Month: March 2020

Believe The Hype! Post Punk Rockers THE WANTS Score Big Time With Bang-Up Debut Album ‘CONTAINER’

Posted on by JL

Old and new albums to make your day…

28 March 2020

Band: THE WANTS

Who: “With the minimal instrumentation of post-punk as their framework, The Wants,
inject the hypnotic pulse of Detroit techno into the practice of pop songwriting. Led by
Velding-VanDam’s elusive duality of personas, which oscillate between earnestly romantic
and unsettlingly deadpan, The Wants naturally forge a dark alley off the beaten path into danceable dissonance. Velding-VanDam’s vulnerable lyrics sometimes foray into the sardonically biting, reflecting the complex cycle of self-reflection of the current generation.”

Album: CONTAINER

British music website NME wrote: “Comprised of two members of New York art-punks Bodega, Madison Velding-VanDam and bassist Heather Elle, and completed by drummer
Jason Gates, the confident self-produced debut from The Wants is riven with taut anxiety and
a sense of looming dread. Yet it’s also a collection of razor-sharp pop songs that gleam through the gloom. They mine the sinuous basslines and euphoric bleakness of post-punk outfits such as Gang Of Four similarly preoccupied with stripping away the lies of capitalist and consumerist culture) and the dancefloor nous of bands from their home city.” Full review here. Score: 4/5

TUTV‘s impressions: Believe the hype. I have this stupendous record on repeat for about four days now while doing my own funky little dance moves. Your limbs will definitely get affected too when hearing this brilliant mix of Parquet Courts sharpness, Talking Heads funk, Gang Of Four electricity and A Certain Ratio weirdness. Two-thirds of The Wants are also members of NY’s superb punk misfits Bodega who made one of Turn Up The Volume‘s favorite albums of 2018 with Endless Scroll. This year, Container will undoubtedly be one of the most fascinating longplayers. Fact!

Press play here
and get impressed…

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Singles/clips…

– FEAR MY SOCIETY –

– THE MOTOR –

THE WANTS: Facebook

Darkwave Act HALLOWS Dropped Brand New Single ‘THE CALL // RAVENOUS’…

Posted on by JL

New sonic impulses…

28 March 2020


(photo by Daniel Kastner)

Band: HALLOWS

Who: “A darkwave/post-punk collaboration conceived in Minneapolis/St Paul in 2018, drifted to Seattle. The duo consisting of Dom R. (vocals, guitar, synth, drum programming) and Vanee D. (vocals, synth, bass) describes their music as layers of yearning sounds, bleeding into uplifting, sanguine beats, with an intimate message about modern day malaise told from an exposed, vulnerable lens.”

Track: THE CALL//RAVENOUS – brand new single – Dom R. said about the new cut “It
was the first song we composed as a band. We worked on this song for months, before we considered it complete. In essence, it’s about being on a dark journey, following this somber,
yet enthralling voice, you follow it to wherever it takes you. As you get lost in the night, it becomes home.”

Score: After their impressive debut single Subtle this haunting act nail it again with
their new nightmarish odyssey. A pitch black slo-mo trip into an overcast universe only they know the location of. Disturbing synths patterns, icy voices and shadowy vibrations infiltrate the dark side of your mind and open your doors of perception. Don’t fight it, it’s all worth it, I know I’ve been there.

HALLOWS: Facebook

(photo on top: FB Hallows)

‘My Perfect Cousin’ By Irish Punks THE UNDERTONES – Released 40 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

Top Singles from the past…

28 March 2020

Band: The Undertones 
Active: 1975-1983 / 1999-present
Single: My Perfect Cousin
B-side: Hard Luck Again  and
I Don’t Wanna See (You Again) 
Released: 28 March 1980 – 40 years ago
Score: The single peaked at #9
both in the UK and Ireland
Album: Hypnotised  – the band’s second LP

Here’s the original clip…

THE UNDERTONES: Facebook

Wholehearted Indie Outfit NEUROMANTICS Released Captivating Debut Album ‘CRIMES OF PASSION’…

Posted on by JL

27 March 2020

Band: NEUROMANTICS

Who: “A four-piece alt-rock band from London hailing from various corners of the globe. they were brought together by a myriad of interlinked events which led to their fortuitous convergence as Neuromantics. They each bring to the table a wealth of experience from their previous musical endeavours, channeling it through a range of genres and styles to present an enchanting and idiosyncratic alt-rock sound which fuses pensive lyricism with impassioned vocals, seductive hooks, and hard-hitting rhythms.”

Album: CRIMES OF PASSION.

