Month: November 2020

Turn Up The Volume’s 15 KNOCKOUT TRACKS For November 2020 – Hells Bells!

Posted on by JL

This past month’s best…

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I love the smell of rock ‘n’ roll all month long!
Turn Up The Volume‘s 15 Knockout Tracks
November 2020! Right here, right now…

‘State Of The Union’ by PUBLIC ENEMY (US)
Whatever it takes, rid this dictator / POTUS my tail, Ass debater / Prime-time Preemo, rhyme-time crime / Like no other in this lifetime / Stay away from me / State of the Union, shut the
fuck up / Sorry ass motherfucker / Stay away from me / State of the Union / Shut the fuck up

‘There’s A Ghost’ by SUPERCHUNK (North-Carolina)
This steamed-up missile proves that Superchunk still has the adrenalin-fueled buzz and fuzz energy to make you go nuts like a manic kangaroo. A welcome wham bloody bam smack to ventilate your lockdown frustration. Pogo along here…


‘I Don’t Know What I’m Doing’ by MAXÏMO PARK (Newcastle upon Tyne, UK)
Instant rollicking-guitar-crazy stormer. An agitated and keyed-up cracker on the
run with an adrenaline-fueled chorus triggering your jump up-and-down button.
From the upcoming album Nature Always Wins, out 26 February 2021…

‘The Eyeball Dance’ by HEY COLOSSUS (UK)
From the get-go, this ongoing repetitive-riff-ripper infiltrates your mind without asking permission. And the sickly sticky chorus causes head-twisting dynamics making you totally dizzy. Mind-bending psych jam for greedy ears! Get up and turn it up…

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‘The Observer’ by FLYING MOON IN SPACE (Germany)
Only thirty seconds in and this electrical Kraut-synth stunner is already jumping from left to right and back in your uncontrollably spinning head. Ongoing sparkling rotations cause a transcendent experience giving you the opportunity to escape our grim reality for a while…

‘Alien Nate’ by FILIBUSTER (Belgium)

Cutting Sonic Youth echoes, flashing Metz dynamics, and layers of Dinosaur Jr. guitars.
A sizzling bolide about loving each other while rocking your balls off. From the band’s excellent debut LP Future Anachronisms. Start the fire…


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‘Out Of The Shadows’ by GREAT HARE (Sweden)
This is the wake-up-call I want to hear when I can’t get out of my bed in the morning. You simply can’t resist this shot of adrenaline. This is what elevating pop is all about. Vitalizing, energizing, and galvanizing. In a normal world, this should be a global hit…


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‘Breaking Out’ by GHOSTLAWNS
Middle finger to the lockdown, there’s no law against freaking out in your living room and it helps to activate your adrenaline production. And kraut-dance impulses are so much cheaper and more effective than therapy. Hit the floor…


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‘For Daze’ by FAUX MACHISMO (Leeds)
Passion, desperation, devotion, distress, and heartache. An anxiety-driven outburst making your hair in the back of your neck stand up. A haunting groovy guitar riff-mad stroke with emotive vocals dragging you to the dark side of your soul and the exploding full-grunge chorus messes up your mind. Smells like heart-shaped box melodrama to me…


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‘Where You Find Me’ by THE NOTWIST (Germany)
The German indie rockers are gearing up for a new album called Vertigo Days, out
29 January 2021. Lead-single Where You Find Me is a frolic pop tune you’ll whistle, hum and/or sing along pretty quick in your shower. As sticky as first-class glue…

‘Edge Of The World’ by THE SEA AT MIDNIGHT (Los Angeles)
One-man band The Sea At Midnight balances between twilight and sunrise, between
past and present, between pain and hope. This both melodious and darkwave blues introspection has a healing effect. Gripping piece from his new self-titled album…


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’20th Century Boy’ by BEAUTY IN CHAOS feat. AL JOURGENSEN
20th Century metal boy Al Jourgensen from industrial noiseniks Ministry obviously
has fun with this hot-tempered and filthy cover of the 1973 T.Rex blockbuster…

Well, It’s plain to see you were meant for me / Yeah, I’m your toy, your 20th Century boy.

‘King Of Machines’ by TIGER MIMIC (London)
Tiger Mimic rants about the dangerous state of chaos we live in with a crystal clear, outspoken jackhammer fueled by sinewy guitar hooks, a battering beat, sharp-cutting male/female vocals, and a caustic chorus. Midway the tempo drops and the intensity goes up before starting the pugnacious ‘I’ll Stand My Ground’ finale. Time to act! Time to survive!


