Weeble – Things Do Explode

Ok, Weeble are a 5 piece band producing an energetic fusion of punk, ska, and rock, a self proclaimed Tigger-punk block-rockin hop-skotchin band. They formed way back in 1996 so have had a lot of experience, but this CD is from 2002 so isn’t exactly the bands newest material – but still, it gives you an idea of the sort of thing that they do. Weeble play fun music and they play it extremely well. They provide us with catchy music that you can have a good skank to, yet is good, intelligent music that would please even the most cynical of rock fans.

I think that hearing the band on CD is probably only half the experience – you really have to see the band live in order for the songs to truly come alive. It is certainly good, energetic music that you can have a good dance to – but I feel that the band, like Solabeat Alliance can never quite replicate on CD what they do at their live shows. There is some good horn playing on display here, as well as some slick drum beats, guitar riffs that slice through you, and bass lines that seem to come alive as they leave the speakers. The vocals here are pretty cool with the lead singer adding a Rock twinge to the band, with the choruses often sounding astounding. There is a real live edge to the vocals – the harmonies that are being created seem to vibrate through your body just as they would at a gig.

The band seem to be doing something that is just a bit different to the norm, and that is why I feel that you really need to see the band live to get a true idea of what they are like. Often when boundaries are being broken by bands, it is in their live performances and just in their general stage presence that the bands seem to come in to their own. Weeble are not setting out to change the state of the world with their music – their plan is just to make fun music that you can dance to and just generally have a good time listening to. On the live circuit I can really see Weeble being a band to watch out for – they seem to have tons of energy, are filled with confidence, and make music that they have a good mind to be proud of.

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The Outer Limits Demo

The Outer Limits are a five piece Ska band from North London. With this 4 track demo the band really put a smile on your face with their female lead vocals which are strong and full of energy. The vocals are delivered with a punch and the backing vocals really add to the impact of them. I did not really know what I was getting before I started listening to this band – I had never really heard of the band before and didn’t know what they were really all about. From listening to the CD I found out that The Outer Limits are a group of strong-minded individuals with strong political views.

I was very impressed with this demo and it far exceeded any expectations I might have had of the band beforehand. There was not much of a write up that came with this CD, which in a way is good because it is left up to you to draw your own conclusions and also listen more closely to the music at hand. I love all of the tracks and feel that on all of them there is definitely strong drumming, booming bass lines, grinding guitar riffs, and some pretty cool horn attachments as well. This, going alongside the extremely strong vocals on display here makes way for a very good Ska CD indeed. I think that the fact that the band are so strongly political really adds to the appeal of the band because not only are the vocals spot on, but the lyrics are obviously coming from the heart of the band and they are singing about something they truly believe in rather than just stringing a few rhyming sentences together.

All 4 of these tracks are quite lengthy tracks and this is not a bad thing as the band really do stand the test of time and they are not a band that you get tired of after a couple of minutes. The fact the lyrics are so interesting and the music is so good make it enthralling to listen to and there is just so much to take in from the music that if the tracks were shorter then they probably would not have the same effect. I really love the fourth and final track on this CD – it is a great finish to the CD. I really feel that this track has a lot of power and punch to it. The band leave you on a high, hoping for more – which is always a good thing to do as it means that right at the end of the CD the attention of the listener will truly be captured and they will start to eagerly await the release of new material from the band.

This demo was recorded back in January, which is of course 6 months ago now – in which time the band have probably improved. A good thing has probably become great as the band have matured and gained in experience. I just cant wait to hear what’s next from this band – they are certainly one to watch out for, and I can definitely see them getting signed before long with this much talent. It really looks like before long, The Outer Limits will be sitting alongside No Comply at the forefront of the scene.

