Rocking the new EP “Attention Economy” from Boston’s Duck & Cover.
Two things: 1. It’s rock. 2. It rocks!
If you’ve read some of my past reviews you may know that I rather liked The Acro-brats, by extension I also like Duck & Cover. This new EP is no exception.
It’s short and sweet with three tracks. Two mid tempo originals and a Tom Petty cover that really answers the question, “What if Tom Petty was sorta punk?” Seriously the only thing this is missing is more tracks. But, well, these are difficult times and I’ll take what I can get.
At any rate, go check this out. You have nothing to lose, and nothing to gain but a good time.
I would like to start this off by saying that I am not qualified to properly review this album. I would rate my knowledge of punk rock as strong to very strong, depending on the time period and geographical location. With the exception of late 80s/early 90s hip-hop, I am remarkably ignorant of any other type of music. This release is about as punk rock as Phantom of the Opera, so I will be winging it, or “bullshitting”.
Ilium are a heavy metal band. Now, as many of you know, there are essentially two types of metal. There’s the kind where you can read the font, and the kind where you can’t. Well, you can read Ilium’s. It’s written plain as day on a flying dagger with a gargoyle perched atop the handle. These guys go beyond just having a decipherable font though.
This is a special subgenre of metal for dudes who shop at that weird store at the mall where you can buy a sword. Their Bandcamp page describes them as “symphonic metal”, which sounds appropriate as it has all the drama and flamboyance of a highly choreographed Broadway production. To be clear, I’m not bagging on them. These guys are masters (or wizards) of their craft. I’m sure this isn’t what they (or any other metal band ever) were going for, but this EP is fun. It’s a lot more fun than the kind of metal with cookie monster vocals where you don’t even know what the band is called because their name is just a bunch of menacing scribbles.
One of their previous releases is called “Enviro Metal”, and appears to be comprised of songs about caring for planet Earth. The cover art depicts a peaceful intergalactic Serengeti plain. I think the genre could use more of that. You never see heavy metal artwork where the landscape is properly cared for. It’s always like, this used to be a city, but now it’s been destroyed and this corpse in the foreground is laughing at me.
I’m only guessing here, but my assumption is that this type of metal is not fashionable, and that Ilium are complete dorks. Great! They’re a lot cooler than some Burzum worshiping wannabe viking motherfucker with sketchy politics. This EP is ridiculous and crazy, and I love it.
The term ilium comes from the final segment of the small intestine, which is appropriate because these guys are really working on some new shit. Give it a listen, regardless of what you’re into. It’s fun, the way metal should be.
New York City, NY — February 3, 2022 —New York City reggae legends THE SLACKERS are debuting the song and video for “Don’t Let The Sunlight Fool Ya” on Brooklyn Vegan which is also the title track from their brand new upcoming album. This record, their first in 7 years and 15th full-length in their career, is now available on Pirates Press Records’ webstore.
Frontman Vic Ruggiero describes the writing process and meaning behind the song: “Yeah, it’s the springtime…it looks really nice thru the window. The sun feels good… You go outside and all of a sudden you realize it’s winter still… It’s like you thought you put sugar in your coffee, but it was salt.”
(Clip from the video for “Don’t Let The Sunlight Fool Ya”)
Rolling Stone recently hailed The Slackers as “THE legendary New York City ska band” and this is by no means hyperbole. Having formed in 1991, The Slackers released their debut album in 1996, Better Late Than Never, and then signing with Epitaph Records and releasing their breakthrough full-length, Redlight, in 1997. From there, the band traveled the world and began to develop a prolific audience through their fun and energetic shows.
14 full-lengths later, countless EPs, singles, and touring all around the world playing to thousands and thousands of fans from Tokyo, Japan to their hometown of New York City, The Slackers return with Don’t Let The Sunlight Fool Ya. Marc Wasserman, author of “Skaboom! An American Ska & Reggae Oral History,” says The Slackers’ “…songs are about real darkness, depression, anger, sadness and loneliness, and some of the political songs as well are pretty vibrant.”
