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/ 

Devious Ones - Rust Is Imminent

Devious Ones have been one of my favorite bands for a couple of years now, so naturally I was stoked to discover that they were giving us a preview of their forthcoming LP. This arrives in the form of a digital single for the album track "Rust Is Imminent". It has been released on Bandcamp in conjunction with the tour the band is finishing up right now. I have to say that "Rust Is Imminent" is the band's best song yet, and the opportunity to own it today in advance of the album release is totally worth the three bucks. Musically it's right in the Detroit foursome's wheelhouse of poppy old school punk, but with an anthemic quality that caused my pal Shawn Abnoxious to ask if Devious Ones might be an American Cock Sparrer. This is a true anthem for the Midwest - celebrating the values and unique character of its residents. There isn't a single line of the song that doesn't hit the mark, and in a perfect world this tune will ring out from stadium PAs from Cleveland to Minneapolis for decades to come. The second half of this digital single is exclusive to this release and features guitarist Amado stepping up to handle lead vocals. It's called "Norcos Y Horchata", and anyone who's ever had one of those days where everything just felt off from the start will be able to relate. "Feel like a toy store on December 24" is my new favorite lyric of 2017! And there's a killer little guitar solo that brings to mind all of those classic Buzzcocks 45s.

With their long-awaited debut album now recorded, Devious Ones are poised to take their place among the top tier of today's punk/powerpop bands. I have had the good fortune to hear a few of the LP tracks, and I must say the band has totally outdone itself. This thing is gonna knock your head off! In preparation for the album, download "Rust Is Imminent" and crank it loud (whether you live in the American Midwest or not)!



-L.R.

https://deviousones.bandcamp.com/album/rust-is-imminent-b-w-norcos-y-horchata 
https://www.facebook.com/deviousones/ 

Narco States - Temples Into Tombs

If I close my eyes while listening to the new Narco States album, I can just about convince myself that the band is ripping it up on stage right in front of me. That level of energy and immediacy are somewhat the product of home-recorded fidelity but more likely a testament to a band with seriously hot chops. Out on Piñata Records, the Minneapolis outfit's excellent sophomore LP Temples Into Tombs forges a three-headed monster out of '60s garage, psychedelic rock, and proto-punk influences.

Temples Into Tombs comes out guns a blazing on its opening tracks - sounding like what I imagine would have happened if Iggy Pop had fronted an American garage/psych band circa 1966. Propelled by Aaron Robertson's standout electric organ and Robb Lauer's powerhouse drumming, "Met Tet", "Fascist Fashionistas", and "Generation F" will get your heart pounding and your booty shaking. Meanwhile Michael MacBlane-Meyer on vocals channels Iggy at his most wild and primal - adding an attitude and edge that are generally missing from standard garage rock revivalism. This band really smashes it up! But just when you think you've got Narco States figured out, things start to get very interesting. The title track takes a slower, more mysterious turn - as much Doors as it is Stooges. The nearly seven-minute long "Ahemait" delves into acid rock/heavy psychedelia a la Iron Butterfly or Blue Cheer - allowing for deep sonic explorations but never ceasing to rock. That leads seamlessly into "Jealousy"- by far the most "accessible" track on the album and a fine example of straight-up psychedelic rock. Album closer "Fang Decay" carries on in a similar manner for nearly two minutes before departing on a long strange trip of its own.

What I really appreciate about Temples Into Tombs is that it doesn't lose steam after those first three or four relentlessly rocking tracks. If that was all that Narco States had to offer, the album would be worth hearing but perhaps not nearly as memorable. I love that the band matches its pure energy with great creativity in songwriting and musicianship. "Ahemait" and "Fang Decay" are not just excuses for the band to jam out for five minutes plus. They're interesting, formidable songs that show a whole other side to Narco States. "Jealousy", buried all the way down at track 7, would have to be considered the "hit". If, in the digital age, you wonder why bands even bother making albums anymore, it's worth noting how well these nine tracks fit together. This is one you'll wanna have on vinyl!



