Justine and The Unclean - The Signal Light

Justine and The Unclean are a band I've liked very much over the years — as five previous reviews will attest. I was surprised when I realized that new full-length The Signal Light is the band's first album release in four-and-a-half years. Since late 2020, Justine Covault has been busy running her widely-beloved label Red on Red Records and putting all sorts of amazing music into the world. But she has continued to write and record with The Unclean (Janet Egan King on bass, Charles Hansen on guitar, and Jim Janota on drums). Last week a new album finally saw the light of day on Red On Red. Not surprisingly after all this time, Justine and The Unclean have amassed some incredible material. While their last mini-album, Heartaches and Hot Problems, was a fantastic release, The Signal Light takes things to another level. Even as I approached this album with high expectations, I was totally floored when I heard it. I didn't think it was possible, but Justine and The Unclean have gotten even better over these last few years! 

What I love about The Signal Light is that it shows many sides of Justine and The Unclean. That rapid-fire punk-pop style that was the band's signature a few years back can still be heard on a couple tracks. But on this release, Justine and The Unclean are simply a great rock and roll band, period. Justine can write a great song in just about any style, and of course she's backed by a band that can pull if all off and then some. Lead track "Sweet Denial" is a hard-hitting rocker with hooks for days — definitive power pop in my book. From there, the band rides a hot streak straight to the end. New versions of recent Justine gems "Picking a Fight' and "You and Me Against You and Me" are even better than the originals. "Fourth Love" is perfect pop with a country soul. "Vengeance" kicks up some Rolling Stones–influenced magic. "Drug Seeking Behavior" is haunting, gorgeous pop in a '60s style. The title track is the ultimate homage to Boston garage rock. Closing ballad "When I Stopped Loving You" will tear your heart out if you're even half-way paying attention. Lyrics have always been a strong suit for Justine, but with these songs, she's cutting deeper than ever before. In the press release, she praises her bandmates for their ability turn her "inner turmoil bullshit into killer rock-n-roll." But let's be honest: all that inner turmoil bullshit is what makes Justine a great artist. She writes about life, loss, and love with incredible honesty and hard-earned wisdom. And of course she sings every word in such a way that you feel it all deeply. The Signal Light is full of songs about bitter breakups and doomed relationships, yet it also explores topics as varied as addiction, abuses of power, and the pandemic. In addition to being a remarkable love letter to Boston, the title track is anthem of hope and resilience. The song's lyrics are absolutely insane — honestly some of the finest poetry I've ever encountered in a rock tune. 

Everything comes together for Justine and The Unclean on The Signal Light. This is an extraordinary collection of songs brought to life by one of the most skilled and powerful rock and roll bands going and splendidly produced by the great David Minehan. There have been a whole lot of great albums released this year already, and The Signal Light is up there with the best of 'em. Grab a compact disc today from Red on Red Records! 

-L.R.

https://justinentheunclean.bandcamp.com/album/the-signal-light
https://www.instagram.com/justineandtheunclean/
https://www.facebook.com/justineandtheunclean/

Justine and The Unclean - "The Chasm"

It's a joy to be able to review an absolutely terrific band I haven't mentioned in a number of years — the mighty Justine and the Unclean. Out on Justine Covault's own label Red On Red Records, new single "The Chasm" is a must-hear if you're a power pop enthusiast. And when I say power pop, I'm talking about throwing it all the way back to the roots of the term. For this track, Justine encouraged The Unclean (bassist Janet Egan, guitarist Charles Hansen, and drummer Jim Janota) to channel the power and bombast of The Who. And that's exactly what they did. If thundering power chords and a dynamic rhythm section are your cup of tea, you'll be hitting the repeat button over and over. Anyone wanting to hear a great rock band firing on all cylinders should attend this master class. Lyrically, "The Chasm" is something a little different from the more straight-forward tales of love gone sour that Justine is so known for. This, my friends, is true poetry. The language arts teacher in me can't help but marvel at Justine's use of nature references as symbols and metaphors for a breach of trust between two individuals. She puts a lot of twang in her vocal, and that really works nicely with this song. "The Chasm" is the first song released by Justine and The Unclean in over two years, and it does not disappoint. Shout-out to Stephen Fredette for the amazing art work!

