What does it sound like?:

Imagine Half Man Half Biscuit with a Midlands accent and a whiff of ska. That is a really simple description of The Humdrum Express. Very possibly unfair – there is more to the band than that – but I’ve got to start with a bit of a hook.

Ian Passey (for it is he) has been casting a wry eye over the world on a couple or 3 albums before. It was the last album (‘The Day My Career Died’) and more particularly the song “Leopard Print Onesie” which drew me in – and an enjoyable time it is too. As before, every listen to this album has so far revealed another smart turn of phrase, a raised eyebrow, or a the very least a knowing smile. The content is very much rooted in the ordinary (the humdrum I suppose?) and you’re immediately comfortable in this world of pop culture references and musings. And on the subject of Pop Culture Musings, there is a track by that very name here – one where he may have written his own review of the album opening with the line:

“Before I wander off to check how » Continue Reading.

What does it sound like?:

(The full title is ‘Father Of All Motherfuckers’, but I know the rules about naughty words in Post Titles)

Green Day may well have peaked with 2004s ‘American Idiot’. In truth, the preceding albums contained some moments of greatness, but when’American Idiot’ came out, it really was a case of “where the f**k did that come from?”. It was a sort of Robert Johnson at the Crossroads moment, and it (for a time) made Green Day one of the biggest bands in the world. And then they tried the political comment in a rock-opera thing again with ’21st Century Breakdown’, and all started to come unstuck. The triple set – ‘¡Uno!’, ‘¡Dos!’, ‘¡Tré!’ was an attempt to get back to basics. As it turned out, it was more an attempt to turn back the clock, and songs of angsty rebellion just don’t work as well when delivered by three blokes knocking on the door of 40. 2016s ‘Revolution Radio’ was just a bit limp by all accounts.

So, 4 years on, are they just trying to milk the old cow again? I really think they’ve tried to a bit a bit more thoughtful about » Continue Reading.

What does it sound like?:

Two albums from a similar time period given a vinyl re-release – one on heavyweight black vinyl, the other on a rather fetching “bubblegum with a blue splat” coloured vinyl. (Personal Note: I used to own both these albums – no idea where they went? But now here’s a chance to get them back) Live At The Roxy was originally released on Prog Rock label Harvest in 1977, and offers 12 tracks drawn from the “legendary” first 100 days of The Roxy in Convent Garden. The club opened (officially) on 1 January 1977 with a headline performance from The Clash, and in it’s time featured just about every Punk band it could get on stage. (Trivia note: Iron Maiden were offered a support slot to Siouxsie & The Banshees in March 1977 – they declined the offer despite posters being printed, and the show was cancelled)

This album contains performances from the lesser celebrated end of Punk – Slaughter & The Dogs, Eater, Johnny Moped,– alongside their perhaps better known brethren – The Adverts X-Ray Spex, Buzzcocks and Wire. The one band not mentioned above – The Unwanted – are described somewhere on the » Continue Reading.

What does it sound like?:

Wikipedia tells me this is Richard Dawson’s 7th album – which means I may need to go to Spotify and do a bit of catching up. On the other side of this, it means I have no pre-conceived conceptions about this offering – and if the back catalogue is as good as this, then I’ll be a happy bunny.

Phew! This is some special thing – a right old mash up of folk-esque story telling, indie grungeiness, a bit of prog-ish-ness – the introduction to “Black Triangle” could be straight out of the ELP songbook – , all bolted to a sometime Trumpton-ish tune coupled with some seriously hummable melodies. The voice veers between Northumbrian brogue, measured baritone and pained falsetto (with a couple of Ronnie James Dio-like screechy moments).

The songs themselves are basically sung in a spoken word like narrative – there is no attempt at a poetic turn of phrase or a levering in of a rhyming couplet. The instrumentation is relatively stripped back and simple, but can (and often does) explode into louder moments. Dawson is addressing the minutae, and sometimes absurdity, of everyday life – “we’re hurrying home from » Continue Reading.

