Bells Will Ring - Mood Patterns (2007)

Belles Will Ring are an Australian alternative-rock band based in Sydney. It consists of founding members and songwriters Liam Judson and Aidan Roberts; alongside multi-instrumentalist Lauren Crew and drummer Joe Driver. The band came to prominence when they released their debut album "Mood Patterns" in 2007 to critical acclaim.

The band formed in 2005 following the split of The Architects, a band which primary-school friends, Judson and Roberts, had been playing in since 2000. Following the split, Judson began recording his own material with Roberts and drummer Ivan Lisyak, and named the new band "Belles Will Ring". The band has undergone a number of lineup changes since its inception, with Judson and Roberts remaining constant as the band's songwriters. (source)

..... This is one of the better records I've heard this year, channeling the sounds of the jangly 60's, this album begins with fire on opener "The Coldest Heart" the Byrds inspired guitar playing and interwoven melodies, it's all very impressive. Though not entirely a throwback to another generation, there's still many modern traits mish mashed into the equation just not as prevalent as the older influences. I must add that the 60's revival or the so called neo-psychedelic revival, is one of my many favourite genres of music. (full review)

1. The Coldest Heart
  2. Mad Love
  3. Midnight
  4. Park Benches
  5. Stax
  6. Sweet Widow
  7. Outlaws & Lovers
  8. Older Younger
  9. And Jesus Said Unto Me
  10. It's Only Goodbye
  11. Strange Girl

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The Fiends - Teen Trash Vol. 12 (1994)

On April 1st, 1993 The Fiends story really began in the small fishing village of Vancouver, situated on the South West Coast of British Columbia Canada.  The Fiends first consisted with Greg Johnson (The Worst) on vocals, Brian Olinek (The Enigmas) on Bass, Dan Small on Guitar, James T Massacre (JP5) on Drums and Johnny 13 Fingers (Color Me Psycho) on organ.  This short lasting line up produced there first EP "Zombie A-GO-GO" on Primitive Records weeks later, and the line-up curse has haunted them ever since.

Later that summer after many beers and an organ transplant, thee mighty Sam Salmon, The Fiends had their first full length LP "Zombies Have Feeling Too" written, recorded and mixed for Music Maniac Records in Germany.  It was then released as Volume 12 of the Teen Trash series in 1994.

* Interview with Greg Johnson

 01.  No More
02.  Zombies (Have Feelings Too)
03.  Lies
04.  Get Yourself Home
05.  My Ghoul Fiend
06.  Come See Me
07.  Burn Out
08.  Don't Crowd Me
09.  Stormy
10.  Waiting For You
11.  Blow Your Mind
12.  Find My Way Back
13.  Take Off

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Dome La Muerte And The Diggers - Self-Titled (2007)

DOME LA MUERTE AND THE DIGGERS is a superband whose leader is Dome la Muerte, founding member of the legendary band CCM (produced by Jello Biafra), guitarist of Not Moving and leader of Hush; now with the Diggers he's not having his "return" on the scene, because he never really disappeared. He kept following his line through the years, working with several artists, writing music for theatre shows and soundtracks for movies like "Nirvana" from Gabriele Salvatores.

Besides Dome, in the Diggers also play and sweat Emiliano (former drummer in Liars, the Performance and Not Right), Lady Casanova at the bass guitar (former Not Right) and Matteo "Basetta", founder of Thunder Rod Company and, together with Emiliano, still playing with Mirteto Hillybilly Barbecue.
The word "Diggers" reveals an inner meaning which must be explained, yes because the Diggers were part of a political movement which arouse at the end of the 19th century and that, in the sixties, was re-enacted through the fight to the system with goliardic methods, against bourgeoisie and the moralism of the American society in that period...

