Results for: ELEFANT ULTRA

ON REPEAT! The Blasting Motherrocker ‘ULTRA PLUS ULTRA’ By ELEFANT

Posted on by JL

Belgian sound-exploring gunslingers ELEFANT scored big time with their
second album Bejahung. One of the best longplayers of this infected year.

ULTRA PLUS ULTRA is without a shadow of a doubt my favorite motherrocker
on the album. I lost track of how many times this top haymaker tried to crush
my poor speakers. It’s an ongoing motorik-like stomper, a steamy sledgehammer
with a wall-of-bloodthirsty-guitars-and-scary-synths sound. Capice?

Let’s roll…

While you’re here check out their intoxicating live force…

ELEFANT: Facebook


Photo on top: press promo via Elenfant / Live photo by Turn Up The Volume! February 2020)

ELEFANT Is Dead! Long Live ELEFANT! Here’s Their New Smashing Stomper ‘ULTRA PLUS ULTRA’…

Posted on by JL

21 January 2020

About a year after their eccentric debut album Konark Und Bonark Belgian metallic sludge noisemakers ELEFANT will launch their second longplayer called BEHAJUNG
on 24 January, this Friday. A press statement learns us that the new LP sounds like
it’s made by a new spirited, reborn band. Read the reincarnation story right there…

“The band intended to create a truly ugly, dissonant, senseless, distorted cacophony as the successor to ‘Konark und Bonark’. But instead all these beautiful, kind of normal, sometimes happy, sometimes sad songs came out. Life can be funny that way. Where previous releases focused on alienation, this ended up being about coming together. Saying yes to life (but still with an edge and a few loose screws) and thus ‘Bejahung’ was created’.”

Lead single ‘Water Flowns Down, a mantra-like chant already revealed a new direction and brand new cut/clip ‘ULTRA PLUS ULTRA’ confirms that the former alien dressed and unorthodox foursome have taken another, more accessible, yet still a hair-raising sonic course. The new piece is an ongoing motorik-like stomper, a smashing sledgehammer
with a wall-of-bloodthirsty-guitars and scary synths. It is a motherfucking killer blast. ELEFANT is dead! Long live ELEFANT!.

Feel the full steam ahead electricity right here…

ELEFANT: Facebook

New album BEHAJUNG out 24 January – You can order the LP here

How Was 2020? A Chat With The WOLFMAN Of Sound-Crusaders ELEFANT

Posted on by JL

9 December 2020

They’re not as famous as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones but ELEFANT is along
with those British combos a must-hear band. Why? Because they don’t want to
be as famous as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Why? Because their second LP,
titled BEJAHUNG is not really a pop nor rock record in the traditional sense.

What these loverboys do is balance between post-punk-sludge, a cappella chants, stillleben instrumentals, knockout crackers about walking a dog, and not sing-along conversations in a room. Accessible, but not in an Elvis Presley way, more in a Frank
Zappa way. A bit kooky, a bit eccentric, and with a lot of mothers of invention fun.

So Turn Up The Volume invited the ringleader of these sound-crusaders for a chat about the past twelve past months. Ladies and gents please welcome Wolfman, after this message of public benefit…

Hello Wolfman…

I listened about 100 times to the brilliant BEJAHUNG album.
And what about you?

“I must have listened 1000 times playing and mixing it,
but after that not so much. My favorite track is Stillleben.”


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What’s the story behind the LP’s title?

“Bejahung means something like saying yes to life. Doing only what you
love and doing it with extra love. I still haven’t figured out if it is a longing
or an actual intent.”

In a normal world, ULTRA PLUS ULTRA would be a massive indie hit.
But I’m not sure what the ripper is about. Help me…

“Ultra Plus Ultra is about walking the dog basically. But with
the Bejahung mindset: if you walk the dog, do it with love and
with pride! I love stupid actions and transcend them to heroic
and useful/interesting acts.”

The album launch gig back in January was one of the best ELEFANT performances
I ever witnessed. New meds or an exceptional stream of adrenaline?

“Same meds, different year. 2020 promised to become something special
and indeed this year was something else, but not in our predicted way.”

