“Hey, see there's a girl who sits and watches the world from their blue screen/Also a boy who truly wants to destroy his hometown scene/They both want to travel to the land of competition/Southern California will destroy them/And they won't be the best, they'll be the posers who dress/Like the plastic idiots who they copy.” - Bad Religion
New Horizons
The Slime: Crab-Walk to Oblivion
Opening with a sample of Divine’s ‘Kill everyone now’ speech from Pink Flamingos is a solid indicator that this is going to be a golden release, and it is. Crossover thrash with the emphasis on hardcore, it’s a face ripper (sonically and musically speaking), with ‘Russian Roulette’ being the highlight due to it exuding an of menace that matches the vibe of the lyrics.
The album can be streamed and purchased here.
The Phobics: Gimme Cyanide
Based in Deptford, this third album from the veteran glam punks offers up no frills punk rock filtered through a love of Johnny Thunders and The Sweet. Standout numbers include ‘Sick and Tired of the 21st Century’, which is pure Ramones worship (right down to the chorus) and the choppy riff for ‘Another World’ puts me in mind of Hammersmith Gorillas.
The album can be streamed and purchased here.
Lawrence English: Even The Horizon Knows Its Bounds
Based on a sound installation for the Naala Badu building at the Art Gallery Of NSW, Australian based composer Lawrence English has produced a deeply evocative, oceanic sounding record where the tectonic plates rub together to create bliss and tension at the same time. Akin to standing in a chic apartment at nighttime watching the wind waves crash against the cliffs.
The album can be streamed and purchased here.
Noisepicker: The Earth Will Swallow the Sun
Nearly a decade on since the vastly underrated ‘Peace Off’, this English two piece have gone for the jugular with this release by toning down the sludge and going for an apocalyptic vibe on some songs, like opener ‘What You Deserve’ which is pure Neurosis worship while ‘What Did You Think Was Going to Happen’ is akin to the Melvins covering ‘Kashmir’.
The album can be streamed and purchased here.
Nina Garcia: Bye Bye Bird
Solo noise guitar records can often come across as a newbie fucking around in their bedroom but Nina Garcia’s time playing live and recording installation pieces means this LP has a discipline, a flow and texture that others lack. ‘Le Leurre’ is the blues gone industrial while ‘Dans l’alios’ is what a collab between Sunn O))) and Rhys Chatham would sound like.
The album can be streamed and purchased here.
Chaos Emeralds: Passed Away
Once described as sludgy shoegaze, this release doubles down on that description by upping the fuzz, the twinkly melodies and the reverb on the vocals. The end result is a cult classic in the making. ‘Count Me Out’ is akin to a psych band trying to play funeral doom while ‘Asking Too Much’ is the best Spaceman 3 song never written by Spacemen 3.
The album can be streamed and purchased here.
Golden Oldies
Marianne Faithful: Broken English
While the obituaries will forever mention Mick Jaggar, Gene Pitney and heroin, this classic from 1979 should be the first thing mentioned when discussing Marianne Faithful. Taking inspiration from the Red Army Faction, Catholic guilt, addiction, infidelity and mundane life, this is the sort of record that Amy Winehouse should have made. The caustic anger of ‘Why D'Ya Do It’ has rarely been matched by anyone else.
Ruts DC: Rhythm Collision Vol 1
After coming back from the death of singer Malcolm Owen with ‘Animal Now’, Ruts DC carried on ploughing their own furrow with this exceptional 1982 release. Emphasising the dub/reggae and embracing funk alongside post-punk led to astonishing moments like ‘Whatever We Do’ and ‘Love and Fire’, making it a crying shame that the group split up a year later. Astute choice to have a young Mad Professor on the mixing desk as well.
Rudimentary Peni: Pope Adrian 37th Psychristiatric
Supposedly written and composed during singer/guitarist Nick Blinko’s time ‘resting’ in a mental hospital, this 1995 release from the cult punk act sees them test their fanbase via repetition (the phrase ‘Popus Adrianus’ is repeated incessantly throughout), darkness (the lyrics deal with Blinko’s delusions) and deliberate amateurism in the musicianship (in comparison to other RP records). Seemingly opaque, but subsequent listens greatly reward.
⏩ Christopher Owens was a reviewer for Metal Ireland and finds time to study the history and inherent contradictions of Ireland. He is currently the TPQ Friday columnist.
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