Now, following the introduction of the roots of this band, you are ready to listen to the album....
In this wok we find some pure "rock'n roll", born to be History, a musical r-evolution of what is classically crossover. This is a sophisitcated record, full of melodies and guitar vituosisms, as well as psychedelic dilatations, a creative and hot work which comes from the roots of rock and that asks for revenge. Guests are Maria Severine, who plays the piano in "Get Ready", Mikefuocos which empowers the rythm of "You shine on me", and the fuzz icon Rudi Protrudi (met several time on stage) which gives preciousness with his armonics to "Blue Stranger Dancer", singing in "Heart Full of SOul" and playing some parts in "Sorry, I'm a Digger", the band's anthem

Each track follows the previous linking together garagepunk, psychedelia and rock'n roll, with aggressive chords and mild riffs, through a strong message, and you will understand what I mean when the last track "Cold Turkey" will end and the first thing you'll do will be pressing "play" again. And if after listening to this record you'll also become potential diggers, remember to apologize with your mother! (source)

1. Get Ready
2. Blue Stranger Dancer
3. Demons
4. Sorry, i’m a Digger
5. “Bad Trip” Blues
6. Fire Of Love
7. Heart Full Of Soul
8. You Shine On Me
9. Gimme Some
10. Cold Turkey

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HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!

 

and here's the

Thee Psycho Delmatics - Tough Guys Can Dance (2005)

Thee Psycho Delmatics hailing from Australia (not much info about them) are a rough and filthy rock'n'roll outfit with a penchant for smutty lyrics and primitive jungle rhythms, having a reputation for wild live shows. Tough Guys Can Dance is their second release on the Off the Hip label.

1. Tough Guys Can Dance
2. Thrill Killers
3. (I'm A) Psycho / Delatic
4. Runaway Train
5. Leave Me Alone
6. The Squirm
7. Spank The Monkey
8. Brand New Woman
9. Hell Fuels My Machine
10. Mr. Brown
11. Venus Fly Trap
12. Strychnine
13. Indy Cars A Go!

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Creatures Of The Golden Dawn - 1000 Shadows (1993)

 These beings formed in early 1985 around frontman Mark Smith, who would survive an onslaught of different lineups. Three former members went on to form The Original Sins in 1987; a breakup which was less than amicable, though it seems that Smith is the one who gained musically from the split!
    The band would later refer to themselves with the somewhat psychedelic moniker "The Creatures Of The Golden Dawn," though the music remained firmly in the garage idiom. Anyone notice that "Egarag" records is "Garage" spelled backwards?!?
    A few vinyl tastes of these backwoods Pennsylvanians trickled out over their early years: four-song EPs in 1987 and '88, a three songer in '91 — and then finally a full-length CD-only effort. Even this "debut" long-player took two years to assemble, since indy bands make records the old fashioned way: they earn them through hard work, dedication, and minuscule recording budgets shaved from the monthly grocery budget. The years of macaroni and cheese have paid off for The Creatures Of The Golden Dawn, because 1000 Shadows became the stellar garage effort of 1993.
    Garage, not grunge, is the entity here, for those who are not reading closely. Guitars are fuzzed, not muffled and layered until they make sick vacuum cleaner noises. Drums are played by people instead of machines, and vocalists scream because they mean it, not because it's expected. Garage music is the realm of the disenfranchised, not the popular, and The Creatures make sure that you know they really are alone and unwanted.
    Not trendy perhaps, but this six-man gang is musically talented. Vintage guitars alternately buzz and jangle when needed, drums and bass never stray from the sweat-inspiring beat, and the vocal snot quotient never falls below a perfect t00% on the sneer-o-meter. Early on in the disc, Mark Smith delivers the line "listen while I softly tell you lies" with the vulnerable frustration and anger that only a garage band true-believer can deliver.     1000 Shadows is a perfect case of attitude, effort, and determination combining into an emotional time capsule. This is direct, visceral, real music, aimed at ripping apart the eardrums while pounding at the chest in an effort to get our collective hearts beating. These guys may never sell a million records, but they've done something so much more significant; they've won their personal battle over indifference by creating their dream soundtrack.
    Madonna and SprIngsteen hire other people to dream for them. Bands like The Creatures Of The Golden Dawn load pennies into their piggy banks, add extra blankets to their beds, and keep their dreams alive themselves. They knew all along that macaroni and cheese isn't so bad.