The band stopped wearing those pretty cool, white Chernobyl outfits on stage. Why?

“It was old news, we wanted something else, maybe something less sketchy and caricatural. We wanted the audience to focus on the music and not so much on our
crazy stage antics.”

That nasty coronavirus stopped/canceled all live-action. How hard is/was that?

“Pretty hard to be honest, but true to my Bejahung beliefs, I try to make the best of it.
I wanted to rehearse a lot and work on new songs, but due to COVID regulations we
didn’t get to rehearse, so I started recording some solo stuff.”

A lot of musicians came up with a cover of another artist’s song during these
bizarre times. Which one would you pick to cover?

“I covered different Leonard Cohen songs this year, but I’ll pick “Everybody knows’ It doesn’t fit the Bejahung mold because it’s a dramatic pessimistic one. But alas, it’s still
a true vision on these times and mankind.”

Suppose you’re asked to rewrite the national Belgian hymn.
What would it be the outcome in sound and vision?

“I wouldn’t do it.”

What was the best track you heard in 2020?

Mr. Bungle’s ‘Bungle grind’ from the Easter Bunny album. It’s a blast
from the past, humorous and ingenious without pretentiousness.

Your favorite prick of the year?

“The idiot that ate the corona infected bat.”

Any tips to have fun this lockdown Xmas?

“Sit down and relax.”

Which song will be on your stereo on
31st December at midnight?

The Beatles ‘Good Day Sunshine.’
Good vibes!

Which promise for 2021 will you not keep?

“See next question.”

New ELEFANT music next year?

“Definitely.”

Cheers, Wolfman.
May the road rise with Elefant.
And I hope you’ll become as famous
as The Beatles and The Stones in 2021.

Ladies and gents, Turn Up The Volume is proud to announce
that his best album of this mad 2020 year is BEHAJUNG!

Stream/buy the winner here…


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ELEFANT: Facebook

(photo on top via Wolfman / all other pictures by Turn Up The Volume!)

3 Oscar Nominations For Belgian Sturm Und Drang Misfits ELEFANT

Posted on by JL

29 October 2020

The end of this science-fiction-like mouth mask year is nearing its end. Time to listen
back to all the impactful stuff that terrorized our poor speakers in 2020 and to work on the traditional end-of-the-year lists. After consuming gallons of Red Bull and hours of non-stop music the most impressive conclusion is that only one band/artist succeeds in collecting nominations in our 3 categories. Here we go…

Nomination for album of the year with their second LP BEJAHUNG

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Nomination for single of the year with ULTRA PLUS ULTRA


Nomination for concert of the year: their album launch party on 16 February

Why? “I didn’t think for a second about the fact that I saw the outlandish bohemians for
the first time without their white, bizarre scientific engineer’s outfits and their faces creepily smeared with white chalk. Yes, the music was the overwhelming and intoxicating winner of
the night. An euphoric triumph.” Full TUTV review here.


Yes, yes and yes…

To celebrate all this sturm und drang news here’s EAZY,
the LP’s third single/clip with footage from that launch party…

ELEFANT: Facebook

 

(live photo by TUTV)

Stay Home, Stay Safe And Watch All The Startling Clips By Steamy Squad ELEFANT…

Posted on by JL

Clips that will have an impact on your eyes…

VIVA VIDEO

13 April 2020

My favorite sonic lunatics ELEFANT hit the scene back in 2015. They are the diabolic masters of metallic sludge madness. They are sound-exploring motherrockers who
open your doors of perception. They are a bunch of mind-boggling crusaders who take
no prisoners. They evolved into one of the most fascinating bands in the universe. They’re puzzlingly adventurous on record, on stage and on video. To brighten your duty-bound days at home Turn Up The Volume assembled all the band’s mental video clips, so far.

