Reviews

Not Katies – Repeat Repeat

June 6, 2004 by Rich Leave a Comment

Ok, this band have been knocked by a lot of web sites for what they do – and before listening to this CD I probably would have agreed with them. Having seen the band support King Prawn at the Mean Fiddler last year I had not been too impressed as the music really did seem uninspirational and uninteresting to me, barely managing to put a smile on my face. However, now that I have listened to this CD I can honestly say that I think the band were just having a bad day on that particular occasion – as some of the tracks on this CD are actually quite good.

This CD gets off to quite a promising start with track ‘Fingers On the Ledge’ having an amazingly catchy chorus, some good sturdy bass lines, great guitar hooks, and some killer drum beats. I am not ashamed of saying that I actually quite enjoyed listening to this track – it was fast, fun, and showed that the band are really quite good at what they do and know how to pen a decent tune when they have to. However, after this track I just feel that the excitement is never quite captured again and the rest of the songs on the EP all seem to be lacking the oomph that first track ‘Fingers On the Ledge’ seemed to have. Don’t get me wrong, they are not bad tracks from the first track on and they definitely didn’t make me stop listening which is always a bonus – I just don’t feel that they mirror the quality of the first track. There are still some good guitar riffs in places and some pretty fiery bass lines but the vocals just don’t seem to do it. They are definitely lacking in power and just never capture their former glory again.

Not Katies seem to be quite good at their genre, and although they are not the sort of band that I would generally go out of my way to listen to, on the basis of the first track on this CD I would definitely contemplate seeing them live. If the band can come up with more tracks like the first one here then I think that they would definitely be on to a winner as it is catchy, happy go lucky stuff that I am sure people would really enjoy. Deck Cheese is the home of a fair few good bands whom I have reviewed in the past and if Not Katies keep at it then they should be joining the long list of great bands on the label.

Rating:

Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.

Super Yob – Ghetto Blaster

June 6, 2004 by Rich Leave a Comment

Super Yob stick to routes of Punk and listening to it – it is hard to believe that this CD has been produced lately as it has such a ’77 feel about it that it would even have made The Clash proud to have produced such a fine CD. If you are a fan of Punk then I promise you will love this 13 track as Punk it is, and done to perfection it is too. There aren’t many bands taking Punk up the traditional route these days but Super Yob seem to be keeping the spirit of Punk alive and kicking!

There are 13 tracks on this album, and not a single one is dull or uninteresting! There is just so much to take from the bands music with some great guitar riffs, fast drumming, spot on bass lines, and Punk as you like vocals that will definitely not disappoint even the most hardened of Punk fans. There is an amazing cover of The Easybeats ‘Friday On MY Mind’ on this CD and if that doesn’t sway you into buying this CD then I really don’t know what will as it so well done, being pulled off with tremendous flair by this superb rising Punk band that are sure to make a huge name for themselves in the Punk scene before long. So not only do they have 12 super Punk songs of their own, but a tremendous cover song as well. Sometimes when a band does a cover song, no matter how good the rest of the CD may be – they absolutely murder the song and kill it for all fans but Super Yob have pulled this one off superbly, just as they did with their cover of Slade’s ‘How Does It Feel.’

Punk has never sounded so good with a modern UK Punk band showing us their great take on the ’77 style and pulling it off beautifully. Once you put this CD in your player I swear it won’t leave for months – it really is that good with some fine tracks that will have you thinking that you’ve gone in a time machine back to the 70s. Check this band out if you know what’s good for you!

Rating:

Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.

Sticky Backs – Advance Promo EP

June 6, 2004 by Rich Leave a Comment

Ok, from the name of this band I was expecting to hear a fun young band playing exciting Ska music and that’s exactly what I did hear! Sticky Backs play fun sounding excitable music that has a great Skacore edge to it. When the horns come through in the music you get the sensation of a sunny day down at the beach yet when the vocals come in there seems to be a Capdown-esque thing going on. It is a nice blend of Skacore with all the fun of Ska Punk gone in to it. There are six tracks here to get you skanking away and with the horn section these babies unleash on you – it’d be impossible not to start skanking away to the music.