In a press statement the LP is described as follows: “Inspired by various life events and experiences. Themes include loss, fear of the unknown, finding one’s place in the world, self-discovery, risks, growth and setbacks, melancholy, new beginnings, your belief system, and more. The open-ended nature of the lyrics invite the listener’s interpretation and emotional engagement, facilitating personal connections to the music. The bulk of the album was conceptualised when frontman Dan Pye was living abroad. It is the culmination of years of songwriting at various stages of his life. After relocating to London, Neuromantics was formed, and the group continued moulding the material into the songs that would make up Crimes of Passion.”

TUTV‘s impressions: Expect a fervent, emotional and electrifying fusion of sensitive reflections and poignant meditations. An incandescent mix of romantic sentiments,
thoroughgoing introspection and profound feelings swinging back and forth. Music
for melancholic spirits and yearning souls. Music for the twilight hours.

Sit down, relax and enjoy…

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Watch the clip for latest single ‘NAIVE’ here…

NEUROMANTICS: Facebook

Firm Rockers TOKYO TABOO Impress With Unplugged ‘WHISKEY’ Version…

Posted on by JL

Last October vigorous London rockers TOKYO TABOO released their blazing single WHISKEY. An explosive jackhammer, a rip-roaring stunner, an enormous slam that
feeds your hungry ears the way you actually love it the most.

Today the dynamite duo unleashed a hair-raising unplugged version. The vocal tour de force of flamboyant and utterly charismatic frontwoman Dolly Daggerz will send shivers down your spine. Her voice’s capacity is just breathtaking and capable of pulverizing your poor speakers. What a vehement performance. What a volcanic outpouring.

Catch the power here…

Also on Spotify…

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Here’s the original recording/clip…

TOKYO TABOO: Facebook


Purchase single via Bandcamp

THE BOO RADLEYS Released Their Bestseller Album ‘WAKE UP!’ 25 Years Ago Today…

Posted on by JL

27 March 2020

British alt pop outfit THE BOO RADLEYS released their third album WAKE UP! today
25 years ago, on 27 March 1995 via Alan McGee‘s notorious label Creation Records. Their greatest commercial success as the LP hit Number One in the UK. Their top ten single Wake Up Boo! was co-responsible for the longplayer’s triumph.

AllMusic wrote: With their third album, The Boo Radleys abandoned the overt noise that obscured the pop sensibilities of their early work and scaled back the ambitions of Giant Steps. The result is Wake Up!, a glorious, brightly colored gem of a pop record… The Boo Radleys were always a band with ambitions. The only difference with Wake Up! is that they finally fulfilled them.” Full review here. Score: 4.5/5

Album in full…

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Top Single…

– WAKE UP BOO! –

THE BOO RADLEYS: Bio – All Albums

Welsh Artist MOGAN Drops Spooky Chill Out Single ‘WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?’

Posted on by JL

Daily electricity to load your batteries…

PickOfDay

27 March 2020

Artist: MOGAN

Who: “A Cardiff based musician, tackles subjects like politics, divorce, sexual identity and finding a sense of comfort in one’s own weirdness. Closely linked with the DIY punk and Queer Punk communities, they like to explore the underground music scenes within their surrounding areas.”

Track: WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? – Mogan said: “The song really sets up the whole theory of being on the sidelines of chaos. When everything you’re witnessing is so messed up that you’d rather gouge your own eyes out with a compass than see what happens next.”

Score: This spooky chill-out electro trip rings like a fitting soundtrack for today’s global impasse due to that devastating virus. The spooky, ghostly tone and blood-curdling vox feel like a true to life reflection of a scary science-fiction situation turning real with the vital question ‘What happens next?’. Mogan‘s perception of our screwed-up planet is terribly actual. The Times They Are a-Changin’. No doubt about that.

Press play here…


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MOGAN: Facebook


5-track EP ‘GUTTER‘ out 24th April

BOB DYLAN Shares First New Song In Eight Years – Here’s The Extended JFK Ballad ‘MURDER MOST FOUL’…

Posted on by JL

New sonic impulses…

After eight years since his magnificent Tempest album living legend BOB DYLAN
shares a new song, a nostalgic 17-minute ballad about the assassination, in suspicious circumstances, of John F. Kennedy on 22 November 1963. The best ever president the
US ever had. A great leader who strove for peace, equality, and solidarity, the total opposite of that ignorant buffoon who’s now in the White House.

The release was accompanied by a message of the iconic singer/songwriter: “Greetings
to my fans and followers with gratitude for all your support and loyalty across the years. This
is an unreleased song we recorded a while back that you might find interesting. Stay safe, stay observant and may God be with you.”

It was a dark day in Dallas, November ’63
A day that will live on in infamy
President Kennedy was a-ridin’ high
Good day to be livin’ and a good day to die
Being led to the slaughter like a sacrificial lamb
He said, ‘Wait a minute, boys, you know who I am?’
‘Of course we do. We know who you are.’
Then they blew off his head while he was still in the car
Shot down like a dog in broad daylight

Lyrics in full here

Song in full here …

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BOB DYLAN: Facebook