What does it sound like?:

When a new album bearing the name “Gallagher” arrives, there are usually 4 stock questions:

1. Does it sound like it always sounds? 2. Are the lyrics peppered with bad or contrived rhymes? 3. Is it derivative / a slight knock-off of other peoples work? 4. Does it break any new ground, or in anyway a departure from the expected? And the answers, unsurprisingly, are: Yes, Yes, Yes and No

The full title of this album could/should be: ‘Why Me? Why Not? What More Did You Expect?’

But this is not a bad thing – it is comfortable, easy to access, and rewards quite quickly. The only fear is that the “reward” may not last and this will soon be consigned to the “might play again if I stumble across it” pile.

There are many people in this world who perceive Liam Gallagher as “that insufferable knob that used to sing in Oasis”. And, to be honest, his latest advert on Amazon hardly helps his case. But I maintain he has one of the greatest rock voices of the past few years (well, 25 since the release of Oasis’s ‘Definitely Maybe’). Just the right » Continue Reading.

What does it sound like?:

Yo know those moments when a song pops up on the radio, and you think “I know this. Oh no I don’t, it’s definitely new. Oh hang on, I’m sure I’ve heard this.”

A case in point here is “Keep The Change” by Mattiel – coming across like a sort of lost Northern Soul stomper/60s Garage Rock mash-up sung by Nico (a curious mixture, but one that is apt), and the attendant album (‘Satis Factory’) is more than satisfactory (some albums bought on the strength of one track can lead to disappointment, not this one)

The parent album contains 12 tracks with echoes of recognition throughout all adding to the “Retro, yet of itself” sound. The music on this album, at some point, touches most of the varying styles of the rock genre. But this is no pastiche of the styles, merely a starting point of recognition that hooks the listener in (or it did me anyway). The 12 tracks each clock in around 3 minutes, meaning this is a fine way to spend half hour of life.

Opener “Til The Moment Of Death” is a sort of Velvet Underground meets Country affair, with » Continue Reading.

What does it sound like?:

From their first single (on their own label) in 1979 to their (slightly messy, but politically infused) break-up of the original line-up, The Specials packed a lot into their original 3 year incarnation (before splintering to Fun Boy Three and the Dammers-helmed Special AKA). A short period of time between the mashed-up ska-punk of “Gangsters” and the downbeat commentary of “Ghost Town”. They also managed two albums, and both are deemed (and rightly so) as classic of the time.

And now 40 years later, they’re back (in somewhat reduced original membership form). But … this aint no nostalgic re-tread, they have actually got something to say (even if it a very similar conversation to 40 years ago)

More laid-back than ‘The Specials’ and ‘More Specials’, but echoes of their past filter through everything. It may not have the energy of the debut – indeed it’s more in the late period Ghost Town vein. Songs with a message delivered carefully and concisely so you get the point, but still find your self bouncing and/or nodding to the infectious beat behind. The upbeat punky-ska party can be found on the accompanying Live disk where you’ll find » Continue Reading.

What does it sound like?:

40 Years old today (3rd February)

In 1978, two bands from Northern Ireland produced their first singles and sent them to John Peel in the hope of getting Radio airplay. One of them (The Undertones – Teenage Kicks) got played twice in a row and has passed into legend as John Peel’s favourite track of all time. The other (Stiff Little Fingers – Suspect Device) was played every night for a week and Rough Trade (the only place in London to stock the single) was constantly running short of stock. Demand was so great, Geoff Travis approached the band so his label could re-release it and satisfy his customers. A 50/50 Split Profit Deal was agreed with a handshake – no Contracts, no Lawyers, no future markets exploitation clause, just a straightforward Manufacturing and Distribution deal. Both had the desire to keep the arrangement simple – Stiff Little Fingers had already been disappointed by Island Records 6 months earlier (a tale told in the song “Rough Trade”, which is not about the label that released their records but about the label that signed them and then dropped them within a week, and signed The » Continue Reading.