-L.R.

https://pinatarecords.bandcamp.com/album/temples-into-tombs 
https://narcostates.bandcamp.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/narcostates2012 
https://www.facebook.com/pinatarecords/ 

Patsy's Rats - Roundin' Up

In the two years since I first raved Patsy's Rats, the Portland duo has released another EP and now three more singles. The band's newest single, "Roundin' Up", is the first 7" released by Dirtnap Records in three years. The title track, in my humble opinion, is the band's strongest since "Rock & Roll Friend" blew so many of our minds in 2015.

For this release, Patsy and Christian have enlisted Steve and Jon from Mope Grooves to play bass and drums. And the band sounds great! "Roundin' Up" is the perfect song for a 7" format. It's a total hit and definitely a track that will compel repeated spins. Style-wise, this one is right in Patsy's Rats' wheelhouse: punchy indie pop with Patsy's likeable vocals and some stellar lead guitar work really standing out. Be wary: this song is liable to get stuck in your head to the point where you may require medical attention. I can't stop playing it! If you can bring yourself to flip the record over, B-side "Little Rat Charm" is another ace tune. This song features Christian on lead vocals and starts out with a really mellow vibe to it. But stick with it, because that chorus is totally worth waiting for. What a hook! This is a little bit of a different sound for Patsy's Rats: like an updated version of '80s new wave pop. I had to double check to make sure it wasn't a cover of some obscure song from the soundtrack to a John Hughes movie!

Without a doubt, "Little Rat Charm" could have been an A-side in its own right. If Ken Dirtnap was going to get back into the 7" game, it seems appropriate that he waited for an opportunity to put out a single this good! No longer mere up-and-comers, Patsy's Rats are an absolute must-hear for anyone who's fond of well-crafted guitar pop. Bachelor Records will be releasing a singles collection later this year, and there's more new music on the horizon as well. For now, enjoy this terrific single - easily one of the year's best.



-L.R.

https://dirtnaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/patsys-rats-roundin-up 
https://patsysrats.bandcamp.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/patsysrats 
http://www.dirtnaprecs.com/website/ 

Retro Reviews: Los Primos/Andy G & The Roller Kings- recorded output

Review by Rob Sheley

I would like to do this as a 2-fer. It makes the most sense because it covers all of Andy G's post-Devil Dogs recorded output. Sadly there is a limited but very essential amount of material; it is also listened to with a hint of what might have been.

We will start with Los Primos - of which there only are five songs. Los Primos was basically the Devil Dogs without Steve Baise. Sonically they were a continuation of what the band was doing around the ...Stereodrive! record. The prominence of saxophone as the lead instrument is what differentiates the two bands. Andy was moving towards almost a Little Richard type sound (without piano) mixed with the run-off-the-rails fury of the Devil Dogs. Think the immediacy of Saturday Night Fever with a lead sax, and you have Los Primos. While Steve Baise was in Norway working on the Vikings record, Andy was creating this project with Mighty Joe Vincent on drums, Candy Del Mar (Cramps) on bass, and Pete Linzell (Raunch Hands) on sax .

Crypt & Sympathy For The Record Industry both stepped up to the plate when Andy came around with his new project. In 1995 Crypt released Los Primos' "On My Floor" 7", which was Andy's 1st post-Devil Dogs recordings. The A-side is "On My Floor", a trashy, two-minute, rollicking, scorching original. The B-side is a clean, jangly cover of Manfred Mann's "Pretty Flamingo". One year later in 1996, the band released its second and final single on Sympathy. It follows the same format as the first: original A-side, cover on the B-side. This one may up the ante because the B-side is even better than the first. "Summertime Girls" follows the same trashy, sax-filled, adrenalized sleaze that you would expect from Andy G. The B-side is the Beatles' "Hard Day's Night". As a music fan, garage fan, Beatles fan, or Devil Dogs fan, get the single just for that. Wailing sax and a wall of NY sound create one of the best Beatles covers ever recorded, completely essential. In late(r) 1996, a compilation CD was released celebrating the famous NYC rock club Brownies. The disc features The Waldos, Turbo A.C.s, and Pillbox. The lost Los Primos track "Here She Comes" is included on the comp. With that release, the band was finished. Joe Vincent left to form The Prissteens, and Andy reloaded for his next phase.