“In the middle of 2020, every time we started doing a livestream, we would stay after and start recording new music. By the middle of 2021, we had an album recorded. A lot of these tunes like “Don’t Let The Sunlight Fool Ya” were written right after we had just gotten out of lockdown,” says saxophonist Dave Hillyard.
The New York Times dubbed the Slackers part of ‘the sound of New York,’ and The Slackers just keep at it, only improving with age and experience – writing better and better songs, and continuing to build and strengthen that global Slackers family. Washington Post has described the impact The Slackers have left on the ska scene: “The Slackers have become the elder statesmen in American ska music, setting the stage for a new generation of musicians and a thriving scene….they remain at the top of their game.”
After releasing several singles with Pirates Press Records (“Windowland/I Almost Lost You,” “Nobody’s Listening/Sleep Outside,” and “Love I Bring), The Slackers are once again hitting the road all year long to support a new set of tunes and once again have fans around the world put on their dancing shoes for another evening with these renowned musicians. This album is a testament to the age and experience this band has accrued over their 30+ year career. These special tunes will undoubtedly travel far and wide, just like the band will, performing these songs in a club near you!
(The cover art for Don’t Let The Sunlight Fool Ya)
Catch The Slackers on tour: 03/30/2022 – Harrisburg, PA – Stage On Herr 4/07/2022 – Rehoboth Beach, DE – Arenas 4/08/2022 – Virginia Beach, VA – Bunker Brewpub 4/10/2022 – Atlanta, GA – Masquerade 5/7/2022 – Jersey City, NJ – White Eagle Hall 5/12/2022 Ottawa, ON – Brass Monkey 5/13/2022 Montreal, QC – Cafe Campus 5/14/2022 Quebec City, QC – L’Antibar 5/17/2022 Salt Lake City, UT – Commonwealth Room 5/18/2022 Denver, Co – Oriental Theater 5/20/2022 – Dallas, TX – Three Links 5/21/2022 – Houston, TX – Scout Bar 5/22/2022 – San Antonio, TX – Rockbox 5/24/2022 – Albuquerque, NM – Launchpad 5/27/2022 – Flagstaff, Az – Yucca Room 5/28/2022 – Phoenix, Az – Crescent Ballroom 9/26/2022 – Birmingham, UK – Hare and Hounds 9/27/2022 – Manchester, UK – Retro 9/28/2022 – Huddersfield, UK – Parish 9/30/2022 – London, UK – Underworld 10/1/2022 – Leeds, UK – Brudenell Social Club 10/2/2022 – Newcastle, UK – Think Tank 10/3/2022 – Bristol, UK – Exchange 10/4/2022 – Antwerp, Belgium – Kavka 10/6/2022 – Haarlem, Netherlands – Patroonaat 10/7/2022 – Den Haag, Netherlands – Paard 10/8/2022 – Sittard, Netherlands – Ernestos 10/11/2022 – Zurich, Switzerland – Komplex 10/12/2022 – Munich, Germany – Feierwerk 10/13/2022 – Vienna, Austria – Arena 10/15/2022 – Sluderno, Italy – Loki 10/16/2022 – Nuremberg, Germany – Desi 10/17/2022 – Hannover, Germany – Lux 10/18/2022 – Berlin, Germany – S036 10/19/2022 – Hamburg, Germany – Molotov 10/21/2022 – Koln, Germany – Gebaude 9 10/22/2022 – Arlon, Belgium – L’entrepot
The Slackers are: Vic Ruggiero – vocals, organ Agent Jay – guitar Dave Hillyard – saxophone Glen Pine – trombone, vocals Marcus Geard – bass Ara Babajian – drums
Street Punk Icons THE CASUALTIES Ride The Storm On East Coast U.S. Tour! Los Angeles, CA – When last we caught up with street punk legends, The Casualties, they had just released a brand new “live in the studio” album recorded in 2019 called Until Death – Studio Sessions on which the band unleashed their fury on some of the biggest songs from their extensive catalog, songs such as “Unknown Soldier,” “We Are All We Have,” “Punk Rock Love” and more! The band then followed that up with a nationwide tour with Strung Out just before the world was engulfed in the COVID-19 pandemic. But you can’t keep a good punk down so the band regrouped at the end of 2021 and launched a new tour called All Out Tour, which was rapturously received by the pit-starved punk rock faithful. Now, The Casualties have returned for the inevitable sequel! Bigger and better than the previous iteration, All Out Tour II features a rested and rejuvenated Casualties line-up plus two special guests, Rotten Stitches and Stolen Wheelchairs. Whereas the first All Out Tour focused primarily on the western half of the U.S., Part II finds the Four Horsemen of the Punk Rock Apocalypse galloping deep into the eastern states. So get ready to join the pit – it could be your last!