-L.R.

https://justinentheunclean.bandcamp.com/track/the-chasm
https://open.spotify.com/album/3h1Xpo3gKaXeonuykomItC
https://www.facebook.com/justineandtheunclean/

Justine and the Unclean - "Picking A Fight"

I've been a big fan of Boston foursome Justine and the Unclean going back to the summer of 2017, and today it's my pleasure to feature a teaser single for a new album due out this May. Those of you wishing for more tales of relationships in conflict and men behaving badly are in for a real treat! What I enjoy about this particular single is that shows both sides of the band. "Picking A Fight" is a perfect shot of the band's signature rocking poppy punk. "Sweet Denial", on the other hand, flexes those AOR/hard rock muscles that really came into bloom on the last EP Heartaches and Hot Problems. "Picking A Fight" is a fine example of how to do punk-pop that genuinely kicks ass. The guitars punch, the drums slam, and the tempo is pushed to the brink. Justine not only has a one of a kind voice, but she also can write a catchy hook like nobody's business. What a tune! "Sweet Denial" slows the pace and goes for a heavier sound. Dave Minehan gives this track a massive production, which fits the song perfectly. I love the contrast between the thundering riffs and that melodic, bittersweet chorus. And man, that guitar solo will just about shake your walls! The forthcoming album is titled Every Bone that Breaks, and you can bet it's gonna be something special. Stay tuned to the Rum Bar Records Facebook page for updates on this and many more new releases coming out on the label. Seriously: Lou's putting out music way faster than I can keep up with all of it!



-L.R.

https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/picking-a-fight-sweet-denial 
https://www.facebook.com/justineandtheunclean/ 
https://www.facebook.com/RumBarRecords 

Justine and the Unclean - Heartaches and Hot Problems

Alright, there's just no questioning it now. I don't have a top ten list of current favorite bands. But if I did have one, Justine and the Unclean would be on it! It was exactly one year ago that I reviewed the Boston foursome's fantastic debut album Get Unclean. Now the group is already back with its second release, Heartaches and Hot Problems. It's out on the eternally dependable Rum Bar Records. If there's any justice in the world, Malibu Lou will be so besieged with demand for this release that he'll have to contract with Santa Claus for help with distribution. One great release could have been a fluke. Two great releases cements Justine Covault's place in the upper echelon of present-day songwriters.

Recapping from previous reviews: Justine Covault (Malachite, Grand Theft Auto, Quest For Tuna) is on guitar and vocals. Her Malachite partner-in-crime Janet Egan King (also of Heidi, Swank, and Tulips) is on bass. Charles Hansen (Rock Bottom, Tom Baker & the Snakes, Gymnasium, The Handymen) is on lead guitar. The legendary Jim Janota (Upper Crust, The Bags, Rock Bottom) is on drums. With a star-studded lineup like that, it's no wonder that Heartaches and Hot Problems crackles with arena-ready rock power. While Get Unclean positioned JatC as up and coming powerpop/punk standouts, this mini-album broadens the band's appeal in a big way. If you still crave more of what worked so well last time, "Heartache Knows Your Name" and "Be Your Own Reason" will satisfy you completely. You just won't hear punky power pop done better. But also on the menu, you'll find big, hooky rock ("This System Is Set To Self-Destruct"); mature, sophisticated power pop ("Monosyllabic Man"); a Joan Jett inspired mid-tempo rocker ("Margaritas and Secondhand Smoke"); and even a legitimately good ballad ("Love Doesn't Know A Thing"). At a lean six tracks, this release adheres fully to the "all killer, no filler" approach. "Heartache Knows Your Name" and "Be Your Own Reason" may be the obvious hits upon first listen, but it's growers like "Monosyllabic Man" and "Margaritas and Secondhand Smoke" that really make this album for me. As I've played Heartaches and Hot Problems over and over, those are the two songs that have really stuck with me. Some of that is the cleverness/humor of Covault's lyrics, and some of it is simply great hooks. Overall, Covault really shines as a lyricist. The subject of love and relationships is one of the defining themes of the human experience, and she writes about these things from a unique and relatable perspective. In the hands of a lesser artist, a song called "Monosyllabic Man" would probably be mean-spirited. Coming from Justine Covault, it's anything but.

With Dave Minehan again at the producing helm, Justine and the Unclean have delivered a sophomore release stacked with songs that ought to be all over rock radio - if such a thing still existed. Anyone into rock, pop/punk, power pop, or just great songwriting in general ought to be delighted to find a copy of Heartaches and Hot Problems under the Christmas tree. At just six tracks, it will leave you wanting more. But isn't that the whole point?!



