Monster Surf!

Today Night Birds join the short list of bands that have been featured five times on this blog. This entitles them to quite the array of prizes - including a complete set of F & L beach towels, a case of WWE ice cream bars, two dozen collectable golden medallions bearing the images of various Fastbacks drummers, and a year's supply of puffy shirts. And while their entry into this exclusive five-timers club indicates that they've been putting out a healthy amount of music in recent years, to me it's more about the quality of their output. At no point have Night Birds settled for repeats of previous releases. They're always pushing themselves to be more awesome. With every new record, they offer something new or different or unexpected. New EP Monster Surf totally fits that description. If you're a fan, you're sure to love it. But in no way has the band done a record quite like this before.

The idea behind Monster Surf is genius. Since Night Birds have always included surf instrumentals on their records and in their live set, wouldn't it be kind of cool if they did an entire EP of nothing but surf instrumentals? Absolutely! So here it is - out on Wallride Records. And it does not disappoint! One thing I've always admired about Night Birds is that their instrumentals are something to look forward to. They're not "filler". When you hear them do an instrumental track, your reaction isn't "I wish this song had vocals." It's more along the lines of "This freaking rules!" Perhaps the only concern you could have about this EP is that it seems a waste to have one of punk rock's greatest front men riding the pine. But while Brian does step away from the microphone on this release, he moves over to synthesizer duties and really adds something cool to the mix. Joe and P.J. have worked up three original instrumentals along with a killer arrangement of "Hope For The Best (Expect The Worst)" from the classic Mel Brooks film The 12 Chairs. Listening to this EP, I'm really struck by Night Birds' chemistry and musical skill. P.J. tears it up on guitar, and that rhythm section gets to show off chops that are sometimes obscured by the sheer velocity of the band's "regular" attack. And the addition of horns is a neat touch. I've never been surfing, but "Pyongyang Bound" makes me feel like I actually have. I can practically smell the ocean. "Agent Zero", on the other hand, has me picturing Snake Plissken surfing a tsunami in Escape From L.A. "Hope For The Best (Expect The Worst)" is immediately recognizable, yet somehow these guys make it sound like it was written to be a surf song! Hopefully this record will inspire a few people to check out The 12 Chairs - one of Brooks' best and most underrated films. If Night Birds ever did a full album of Mel Brooks covers, I'd buy that in a heartbeat. I bet they could knock "Springtime For Hitler" out of the park.

Whether you're a hardcore Night Birds fan (pun fully intended) or just a lover of surf rock in general, Monster Surf is a mandatory purchase. And if for whatever reason you're morally opposed to instrumentals, you'll be happy to hear that Night Birds are writing new material and preparing to invade Europe this summer. Don't these guys ever rest?!



-L.R.

http://wallriderecords.com/
https://www.facebook.com/NGHTBRDS
http://night-birds.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wallride-Records/51066090055

Meet The Drendas!

Out of Norfolk we've got ourselves a bad girl punk/garage trio that gets it right! The Drendas channel the Runaways by way of the Pandoras and Shangri-Las. Maybe it's just Holly's original and very cool vocal style (imagine if Donita Sparks and Iggy Pop had had a child), or maybe it's that the band's debut EP was recorded in its practice space. But there's something about The Drendas that just rubs me the right way. They've got personality! 

Boy Trouble absorbs the aforementioned influences into a really primitive '70s punk style sound - simple song structures, thumping power chords, and a bad-ass disposition. Think early Ramones with a Joan Jett attitude. With snarling kiss-offs to unwanted suitors ("Problems"), cheating boyfriends ("Bad Boy"), and boys who've worn out their welcomes ("Get The Hook"), this EP lives up to its title and then some. And although The Drendas have been together for almost two years and are by no means sucky at their instruments, they have the smarts to sound like they just learned how to play! The Drendas show quite the knack for crafting catchy tunes (I especially love the use of backing vocals in "Get The Hook" and "Bad Boy"), but no one is going to accuse them of being "pop". This is a fun debut from a fun band - and I can't wait to hear more!



