Gino And The Goons shake it!

I can't let 2014 come to an end without spotlighting one of the best rock n' roll records you could ever hope to hear. Gino And The Goons hail from St. Petersburg, Florida but sound more like New York City circa 1977. And I don't mean Blondie or Talking Heads. I'm talking Ramones, Heartbreakers, Testors - but with a lo-fi/budget rock recording aesthetic that I freaking love! Forget garage rock - these guys record in the living room! Really! Shake It! is a 12" record out on Slovenly Recordings. And it just plain rips! At eight tracks, it could be considered either a long EP or a short album. But ultimately, it doesn't matter what you call it as long as you drop that needle and crank this bad boy loud! This trio blasts out three-chord rock n' roll that's trashy, fun, and catchy as hell. And this record will quickly have you up & dancing and looking for a lady to romance. If you miss bands like the Devil Dogs and Spaceshits or wish that more punk groups worshiped at the altar of Chuck Berry, this is a band for you. Shake It!, along with that new Lovesores 10", proves that real rock n' roll is alive and thriving! 



-L.R.

http://slovenly.bandcamp.com/album/gino-and-the-goons-shake-it-lp 
http://www.reverbnation.com/ginoandthegoons 

Maniac makes an album!

It was a year ago when I first identified Maniac as a possible contender for 2014 album of the year. I was blown away by the L.A. band's debut single and sensed that its then-forthcoming LP could be something really special. Well, after a full year's worth of high anticipation, we finally do have that debut album from Maniac. And all I have to say is WOW! Maniac completely lives up to its name on the sensational Demimonde - which crackles with frantic energy and an unrelenting sense of urgency. And as much as I enjoyed the more straight-forward '77 pop/punk stylings of that last single, I was genuinely thrilled to hear Maniac break that mold and realize such a unique and exciting sound. While by no means lacking in tuneful melodies or punchy classic punk riffs, Demimonde has an angular, hyperactive feel to it that really sets it apart from your more typical genre exercises. It makes just about everything else in my record collection sound painfully average! It's as if these guys heard that the planet was coming to an imminent end, imbibed dangerously large quantities of Red Bull, and endeavored to power out a punk record that the world just had to hear.

What I really like about Demimonde is that it brings together the myriad of musical influences existing within Maniac's stellar lineup. Lead singer/bassist Zache Davis is well-known for his work with The Girls and Cute Lepers. Rhythm guitarist Justin Maurer (ex Clorox Girls, Red Dons) and drummer James Carman (Images) are currently band mates in the supergroup L.A. Drugz. Along with amazing lead guitarist Andrew Zappin, these guys represent the perfect combination of everything that's cool about melodic punk and power pop. Davis has written some truly outstanding songs, and he sings them with conviction and desperation. Maurer and Zappin play off of each other in creative, compelling ways. And with a dynamo like Carman ably pushing the pace, this is an album bound to leave you short of breath. I feel like I need to run around the house in a full sprint and start jumping on furniture - just to keep up. My cats would be traumatized.

By the time I first absorbed the chorus to "Live Like Bats", I knew that Demimonde was going to be everything I was expecting and then some. Lately I've found myself repeating that chorus just about everywhere I go. It's just so catchy! Fast, fist-pumping tracks like "Wendy, Same Thing" and "Party City" proceed to ratchet up the energy in a major way. And once the band hits full stride on the frenetic "Dans Le Sang", it's obvious that this thrill ride isn't going to stop until it ends with a magnificent crash (the manic racer "Alright, Okay"). With echoes of everything from The Ramones to early Wire to modern-day greats like The Briefs, Demimonde hits that perfect blend of catchy '77 punk and jittery new wave. And with all due credit to Mark Rains (engineering) and Hadji Husayn (mastering), this album just sounds phenomenal. Davis, long an underrated figure in punk music, is more than ready for his close-up. And the exceptionally talented Zappin is quickly becoming one of my favorite lead guitarists. In one of the best years for music that I can ever remember, Maniac has delivered a surefire top ten album. Downloads available now, and the vinyl ships next month!



-L.R.

http://latidarecords.bandcamp.com/album/demimonde-ltdr-lp003 
https://www.facebook.com/WeAreManiac 

A Dirty Gems Christmas!

Every year around this time, there are certain Christmas songs that I just have to hear. It's not really Christmas if I don't hear Frank Sinatra's take on "Let It Snow" or Bruce Springsteen's version of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town". My Christmas is never fully merry without Chuck Berry's "Run Rudolph Run" or The Yobs' naughty "12 Days Of Christmas". My holiday playlist is a sacred thing and has remained unchanged for decades. Well, actually I should say had remained unchanged. Because this year I've made two additions! One is "I Feel Fine (It's Christmas Time)" by The Connection - an absolute instant classic in my opinion. And the other is the equally good "Can't Spend Another Christmas (Without You)" by Kris Rodgers & The Dirty Gems. Both of these songs have been fixtures of my seasonal celebrations this year - and will continue to be for many years to come. Readers of this blog may recall my glowing post on Rodgers' excellent new album Headlines. And like his good pals The Connection, he's delivered a holiday-themed release that's as strong as any title in his catalog!