TOUR DATES: Feb 08 – Mercury Lounge – Tulsa, OK Feb 09 – 1867 Bar – Lincoln, NE Feb 10 – Lefty’s Live Music – Des Moines, IA Feb 11 – Sounds Of The Street Festival – Chicago, IL Feb 12 – The Sanctuary – Detroit, MI Feb 13 – Legends – Cincinnati, OH Feb 15 – Now That’s Class – Cleveland, OH Feb 16 – Mohawk Place – Buffalo, NY Feb 17 – Empire Underground – Saint Albans, NY Feb 18 – First Unitarian Church – Philadelphia, PA Feb 19 – QXT’s Night Club – Newark, NJ Feb 20 – Our Wicked Lady – Brooklyn, NY Feb 22 – The Bunker Brewpub & Cadence Hall – Virginia Beach, VA Feb 23 – The Masquerade – Atlanta, GA Feb 24 – 1904 Music Hall – Jacksonville, FL Feb 25 – Las Rosas – Miami, FL Feb 26 – The Orpheum – Tampa, FL Feb 27 – Will’s Pub – Orlando, FL
So I had a chance to check out “We Are…” the sophomore album by Gothenburg Sweden’s very own DIY punk rock band Rotten Flag. Trying to put this band into a category was a little difficult, and I landed on Punk. They are a punk bands punk band. Picture Cock Sparrer and Angelic Upstarts with a splash of Ramones for good measure. This album is twelve short tracks of simple riffs and alternating vocal stylings that range from hoarse growling to a semi-melodic tone that will keep you invested.
Boasting a somewhat apolitical stance with the first track Oxymoron Stereotype, you’ll get the impression that they’d rather spend the short time given to each song (averaging well under two minutes) discussing the more important things in life like drinking, doing drugs, and having promiscuous sex. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. But they do take a more political stand later in the album with the songs When We Attack, and Damnation. The song The Evil of Religion sounds exactly like you’d expect from the title.
This album embodies that classic punk attitude of railing against conformity and giving the middle finger to authority figures with a shit eating grin. It’s the kind of punk your parents tried to warn you about. Rotten Flag clearly doesn’t give a shit about your PC sensibilities, so if you’re easily offended by a little off-colour language then this might not be a great choice for you. Personally I find it refreshing. They seem like they’d be either the most fun guys at the party, or the most terrifying.
All in all, it’s a thoroughly enjoyable album. My personal favourites include We Are…, You Didn’t Hear It On The Radio, and Do You Wanna Be My Anarchy. I will definitely be looking for the LP when it finally comes out, and will be keeping an eye on these guys for their third album. And considering that their first release “the band from the pubs” came out in December 2021 I Will be expecting something possibly in early 2023 or so. Maybe that’s just wishful thinking on my part though.
Keep up the good work guys!
Jëffy
The album will be released on streaming platforms on January, 31st 2022, with a vinyl release to follow as production allows.
Revolutionary Philadelphia hardcore band, Soul Glo is thrilled to announce their fourth studio album Diaspora Problems due out digitally on March 25. The album will be available on vinyl via Secret Voice, expected to ship late 2022. Pre-orders are available now, here.