-L.R.

http://thedrendas.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Drendas/347511452022080

The F & L Hall of Fame: Beat Angels

Out of all the great unheralded bands I championed in my late '90s heyday, Phoenix, Arizona's Beat Angels might have been the greatest and most unheralded. Everyone I know who's heard the band's two albums would probably consider them both to be classics of glam/punk/powerpop. Sadly, I'm only talking about a handful of people. Although the Beat Angels were beloved by local crowds and allied with a big name in the music industry (producer Gilby Clarke - formerly of Candy and Guns N' Roses), they were one of those bands that just never quite caught on with the punk underground or the alternative nation. Thankfully, their music is still out there - although not easy to find. 

When the Beat Angels formed in 1994, they viewed themselves as descending from a lineage of bands like the New York Dolls, Sex Pistols, Rolling Stones, and Cheap Trick. And as hard is it may be to believe it now, that put them at odds with what was going on in underground music at the time. You could say they were behind the times, but more likely they were ahead of them. Looking now at how many bands I come across that swear allegiance to the glam/trash and power pop greats of yore, it seems like good taste has come back around. But in a day and age when everyone and his brother was trying to be the next Kurt Cobain, it was far from "cool" to worship the The Clash, Raspberries, Johnny Thunders, and Badfinger. Like kindred spirits the Trash Brats, the Beat Angels bucked the trends of the times and fully embraced punk's glam roots. The group's albums Unhappy Hour (1996) and Red Badge of Discourage (1997) were not big sellers. But if they'd never existed, I'm not sure the glam-punk scene would be where it is today.

Singer Brian Smith (ex Gentlemen Afterdark) and guitarist Michael Brooks (ex Motorcycle Boy) had known each other from crossing paths in late '80s Hollywood. And after becoming reacquainted in Phoenix, they recruited Detroit-bred guitarist Keith Jackson (longtime fixture in the great, criminally overlooked Glass Heroes). Those three would form the permanent nucleus of the Beat Angels - and their collective set of influences helped make the band what it was. Smith and Brooks were veterans of the L.A. glam scene. Jackson was (and still is!) a '77 punk diehard. Clarke, having played on Candy's power pop classic Whatever Happened To Fun, clearly "got" the sound the band was going for. Unhappy Hour and Red Badge of Discourage were perfect syntheses of glitter-tinged '70s punk and sing-along power pop - with lyrics informed by beat/pulp/noir literature and the seedy underbelly of Hollywood glamour. Inspired by his own hard luck experiences and the writings of authors like Jim Thompson and Harry Crews, Smith used the three-minute pop song as a vehicle for vivid, powerful storytelling - weaving tales of beautiful losers, broken dreams, strippers, addicts, drunks, and glamorous women with dark secrets. I've previously documented what a legendary year 1996 was for punk albums, and Unhappy Hour was the best of the whole lot. Red Badge of Discourage is darn near as good - and some fans will tell you it's better! 

Anytime I listen to the Beat Angels, it's like I enter a portal to an eternal cocktail hour. I walk into the lounge and punch up "Hungover With Jenny" on the jukebox. I see Dean Martin chatting up some lovely thing at one end of the bar, Don Draper schmoozing some suit at the other. Cigarette smoke permeates the air, and sad souls drink alone - pondering the hopelessness of existence and reflecting on dreams deferred. I eye up some faded starlet in the darkest corner of the room, and I can read her tragic life story with one glance. That's the kind of writer Smith was - a Paul Westerberg or Ian Hunter for a certain generation of '90s punk rockers like me. After the Beat Angels split, Smith moved to Detroit and became managing editor of the Metro Times. I've often wondered if he's continued to write songs and make music. His presence in the world of underdog rock n' roll is still dearly missed.