Every one of these tracks is packed full with its own individual excitement making the band an extremely special band to listen to. If I was to pick a favourite out of all the tracks on this CD then I would have to say ‘Only Pools & Corpses.’ This is a full on Skacore attack with fast, thrashing drumming, biting bass lines, fierce guitar riffs, and vocals that are sure to rock your body. This track is quite short but extremely fast paced with a neat Ska breakdown in the middle, between two hardcore offensives. This is a great track and I think that the fact that it is so short really works in its favour as it leaves you wanting more and had it been a longer track then it could have spoilt it by becoming monotonous. Following track ‘You Stacked It’ is also a top quality track with some absolutely blinding drumming going on. Drumming being my first choice instrument – I always listen out for the drumming with bands and have to say that with Sticky Backs drummer I was extremely impressed with the standard! It is always fast paced, frantic and funky drumming that just made me want to bang out a tune myself on my own kit. I think that the vocals of this band are also pretty damn special as they are definitely the bands defining characteristic that make them who they are today.

I cant be too sure, but it sounds to me like this is a band that started off as Ska Punk and have slowly developed and adopted a style which suits them more as although there is definitely a very Skacore vibe to their music, there is definitely the fun factor of a Ska Punk band – there are obviously many influences on this band which they have used to their advantage to create their own blend of music which is unique, fun packed and full of energy. I’m sure this music goes down a treat at their gigs and puts a smile on the face of many a fan!

Rating:

Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.

StanXa – Nobody Suspects The Butterfly

June 6, 2004 by Rich Leave a Comment

StanXa are a band from Dover, mixing Metal with Pop Punk. The first thing you tend to notice about this CD is the stolen name from a Simpsons episode – this is not a bad thing however as The Simpsons is a truly amazing programme! Sadly, StanXa’s music is not as comical as the Simpsons, but then again this is music and not a long running animated comedy!

StanXa have some amazing bass lines, some strong guitar riffs, awesome drum beats, and quite frankly bizarre vocals. The vocals don’t seem to go with the music as the two seem to be playing completely different types of music – it is really quite weird but none the less, the vocals are done well and are awesomely melodic. Obviously StanXa are a band that don’t follow the guidelines, they make their own rules and as a result have got some truly unique things going on here with the vocals and the instrumental side of things doing totally different things. If unique is your thing then StanXa will probably be your new favourite band as unique is one thing they definitely are. Another thing they definitely are is extremely talented musicians as they seem to have a fine art for the music that they play with the drummer kicking out some great beats and the guitarists pushing out some blinding little solos with immaculate riffs. You cant really fault the bands playing abilities as they are just so good at what they do. Yes, the vocals sound extremely bizarre considering how the rest of their music comes out but he has still got some incredible talent and is extremely good at what he is personally doing. StanXa are one of those bands that can never be pigeonholed to one genre as there is just so much going on at once in their music with at times some dark guitar riffs at the same time as emotive, response seeking vocals.

I really do like this little 4 track as it is something completely different to what anyone else around is doing at the moment and as a result makes them an extremely memorable band. They are not the kind of band that you are going to forget after a gig, no matter how much alcohol you have taken in as they are really that unique and recognisable. With so many average bands hailing from the yards of Kent, it is great to see such an original and exciting band coming out of Dover – I am sure that they can make a name for themselves in the local scene as they really do have the talent and originality to do so.

Rating:

Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.

Squad 69 – English Inches

June 6, 2004 by Rich Leave a Comment

This is the latest CD from the great band that is Squad 69 – showing off the tremendous music which they have to offer. I knew that they would be offering up some fine stuff as I have heard them before and remember being quite impressed when I last listened to what they had sent me.