Take some popcorn, dim the lights and enjoy the Elefant Cinema starting with the rapid eye movement clip for the title track of their new stunning album…

– BEJAHUNG – (2020)

– ULTRA PLUS ULTRA – (2020)

– WATER ALWAYS FLOWS DOWN – (2020)

– WIE SCHARF IST DEIN MESSER? – (2018)

– LORD SLEEP – (2018)

– JEDE UHR TICKT – (2017)

– MUMBO JUMBO – (2017)

– THE REALM – (2016)

– SMITHERS – (2016)

– DEPRESSION – (2016)

– A BRIEF HISTORY – (2015)

– ELEFANTEN – (2015)

Now that your eyes are turning yellow, open
your ears for their second LP ‘BJAHUNG’
Stream/buy right here…


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ELEFANT: Facebook

BlogElefant

(photo by Turn Up The Volume!)

Bloodcurdling Sound Explorers ELEFANT Triumph At Their Euphoric Album Release Show…

Posted on by JL

16 February 2020

A couple of weeks ago Belgian bloodcurdling sound explorers ELEFANT released
their excellent second album BEJAHUNG. A helter-skelter motherrocker, a magnetic record. A more accessible work than their debut, except for the schizophrenic and transcendental debaucheries. The experimental misfits have entered another sound territory with layers of special effects, some blistering knockouts, some puzzling disturbance, and an overall refreshing new Sturm Und Drang identity. Last Friday
on Valentine’s Day the four horsemen of the Apocalypse presented their fresh excesses in my hometown Ghent, Belgium. Here are the highs and lows of
a memorable and euphoric release show.

Highs

1. It’s early in the year but the sizzling opener of the album and the concert
Ultra Plus Ultra will be, unquestionably, one of the best knockouts of 2020.

2. It’s early in the year but their new ace longplayer Bejahung
will be, unquestionably, one of the most fascinating LPs of 2020.

3. It’s early in the year but this concert will be, unquestionably,
one of the hottest performances of 2020.

4. Band and audience were into each other and had an instant bond
from the get-go. making me think of an euphoric gospel gathering
with lots of love in the air.

5. I didn’t think for a second about the fact that I saw the outlandish
bohemians for the first time without their white, bizarre scientific
engineer’s outfits and their faces creepily smeared with white chalk
Yep, the music was the one and only overwhelming and intoxicating
winner of the night.

6. Their setlist was a flawless steamroller adrenalizing the packed venue
from start to finish. It was a non-stop mind-blowing experience.

7. the visual effects on the big screen matched the rip-roaring turbulence on stage.

8. The songs played, from their otherworldly debut LP Konark und Bonark 
fitted perfectly in the sonic whirlwind.

9. The wayward bohemians dived into the crowd at the end of the orgastic event
and hugged several exhilarated spectators. I never saw this at a Cure concert.

10. We all went home with a big smile on our sweaty faces.

LOWS
None

Picture This…


Let’s dance


Alien guest


Schizophrenic frontman


A kick-ass triumph

Stream/buy BEJAHUNG right here…


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ELEFANT: Facebook

(concert pics by Turn Up The Volume!)

Erratic Combo ELEFANT Released Their New Sturm Und Drang Album – Discover ‘BEJAHUNG’ Track By Track

Posted on by JL

14 February 2020

After their gloom and doom debut album Konark Und Bonark, a nightmarish psycho opus remarkable for its both otherworldly and creepy metallic sludge disorder, Belgian erratic combo ELEFANT returns with the synthtastic motherrocker called BEHAJUNG.
A more accessible work, except for the schizophrenic and hair-raising moments which make me think of longtime weirdos The Residents. Anyway, the experimental misfits
have entered another bloodcurdling sound area with layers of special effects, some
steamy knockouts, some puzzling razzmatazz, and an overall arresting new Sturm Und Drang sonority of which, even after several spins, you still haven’t a clue how to define it. Therefore we invited Herr Wolllf, the band’s musical maestro to tell us more about their second electroshock longplayer.

The tracks…


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The anecdotes by Herr Wolllf, track by track…

1. Ultra Plus Ultra
“This one was bound to be the first song of the album. Lyrically it’s about the heroic
deed of walking the dog…”

2. Rechtschreibe
“This one I wrote like in 10 minutes and I really love it. It’s pretty complex rhythmically and dissonant as fuck! The lyrics go back to Robert Frost‘s poem ‘Lodged’ showing humanity who’s in power.”

