A stream of rattling rippers, jagged jams, and romantic reveries

All 20 together on Spotify…

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Knockout by knockout…

1. ‘Demolition Row’ by METZ (Canada)

The hard-hitting Canadian bolide is on a supersonic roll here, rockin’
their tails off. Full blast ahead, no brakes, no looking back. Holy smoke!

The track comes as a vinyl 7″ split with British
band Adulkt Life. Out 4 March, buy here.

Holy guacamole…

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2. ‘I Am Kate Moss’ by DITZ (Brighton, UK)

“The best band in the world” according to Joe Talbot (frontman of Idles).

I Am Kate Moss will be on this ace indie mavericks’ upcoming
debut LP The Great Regression, out at the end of this week.

Order info here.

If your ears are looking for some badass fireworks you really should
play Kate Moss out loud. She’ll turn the heat up the way you like it.

C’mon, Kate…

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3. ‘Room 165’ by CROWS (London, UK)

James Cox (frontman): ““I used to be quite obsessed with true crime, and this song was
kind of born out of researching H.H Holmes and the World Trades Hotel in the 1860’s where
he would murder people staying at his hotel informally called ‘The Murder Castle’. I also got quite obsessed with a faith healer from the early 1900’s called Reverend Major Jealous Divine and reading transcripts of his old sermons, so this is basically just a weird amalgamation of mad shit I read about.”

Post-punk at its psych-o-tic best…

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4. ‘Digging’ by NOTHINGHEADS (London, UK)

A wham-bloody-bam drum intro, scorching guitars, filthy grooves, angry vocals,
all in just 50 seconds. Sounds like Nick Cave and his freakish gang The Birthday Party
are back with a filthy blues-injected blast. If you like creepy doom and gloom hullabaloo from a smelly basement you’ll love this to death.

Release the bats…

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5. ‘Cream’ by BOTCHED TOE (UK)

A razorblade uppercut as intimidating as a bulldozer and
cutting as a Swiss knife. No rest for the wicked. One of the
clamorous highlights of these hardcore junks’ debut album
A False Glimmer Of Hope.

Go bonkers, folks…

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6. ‘Junk Man’ by JON SPENCER & THE HITMAKERS (US)

Garage blues-rock junk Jon Spencer is back in town.
This time with his HITmakers. This razzle-dazzle cracker
is pushed by a bouncy synth touch and, schizophrenic
guitars and, of course, Spencer‘s freaky vocals.

Turn it up…

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7. ‘Staring Into The Sun’ by 50 FOOT WAVE (USA)

The wonderful Kristin Hersh has an impressive résume.
10 albums with Throwing Muses, 10 solo albums and one
full LP and several EPs with 50 Foot Wave (trio with
Throwing Muses‘ bassist Bernard Georges).

And Hersh doesn’t think about retiring yet, she never will.
A new 7-track 50 Foot Wave album, entitled Black Pearl
comes our way on 15 April. Order info here.

Taster Staring Into The Sun is, a boisterous and metallic
slo-mo groove with a hammering beat, pumped-up guitars,
and Hersh’s manic vocals augmenting the shadowy tone of
this belter.

So what’s next for 50 Foot Wave? Playing at
metalfest Aftershock in Sacramento in October?

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8. ‘Clowns For President’ by BAD SKIN (Montreal, CA)

Think legendary gritty grrrls Bikini Kill having a ball with
Pussy Riot while kicking Russian president Putin up the ass.
These 4 steamy sisters in punchy punk crime buzz and fuzz
like a hot rod on the run.

Bad Skin storm full steam ahead with front Amazon Dope sneering
like a raging riot grrrl. Yep, Dope is dope. And this stunning stonker
is dope too!

To hell with Putin…

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9. ‘Alone Again’ by AVA VOX (Dublin, Ireland)

Sounds like Patti Smith‘s Because The Night ends in a painful break-up
for the lovers. Ava Vox‘s heartache vocality and hurt timbre emphasise
the confused state of mind of the abused one and the melodramatic
sonic boom of this emotional eruption expresses sorrow, distress,
and angst. Another gripping Vox piece.

Affecting performance…

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10. ‘This Cost Of Life’ by TIDAL WAVE (Toronto, CA)

Oh my, oh my. This sky-reaching gem left me out of breath after just one spin.