Today, the band shares the first glimpse of the forthcoming album with “Jump!! (Or Get Jumped!!!)((by the future)),” a hardcore whirlwind of justified rage, spinning like a verbal circle pit with a steady drumbeat and swirling guitars. Lyrically, Soul Glo examine the disposability of Black art and its creators and the mental anguish of having “big big plans” in a time when a future is not guaranteed. “Many artists feel as though time is a consistent adversary when it comes to the production of their work,but there is a population of people within this group who fear even more the probability of their time permanently coming to a close before they can enjoy the fruit of their labor,” explains the band. “Many Black artists who reach superstar status do so posthumously or have a limited amount of time to establish their legacy.” Throughout the track, Soul Glo breakdown genre walls blending hip-hop, hardcore, and punk channeling the flow of Migos and Three 6 Mafia mixed with the hardcore likings of Warthog, Converge’s You Fail Me-era, and screamo cacophony akin to City of Caterpillar.
CHECK OUT “JUMP!! (OR GET JUMPED!!!)((BY THE FUTURE))” NOW WATCH | LISTEN
Conceptualized over the course of 2016 to 2021, Diaspora Problems was recorded in an unfinished warehouse and the band’s practice space during the hottest parts of summer 2021.
The self-produced albumexplores an artist and individuals’ self-doubt and self-hate, past traumas that can only be worked out in adulthood, financial instability and how it affects an artist, the effects of institutional and state violence, and the power of community that delivered Soul Glo through each struggle the band has endured from their inception and before. Soul Glo’s lyrics are uncompromising, written to raise awareness of social justice issues, and designed to make you look inward.
Diaspora Problems is only the beginning of what will undoubtedly be a bright future for Soul Glo, as well as a forecast for what the band is capable of musically. Hardcore punk is at the precipice of a sonic revolution as a higher variance of people find room for themselves and the expression of their lived experience within the genre. More and more people will be injecting a cultural identity and offering a narrative previously unheard and/or underappreciated by punk rockers and kindred spirits the world over. Diaspora Problems is not aiming to be the only album like it that exists, but instead one of many entries in a new dawn for rock music.
Soul Glo is Pierce Jordan (vocals), Ruben Polo (guitar), GG Guerra (bass, vocals, programming), and TJ Stevenson (drums).
DIASPORA PROBLEMS TRACKLIST 1. Gold Chain Punk (whogonbeatmyass?) 2. Coming Correct Is Cheaper 3. Thumbsucker 4. Fucked Up If True 5.Jump!! (Or Get Jumped!!!)((by the future)) 6. Driponomics (ft. Mother Maryrose) 7. (Five Years And) My Family 8. The Thangs I Carry (ft. Bearcat) 9. We Wants Revenge 10. John J (ft. Kathryn Edwards and Zula Wildheart) 11. GODBLESSYALLREALGOOD 12. Spiritual Level Of Gang Shit (ft. Mckinley Dixon and Lojii)
Soul Glo will hit the road with Circa Survive and Tigers Jaw in North America starting February 6 in Fort Lauderdale, FL. January 7 – February 5 dates have been postponed, reschedule information coming soon.
SOUL GLO TOUR DATES with Circa Survive & Tigers Jaw 2/6 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Revolution 2/8 St Petersburg, FL Jannus Live 2/9 Orlando, FL House of Blues 2/11 Atlanta, GA Masquerade 2/12 Charlotte, NC The Fillmore 2/13 Richmond, VA The National 2/15 Nashville, TN Cannery Ballroom 2/16 Louisville, KY Mercury Ballroom 2/18 Cincinnati, OH Bogarts 2/19 Detroit, MI The Majestic 2/20 Toronto, ON Opera House 2/22 Montreal, QC Fairmont Theatre 2/23 Albany, NY Empire Live 2/25 Boston, MA House of Blues 2/26 Hartford, CT The Webster 2/27 Brooklyn, NY Brooklyn Steel 3/1 Pittsburgh, PA Stage AE 3/2 Baltimore, MD Rams Head Live 3/4 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer 3/5 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer
East Bay, CA — January 6, 2022 — CHARGER has premiered their music video for “Rolling Through The Night” over at Revolver – which is the first single from their highly anticipated new record Warhorse. The incredible animated video was created by Ben Clarkson (Jimkata, Death Angel). The album, along with bundles, new merch, and a limited edition 7”, are now available for pre-order on Pirates Press Records’ webstore and will be available in local record stores on March 18th, 2022.