The Beat Angels did record a third album in the early 2000s - again with Clarke producing. But for a variety of reasons, it was never completely finished or properly mixed. I know this unreleased, "lost" Beat Angels album was circulating on-line for a time - but I think it's disappeared from the face of the earth. Perhaps that's for the better given that the band's two official releases are so flawless and an unfinished product might not be up to the same standards. Meanwhile, I've been waiting for a long time for some label to reissue both of the band's classic albums. Perhaps I shouldn't hold my breath. We are, after all, living in times when even legendary bands like the Buzzcocks have to resort to crowdfunding to get their new music released. Unhappy Hour and Red Badge Of Discourage can still be had for a reasonable price from a few sellers at Amazon. And if you were lucky enough to have seen the Beat Angels live back in the day, I envy you!



 -L.R.

http://www.lastbandit.com/beatangels/ 

Meet The Flintettes!

Boasting recent releases from awesome groups like Needles//Pins, Maniac, and the Steve Adamyk Band, La Ti Da Records has to be considered one of the best labels out there. What a roster! The latest essential release from La Ti Da is the debut EP from The Flintettes. With a lineup including Mike Flintoff (The Tranzmitors), CC Rose (Vancougar), and Marissa Johnson (Dizzy Eyes), this star-studded Vancouver trio arrives with considerable promise. And they do no disappoint! By all means, I think Tranzmitors fans will approve. But the two bands are quite different. The Flintettes are less powerpop/punk and more pure pop - like if you took those Costello/Weller influences and fast forwarded them from 1977 to 1980. Think jangly pop with a touch of northern soul in the vocal arrangements. I'm warning you now that if you listen to "Open Your Eyes" a couple times, it will be stuck in your head until next Tuesday. It has a great melody, and those backing vocals are so on point. "It Could've Been Love" is equally stellar and hearkens back to Elvis Costello's classic period without coming off like an imitation. I'm having a hard time deciding which song here is the hit ("What Was One" is great as well!). So I'll have to give the record 50 more spins and get back to you.

Limited to 300 copies, this EP is gonna go fast. The Flintettes are a pop lover's dream - and a proverbial breath of fresh air in a garage/power pop scene full of sound-alike bands. Having had this little three song taste, I'm dying to hear more!



-L.R.

http://latidarecords.bandcamp.com/album/open-your-eyes-ltdr020
https://www.facebook.com/theflintettes
https://www.facebook.com/latidarecords

The Top Ten Punk Rock Albums of 1984

Recently, my time machine traveled 20 years back to 1994. The next stop on my musical journey through decades past takes us to 1984. Looking back to this particular year in the history of punk music, it's evident how much things had changed since the end of the '70s. The "original" punk sound had faded into the background, with hardcore and post-punk stepping into the forefront. In addition, a lot of bands that had started out as punk or hardcore groups were beginning to branch out musically and defy genre pigeonholes. So as I worked up this list of the top punk albums of '84, I tried to be more liberal in defining what "punk" really meant at the time. As much as I enjoy the purity and power of good old three-chord slop, I will be the first person to acknowledge that some of the best punk music to ever exist was created with disregard for the "rules". Keeping in mind what was happening in the world in '84 both politically and culturally, I think it's only fitting that much of the year's best punk music did not conform to any "accepted" model. The times, they were a changing. And looking back, we should really thank the likes of Ronald Reagan and Phil Collins for giving us so much to rebel against.

Onto the list!

10. Reagan Youth - Youth Anthems for the New Order
At a mere seven songs, this may be more of an EP than an LP. But I'll give it the benefit of the doubt. Reagan Youth are sometimes overlooked in the pantheon of New York hardcore punk, and their existence was ill-fated due to tragic circumstances surrounding singer Dave Insurgent. But Youth Anthems holds up extremely well three decades later, and recalls a time when hardcore was still rooted in punk rock and angry youths railed with all their might against the mainstreaming of fascist ideologies. "New Aryans" and "Degenerated" are as pertinent and powerful today as they were 30 years ago.