A tower of a song with an imposing impact. A masterstroke that explodes after the foreplay-intro and moves up and down like a roller coaster. Stellar tune, stellar sound, stellar guitars, stellar emotions, and a stellar chorus. Anthemically orchestrated with goosebumps arrangments. I’m quite sure their awesome fellowmen Arcade Fire would
like this grand exploit.

Here‘s why…

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11. ‘Fear Of The Dawn’ by JACK WHITE (Detroit, US)

The former white stripe plans the release of two
albums this year. Fear Of Of The Dawn, out 8 April
and Entering Heaven Alive, out 22 July.

Here comes the title track of the first LP.
Expect 120 seconds of flaming guitar
hysteria with White going totally blue…

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12. ‘Back To The Radio’ by PORRIDGE RADIO (Brighton, UK)

The lead-single of new, upcoming full-length album
Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky out
in May.

This is one of those songs that hypnotise from the get-go
to the eager finale. A feverish chant, one long chorus with
Marglin‘s delirious voice causing goosebumps.

Stupendous stroke…

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13. ‘Alone’ by STALKER (Sweden)

This is classic heavy metal. Huge sound, huge vocals, huge tune
with a huge chorus. If you’re a metal addict you will not mind if this
Swedish hit team stalks you. After an ominous violin intro, all burners
are on and frontman Michael Storck’s overwhelming pipes take over.

Self-titled debut longplayer comes on
11th February 2022 via WormHoleDeath.

Holy shit!

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14. ‘Colorful White Lies’ by ELECTRIC HIGH (Bergen, Norway)

After a dancey handclap intro, it’s all burners on with
a headbanging impact. Heavy boogie drones to play air
guitar to, in front of the mirror.

Echoes of muscular American motherrockers – like Van Halen,
Sammy Hagar and Aerosmith – are all over the heated place.

Add firm Lynryd Skynyrd harmonies and you know you’ll
have this blaring beast on your speakers for quite some time.

Press the start button here…

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15. ‘Hostile Music’ by SALEM WOLVES (Boston, MA)

This boiling-hot-cooking stroke hit me and my ears from
the moment the first chord blasted out of my shaking stereo.

Ardent anxiety and edgy excitability dominate this fanatical
outburst. And when the hair-rising chorus erupts you’ll
go mental just as these wolves do.

Right here, right now…

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16. ‘Love Burns’ by ODAWIN (Italy)

A twist and turn prog-pop-rock composition bringing legends
Genesis (early years with Peter Gabriel) and YES (with voice Jon Anderson)
to mind. My favorite cut from Odawin‘s triumphant debut EP ‘Untitled.

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17. ‘Golden Apple’ by HVIRESS (Brighton, UK)

Sensual, puzzling, tempting, synth-matic,
imaginative, seductive, esoteric, and relaxing.

HVIRESS are here to stay.

The ladies have once again teamed up with Scott Chalmers
to create an unsettling music video that leaves the viewer
pondering what they’ve just seen, a perfect partner to
the song’s opening lines…

“What is it that you see? It almost seems unreal
What is responsible for all the things you feel”

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18. ‘Impossible’ by RÖYSKOPP and ALISON GOLDFRAPP (Norway / UK)

Norway’s synth heroes teamed up with the gorgeous
Alison Goldfrapp for this trippy and sultry dance thrill.

Shake your booty, ladies and gents…

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19. ‘Shallow Graves’ by THE MINIMUM WAGE (Ontario, CA)

This riff-rowdy ripper flames with fervid fervency and resonates
as if Bob Mould was invited to play guitar. Ace tune, towering
sound, impassioned vocals, and a sickly sticky chorus.

Just what you need to activate your serotonin production.
Maximum result for a minimum wage.

Be yourself, stay yourself…

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20. ‘Hello Dreamer Baby’ by THE ROYAL FOUNDRY (Canada)

This is what ecstatic pop grandeur is all about. Music that elevates
your state of mind to a titillating level. This new majestic single
generates a spellbinding buzz we all can use in these difficult
pandemic times.

When the multi-layered vocals/harmonies kick in, a gospel-like choir delight
creates an atmosphere of utter joy comparable with the euphoric drive of
The Polyphonic Spree. Vitalizing vibe, refreshing rapture.

Enjoy here…

See/hear you next month, music junkies