The Kings Of Nuthin' "Get Busy Livin' Or Get Busy Dyin'"

(Crazy Love Records 2016)

Let It Burn

King For A Day

Other Side Of Hope

Get Busy Livin' Or Get Busy Dyin'

Playing The Fool

Miss April

Kings Of Nuthin'

Boston Bound

My Hometown

Where Do We Go?

This is the first release from Boston-based punk rock rhythm 'n' blues outfit The Kings Of Nuthin'. Originally released back in 2000 on Reckloose Records, it saw a couple of vinyl releases (both on Crazy Love Records) in 2001 and another CD release in 2003 on Bad Dog Records. Lead singer Torr Skoog died tragically in June 2013 and this month would have marked his 40th birthday. So it's only fitting that we should remember him and his unique band with this timely reissue of a début album that was both ground breaking and led the way for a succession of follow-up albums that cemented the band firmly as one of the most unique and wildest ensembles to ever put their stamp on the term rock'n'roll. Skoog's vocals are like a deranged Little Richard. They say rockabilly was the original punk rock. The music on this album would have caused mass panic in the 1950s when the terrified US media branded rock'n'roll the Devil's Music. It's sweaty, raucous, in-your-face rock'n'roll with lashings of rhythm 'n' blues and rockabilly with a big pair of hairy punk bollocks being pressed into your eye sockets. They slow it down here and there for some heartfelt slower numbers but for the most part it's all violent rock'n'roll. The perfect music to get drunk to, to dance to, the fight to....or give your girlfriend a good rogering to! It's available now on black vinyl and limited edition golden vinyl from Crazy Love Records.

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Death Valley Surfers "More.....Beer"

(Punkabilly Records 2016)

More (Beer)

Dead Man's Surf (Hanging 10)

Milner (Dix Mix)

If there's one thing I like more than The Highliners and King Kurt, then it's a combination of both,

which is pretty much what Death Valley Surfers is. Fronted by ex-Highliner Russ Surfer on vox and guitar, with the man with the massive horn, John Reddington of King Kurt fame on sax, Dick Dynamite of Doppelgängers fame slapping the bass, Jay Vee tapping his organ and more besides and Karl Väster on foreskins. There are some guest musicians and backing vocalists on here too which all add to the pissed-up party atmosphere. From the opening hoedown of More (Beer) through to the garage-surf of Dead Man's Surf (Hanging 10) to the rootsy country-rockabilly twang of Milner (Dix Mix), it's an eclectic little package of pearls. Our Dick Dynamite even gets a chance to flex his multi-instrumentalist skills on dobro and fiddle. For such a bunch of lads that are clearly out to have a laugh and take the piss, their musical skills are no laughing matter. There's talent in abundance running throughout this three-track CD single. Naturally it's very reminiscent of The Highliners and King Kurt output but it's a lot more rockin'. Milner really reminds me of Eddie Tudor-Pole's Hayrick Song-era stuff. Comparisons aside, Death Valley Surfers are their own band and bring all their past ensembles and current influences together to give us a scorching little three track package of tunes that reminds us that psychobilly is actually supposed to be fun.

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Nekromantix "A Symphony Of Wolf Tones & Ghost Notes

(Hellcat Records 2016)

