Snake Oil

Garage Rock Snakes THE DARTS Shared Video For Their Slo Mo Psych Jam ‘BRING IT BACK’ Off The New LP

Posted on by JL

21 April 2023

The steamy garage ladies of Phoenix gang THE DARTS
released their 4th LP, titled SNAKE OIL last March.
You can buy it below via Bandcamp.

TUTV named it one of the 5 best albums of March 2023 and wrote:

“Holy smoke! The Darts roll faster and harder than a steamroller on full speed. Snake Oil is without a shadow of a doubt their best longplayer so far. It feels like the record is infused with all their lockdown frustration. Tons of relentless energy, a non-stop appetite for a garage rock tsunami and the decibels turned up. Centre-stage Nicole Laurenne sings her heart out as never before while her 60s-sounding organ spices things up all the way. Now and then the Phoenix turbo slow down and give us a chance to fill our oxyen tank. The Darts are unquestionably at the top of their blistering game.”

Meanwhile, the black-dressed sexy Amazons are storming through Europe (these
days setting Spain on fire) to put a spell on all rock fans with good taste over there
with the new longplayer.

And they still found the time to shoot a video clip for one of the album’s highlights,
the closing track BRING IT BACK. A slow-mo post-breakup jam moving like a snake
looking for prey.

“Bring it back
you took my earth and sky
my sun and moon
when you left
everything good in my
life left too”

THE DARTS: Facebook – Instagram


.

5 BEST ALBUMS OF THE MONTH – MARCH 2023

Posted on by JL

30 March 2023

BAND: DEATH VALLEY GIRLS

WHO: Garage rock fury from Los Angeles, led by
vocalist/guitarist/organist and charismatic voodoo
doll Bonnie Bloomgarden

ALBUM: ISLANDS IN THE SKY – 5th LP


(Photo by Turn Up The Volume – Brussels – 20 Feb 2023)

TUTV: Islands In The Sky feels like the perfect follow-up to Under The Spell Of Joy (2020), sonically as well as lyrically. On the latter Bonnie Bloomgarden wanted to experience the potential and possibility of joy. On the new LP, she’s still under the spell of looking and finding joy but also and most of all spiritual freedom as only then nothing can happen anymore to her as she reveals on the standout track When I’m Free.

Musically it’s simply their best achievement (so far) because of the coherent first-rate songwriting quality, the richly layered orchestrations, Bloomgarden‘s full-hearted vocal
dynamism and the top production. Not one dull moment with Death Valley Girls.

BUY/STREAM


.
DVG: Facebook – Instagram
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

BAND: SLEAFORD MODS

WHO: English rap-punk poets feat.
loudmouth Jason Williamson and
multi-instrumentalist Andrew Fearn.

ALBUM: UK GRIM – the duo’s 7th LP

Jason Williamson: “Maybe we are proud of the country. Maybe we are proud to be English. Maybe I’m proud of the horrible grey streets and the shit weather and the stupid fashions I find myself investing in. It’s just that the English we’re proud of being is absolutely nothing like the English the authorities want to try and promote.”

TUTV: It’s Sleaford Mods by very good numbers. A familiar sounding record with its
sharp-teethed grim-UK rants (Brexit didn’t benefit the country in many ways and the ongoing right-wing Tories‘ incompetence isn’t a blessing either, never was) and, sonically, with its catchy and irresistible simplicity that still activates your limbs without asking.

The mods never disappoint.

STREAM

.
SLEAFORD MODS: Facebook – Instagram
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

BAND: THE DARTS

WHO: All female garage rock engine
from Phoenix, Arizona.

ALBUM: SNAKE OIL – 4th LP

Holy smoke! The Darts roll faster and harder than a steamroller on full speed. Snake Oil is without a shadow of a doubt their best longplayer so far. It feels like the record is infused with all their lockdown frustration. Tons of relentless energy, a non-stop appetite for a garage rock tsunami and the decibels turned up.

Centre-stage Nicole Laurenne sings her heart out as never before while her 60s-sounding organ spices things up all the way. Now and then the Phoenix turbo slow down and give us a chance to fill our oxyen tank. The Darts are unquestionably at the top of their blistering game. Hell-bloody-hell-yeah!

BUY/STREAM


.
THE DARTS: Facebook – Instagram
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

BAND: EYEMOUTH

WHO: This musical project started in Gothenburg, Sweden in 2014 and presents a soundscape based on electronic backgrounds and a more classic rock instrumentation blended with mellotrons, vibraphone, santur, harmonium and other alluring sounding instruments. In short, atmospheric psychedelic darkness with occult undertones.

ALBUM: A HEADLONG FALL INTO THE VAST OCEAN OF ANXIETY

TUTV: Eyemouth is not a band, it’s a sort of spiritual experience, floating from the past
to the present with an eye on the future. This new sonically versatile opus is another explorative voyage into their mythical world. Expect atmospheric synth-scapes for soundtracks of sci-fi movies, mellow Pink Floyd echoes,,dark-electro-wave surrealism
and an overall symphonic sonority.

All greatly orchestrated with both classical and futuristic-sounding structures. At times composer Marcus Lilja‘s ghostly voice comes on, but for the greatest part, this record bathes in instrumental grandeur embracing the power of nature.

STREAM/BUY


.
EYEMOUTH: Spotify – Linktree
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

BAND: XIU XIU

WHO: American experimental band, formed in 2002 by singer-songwriter Jamie Stewart
in San Jose, California who worked with artists such as. Mitski, Sharon Van Etten, Deerhoof, Chelsea Wolfe, Twin Shadow as well as with avant-garde composers like Charlemagne Palestine.

ALBUM: IGNORE GRIEF – their 13th


(Press photo)

TUTV: This is not happy music, this is grim reality music, this is truly fascinating
music. Cinematic electronics, orchestral maneuvers in the dark. Experimental and
sonic David Lynch exploration. Give it a couple of spins and you’ll find out that Xiu Xiu‘s bone-chilling world is more accessible than you thought at first. Their orchestral maneuvers in the dark are fascinating. Grand accomplishment

STREAM/BUY


.
XX: Facebook – Instagram

Garage Psychobilly Turbo THE DARTS Storm And Steam On Their New Sucker Punch ‘SNAKE OIL’

Posted on by JL

Daily electricity to load your batteries

12 December 2022

Band: THE DARTS
Who: Inflammable turbo
from Phoenix, Arizona
Albums: 3 so far

New single: SNAKE OIL

Nicole Laurenne (front dart): “Snake Oil” is a reference to the fake news, nasty products,
lies, exaggerations, online dating photos, false friends, undecipherable fine print, and general consumerism insanity that has infected the way we all perceive our entire reality. We are tired of being fed a constant diet of bullshit. Like, really tired of it.”

TUTV: The Darts were on a roll this year with their Love Tsunami EP and lots of touring (more about it in the upcoming interview with Turn Up The Volume). My ears were already looking out for their new upcoming – 4th – album next year. And just like that its first single dropped in my inbox in these final days of 2022.

Snake Oil is a classic Darts sucker punch that storms and steams from the get-go, energized by a red-hot bass riff, strapping drum hits, feverish psych-o-billy guitar reverberation, the indispensable organ flashes and Nicole Laurenne uptight vocals.
As I said a classic Darts sucker punch. Garage rock dynamite at its frenzy best. Bingo.
Bring on the album, ladies.

Buy
your snake here
via Bandcamp.


.
THE DARTS: Facebook – InstagramSpotify

The band’s logo: font by NXOEED, design by Gil Roberts and 📷 by Kelly Sahr.