3. Eazy
“Eazy’ is balancing between Minor / Major, Happy / Sad, Annoying / Soothing.”

‘I will make you go, take a step forward
Let’s take you home, enjoy the walk
I will help you cope, take a step inward
and take you home, enjoy the walk’

4. Water Always Flows Down
“I’m a sucker for choir and vocal music. In Elefant most of the lyrics are pretty upbeat
(no irony) and here i’m trying to put stuff in perspective: humanity might have wandered off its path, but hey, water still flows down. We might destroy ourselves and everything around us, but atoms will survive!”

4. Stillleben
“This is one of my favourites! It’s not sexy. It’s too sad and too slow, but I love
the drama. The title is also the most beautiful word with ‘lll’ consecutive lll’s!”

5. Welcome To Life Sonny
“A fond welcome to my son Elko, the destroyer of death. Musically it turned
out to be our take on 80’s wave boom tchak-ing all the way through…”

6. Bejahung
“A Meeting with Death: Sit down, loosen up, have a cookie. The whole album deals with life/death in a direct or indirect way. Do you choose life or death? It’s got a great oriental vibe provided by our lord of oud: Dr. M. Flamand.”

7. The Dooor
“Tony Clifton in the house! I think in 2019 I was half Wolf, half Tony and this song reflect that. Soundwise to me, it’s Slayer performing in a Bollywood movie.”

8. 3-3-3
“This song was also sung by Tony. Musically, it was inspired by Mariachi music,
but it mutated to this thing called 3-3-3.”

9. A Conversation In A Room
“I needed a little pause before the last track and I remembered this canon.
It’s an invitation to a conversation if the occasion would arise.”

10. My Race Race is Better Than Your Race
“This one’s a bitch to play, but what a lovely squeaky bitch! It’s a reaction to the fear/propaganda that has been pumped in our veins by the press and politicians.”

close your doors for they are coming
close your borders, the water’s rising
close your eyes, the sun is shining
shine your light ’cause all are hiding

forget your rights for they are coming
sell your profile, the water’s rising
shut your voice, the sun is shining
buy a choice ’cause all are hiding

close your doors
close your eyes
they are coming
the sun is shining

Thank you Herr Wolllf to guide us through
Behajung! May the road rise with Elefant!

The album is available digitally via Bandcamp and iTunes, streamable via Spotify

ELEFANT: Facebook

One more thing. From day one the Elefant squad, on stage, dressed as deranged scientific engineers in white outfits and their faces smeared with white chalk, but that’s over now. The band burned their camouflage and look almost normal now.

The 20 Albums That Saved TURN UP THE VOLUME In This Surreal 2020 Year

Posted on by JL

1. Bejahung by ELEFANT (Belgium)

Released: 24 January 2020
TUTV: Soundtastic explorations, making me think of longtime weirdos The Residents. The Belgian – we do what we like – crusaders have entered another cutting-edge space with layers of special effects, some steamy knockouts, some puzzling razzmatazz, a cappella surprises and an overall arresting Sturm Und Drang sonority. The 2020 winner!

Stream/buy here…


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2. Bedroom by bdrmm (Hull, UK)

Released: 3 July 2020
TUTV: Talking about a flabbergasting debut. Believe the hype NME started: “It’s a gripping modern-day shoegaze classic.” Totally spot-on. Dream-stimulating, romantic, blue-sky and yes, angelic. Stroke of genius. Bingo!

Stream/buy here…

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3. Hot Slick by PINS (Manchester, UK)

Released: 29 May 2020
TUTV: Lockdown blues? Turn your living room into a cozy discotheque with Xmas lights and dance, sway, twirl, shake and sweat like it’s 1999 all over again. Party record of the year. Hot stuff with bad girls!

Stream/buy here…


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4. Deap Lips by DEAP LIPS (California/Oklahoma)

Released: 13 March 2020
TUTV: When the blues-punk-rock Amazons of Deap Vally and the surreal fairy tale daydreamers of The Flaming Lips join forces… motherfuckers got to go. Jump on your Yamaha, let your hair blow in the wind and imagine that you’re an Easy Rider.