This CD kicks off with some heavily distorted drumming – it is well played, well timed and it sounds absolutely amazing! The female vocals on display here are sounding absolutely gorgeous with succulent lyrics – the band really have a good talent for their vocals and I am sure that they have high regards for the vocals which they produce as they are of an extremely high standard and when you hear them you just want them to carry on forever. There are also some strong guitar riffs that come belting through at about a hundred mile an hour. Squad 69 are an incredibly strong band with a hell of a lot of talent – they really have something good going here and create some intensely intelligent music. The songs convey extreme power with sturdy drum beats, amazing vocals and sure fire guitar riffs. Here are three tracks of fine musicianship with the band showing great talent and potential to hit the forefront of the UK alternative scene.

My favourite track has to be ‘Nobody Is Innocent’ as it is a short, sweet masterpiece of a song with so much to take in from it and the fact that there is so much to take in again shows that they are amazing musicians that have a fine talent for writing songs and tweaking them to perfection. It has a great beginning and seems to build up power as the song progresses. There are absolutely divine vocal skills shown by the female singer here with her angelic lyrics coming through a treat and really putting a smile on my face.

This CD is nothing short of perfect – it is metal stripped down to its grass roots with some great power, and great speed and is pulled off with a distinct passion. I will definitely be checking this band out again in the very near future as I was extremely impressed with what they do and think that they have come a long way as musicians since the last release.

Rating:

Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.

Splynta – Smash It Up

June 6, 2004 by Rich Leave a Comment

Splynta are a Punk band from the Nottingham area that are all around the age of 18. Despite their young age, this is apparently already their second EP – and boy does it rock hard?! When I saw their age and saw the words ‘Punk’ I thought that they would be some kind of Emo Punk/ Pop Punk sound alike band – but when I looked at the cover of the CD it was clear as day that this band would be something special. Old school punk with a distinct punch of attitude is what I discovered upon listening to the CD – my kind of music? Too damn right it is!

There are 4 tracks on this CD – each one offers up a nice slab of Punk Rock greatness. There are punchy bass lines, gritty guitar riffs, demon drum beats, and Punk as you like vocals which are sure to get the juices flowing if you are into this kind of thing. There is not a single bad track on this CD, which is quite surprising really considering this is only their second attempt at getting it right! Splynta are definitely heading in the right direction with their amazingly powerful, fiery Punk music and I am sure that they will continue to improve in time for their next recording. There is certainly some chemistry going on with this band with everything flowing and fitting in perfectly, and I am sure that with a bit of tweaking the band can come up with a CD which will get them signed to a good label – it certainly sounds like they have the potential to become one of the leading names in the UK scene as their Old School Punk antics is really something special – I for one found this CD to be extremely enjoyable and full of angst.

So, a damn fine second EP from this young Nottingham Punk outfit proving that Old School Punk is still in existence and that some bands still manage to pull it off immaculately. If you are into any sort of Punk music then make sure you check this band out as they are well worth your time – this band has one hell of a lot of attitude and this EP demonstrates their attitude, and passion for the music which they play perfectly.

Rating:

Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.

Sounds Like Violence – The Pistol

June 6, 2004 by Rich Leave a Comment

When I received this CD – the label which the band are on instantly rang a bell in my head as I had heard great things about the label yet never had the opportunity to listen to any of the releases. My chance had finally come and I really didn’t know what to expect. When I first looked at the band name and saw the words ‘Sounds Like Violence’ I just thought that this band were going to be another bog standard Emo band – how wrong could I possibly be?! Sure – the band do have some deeply emotive qualities, but it is far from being the average bilge that a lot of bands of this sort are churning out. This is great music which has been stripped down to its grass roots, making way for an extremely gritty little 6 track. Whether the band are speaking softly, slapping down melodic choruses or wailing down the microphone they always manage to put a smile on your face. Everything that this band do is deeply emotive and thought provoking and just generally quality stuff.