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The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster – I Could Be An Angle

This has been billed as the best ever single to be released by the band and I would probably tend to agree with this. The band have always been good at what they do and have always have a fairly huge audience, in fact a cult following but it is singles like this one that are really going to launch the band in to the limelight. This track coupled with an awesome B-Side, ‘Ice Cream’ make way for an awesome little single that you can sit back, kick your shoes off and relax to.

‘I Could Be An Angle’ is an amazingly good single from the band, featuring their usual awesome and individualistic vocals, crazy guitar riffs, rocking bass lines, and beastly drum beats. This band is really something special, I have always though this – but this single really does prove the point. It is just something that extra bit funky and I think that it really will appeal to a mass audience this time. The band have never really hit it off completely due to them being a bit too unique, but I truly feel that this one is a good, healthy medium. It is still a bit different, so you can tell that it is the Eighties Matchbox, but it has a mass appeal about it with its catchy beat and amazing rhythm. This is definitely the right time to release this single – ‘Mister Mental’ was the warm up, but ‘I Could Be An Angle’ is the real deal. If this tune isn’t successful then I really don’t know what the band can do next as this is definitely their greatest material to date so if their best doesn’t impress then they cant really do a lot more.

As I have already mentioned earlier on – the B-Side here, ‘Ice Cream’ is also a cracking track and it really did put a nice big smile on my face. B-Side’s can often be a bit of a let down because its just a bit of a half arsed attempt to throw something together to make it look like it is worth the 3 of peoples hard earned cash that they are forking out for it. This track has obviously been carefully chosen though as it really works well with the A-Side and flows on well from it creating a well structured single that is good to listen to and doesn’t just have you pressing stop every time the A-Side comes to a finish. Go out and buy this single now people – you wont regret it one bit!

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Household Name Records – Breeding Disloyalty (2004 Sampler)

This awesome little compilation CD kicks off in the only way it possibly could have done to feel authentic – with a good fire and passion. This opening track is provided by the ever improving amazing English band that is Five Knuckle with the awesome ‘Not in my name.’ They provide the CD with a good, fiery opening that will get the juices flowing and get you up on your feet. I have always loved the band and think that this is an amazing opening for such a compilation CD – start as you mean to go on. Straight after this comes the cracking ‘Gotta Say Focussed,’ that anyone with Adequate7’s ‘Songs of innocence and of experience’ should know. This is one of the best tracks on their album I feel, so it was great to see it going straight on to this sampler CD because sometimes on this sort of thing, the tracks that are picked are not those that you feel most comfortable with.

The Filaments track on the compilation is also a blinder. The band are always a pleasure to listen to with their amazing street punk styling. You can never get enough of this band – any band that can get away with mixing street punk up with Ska riffs has definitely got something special going for them. A lot of street bands try and add a tinge of Ska to their music and it all just goes horribly wrong! When The Filaments do this however, it all just sounds like it has been done to perfection. I wish I could say that the Leftover Crack tune had been done to perfection as well, but if I did then id be lying. ‘Operation M.O.V.E’ is definitely not one of the bands better tracks and anyone listening to the band for the first time with this track will not be getting a fair idea of the band. I usually love the band to death, but this track just doesn’t do it for me – something is just not quite right about it and it stands out like a sore thumb. It is not a terrible track by any means, its just not their best – an average track from an extremely influential and exciting band. However, I still strongly believe that when the album comes out later this year it will be a blinder and put a smile on my face as the band always have done and hopefully always will.

Antimaniax play Ska infested fun punk – and they are amazingly good at what they do. You just cant help but skank when you start listening to this band – they convey such energy in their music and have an awe of excitement in what they do. You really cant help but love this band – even if you are not a fan of Ska, you have to be able to see that this band are good at what they do. Another track that stands out as being exciting is The Foamers track ‘Erase all the mistakes you made.’ This is a crazily good track with the band playing their usual brand of fast punk with the occasional ska riff or two. They definitely sound a lot better since they dropped the horn section – their music works a lot better with subtle Ska touches rather than blatant, huge horn lines. Ye Wiles is another band worth noting – this Kent band released a great album, ‘Smoothing Away The Horrors Of Indigestion’ so get yourself a copy of this if you can as it really is quite good. I cant really explain the style of the music or how on earth it works – but all you have to know is it does work and it does sound good. Howards Alias are not sounding like the band of old, but don’t get me wrong – they are still sounding pretty good for it and this is still quite a cracking tune but its just not the band we all use to know and love.