Glow In The Dark

NekroTopia

War Bats

Mind Mausoleum

Cry Yourself To Sleep

Cabin Fever

Creeping It Real

Resting Witch Face

Were Coyotes Of Rose Hill

No More Room In Hell

Ghost Babe

Having came to psychobilly through the rockabilly/neo rockabilly route it wasn't long before the first wave of psychobilly wasn't leaving me satiated. I needed it harder and faster (ooooh matron) and within a relatively short time period the second wave of psychobilly kicked off, arguably spearheaded by Denmark's Nekromantix, and I was satiated once more. A fanny-load of releases and line-up changes later and indeed a move across the Atlantic and here we are in 2016 with the band's 10th album (9th studio album). I was 20 when the first one came out and got hooked on all things Nekromantix from that day to this. The common consensus appears to be that Curse Of The Coffin is thee Nekromantix album. For me it has always been Demons Are A Girl's Best Friend. But fuck it I like all their albums! Fans...some fans...almost dismissed the Nekromantix when all traces of Sandorff had been taken out of the equation, feeling the trademark Nekromantix sound had began to dwindle or transform into something almost too "Hot Topic". However, I'm never swayed by anyone's opinions (whether it's the popular opinion or not) and I make up my own mind. Anyway, on to the task in hand. I've had this album for a while now. When I first got it I gave each track a quick listen...quick as in not even waiting for the choruses to kick in. "Typical Nekromantix" I thought. "I'll come back to it". This happens with every Nekromantix release. I need to shut meself off from all distractions and actually "listen" to their albums. This way my initial thought of "typical Nekromantix" goes out the window as the songs unfold and the technical brilliance kick me right up the hole. Anyone missing the old Nekroman/Sandorff sound can perk up as the Nekroman/Mesa compositions on here are very reminiscent of that era. The handful of naysayers over on Psychobilly Worldwide haven't a leg to stand on with this release (not that anyone gives a shit about their petty bullshit anyway). Nekroman has always sounded and looked the part when conjuring up an audio/visual description of psychobilly. If the 1922 Nosferatu got together with some of his solar-challenged chums and made a record, the resultant sounds would be the tunes on A Symphony Of Wolf Tones & Ghost Notes. The thing about the Nekromantix is that they're unique. They don't sound like anyone else. They're one of the rare bands that influence others as opposed to being influenced by others. Monster Metal at its finest. 

The O'Prez

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Nekromantix "A Symphony Of Wolf Tones & Ghost Notes

(Hellcat Records 2016)

Glow In The Dark

NekroTopia

War Bats

Mind Mausoleum

Cry Yourself To Sleep

Cabin Fever

Creeping It Real

Resting Witch Face

Were Coyotes Of Rose Hill

No More Room In Hell

Ghost Babe

Having came to psychobilly through the rockabilly/neo rockabilly route it wasn't long before the first wave of psychobilly wasn't leaving me satiated. I needed it harder and faster (ooooh matron) and within a relatively short time period the second wave of psychobilly kicked off, arguably spearheaded by Denmark's Nekromantix, and I was satiated once more. A fanny-load of releases and line-up changes later and indeed a move across the Atlantic and here we are in 2016 with the band's 10th album (9th studio album). I was 20 when the first one came out and got hooked on all things Nekromantix from that day to this. The common consensus appears to be that Curse Of The Coffin is thee Nekromantix album. For me it has always been Demons Are A Girl's Best Friend. But fuck it I like all their albums! Fans...some fans...almost dismissed the Nekromantix when all traces of Sandorff had been taken out of the equation, feeling the trademark Nekromantix sound had began to dwindle or transform into something almost too "Hot Topic". However, I'm never swayed by anyone's opinions (whether it's the popular opinion or not) and I make up my own mind. Anyway, on to the task in hand. I've had this album for a while now. When I first got it I gave each track a quick listen...quick as in not even waiting for the choruses to kick in. "Typical Nekromantix" I thought. "I'll come back to it". This happens with every Nekromantix release. I need to shut meself off from all distractions and actually "listen" to their albums. This way my initial thought of "typical Nekromantix" goes out the window as the songs unfold and the technical brilliance kick me right up the hole. Anyone missing the old Nekroman/Sandorff sound can perk up as the Nekroman/Mesa compositions on here are very reminiscent of that era. The handful of naysayers over on Psychobilly Worldwide haven't a leg to stand on with this release (not that anyone gives a shit about their petty bullshit anyway). Nekroman has always sounded and looked the part when conjuring up an audio/visual description of psychobilly. If the 1922 Nosferatu got together with some of his solar-challenged chums and made a record, the resultant sounds would be the tunes on A Symphony Of Wolf Tones & Ghost Notes. The thing about the Nekromantix is that they're unique. They don't sound like anyone else. They're one of the rare bands that influence others as opposed to being influenced by others. Monster Metal at its finest. 