There are some very varied sounds which come out of the band on this CD – at the flick of a switch the band go from gentle speaking to shouting at the tops of their voices and move on to a guitar breakdown. This works extremely well as it makes the band really exciting to listen to as you never know what is going to crop up next and in what pattern. This makes you listen to the music very carefully taking every little bit in and to heart which is good because you really need to be listening carefully to fully appreciate this band as a lot of the experience is hidden within the lyrics. The lyrics contain deep meaning and you can tell that the band really care about what they are singing about – its not just some cock and bull thrown together to sell a few records – this record is from the heart. This band have a serious point to get across to you the listener and boy do they manage to make it! As I said before – you really need to listen to this band carefully if you are to get the most out of the experience and it takes a few listens to really do this I found – with every listen this CD seems to grow in strength and astonishes more each time.

This is an emotive rock band at their grittiest – playing music from the heart and really putting a point across through their music. They say that music is an art form – and with this CD I think that Sounds Like Violence have proven that to be fact. I suggest you go out and buy this CD now if you have not already – and if you take a bit of convincing then just listen to the track ‘Grow/Blow’ first – this will soon make up your mind for you. This is an amazing track with strongly emotive vocals, amazing bass lines, fast and furious guitar riffs, and soft, steady and calming drum beats which really go with the flow of the music. This track really works and I guess is my favourite of the CD – the best of a brilliant bunch if you will.

Rating:

Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.

Sonic Boom Six – Turbo EP

June 6, 2004 by Rich Leave a Comment

Sonic Boom Six are a band that first appeared on the Manchester Punk scene in about the April of 2002. They set about establishing their own interesting and unique sound which most importantly they would enjoy and would also blow the audience away with its sheer originality and tremendous style. They have four songs on display here, each one equally amazing in its own particular way.

The CD is kicked off by the quite frankly blinding ‘Blood For Oil.’ This one is one of the bands live favourites and is an explosive tune of power, aggression, and some fine guitar lines. Laila’s vocals seem to come out perfectly on this track with that sound that only she could produce. They take to it in the vain of other such bands with the political stance, yet they are far more than just being a political Ska-Core band as to define them as being Ska-Core would be criminal. There are so many more sounds in their music than just Ska and Hardcore Punk, there is also some Hip-Hop, a slice of Ragga, and a large slab of Jungle. This is a wicked combination and is what makes there tunes so special and unique to them. The George Bush clips on this track really add to the whole experience of it and increase the excitement of the whole track even more so. They have some amazing musicians in this band, that and the fact that they are one of the most original bands in the UK at the moment makes them all the more special.

Next up is the amazing ‘People Ack Like They Don’t Know.’ This one is a cool track as again there are some amazing vocal skills from Laila, there are some blinding bass lines, superb guitar riffage, and sublime drum beats. I love all of the tracks on the CD yet this one really stands out to me as it is political, gets you thinking, and also has an amazing beat to it – it has everything you could possibly ask for, and to top it all off it is completely and utterly original and is one of those tunes that once you listen to it a first time you need to listen to it again and again to satisfy your needs – you just cant get enough of this baby. It really is that good – no matter how many times I listen to this tune I never seem to get bored of it, in fact every time I listen it seems to get a whole lot better!

Ok, the third track up is ‘The Devil Made Me Do It,’ a song about drugs with the insightful lyrics of ‘nicotine, ketamin, amphetamine, marijuana, ecstasy and alcohol, you’re only gonna want more.’ This one has a good beat to it and is a truly cool song which is no surprise considering the quality of the first two tracks on this CD. Everything about it literally rocks hard and makes you wish that you were at one of their live shows right at that very minute as the music is so energetic and exciting that you can only imagine that this would be reflected in their live sets.