9. Partisans- The Time Was Right
Underrated second LP from these legends of UK street punk.

8. Battalion of Saints- Second Coming
In this heyday of hardcore punk, it seemed like every year brought us 2 or 3 classic LPs. This sophomore effort from San Diego's finest was definitely one of 'em.

7. Cock Sparrer- Running Riot in '84
If any other band had issued this record, it would have been hailed as a triumph. But coming on the heels of Shock Troops, one of the greatest punk LPs ever made, Running Riot in '84 is often perceived as a letdown. But if you can get over the darker, slightly different sound and just appreciate it for what it is, you'll hear a classic Cock Sparrer album. "The Sun Says" would have fit in perfectly on Shock Troops, and "They Mean Murder" remains one of the band's finest songs.

6. Hanoi Rocks - Two Steps From The Move
Were Hanoi Rocks a hard rock influenced glam punk band or a glam punk influenced hard rock band? Who cares! This was the band's major label debut - and, tragically, the last album that they'd ever make due to the death of drummer Razzle. This band and this LP were huge influences not just on the likes of Guns N' Roses - but also on countless glam/punk bands I adored in the '90s and 2000s. That's "punk" enough for me!

5. Agnostic Front- Victim In Pain
Far different from Agnostic Front's later forays into crossover/thrash, this debut album is pure hardcore punk and a true classic of the genre. 

4. Reducers - self titled 
30 years later, you'd still swear this band came from London, England and not New London, Connecticut. These guys took classic U.K. pub rock and '77 pop/punk influences and, as they say, made them their own. If you're into the powerpop/punk/rock n' roll thing and don't own anything by The Reducers, it's time to get shopping! Absolutely one of the greatest and most criminally overlooked bands ever, and this was where it all started.

3. Husker Du- Zen Arcade
While their mates The Replacements had long outgrown their punk roots by '84, Husker Du was redefining what it meant to be a hardcore band. The double LP Zen Arcade, for all of its ambition and epic aspirations, holds up so well because it's the finest collection of songs the band ever assembled ("Turn On The News" and "The Biggest Lie" are both among my top five Du songs). It was the first "punk rock opera" - and still the best by far!

2. Minutemen - Double Nickels On The Dime 
Legend has it that Double Nickels was The Minutemen's response to Zen Arcade. Leave it to the Minutemen to make Zen Arcade sound almost conventional by comparison! Combining the brevity of hardcore with the improvisational sensibilities of jazz, the rhythmic structures of funk, and the smart-assed minimalism of early Wire, Double Nickels is a sprawling, genre-bending masterpiece from one of the most musically proficient punk bands to ever exist. Not just one of the finest punk albums of the '80s, but one of the finest albums of the '80s, period.

1. Ramones - Too Tough To Die
There's a perception about the Ramones that they "slipped" after their first four albums. And perhaps that was true. The band's early '80s releases may have been hindered by musical differences and disharmony within the band. And certainly the band worked with a few producers who didn't truly "get" the Ramones. All of that changed, temporarily, on Too Tough To Die. With Tommy Ramone and Ed Stasium co-producing and the band unified for a return to form, Too Tough To Die is a classic Ramones album all the way. As the title suggests, it's a harder, tougher sounding Ramones - a reinvigorated sonic force re-staking its claim as the greatest band on earth. If you only listen to their early albums, give Too Tough To Die another chance.


Honorable mentions:
Die Kruezen- self titled
Effigies- For Ever Grounded
Government Issue - Joyride
Black Flag - My War
Angelic Upstarts - Last Tango In Moscow
Vandals - When In Rome Do As The Vandals   

So...who did I forget? 

-L.R.

Muck and the Mires, baby!