(Note: This band should not be confused with the late '8os U.K. disco band of the same name.)  - From "The Knights Of Fuzz" written by Timothy Gassen.

1. In A Lonely Room
2. Listen While I
3. Falling Down
4. She Goes
5. I Don't Need Your Love
6. You Know How I Feel
7. It Feel Likes The End Of The World
8. Just In Time
9. Enough Of What I Need
10. Walk Away
11. Darkest Nights
12. Why Can't They Be Themselves
13. Satan's Love Slave
14. Doin' Me In
15. Bye Bye Baby

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The Kartoons - Introducing... (2006)

The Kartoons is a wild beat and R&B combo coming from Cosenza, south of Italy. The main influences of the band are The Zombies, The Kinks and sixties pop in general. This is the reprinting on cd of their 1st album with a new mastering and with 2 bonus songs taken from their tribute to the Rokes.

In this album you can find "We got Time", "Free to go" and "Love is hard to find", wich are tracks of a sixties purity, where the love for the sound American of the mid-60s its mixed with that one for the garage of years '80. The Kartoons are the missing link between the Syndicate of Sound and the Chesterfield Kings: it is called teen sound. If "Introducing" was pressed twenty years ago it would be a classic, like Enjoy by the Creeps or Faces by the Sick Roses, Its a perfect combination of the immortal values of teen punk and the spirit of Pebbles compilation.

1. Filthy Rich
2. We Got Time
3. Free To Go
4. No One Cares
5. Understand You're Wrong
6. Day By Day
7. Love Is Hard To Find
8. Don't Talk To Strangers
9. Never Met A Girl Like You
10. (I'm Just) Losing Sleep
11. Another Kind
12. Raindrops To Teardrops
13. Ora Sai
14. Every Single Time
15. If You Change Your Mind
16. I Didn't Know
17. La Mia Citta
18. No No No

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Lipstick Killers - Mesmerizer (1985) vinyl

The Lipstick Killers grew out of two of the most notorious late 70s punk bands in Sydney (Australia); Psycho Surgeons and Filth. Their Americanised brand of hard glitter rock drew on The Stooges and The New York Dolls (from whence they derived the band name) for inspiration, although Gary Glitter was also cited as a key musical influence. In 1979 the band issued the Deniz Tek-produced independent single Hindu Gods (Of Love).

On the strength of a Deniz Tek-produced 45 issued by Bomp subsidiary Voxx in 1979, Sydney's Lipstick Killers decamped for Los Angeles and dreams of Northern hemisphere success. They lasted a year in the cozy grime of the Tropicana Motel and a bug-infested Silverlake apartment, playing about a dozen gigs, including a Brian Jones memorial at the Whisky and at Madame Wong's with the Plimsouls. Mesmerizer is the document of one of these shows, recorded on cassette by Flesh Eater Chris D., cleaned up nicely and released posthumously on Radio Birdman crony "Brother" John Needham's Citadel imprint. In the absence of an official studio album, this high-energy set stands as slightly sloppy but irresistible evidence of the band's magic.

Over twelve songs, including terrific covers of the Chocolate Watchband's "Let's Talk about Girls" and the Elevators' "I've Got Levitation," the Lipstick Killers swagger like the Hindu gods of their signature song, all power chords, tribal drums and perfectly controlled frenzy. The band's originals come across like unknown frat rock standards gene-spliced with a finely honed blend of psychedelia and DIY punk energy. Insinuation was their strong suit: "Dying Boy's Crawl" and "Strange Flash" get right under your skin and pull you bodily towards the music. Maybe a band this tight and moody was nothing special on the Sydney scene, but they must have blown their L.A. competition sideways. Unfortunately, the usual band problems intruded—mental illness, money, the singer getting a day job to pay rent on the communal flat—and the Killers called it quits. The members eventually wound their way back to Australia, where they still occasionally play as the Lipstick Killers. When I saw them open for Radio Birdman in 2002 they fulfilled every promise of Mesmerizer and more. (Kim Cooper)