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5. Under The Spell Of Joy by DEATH VALLEY GIRLS

Released: 2 October 2020
TUTV: Without a shadow of a doubt the best DVG album (so far). A joyful choir, 60s organs, a line-up of addictive tunes, garage rock thrills, sultry sax salvos and Bonnie Bloomgarden leading the troops as usual. Hold her hand and she’ll make you swing on cloud nine.

Stream/buy here…


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6. Every Bad by PORRIDGE RADIO (Brighton, UK)

Released: 13 March 2020
TUTV: This quartet rolls from amplified pop to post-punk and back, with ardent passion, anarchic and sweet, chaotic and intense, zealous and plainspoken with frontwoman and future indie star Dana Margolin as the driving force.

Stream here…

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7. A Hero’s Death by FONTAINES D.C. (Ireland)

Released: 31 July 2020
TUTV: Reflections on daily life embedded in spine-tingling post-punk jams. A loud and clear confirmation of what they achieved on their awesome debut LP. Another bold accomplishment! These Irish heros are here to stay! Life is not always empty, indeed!.

Stream/buy here…


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8. Atlas Vending by METZ (Canada)

Released: 9 October 2020
TUTV: A thunderous tsunami of jaw-dropping sledgehammers. Apocalyptic guitars and battering drum attacks while Alex Edkins yowling vocal-chords challenge the Richter scale
of madness. Explosive tour de force! Fasten your seatbelt.

Stream/buy here…


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9. Dances/Curses by HEY COLOSSUS (UK)

Released: 6 November 2020
TUTV: Never ever a dull moment with these post-punk-tastic groove machine. They master the art of wrapping sickly sticky tunes in a wall-of-bang-up sound. Tons of riveting hooks, never-ending riffs and mind-bending licks. Shake your booty to the blistering beats!

Stream/buy here…


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10. The Doctrine Of Infinite Kindness by THE MIGHTY ORCHID KING (UK)

Released: 26 June 2020 – debut LP
TUTV: An existential, bizarro piece of psychedelic work. Otherworldly, metaphysical, mind-boggling and rainbow-colored. Lose yourself in these zealots’ nature-caring stratosphere. Go outside and hug a tree.


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11. The New Abnormal by THE STROKES (New York)

Released: 20 April 2020 – their sixth LP
TUTV: A terrific longplayer with several moody and melancholic moments. Most tracks sound like introspective meditations. Wholehearted, spellbinding and captivating with Julian Casablancas‘s characteristic voice yearning in the middle. One of their best achievements. This is it!

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12. Sun Racket by THROWING MUSES (California)

Released: 4 September 2020
TUTV: Leading lady Kristin Hersh is still as driven and ambitious as she was about 30 years ago when she and her stepsister Tanya Donelly formed the Muses. A solid gold return!

Stream/buy here…

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13. Self-Surgery by MRS PISS (US)

Released: 29 May 2020
TUTV: Bloodcurdling shrieks / Firework in hell / Schizophrenic underground hysteria / Mind-crushing eruptions / Sisters of darkness in crime / Bone-chilling frenzy and dark waves.

HAVE FUN!

Stream/buy here…


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14. Division by VIOLENT VICKIE (Long Beach, Califonia)

Released: 4 September 2020
TUTV: Influenced by Goth, electro-punk and industrial greats such as Crystal Castles, Adult., Siouxsie and the Banshees, and one of Atari Teenage Riot‘s former, awesome voices Hanin Elias Californian Vickie made a be-witch-ing twilight record for illegal graveyard parties. Electro-swart, psyche-petrifying and Chelsea Wolfe-esque. She actives your serotonin’s stream with shadowy stimuli and droning doom and gloom beats. Midnight hour kicks!

Stream/buy here…


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15. Rough And Rowdy Ways by BOB DYLAN (US)

Released: 19 June 2020
TUTV: My all-time favorite singer/songwriter. Say no more.