The band says “The song is essentially about living ‘Wild and free I’m riding on the wind, numb to fear or pain.’ A feeling of invincibility and living your life to just go out and own every night and get into whatever you can find.”
The powerhouse trio consists of McGee, Matt Freeman (Rancid, Operation Ivy) singing and playing bass, and Jason Willer (UK Subs, Jello Biafra’s Guantanamo School of Medicine) who drums and sings too.
After months of being locked away writing new songs, the band went into Atomic Garden Studios in Oakland for two weeks to record, Warhorse is the follow-up to the band’s previous releases on Pirates Press Records – their debut self-titled EP and two singles “Watch Your Back” and “Stay Down.”
When thinking of a way to create a forceful first impression for the new record, the band knew they wanted to work with Clarkson to create a video that would get everyone talking. “For the video, we really liked Death Angel’s video for ‘Aggressor’ by Ben. We reached out to him and talked about a more metaphorical approach, and so we mentioned something about a flying car. He said ‘how about a flying pterodactyl over a river of blood?’ and that’s all we needed to hear. Ben went and did his thing and created a great story encapsulating that feeling of invincibility into what we think is a kick-ass video where our guy’s face melts off as he rides his pterodactyl and becomes one with the universe. We think. Anyway, it’s fucking awesome,” adds guitarist Andrew McGee.
(L to R: Matt Freeman, Jason Willer, Andrew McGee)
Formed in 2018, Charger was very much a musical challenge between a few lifers in the punk scene who wanted to push each other to dig deep into their shared roots, influences, and musical passions, to create something truly exciting. As a result, Charger’s music feels indebted to the giants, but not reliant on them. There is plenty of space for growth and innovation within this decades-old blueprint of how to make someone’s heart race and blood pump.
The new album Warhorse is now available for pre-order along with a limited edition 7”, bundles that include a bag of (incredible) CHARGER COFFEE, and new merch like a skateboard deck, shirts, and a hoodie. All of this is available on the Pirates Press Records’ webstore.
Charger is: Matt Freeman – vocals/bass Jason Willer – drums/vocals Andrew McGee – guitar/vocals
This band includes members of the Nobodys, who are most famous for out-Guttermouthing Guttermouth as the shittiest, most mysogynistic punk band of the 90s. With song titles like “She Can’t Say No”, “Kielbasa Queen”, and “Just Another Cunt”, it was surprising to me even then that they were embraced to the extent they were. Here’s a lyrical sample from a 2001 album, “I like young girls. I like the way they smell. I like their pretty curls. Their parents can go to hell”.
Look, I don’t know if any of the chief songwriters are in The Sleights, but why the fuck would you even put it in your bio? Aren’t you embarrassed now? You should be. I’m not even a super PC dude when it comes to my punk rock, I love The Dwarves and Cosmic Psychos, but there is a big difference between those bands and the Nobodys. In an effort to be fair, there is also a dude from The Lillingtons in here, who as far as I know are NOT sexual predators. Also to be fair, this band is factually not The Nobodys.
They are The Sleights and sound like mid-tempo Good Riddance with Samiam-style vocals. Subject matter seems to focus on the vague interpersonal negative feelings of 40-something-year-old bearded white dudes in black band T-shirts, and also on alcohol. I am, regrettably, the target demographic. I have to say though, I like this more each time I listen to it.
The song “Fucked Up” in particular, even though it clocks in at nearly four and half minutes, has some Wrath of Khan strength ear worms and does not seem overly long. I went a few days between listens, and the song had burrowed its way into my brain enough that it was echoing around in there. Lots of echoing in there. Mostly of other mid-tempo punk rock and stupid things I regret saying between the years 1989-present.
In conclusion, The Sleights are sort of good. It’s better than I could do. Maybe when they hangout together and get deep enough into the night, they speak in hushed tones to one another about how fucking dumb The Nobodys were and how they’re better people now. Maybe the guilt of having been in The Nobodys is what echoes around in their brains.