The O'Prez

Nekromantix Official

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The Black Rose Phantoms "Betrayers"

(Crazy Love Records 2016)

Oath Of An Outlaw

Betrayers

Pick Your Poison

Not Much To Live For

Cocaine Covered Hills (Featuring Mikey Classic)

No Redemption Found

Shooting Sparrows

The Long Road To Hell

Chasing Devils

Another Bourbon Night

Old Regrets

Til The Whiskey Runs Out

Written In Blood

Crazy Ale For A Crazy Heart

If I Die Tomorrow

Weighing Sins And Forgiveness

Right then, if you know The Black Rose Phantoms then you'll be expecting some hardcore metal infused gothic psychobilly. Well grab some 4-ply toilet paper and wipe your arse with those expectations as this is quite the departure from the Phantoms usual fare. It's not a pretentious concept album though. What we have here is the lads going all country! Well slap-a-mah thigh...over a bit...up a bit...in a bit...gentle....oooooh yeah! Having listened to the album I was surprised to see it on Crazy Love Records and not on their Broken Neck subsidiary

label as the sounds on here are more akin to the rustic stomp roster of bands they have on there. Good auld Mikey Classic of Goddamn Gallows fame guests on the album too with some fine yodelling! I fuckin' love yodelling me. Anyway, the album features a more subdued Black Rose Phantoms  (for the most part...there is of course a lot of stomping gypsy-esque hoedown stuff too) with all the elements you'd find in proper country and not that absolute bollocks Nashville passes off as country these days. Lap steel, mandolin, banjo...all backed up with the classic rockabilly/psychobilly combination of twangy guitar, slap bass and drums. I'm used to the lads playing at 100 mph so on this album it's nice to hear just what a talented bunch of pickers, slappers and bangers they are behind all the in-your-face speed of their usual output. This is really excellent stuff in every regard. From the song writing to the playing through to the harmonies and the production. "Modern Country" is just country music without the o. This release from The Black Rose Phantoms is the real deal; not that candy-arsed shite you see on CMT. 

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The Magnetix "Rabbit The Robot - Robot The Rocket"

(Crazy Love Records 2016)

Do It Like Gorilla Does

Martian Fever

Rabbit The Robot - Robot The Rocket

Gorilla And Crocodile

It's Magnetic Me

Satellite Baby

Wombie Zombie

Drybone Beat

(You Must Fight To Live On The) Planet Of The Apes

Parallel World

Me The Ghost

Mr. Moonbeam

Girls That Do

Cool Daddy-O

 When I imagine what psychobilly sounds like in my head, THIS is what it sounds like....fucking mental rockabilly! Tribal rhythms with a tommy gun beat going on between the slap bass and drums and memorable guitar hooks aplenty. It's the kind of psychobilly that makes you want to dance as opposed to wreck. There's a more raw sound to this, The Magnetix third album, in comparison to the previous two and I detect the boys may have been influenced by some of the wilder, more obscure late 1950s rockers and a smattering of lo-fi too. Well, the clues are more than evident in the two well chosen covers which slot in to the album perfectly and compliment the sound to a T. As each track progressed I was wondering if the lads could maintain the quality of music on offer and fuck me pink they did. Sometimes the initial love of a great album wears off just as fast as it appeared because the songs just don't have staying power after a few plays. Well there is absolutely nothing sonically ephemeral about the songs Terry Drybones has concocted here. The man knows how to write instant psychobilly classics. That brings me nicely along to Mr. Moonbeam. This song has gone straight into my list of all time favourite ditties of any genre and shows the guy can sing too! Even the instrumental Drybone Beat is great and I usually hate instrumentals. So we're in November now and I have to say that for me this album is the absolute highlight of the year. It won't be beat! And what's more...when you buy the album you become an instant fanny magnet!

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