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‘No Justification’ by LOUD APARTMENT (New York)
Uplifting music is what we need to inject our concerned minds with hope and faith in
a better future while battling for survival. This hip-shaking, funky, hip-hop party tune
will do the trick perfectly. From the new album System Breakdown…


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‘Compersion Pt. 1’ by ARAB STRAP
Back after 15 years. A track that “depicts a quest to find the ever-elusive unicorn, to bond fluidly, and safely, with the like-minded and adventurous, in the comforting arms of an anonymous hotel, and the stark realization that you never really wanted it.” A near-spoken story over an ongoing addictive riff. Magnetic cut…

All together on Spotify…

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See/hear you next month for the best-of-2020-tracks…

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Melancholic Splendor With New Single ‘CAN’T STOP RUNNING’ By CHARLES V. ROX VACCARO

Posted on by JL

30 November 2020

CHARLES V. ROX VACCARO is a singer-songwriter from Montreal, Canada. He has been playing music and writing songs for other artists for more than 30 years. He started very young with a band called Lipstik who got the chance to be produced for a while by Whitney Houston.

His new single CAN’T STOP RUNNING is based on a real-life experience. It is the story of the common man who aspires to leave his small town to pursue the big city life of fame and fortune. Throughout his lifetime and his quest for such an adventure, life just beats him down to never leaving.

This is melancholic melodiousness at its best. Wistful, romantic, and heartfelt. Close your eyes and you’ll hear The Edge‘s guitar play on U2’s I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For in the back of the magnificent chorus. Yes, Charles V. Rox Vaccaro evokes the drama-filled and warm resonance of the Irish superstars on this tip-top humdinger.

Here’s why…

CHARLES V. ROX VACCARO: Facebook

2020 Science-Fiction Soundtrack – New Album ‘SHADOW OF FEAR’ By CABARET VOLTAIRE

Posted on by JL

30 November 2020

Artist: CABARET VOLTAIRE (Sheffield)
Who: Originally a three-piece when CV formed in 1973.
Now a one-man-band with founding member Richard H. Kirk.

Album: SHADOW OF FEAR – 14th LP – first in 26 years
Released: 20 November 2020

The Guardian wrote: “The first Cabaret Voltaire album in more than two decades feels oddly of the moment, their grim presentiments about disinformation, curfews and crackdowns fulfilled… ‘Shadow of Fear’ makes few concessions to user-friendliness – it’s far heavier-going than the last albums the original Cabaret Voltaire made – and for every listener who finds it a powerful, cathartic reflection of the times, there’s bound to be one who feels it’s the last thing they want to hear at the moment, life being what it is… What it does, and does successfully, might be the hardest thing for a reformed band to pull off: it adds to their catalogue, rather than detracts from it.” Full review here. Score 4/5.

Richard H Kirk: “You can’t beat a good drone.”

Turn Up The Volume: ‘Shadow Of A Doubt‘ is the ultimate soundtrack for a 2001 Space Odyssey remake starring The Terminator on his last mission ever, destroying Earth, while Cabaret Voltaire‘s new multi-layered-electro-scapes blast out of the cinema speakers.

A spine-chilling mix of ominous beats, capricious bleeps, nightmarish reverberations,
and creepy voices. But, hey wait, I was tapping my feet all the way, for about an hour. That’s what Cabaret Voltaire always managed to do, making you feel lively and move in mysterious ways to their obscure and science-fiction-like symphonies while Doomsday looms at the end of the horizon. Can’t think of a better sonic score for this surreal year. Perfect timing for a comeback!

Stream Shadow Of Fear here…

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CABARET VOLTAIRE: Facebook

Soundtrack FRANK ZAPPA Documentary Now Available – 3 CDs and 5 LPs

Posted on by JL

29 November 2020

Last week a new FRANK ZAPPA documentary has been
launched, including a slew of rare and unseen footage from
the late genius’ VAULT.

The soundtrack with pieces of unheard music is available
too (more info below). You can stream the 68 tracks
on Spotify…

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You can buy the soundtrack. The special edition
contains 3CDs and 5 LPs. Details and tracklists here.

FRANK ZAPPA: Facebook

IAN DURY Released Third LP ‘LAUGHTER’ 40 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

29 November 2020

Artist: IAN DURY
12 May 1942 – 27 March 2000

Album: LAUGHTER – Dury‘s third LP with
legendary guitarist Wilko Johnson as
one of the guest musicians.
Released: 28 November 2020 – 40 years ago

AllMusic / Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote: “Ian Dury gradually moves away from disco with ‘Laughter’. The steady dance pulse is still apparent, but it’s balanced by rockers and pub singalongs that give the album more depth. Dury’s humor is at its most basic, as the titles of “Uncoolohol,” “(Take Your Elbow out of the Soup) You’re Sitting on the Chicken,” “Oh Mr. Peanut,” and “Fucking Ada” indicate, and his lyrics aren’t quite as stunningly fluid as before. Still, the record is fun, and “Superman’s Big Sister,” “Yes & No (Paula),” and “Over the Points” are pretty infectious, but the record can’t help but illustrate that Dury’s peak period is over.’ Score: 3.5/5.

Ian Dury: “I called it Laughter to cheer myself up.”

Turn Up The Volume: Although his first two albums – New Boots and Panties!! and Do It Yourself – were almost impossible to match, ‘Laughter’ was/still is vintage Ian Dury cabaret and fun.

Single…

– SUPERMAN’S BIG SISTER –

IAN DURY: Facebook