–Zach Akenson
Tracks: 1. It’s Not That Easy 2. I Don’t Give a Damn 3. Skin and Bone 4. Fucked Up 5. Faded 6. The Morgue
So I had a chance to check out the new album 7 Days a Week by English punk band Special Duties. If you’re in the mood for an old-school Oi! sound that’s been polished up and produced in a much more modern way, then look no further, 7 Days a Week is exactly that.
This album is chock full songs about social issues, addiction, and class struggle, as well as some songs that feel like you should be singing along to while tipping back pints in an English pub. And that is exactly what you’d expect from these guys.
At first pass the album kinda falls flat and seems like the lyrics were put together in a hasty, hap-hazard fashion. Subsequent listening will have you singing along to the better constructed tunes like the albums namesake 7 Days a Week and Punks and Bootboys. The songs Fight Back, Rebel and Time Bomb show a more aggressive side of the band and are my personal favourites from this release.
At times the high quality of the recording feels like it takes away from the expected “punkness”. If that’s a thing… but this is just wishful thinking on my part I suppose. It’s not like we can expect modern engineers to deliberately make a band sound like shit… can we?
All in all it’s a passable album, and if you grew up listening to the older British punk of the early 80s you should definitely at the very least, give this a try. I won’t be running out to get the first pressing or anything, but it might be fun to catch the live show at some point.
I can’t pretend like I’m ever terribly excited to hear a band that has descriptors like “doom”, “stoner”, and “sludge”. This is mostly because modern bands who fall into these categories often take themselves too seriously, and frankly I just don’t understand why you’re so goddamn negative and serious if you’re blazing up all the time. Thankfully, Milquetoast does not fall into this genre trapping.
They have instead crafted a modern day album of AmRep-style bangers that sometimes even veers into old school hardcore goofiness, a la Flag of Democracy. Before grunge was called grunge and ruined by shit bands like Alice In Chains, it kind of sounded like this. There is definitely some excellent Mark Arm howling going on. I’m also hearing Cows, particularly in the way Milquetoast throws instrumental curve balls at you to keep things interesting.
I’m listening to this via a YouTube link, so it’s difficult to refer to specific tracks, but there’s enough variety on here to make the whole thing worth your time. This is a quality I’ve found lacking in other “doom” and “sludge” bands. Unless your band is exclusively marijuana referencing in the name, I don’t get the “stoner” part either.
Historically, AmRep, Mudhoney, and proto-grunge bands like Cosmic Psychos (who invented that blown out sound) have been way more famous for beer consumption. To me, this is drunk music more than stoner rock, and that’s a good thing. Whatever you like to do to your brain when you pretend like the world isn’t ending, do it while blasting Milquetoast. This is a super fun record that I wish I had a hard copy of. Highly (or drunkenly) recommended.
–Zach Akenson
Tracks: Intro Dead Inside Recognize Matapacos Stoner Safari Step Off Space Force Fake News Blues Wall Forgotten Death
Bio: When Milquetoast (milk-ˌtōst) is used as an adjective, it means timid, meek, or unassertive. But you only need a single distorted power chord or unhinged howl from the Indiana trio’s punked-up party sludge to get sucker-punched by the band name’s irony. Milquetoast will kick 2022’s front door off its hinges with their debut LP mastered by Chris Fielding of the mighty Conan, appropriately named Caterwaul.
Formed in 2018 by vocalist/guitarist Ty Winslow, Milquetoast was devised as an expression of weirdo punk fury. In fact, it was Winslow’s penchant for loud riffs and cheeky vibes that initially lured vocalist/bassist Andy Bowerman as a collaborator.
“In a church 2.5 hours in the middle of nowhere,” Bowerman recalls, “I was looking out into the melee [of a mosh pit] and seeing crossdressing members of [Winslow’s then-band] Battersea riding each other around like jousting mounts. So the friendship came easy—and came often.”
After recruiting drumming dynamo Nick James, the band’s unique impish energy took shape. Gather the mops that soaked up sweat and blood from stages in the ’80s west coast punk and Seattle grunge scenes. Squeeze the fluids into a shot glass…
MILQUETOAST IS: Ty – guitar and vocals Andy – bass, vocals, and synth Nick – drums