Stream here…

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16. Fall To Pieces by TRICKY (UK)

17. Ultra Mono by IDLES (UK)

18. England Is A Garden by CORNERSHOP (UK)

19. American Head by THE FLAMING LIPS (Oklahoma)

20. Imploding The Mirage by THE KILLERS (US)

Have a safe and cozy Xmas and a splendid and healthy 2021, music junkies!

Turn Up The Volume’s 20 KNOCKOUT TRACKS Of 2020 – Simply The Best!

Posted on by JL

22 December 2020

I love the smell of rock and roll.
Here come Turn Up The Volume’s
20 Knockout Tracks of 2020.
Nothing but the best! Hands down!

1. ‘State Of The Union’ by PUBLIC ENEMY (Long Island, New York)
Time to get up and leave the White House, Donald Dumped. You split the USA right down the middle, you’re a disgrace for America, for humanity and the whole wide world. GO!

From brill album: What You Gonna Do When the Grid Goes Down?

Unprecedented, demented, many president’d / Nazi Gestapo dictator defended / State of the Union, shut the fuck up / Sorry ass motherfucker / Stay away from me / State of the Union,
shut the fuck up…

2. ‘Ultra Plus Ultra’ by ELEFANT (Belgium)
The Belgian sound-exploring motherrockers unleashed their second stupefying album Behajung  early this year with Ultra Plus Ultra‘ as one of the dazzling highlights.
A schizophrenic sonic blast with balls. Abso-fucking-lutely cool! VREE WIJS! You betcha!

3. ‘Hot Slick’ by PINS (Manchester, UK)
A hot stuff disco stomper that should be played in all discotheques around the globe,
from one of the coolest gangs on the planet. Bad girls forever. Title track from their swirling party album. Saturday night pins fever all the way!

4. ‘Under The Spell Of Joy’ by DEATH VALLEY GIRLS (Los Angeles)
Sickly sticky like first-class glue. With an angelic choir, feet-tapping drum beats, sweaty
sax flames and a mental finale. Yes, it’s Death Valley Girls en-joy-ing themselves in a new sonic zone. Don’t resist the spell! From the rad, same titled full length.

5. ‘I Found Out’ by OFFWORLD (UK)
Hard-Fi‘s frontman Richard Archer and imposing vox Krysten Cummings realized a high-powered tour de force. An epic heart and soul explosion! TOP! Waiting for the album!

6. ‘Never Ever Ever’ by BOA Vs COBRA (Belgium)
Don’t mess with charismatic frontwoman Sandy Fee who rants unambiguously about a toxic relationship from the very start when ‘Bad bad bad boy‘ bursts out of your speakers. The decibels turn up when the ablaze chorus kicks in. Stunning uppercut!

7. ‘American Dream’ by TOKYO TABOO (London, UK)
A steamy stunner with an explosive in-your-orange-face-intro, kick-starting this
clamorous jackhammer instantly with a titanic wall-of-blazing-riff hurly-burly and deafening percussion slams. YEAHHHHHHHHHHH!

Hey Mr President
You’re just a joke
Kids dodging bullets
World’s up in smoke

8. ‘Sweet’ by PORRIDGE RADIO (UK)
A towering loudQUIETloud haymaker with Margolin‘s repeating magnetically ‘I’m charming, I’m sweet and she will love me when she meets me‘. Emotive belter from the band’s excellent album Every Bad. Porridge Radio is on its way to world domination! Capeesh??

9. ‘Mr. Motivator’ by IDLES (Bristol, UK)
A riff-roaring ripper made to start crowded moshpits at gigs (for now you need to pirouette yourself bananas at home). A red-hot-blooded corker that does your head in. Hells Bells! Album: Ultra Mono.

10. ‘A Hero’s Death’ by FONTAINES D.C. (Ireland)
‘Life isn’t always empty ‘ states frontman Grian Chatten in his characteristic parlando
flow while the band grooves non-stop. Album: A Hero’s Death.