Captain Everything make their contribution to the CD with spritely little number ‘There is no “I” in scene’ which of course is a catchy little track of Pop Punk gold. I’m sure you are familiar with the band by now as they have been around for a good while and released 2 cracking albums on HHN so if you’re not familiar with the band then where have you been?! I don’t always really like Pop Punk but C*E are just doing it a tad different and sound amazing for it! A few years ago I first heard the ‘Make the love connection’ split CD with C*E and Route215 sharing the limelight and was extremely impressed. To this day, both bands continue to impress me and have improved so much since that All Star Records release.

The CD comes to an end with ‘The big silence’ by John Holmes. This rounds the CD off nicely because it kicked off with Five Knuckle, the hardcore UK legends and finishes with this – another track of hardcore goodness. Power and passion is how the CD finishes, and I absolutely love it! So there you have it people – that is the 2004 sampler from those lovely people at Household Name Records. Try and grab yourself a copy of this CD at some point whether you are a HHN veteran or a HHN newbie, as there is sure to be something on here that floats your boat and the chances are you’ll discover a band or two that you didn’t realise you liked or even existed.

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Grown At Home – Sandwich EP

Ok, first things first people – Grown At Home are NOT a tribute band for American Pop Punk Wankers – Homegrown, they are a neat little ska band from the good old UK! There are eight members in Grown At Home – but they’re not your typical Ska-in-numbers sort of band and they sure do have a wide range of influences. With such bands mentioned as No Comply, Less Than Jake, Lightyear, and Howards Alias – and with a release recorded by the almighty Iain Wetherell who has of course worked with loveable Skacore legends Capdown, you just know that the band are going to be something special and well worth listening to.

They describe themselves as ‘Ska Core Pop Punk,’ and I suppose it is a fair description of the kind of music that they play but it probably doesn’t conjure up the right image in your head to be honest. No, they are not the offspring of Capdown and Busted – they are their own band and play their brand of Ska, and play it well they do indeed. Grown At Home are one of the most energetic bands you could possibly hope to have the pleasure of listening to – this EP is more like a gig than a CD with its energy, frantic beats, and flow. A lot of bands fail to capture the whole live experience when they make the transfer to CD, but this young band seem to have pulled it off with perfection, coming up with a truly exciting EP.

They are all very good on their instruments – and there is an ace horn section that forms the back bone of the band set up with trombone, two trumpets and a saxophone. If you have heard latter stuff by No Comply then you will understand the format of the horn section on this EP – rather than being heavy horn lines going over the top of the music, they flow with the general music of the band and work with other instruments to make them stronger rather than working alone, creating a weaker effect. There are some amazing guitar riffs, some awe inspiring bass lines, catchy drum beats, and impeccable vocal styling. Grown At Home are a band that you don’t really want to be messing with – this band are sure to go far in the scene as the music which the band create is absolutely amazing and they just have so much energy that its unbelievable. Somehow they manager to maintain this high energy throughout the whole of the EP and there is not a single moment at any point on the CD when the band are at all lacking in momentum and flow.

If I was to pick a favourite track off this CD then it would probably have to be ‘Captain Stabbin’ or opening track ‘One up’ as I just think that both of these tracks convey immense energy and really help to create this EP what it is – an uplifting mix of Ska and Punk played at a good, strong pace with mega energy throughout. If you are a fan of Ska Core, or anything remotely Punk related then the chances are that you are going to like Grown At Home because they really are a terrific Punk band making remarkable music.

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