For over a decade, Muck and The Mires have been one of the world's preeminent garage/neo British Invasion bands. Poised to release a brand-new LP called Dial M For Muck, these Boston greats are back with a new single produced by living legend Kim Fowley. And while Muck and The Mires have never failed to deliver killer rock n' roll recordings, "Double White Line" is without doubt one of their finest releases to date. As you might expect, it could easily pass for a long lost prized 45 from the U.K. circa 1963-64. The title track, a punchy up-tempo rocker, is a teaser for the new album. B-side "Three Steps", exclusive to this release, is perfect melodious pop along the lines of early Beatles meet Road To Ruin era Ramones. Both tracks really highlight the qualities that make this band so good: amazing, true to the period songwriting and formidable musical chops. I love the way these two songs fit together: pure R & B/rock n' roll energy on the A-side, and pretty melodies to make the girls swoon on the flip. And if you're planning on buying the album and wonder whether the B-side alone merits picking up the single, I'd say that's a major affirmative. Only a true historian could hear this track and be able to tell whether it was recorded in 1964 or 2013. "Three Steps" is a staple of the band's live show, and of course an old pro like Fowley was dying to put his own stamp on it. The results are not disappointing!

Even by Muck and The Mires' lofty standards, "Double White Line" is totally top-notch. It's a double dose of awesome from one of the best bands out there. Get it from King Yum Records!



-L.R.

http://kingyumrecords.bandcamp.com/album/double-white-line-45
https://www.facebook.com/muckandthemires

Mother's Children to the next level!

I don't communicate with any of my music friends via text message. But if I did, I would have been sending a whole bunch of "New Mother's Children! OMG!" texts over the last few weeks. Rising stars of the recent Canadian powerpop/punk explosion, these fun-loving Ottawans have vaulted to the head of the class on the strength of an astoundingly good sophomore LP. Out on Germany's Taken By Surprise Records and poised for North American releases on Mammoth Cave & Resurrection Records, Lemon is THE summer record of 2014. Beyond that, it's probably my favorite powerpop/punk album of the last couple years. So, yeah, I kinda like it.

Mother's Children released their debut album back in 2010, and it would be an understatement to say that the band has improved over the last four years. But Lemon is not particularly "different" from what you'd expect from Mother's Children. The band has made a classic sounding record in a power pop meets '70s punk meets old-fashioned rock n' roll vein. And if all these years of tearing it up live and turning out killer EPs haven't exactly altered MC's approach to music, they've definitely made the band tighter and more proficient at songwriting. The melodies are stronger, the hooks are bigger, and the songs are catchier. What more do you need in life?! 

The first time I heard opening track "The Gang Is Back", I was floored. It's like Teenage Head crossed with The Boys, and it comes on like a lightning bolt of adolescent fun. But Lemon is no one-hit wonder. It builds off that fast start and never looks back - propelled by ridiculous drumming from Tim Ostler and a seemingly inexhaustible supply of hit-worthy tuneage. Rather than opting to reinvent the wheel, Mother's Children chose to make a textbook power pop record. Recalling everyone from the Ramones to the Real Kids to solo Stiv Bators to countless skinny tie greats of the late '70s, the band tears through these 12 tracks with a crispness and energy that are completely infectious. Yeah, man: this is power pop with some real power to it! Favorite tracks of mine include the near flawless "Blue Citron Haze", the snappy "Talk To Her", and the frenzied rocker "Convince Me". But while choice individual tracks are bound to make their way onto your 2014 summer mix, Lemon is one of those albums that's best enjoyed in its entirety - preferably while you're headed to the beach or enjoying the company of a pretty girl. Every song on the album is good - and the majority of them are great!

If you've heard Mother's Children's most recent single, you know these guys are power pop super fans. But so are a lot of other bands that aren't nearly as good. What Mother's Children seems to "get" that some similar groups don't get is that the best power pop needs to be rooted in real rock n' roll. Lemon isn't just inspired by all the right bands. It's just plain inspired! The result is an album that's not only reminiscent of the classic power pop and pop/punk records of the late '70s but also capable of standing up beside them. It's been rumored that upon first hearing this album, I went out into the streets screaming for joy and forced 16 of my neighbors to listen to it. That is total exaggeration. It was only 15 of my neighbors.



-L.R.

http://takenbysurpriserecords.bandcamp.com/album/lemon-lp
https://www.facebook.com/motherschildren