11. ‘Dark Blue’ by THROWING MUSES (California)
A firm banger driven by a solid beat with a pounding guitar groove, Kristin Hersh‘s characteristic sensual voice, and a catchy polyphonic chorus. Throwing Muses rocks!
From the band’s highly acclaimed longplayer Sun Racket…

12. ‘The Rise And Fall Of America’ by THE MOODS (Manchester, UK)
A crystal clear stream of cutting lines as sharp as a brand-new Swiss knife. It’s The Moods‘ towering take on the bombastic American National Anthem. They rock, roar and rage. The Moods kick ass! Go home Donald Duck Trumpet!

13. Psychopath’s Monologue by THE CHRONICLES OF MANIMAL AND SAMARA
A 2020 Apocalypse Now Odyssey. It all starts enigmatically with Samara reciting her Dante’s Inferno inspired poem in a haunting foreplay tone until Manimal shows up and all metallic hell breaks loose. Learn more about this year’s most intriguing act in their interview with Turn Up The Volume right here.

14. ‘Paycheck’ by LEG PUPPY
A dizzy disco-ball drone making you jump up and down like a kangaroo on E. It goes bang, bang, bang, and bang with crazy duet vocals all over it and that psych-o-delic surf guitar riff that messes up your mind the way you like it. Dance floor blast. PAY THEM!

15. ‘A Reason To Celebrate’ by bdrmm (Hull, UK)
Delightful shoegaze rainbow. Like a nightingale symphony waking you up in the morning. From – yes, ladies and gents – the best debut LP of the year with Bedroom.

16. ‘Out Of The Shadows’ by GREAT HARE (Sweden)
From the stimulating intro on you’ll tap your feet, without even noticing it. 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.


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17. ‘Man Of Chaos’ by FLIGHT ATTENDANT (Nashville, US)
A feverish cracker and jaw-dropping power slam. The sensual, magnetic, and spellbinding vocals create a sort of delirious trance. And when, unexpectedly, bouncy strings kick in as a harbinger for a vibrant finish you’ll reach a sonic orgasm.

18. ‘Rainbow Records’ by OCEANOGRAPHY (Oakland, CA)
Glorious guitar pop stonker getting your aural attention from the get-go with a repetitive riff sticking immediately. Inflammable passion, scintillating ardency, and vehement fervor. Big tune, big sentiments and a big voice reminding me of Greg Dulli‘s imposing vocals at times.


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19. ‘Maggot Line’ by THE BATTERY FARM (Manchester, UK)
“We all gonna die and it’s our fault.” This is not just a punk slogan. It’s the fucking truth. Middle-finger to all those buffoons who ignore global warming, corona and The Battery Farm. NO MERCY!

20. ‘No Rock Save In Roll’ by CORNERSHOP (UK)
A rattling Stones-esque garage rocker with an unstoppable groove that makes you
want to jump in the street and have a sweet little dance (with mouth mask on).

All together on Spotify…

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TURN UP THE VOLUME’S Fifteen Knockout Tracks Of 2020 (So Far) – Hands Down!

Posted on by JL

This year’s best tracks (so far)…

Yes, we have already reached the middle of 2020. A surreal year we will never forget.
Fortunately, the music – on record that is – kept most of us alive and kicking.
Here are Turn Up The Volume’s 15 best tracks of 2020, so far…

‘I Found Out’ by OFFWORLD (UK)
Hard-Fi‘s frontman Richard Archer and imposing vox Krysten Cummings have the right human mindset and rad songs to confirm that. ‘I Found Out’ is a high-powered soul tour
de force. An epic heart and soul explosion from their upcoming album. Top stroke!

‘Hot Slick’ by PINS (Manchester, UK)
A hot stuff disco stomper that should be played in all discotheques around the globe,
from one of the coolest gangs on the planet. These bad girls forever also made one of
the best party albums of the year (so far) with eponymous longplayer Hot Slick. Bingo!


‘Ultra Plus Ultra’ by ELEFANT(Belgium)
The Belgian sound-exploring motherrockers unleashed their second stupefying album Behajung  early this year with Ultra Plus Ultra‘ as one of the dazzling highlights.
A schizophrenic sonic uppercut with balls. Abso-fucking-lutely mental! You betcha!