A1.  Hindu Gods Of Love   
A2.  Driving The Special Dead
A3.  Bongo Flip
A4.  Strange Flash
A5.  Let's Talk About Girls
A6.  Sock It To Me Baby
B1.  Dying Boy's Crawl
B2.  Twilight Of The Idols
B3.  I've Got Levitation
B4.  Pharmaceutical Au Go-Go
B5.  Out Of Our Tree   
B6.  Liquor Fit

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Psycho Daisies - 30 Milligrams Of Your Love (1990) vinyl

This album by the Psycho Daisies is the band's third. It follows a wild opening record for long-gone Dutch label Resonance Records, which signed them in 1991 for Sonicly Speaking. The party continues in this album with the dearly departed Johnny Salton tearing it up on guitar and vocals. Marco Pettit, along with Salton, is the only Daisy left from previous recordings, and he handles the bass and vocals along with Pete Moss' drums, making the group technically a three-piece. The revered Charlie Pickett lent his vocals for the sinful romp of "Religion or Pleasure."

While the rock 'n' roll here follows Salton's signature blues-oriented format, there are subtle elements of Detroit edge and cadent psychedelics that bring out an overall sense of eeriness. In my opinion, one of the more atmospheric records of any Daisies' lineup, which is kinda cool now in retrospect, I never did really make a connection here as to how all of their albums have a marked difference between themselves.

That was the genius of the guitar in Salton's hand. This is the kind of riffage that is performed with clenched, painful eyes and nimble fingers. Rock 'n' roll dexterity, if you will. Even the rhythm section has something creepy and rock-steady about it; if the goal was to induce a certain kind of paranoid conceptualization, consider it achieved. This is not an album you drop in the middle of a party; this is an album you play while you reflect.

Opener "Lover Girl" segues well into the romantic notes of "30 Milligrams of Your Love," which I've always assumed to be a humorous nod to the Loving Spoonful but with the grittier bop of a Yardbirds' take. This continues with "She Takes Love" which plays into the aforementioned ambiance of the record before the middle punch of introspective numbers like "Welcome to Nowhere" (which fills me with Miami pride), "Went to Sleep," and the piece with Pickett. "Too Much Fun" isn't that, as a matter of fact; it's not enough fun. This track certainly harks back to Salton's blues-punk roots and gives a jolt to the senses before closing out with the broody "Love Supreme," which, as one of the longer jams on the record and perhaps a salute to John Coltrane, sums up the entire effort succinctly.- By Abel Folgar

01. Lover Girl

02. 30 Milligrams Of Your Love

03. She Takes Love

04. Welcome To Nowhere

05. Went To Sleep

06. Religion Or Pleasure

07. Too Much Fun

08. Love Supreme

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Big Thankx to the LTD crew

Harem Scarem - Pilgrim's Progress (1986) vinyl

Harem Scarem emerged from Melbourne's mid-80's indie scene, but, it could be argued, were closer in sound to classic Australian blues-rock from a decade before (Dingoes, Coloured Balls, Chain, Rose Tattoo etc.). Their sound was infused with a heady mix of punk spirit and Stax soul that also made them contemporaries of the likes of The Gun Club and the Beasts Of Bourbon.

Harem Scarem first appeared on the Melbourne Psychobilly compilation “Asleep at the Wheel”. They soon developed (via the “Dogman” EP and some key line-up changes) into a powerhouse live act, where Christopher Marshall's extraordinary, passionate vocals combined with Charlie Marshall's stonesy guitar.

With the classic line-up of the Marshall brothers, Barry Palmer (guitar), Glen Sheldon (bass), Peter Jones (drums) and Chris Wilson (harmonica & sax), the band went into the studio with producer John Archer (Hunters & Collectors) and emerged with this, their masterful 1986 album: Pilgrim's Progress.

A1.  Last Stand Man
A2.  Miracle Mile
A3.  Open Up And Bleed
A4.  Run On Down The Line
A5.  Lowdown
B1.  Animal Tracks
B2.  Cold Change
B3.  Pilgrim's Progress
B4.  Hard Rain
B5.  Let Me In

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