-L.R.

https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/heartaches-and-hot-problems 
https://www.facebook.com/justineandtheunclean/ 
https://www.facebook.com/RumBarRecords 

Justine and The Unclean - Get Unclean

It was still the scorching summer when I first teased the debut album from Justine and the Unclean. Now here we are just three weeks from Christmas, and I am happy to report that the album is out on Rum Bar Records. I must say it's every bit as good as I expected! To review: Justine and the Unclean are comprised of major players in Boston's garage/punk/rock n' roll scene. Justine is Justine Covault (Malachite, Grand Theft Auto, Quest For Tuna) on guitar and lead vocals. The rest of the band is Janet Egan King (Malachite, Heidi, Swank, Tulips) on bass/backing vocals, Charles Hansen (Rock Bottom, Tom Baker & the Snakes, Gymnasium, The Handymen) on lead guitar, and the legendary Jim Janota (Upper Crust, The Bags, Rock Bottom) on drums. The story behind this record is that Covault went on a year-long songwriting binge and entered the studio with over 50 songs - many of them love songs of the particularly painful variety. Just nine of them ended up on the album, which was recorded by Dave Minehan at Woolly Mammoth Sound in Watham, Massachusetts and mastered by the illustrious Danny the K. With all of these principles involved, Get Unclean is a true testament to the immense musical talent that Boston rock currently enjoys.

Get Unclean largely follows the blueprint of the previously-heard tracks "Love Got Me Into This Mess" and "Passive Aggressive Baby" (both included on the album). Imagine your favorite Buzzcocks songs with a harder edge and sassier singer! If you like punky pop songs with big hooks and fantastically bitter lyrics, you should be all over this record. But there are a couple of additional things that this band brings to the table. One is Covault's singing voice, which is really unique and tremendously appealing. On top of that, the band has serious rock chops which Minehan wisely played up in his production. Songs like "Bring Me Fire" and "Worry Stone" kick some serious arena rock ass (Joan Jett fans will dig!). Elsewhere those blazing guitars and thundering drums (I mean, come on, it's Jim freaking Janota!) allow the band to put the power in power pop. "Can't Pretend I Don't Know" is the pop/punk/rock track of your dreams, while "I'm In Love With You, Jackass" incorporates some country twang in a most wonderful way.

All in all, Get Unclean is a terrific debut album from a band I hope we haven't heard the last of. Covault is a fine songwriter with smarts and likability to spare. And boy, does her band ever bring the rock! That Rum Bar winning streak remains very much in tact.



-L.R.

https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/get-unclean 
https://www.facebook.com/justineandtheunclean 
https://www.facebook.com/RumBarRecords 

Justine and the Unclean- Love Got Me Into This Mess

Ever notice that almost every band to come out of the Boston garage/punk scene could be considered a supergroup? There are just so many amazing musicians in that town, and it seems like they've all played in tons of bands! Add Justine and the Unclean to the long list of killer Boston bands with formidable pedigrees. Justine is Justine Covault (Malachite, Grand Theft Auto, Quest For Tuna). She's on guitar and lead vocals. She's joined by her Malachite bandmate Janet Egan King (Heidi, Swank, Tulips) on bass and backing vocals. Charles Hansen (Rock Bottom, Tom Baker & the Snakes, Gymnasium, The Handymen) is on lead guitar. And the legendary Jim Janota (Upper Crust, The Bags, Rock Bottom) is on drums. With a lineup like that, Justine and the Unclean are a perfect fit on a Rum Bar Records roster that already includes a number of Boston heavyweights! In advance of a full album due out later this year, a free digital single has arrived to properly whet our appetites. I must say that I'm very impressed! Both tracks really hit my sweet spot of punky power pop (or is it power poppy punk?). And Justine has a really cool voice that's totally unique yet also perfectly suited to this kind of music. "Love Got Me Into This Mess" brings to mind the Buzzcocks, but with more of the hard rockin' edge you'd expect from a Boston bar band. "Passive Aggressive Baby" is another terrific tune that combines all of the best elements of pop, punk, and rock. Justine sure knows how to write a hook, and I'm quickly sensing her flair for wonderfully bitter insights on the topic of love & relationships. If you like power pop that doesn't skimp on the power, I imagine this single will leave you wanting more!



-L.R.

https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/love-got-me-into-this-mess-b-w-passive-aggressive-baby-digital-45-rpm-2-song-ep 
https://www.facebook.com/justineandtheunclean/