‘Dark Blue’ by THROWING MUSES (Boston, US)
A firm banger driven by a solid beat with a pounding guitar groove, Kristin Hersh‘s characteristic sensual voice, and a catchy polyphonic chorus. Throwing Muses rocks!
The band’s brand new longplayer SUN RACKET hits the street on 4th September.

‘Never Ever Ever’ by BOA Vs COBRA (Belgium)
Don’t mess with charismatic frontwoman Sandy Fee who rants unambiguously about a toxic relationship from the crystal clear start when ‘Bad bad bad boy‘ bursts out of your speakers. Don’t forget to turn up the decibels, even more, when the ablaze chorus kicks in.

‘Man Of Chaos’ by FLIGHT ATTENDANT (Nashville, US)
A feverish cracker and jaw-dropping power slam. The sensual, magnetic, and spellbinding vocals create a sort of delirious trance. And when, unexpectedly, bouncy strings kick in as a harbinger for a vibrant finale you’ll reach a sonic orgasm. Heated stuff from Nashville!

‘Mr. Motivator’ by IDLES (Bristol, UK)
A riff-roaring ripper made to start crowded moshpits at gigs (for you only can pirouette yourself bananas at home). A red-hot-blooded corker that does your head it. Hell’s Bells!

‘Crossbow’ by TAMAR APHEK (Israel)
A shattering juggernaut, dynamized by a rattling machine-gun drum, mind-blowing bass vibrancy and a thunder and lighting guitar force. This is a cutting crackerjack rolling over you like an unstoppable high-speed train, with a fiery and exploding finale. Yeah!

‘Control‘ by AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS
This Australian tornado – the new Stooges fronted by head-spinning punkette AMYL – woke up the dead with their boiling debut LP last year. To keep up the heat they dropped a live EP recently with ‘Control‘ as the brain-breaking standout. Go nuts, right here right now…

‘Sweet’ by PORRIDGE RADIO (UK)
A towering loudQUIETloud haymaker with Margolin‘s repeating magnetically ‘I’m charming, I’m sweet and she will love me when she meets me‘. Passionate belter from their excellent album Every Bad. Porridge Radio is on its way to world domination! Capeesh??

‘Downer Surrounded By Uppers’ by MRS. PISS (US)
Bloodcurdling shrieks from hell. Goth hysteria by gloom and doom sisters in crime Chelsea Wolfe and Jess Gowrie. More bone-chilling screams on their pitch-black LP Self Surgery.

‘Home Thru Hell’ by DEAP LIPS (CA, US)
When led zep blues-rock duo Deap Vally and symphonic fairy-tale eccentrics
The Flaming Lips team up you can expect firework like on this Yahama motor highlight from their self-titled debut album. One of the best longplayers of 2020 (so far).

‘Hopeless Romantic’ by OH BROTHER (UK)
A loud and crystal clear invitation to get out of your straitjacket, to open your windows, and scream at the top of your lungs to ventilate all your rage, frustration, and fury while jumping like a kangaroo on tons of speed. A stone gold 24 Karat rocker. Bang Bang!

‘Lockdown’ by From The Specials – Neville Staple (UK)
Swinging 2Tone lockdown humdinger written in isolation by original Rude Boy Neville Staple and his wonderful wife Sugary. Perfect tune for a safe house-party. Get up, stand up, and fight for your right to do some ska moves in these special(s) times. Shake your booty.

‘United We Stand’ by CONFIDENCE SURVIVAL (Nigeria born, Canadian based) )
Black lives matter. Black music matters. This the official COVID-!9 Victory Song
written by this highly caring Nigerian reggae artist. The only way to survive is by
doing it together in unity. Listen to her excellent full EP Confidence Is Key.


‘Murder Most Foul’ by BOB DYLAN
A 17-minute epos about America in the sixties, centered around the world-changing assassination of president John F. Kennedy on 22 November 1963. Only living legend Bob Dylan (the best singer-songwriter-poet of all time in my book) can write such a compelling, epic story. It sounds like a musical book. Brilliant piece by the Nobel Prize winner.

All together on Spotify…

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Have a great summer, music junkies…