies. Prime cuts on the records are "KO'd", "I'm The Only", "Girl On The Brian" (traces of Defectors) and their great version of The Easybeats' "I'll Make You Happy". My only beef is it all sounds almost too nostalgic, but that's a minor complaint. From Austin, Texas.
http://www.gethip.com
http://www.uglybeats.com

If you dig: Standells, Kinks, Defectors

Jens

Waldorf - S/T CD (Kinky Star)
Four piece band from Gent, inspired by both The Beatles and The Sex Pistols? What kind of deformed record is that? Well, actually a pretty good one. The band is named after the founder, Waldorf, who set out to write pop music with a rocky edge. And he pretty much succeeded, with
the driving energy of the guitar, and the twists and modulations of pop. Actually, it all works out pretty well - and that makes me a happy camper. He reminds me of the Danish artist Tim Christensen, in his Dizzy day, with a lot of amp and catchy tunes. The major
difference however, is that Tim was and is a harder rocker than Waldorf will ever be. Waldorf's guitar is hard, but in the kiddy kind of way - where it reminds me more of run down version of System of a Down or Creed or whatever. It has a nice feel to it though. The tracks fit in together, and there is no disputing that this debut album willm bring them quite a bit of fame and glory, I'll do my best at least. Oh and one last thing, that could well earn these guys five blades: the record design. Oh dear oh dear - this is the coolest record I have seen in a long time. I mean, if for nothing else - buy the record and hang it on your wall. If the band is reading this - please send me a huge poster of it - it's that cool!
http://www.abandcalledwaldorf.com

If you dig: Foo Fighters, Aimona, Dizzy Mizz Lizzy

Kristian

V/A Midnight Bombers/Bevelaqua 7" (Rodent Records)
The Bombers' 2 tracks, "Work Weak" and "Back & Forth", are fast Minor Threat-ish hardcore with a bit of Jack Saints' punk'n'roll thrown in. Apparently they hate work but love sex, well who doesn't, haha. Not bad. They got a full length album, "Evil Street", out soon. Bevelaqua is almost impossible to describe, sorta like sludgecoredoompunk with double bassdrums; Victims Family meets Melvins? This is some angry shit.
http://www.midnightbombers.com

Midnight Bombers
Bevelaqua

Jens