The last track is ‘Silent Majority’ – this is a good one to choose to end the CD with as I feel it is probably the weakest of the 4, it is not a bad tune by any means but it is just not as high quality as the rest of the CD. Most bands would probably be ecstatic to produce a song like this but given the quality of the first three you know that the band can do a lot better than this and sound much more energetic. Having said that, there is a great chorus on this one which is catchy and will have you dancing – so good things do come out of it even if it is not the best of the tracks. Just when you think this CD has ended the band please again with a DnB remix of the wonderful ‘Blood For Oil.’ Being open minded, and a fan of DnB I found this track extremely enjoyable as it had the vocals of Blood For Oil and the backing of a Drum n Bass tune which makes way for something extremely special and again highlighting the fact that they are unique. No other band would even dare to put a Drum n Bass remix on the end of their CD as they would probably be afraid of losing face but Sonic Boom Six have experimented with it and have come up tops. Amazing remixes are few and far between in the Rock scene but this little baby has proved to me that they do exist. What an amazing little CD from one of the rising stars of the UK right now – make sure you check it out and check it out extremely soon as you really don’t want to be missing this!

Rating:

Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.

Son Of Nothing – Demo

June 6, 2004 by Rich Leave a Comment

Son Of Nothing are a four piece band from London mixing many different genres of music from Thrash Metal right through to Punk, passing through Progressive Rock on the way. For this Demo the band have recorded three tracks and these three tracks show really show off the fact that they have many different influences from various spectrums of the Rock genre. I think its more a case of wanting to make music which they like rather than making something which is different and every song on this CD is completely different in sound yet each song is equally as good as the text – showing that the band are multi talented musicians that can pull off a large variety of styles.

The first track, ‘Can’t Complain’ is a tune showing off their Punk influences with vocals that are undisputedly of the Punk Rock genre. There are some great drumming skills shown off in this song, as well as some storming guitar riffs, and cool bass lines. I love the break in the middle which makes you think that the record is over, then shocks you when it starts off again – it is neatly done by the band and really adds to the effect of the record. Vocally on this track, the band really remind me of some of King Prawn’s material with that fast and furious tone which if you had the pleasure of seeing them live then you will know well. This is definitely a good thing I would say as the band have probably not planned it this way, but I have always felt that King Prawn were one of the most inspirational bands of all time bringing up political issues in their songs, just as this band do.

The second fine track on this CD is the wonderful ‘AK47’ which takes on a more Metal approach. With its eerie guitars, fast drum pace, and pulsing bass lines, it really gives the record a feeling of Metal music madness and the vocals work well with the musical side of it in order to create an eerie feeling throughout the track. I like the feel which is created in this track and definitely think that this is a style which works well with the band, however I do not think that the band are as well suited to this as they are to the approach taken in ‘Can’t Complain.’

Third and final track, ‘Numbers’ is again a completely different story. Although the guitars are again creating a distinctly eerie feel throughout the record, the vocals are much more melodic – I guess showing off the bands leaning towards Prog-Rock. At the end of this track there is a tremendous instrumental part featuring no vocals with some defiantly fast drumming, storming guitar riffs, and deadly bass lines. This really creates a great end for the CD as they manage to finish it off doing what they do best – making fine, gritty guitar based music which will vibrate through your insides and put a massive smile on your face. This is a great finale to the CD – showing that this band is a force to be reckoned with.

So, this band should appeal to a relatively large audience as there are so different many influences to their music, making Son Of Nothing a unique experience which I found to be extremely enjoyable. If you are someone that enjoys a variety of genres, but has to change the CD every few minutes in order to make sure that you get your daily dosage of each genre, then make sure you get your grubby hands on a copy of this fine Demo CD as with three songs that are completely different to one another – you will never have to change CDs once as they perform every single genre to perfection. This band are currently an unsigned act, but with such a broad selection of songs, they are sure to be snapped up soon as bands that are unique are few and far between so when a label spots a band that have unique qualities, they start licking their lips with delight. I am sure that Son Of Nothing will have a whole string of record labels vying for their signature before long and wish the band all the best for the future.