With the end or demise of Los Primos, Andy kept the core of Los Primos: himself on guitar & vox, Candy on bass, and Pete on tenor sax. He added a baritone sax player named Steve Greenfield who previously worked with The Fleshtones. The exit of Joe Vincent opened the door for drummer Ron Salvo, and Andy G & The Roller Kings are born. Debuting four years later on March 25th, 2000 at NYC's famous Continental Club, the band would once again tap Long Gone John from Sympathy to do its first release. That Kings County Sound was released as a CDEP & 10" in 2001. Five songs (three new originals, one re-record, one cover), and the Roller Kings hit the ground running. Expanding on the Los Primos sax driven garage trash, The Roller Kings sound is bigger and more refined (but only slightly). It is still trashy with a '60s New York Dolls flair, what you'd expect from Andy. The addition of the baritone sax adds some bottom end that helps the overall sound. "Dance Last Night", "Feelin' So Good", and "My GTO" are the three originals you'd hope for from the mind of Andy G. "Summertime Girls" from the second Los Primos 7" is the re-record. There was nothing wrong with the original version. I would rather have any other song, be it an original or cover. There was no need to re-cut this track. The EP closes with a cover of Dusty Springfield's "Stay Awhile". It is not the first time Andy dipped into the '60s girl group cannon. The Devil Dogs covered The Ronettes' "Best Part Of Breaking Up" on their first record to similar success.

The band toured a bit outside of NYC shortly after the release, so very few people saw this incredible band slay audiences in the same way the Devil Dogs did. The band was relatively silent as far as releases go. It reemerged in 2005 on a Gun Club compilation called Salvo Of 24 Gunshots. The track the band chose to cover was "Bad India". The rest of the comp includes Dirtbombs, Come Ons, Demolition Doll Rods, and plenty of other good stuff. Later in 2005, the band released its final track called "Party Shoes" on the Rapid Pulse Records compilation Let's Have Some God Damn Fun! Just like that, the band was done. Nothing has been re-released since, and nothing has surfaced. It is a total shame.

As an epilogue to this story, Andy G & The Roller Kings did do a live session for WFMU on June 7, 2001. It is archived on the WFMU site under the show Three Chord Monte. They did an interview and played live on the radio. The live performance does include two songs not available anywhere else: "No Good Annie" (1910 Fruit Gum Company) and "Dead End Street" (Lou Rawls). Both songs are perfect choices to cover: sax driven songs easily adapted to Andy G's unique interpretation.

Between both bands, it is only 14 songs counting the WFMU live stuff and 12 if you don't. It is the great mystery on what happened, especially since the band was together at least five years. I would have to think with that amount of time together, there is an album's worth of material or a few singles that got recorded but couldn't find a home due to the band breaking up, not wanting to tour to promote them, or the changing of the industry in the mid-2000s. If there is something that exists, I hope that it comes out sooner rather than later. Andy G is one of the few artists that there are no bad songs that have his imprint on them. He really is that good and that important to garage music and music in general. His style has spawned countless bands, some better than others but none better than the original. God Bless Andy G.



-Rob Sheley

The Putz - Clinically Inane

The Putz is a pop-punk band for people who love pop-punk. While that might sound like a statement of the obvious, you probably get what I'm driving it. The Putz isn't trying to re-invent a genre of music or mess with a successful formula. If you hate pop-punk, this is not a band that will turn you to the dark side. What the Indiana trio does do is carry the torch for the kind of pop-punk that I (and perhaps you) loved back in the '90s - when every new album from Screeching Weasel or The Queers was an event not to be missed. As far as I'm concerned, the best pop-punk never strays far from the Ramones' master blueprint. Of course that can be a double-edged sword. No one wants to listen to a straight-up copy of the Ramones. But if you can take that basic influence and put your own stamp on it, it's hard to go wrong. The Putz is one of those bands that totally gets what makes pop-punk great. Its new album Clinically Inane is out on Eccentric Pop Records - pretty much THE label for today's premiere pop-punk bands. And with Joe Queer producing the record, you know exactly what's coming!

Clinically Inane is The Putz's third LP and first since 2014. If you were expecting the band to sound older, wiser, and more musically evolved after all of this time, you don't know The Putz! The band is back with 14 more tracks of wonderfully stupid three-chord punk that you'll be itching to crank loud and sing along with. This record is just pure fun from start to finish. And with an average song length of less than 1 minute and 45 seconds, these guys sure aren't messing around! No, The Putz isn't offering you anything new here. But if you have a soft spot for textbook pop-punk executed to perfection, this is the record for you. Billy's vocals are the perfect mix of snotty and likable, while Dougie is one of those drummers who was seemingly born to play this kind of music. And with smooth vocal harmonies being such a crucial component of quality pop-punk, I appreciate that The Putz have those down pat. With material ranging from classic Ramonesy sing-alongs ("I Don't Wanna Go") to upbeat buzzsaw pop ("My Baby and Me") to blistering fuck-yous ("Blast Off!", "Glue Your Mouth Shut") to apocalyptic tales of love ("When The World Ends") to clever odes to dumbness ("My Missing Mind"), this album runs the gamut of the styles and themes that are essential to the pop-punk genre.

If I had heard Clinically Inane when I was 25, I would have run out into the street screaming for joy. The present-day version of myself is only slightly less stoked. This record stacks up quite well with the pop-punk albums I so dearly loved in my youth. While the quantity of bands playing old school pop-punk may have dwindled over the past couple of decades, the quality certainly has not. Good on Eccentric Pop for providing a home for the next generation of true believers!



-L.R.

https://theputz.bandcamp.com/album/clinically-inane 
https://www.facebook.com/theputzrock/ 
https://www.eccentricpop.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/EccentricPop/ 

THEE MVPs - ELH

Having played a considerable part in the rise of the English garage scene in recent years, London's THEE MVPs seem poised for a major breakout. The band's new 7" on Bachelor Records is a perfect transitional record - featuring two formidable shots of loud indie-ish pop along with two covers that tip the cap to the band's straight-up garage/punk roots. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what kind of band THEE MVPs are at this point, and that's surely a good thing. Call "ELH" power pop, garage, alternative rock, Brit-pop, or just plain rock n' roll. Either way, it's an anthemic number with hooks for days and really heartfelt vocals/lyrics. It comes off like a modern update of '80s/'90s alt-rock, bringing to mind the heart-on-sleeve heroics of the Replacements, the crackling guitars of Dinosaur, Jr., and the timeless melodies of Guided By Voices. "Big Pussy (Snitches In Ditches)" shares similar pop sensibilities (I love that simple, sing-along chorus!) but with a decidedly post-punk/modern rock slant. I saw the title and hoped the song was about the Sopranos character. Of course it is! The two covers are The Damned's "Neat Neat Neat" and the Billy Childish banger "Lie Detector". The latter is 100% faithful to the original, while the former adds just enough of the band's own touch to be very worth your while. These two covers really tell you a lot about who THEE MVPS are. They may aspire to write great pop songs, but at heart they're still all about music that's direct, exciting, and a whole lot of fun to play. Fans of Royal Headache and Tenement take note. We just might be witnessing the ascension of our next great modern-day band!


-L.R.

https://theemvps.bandcamp.com/ 
https://soundcloud.com/theemvps 
https://www.facebook.com/theemvps/ 
https://shop.bachelorrecords.com/THE-MVPS