Rating:

Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.

Solabeat Alliance – Island Fire

June 6, 2004 by Rich Leave a Comment

Solabeat Alliance have been featured on Alt-UK.com since pretty much the beginning – they were one of the first bands to get a band page on the site and have had many a review to grace this very site and I’m usually straight on the case to write up the reviews – however this has not been the case with the album ‘Island Fire.’ I have owned this CD for about 2 weeks now and have spent this time trying to work the CD out – it is really nothing like anything that I have seen with the Solabeat Alliance before, they have come up with something entirely different and really shocked me – it is not at all what I expected from them and has a much cleaner sound than before. With ‘Rise On Up’ the band seemed to be going for that live edge, which had not been captured with their previous 2 efforts and they came up tops. This CD however shows the band in a whole new light – the production of it is extremely different and I have spent the last 2 weeks trying to work out whether I like it or not – and about some of the tracks I am still undecided. I really enjoyed the ‘Rise On Up’ EP but feel the songs which have been recorded for the album which were on Rise On Up, ‘Summer Nights,’ and ‘Set It Off,’ have not come off as well as they did on the EP, and I feel that the magic has not really been captured in them.

There are 13 tracks here, including the bonus track of an alternative version of ‘All Or Nothing’ and of course there are some stand out tracks on the CD! ‘Heroes,’ ‘Supersonic,’ and ‘People Of The World’ all capture the spirit of the Solabeat Alliance – they are fun, fresh, and funky tunes that are sure to make you skank with their catchy, dare I say it – infectious vocals, blinding bass lines, strong horn lines, cool guitar riffs, and fast, furious drum beats. ‘Supersonic’ especially appealed to my taste as it is a crazily catchy song and just reminded me of the enthusiasm for performing that was shown when I first saw them play back in November 2002. After frequent listening, this song still fails to tire, and if I was ever to make an Alt-UK compilation CD then this song would be one of the first to spring to mind! I have always had a bit of a soft-spot for the music which Solabeat Alliance make and this is a track that reminded me of how I first came to love their stuff – and I respect it for that. This track shows me that although the production of this CD is a lot cleaner, they are not going to have forgotten how to kick it when I next see them live – and with all this new material I am really excited to see how it is all going to come out when not on record!

With final track, ‘Another Day,’ the band seem to be trying to be the next Less Than Jake, and being a fan of the band it really doesn’t do it for me I’m afraid lads! Solabeat Alliance may be a fine UK band but they are no Less Than Jake as yet and as a result this track really does not do the band justice – the horns seem to take on a different sound, the vocal styling of Tim changes and the whole outlook of the band just seems to differ on this track than to the rest of the CD. Don’t get me wrong, I still love the band deeply but this one really isn’t the Solabeat that I was first weaned into – they have always had that Pop-Ska tinge to them but this song is a bit of a step too far in my books – stick to what you do best eh?!

Bet you all thought id forgotten ‘All Or Nothing’ for a minute there didn’t you?! Oh no, how wrong can you be – I have merely been saving the best till last! There are 2 versions of the track on this CD – along version and a short version, both versions are tremendous tracks and I assure you they will not disappoint. If you have ever been a fan of a Solabeat Alliance song then you are pretty much definitely going to love ‘All Or Nothing.’ It is extremely well written, has all the Solabeat charm and is one track that the clean production really does do justice! ‘All Or Nothing’ will surely get your juices flowing, and if it does not then surely you ought to see a doctor as there’s got to be something the matter with you!

So, although I have mixed feelings about this album, particularly the re-recordings of the Rise On Up tracks, I was generally impressed with what I heard in the album ‘Island Fire’ and although my love of the band has not increased, it has certainly not put me off the band at all! You will surely see me at the Carling Academy, Islington on the 9th of April when Solabeat Alliance are supported by the fantastic band that is Route215 (having just stared death in the face in a road accident.)

Rating:

Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.