"Can't Spend Another Christmas (Without You)", a Rodgers original, kicks off a three-song EP called A Dirty Gems Christmas. This song combines two of the most timeless themes in the history of popular music: Christmas and unrequited love. It's a vintage Rodgers tune - mixing the rockin' side of Elton John/Billy Joel with a touch of Joe Jackson power pop. This is actually the perfect Christmas song for people who hate Christmas music - because it's a powerful ode to what it's like to be dying inside while the rest of the world is celebrating. Rodgers sings with such fire and soul that you can't help getting wrapped up in the emotion of the song. Featuring glistening production and lyrics that so many people will relate to, this tune has "monster radio hit" written all over it. It's one of my favorite songs of this year, period. And for those of you who do enjoy Christmas music, Rodgers and his bandmates have also treated you to a couple of nifty covers. They do an incredible version of "What Christmas Means To Me" off of Stevie Wonder's 1967 Christmas album. And while it would have been an obvious choice for Rodgers to tackle Elton John's 1973 smash single "Step Into Christmas", he goes outside the box and covers the B-side instead - the delightful "Ho Ho Ho (Who'd Be A Turkey On Christmas)".

Depending on your point of view, A Dirty Gems Christmas could either make your holidays more bearable or enhance your Yuletide joy. In keeping with the gifting spirit of the season, Rodgers has made the EP available as a name-your-price download over at his Bandcamp page. Check it out - and be sure to get hip to Headlines if you aren't already!



-L.R.

http://krisrodgersmusic.bandcamp.com/album/a-dirty-gems-christmas 
http://www.krisrodgersmusic.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/krisrodgersmusic 

Ten more inches of Lovesores!

Lately I've been thinking that this has probably been my favorite year for new music since the fabled 1997. Yeah, really! And if I needed one last release to take it over the top and certify the all-out supremacy of 2014, now I've got it! Portland's Lovesores - whom we haven't heard from since around this time last year - are back and killing it as always! Focke-Wulf Vs. Spitfire, out on Germany's Hound Gawd! Records, is the band's second ten-inch EP. That's a very underrated format, don't you think? Perhaps the only thing cooler than ten-inch vinyl is Scott "Deluxe" Drake himself - who continues to lead the greatest punk rock n' roll band on the planet. Lovesores welcome new guitarist Saul Koll and do not miss a beat - continuing to power out sweaty, high-energy rock n' roll with the snarl and sleaze of '70s punk. As a guitar tandem, Koll and Adam Kattau are absolutely red-hot. If you like a heavy dose of rock n' roll guitar in your punk music, you're gonna go nuts for this release! And in the event you were expecting signs of mellowing out from Drake after a quarter century of slugging it out in the scene, you will be pleased to discover that he's still a wild man on the mic. I'm telling you, folks: he hasn't lost anything!

If there's a plus side to Lovesores having not yet released an album, it's that the quality of their recorded material has been consistently high. These guys haven't turned out a single song that I didn't think was great. If you combined all of the band's EP tracks into one collection, you'd have an album every bit as good as those early Humpers classics. And the trend continues here - with four more smashers that will have you screaming in delight if you've been lamenting the near-extinction of real rock n' roll. Hearing Drake shout, "You better stop...before somebody gets SHOT!" gives me chills - because I know there's no other person alive who can pull off that line quite the way he does. It's clear that he's having the time of his life fronting this phenomenal band - and these days he's giving us some of the most exciting and inspired music he's ever put his name on. And the addition of sax man Graham Coslett infuses another element of awesome into this fine EP. The title track will just about melt your face off, while "Desperation Now!" is the latest and greatest testament to the immortality of Johnny Thunders. And "Get Off" is my cup of tea all the way: snotty '77 punk with scathing fuck-you lyrics. I would bet the house that crowds go totally crazy for this one.

The question of whether or not two ten-inches are better than one 12-inch is impossible to pose without opening a Pandora's box of dirty jokes. But as far as I'm concerned, Lovesores can plan releases on 8-track, reel to reel, or any format they want if they continue to make music this great! Focke-Wulf Vs. Spitfire, like all the band's prior recordings, is a 100 percent essential purchase. And if next year does bring us a full Lovesores LP, 2015 has a chance to be an even better year than 2014!



-L.R.

http://lovesores.bandcamp.com/album/focke-wulf-vs-spitfire-ep
https://www.facebook.com/TheLovesores
https://www.facebook.com/HoundGawdRecords

Meet Skategang!

Lately France has been on a bit of a roll with excellent up-and-coming bands like Departure Kids and Tomy and the Cougars. Now the hot streak continues with Skategang. This Paris outfit features Mathis & Paul from The Dolipranes along with Maxime from Youth Avoiders. French labels Requiem Pour Un Twister and Gone With The Weed have teamed up to release Freya Police - which was originally issued last year on cassette tape. Now it's available as a 12" mini LP, and I'd say it totally merits an existence on a vinyl format! Skategang are like the French cousins to all those great powerpop/punk bands on Dirtnap Records (think Marked Men, Steve Adamyk Band, White Wires) - and they bring a ton of energy on these seven tracks along with some catchy, upbeat melodies. With every song right around two minutes long, this is a snappy, briskly-paced platter that really gets my toes tapping. The sound is youthful and fun - and punchier than usual for today's powerpop/punk. "Critical Girl" reminds me quite a bit of The Kidnappers - one of my favorite bands of recent years. And on the title track, these guys prove they know how to craft a chorus that will get you singing along. I hear a touch of Real Kids rock n' roll in "Peplum" - which can only be a good thing. All in all, I really get a kick out of this record. Skategang, more than anything else, understand that a band should have a really good time playing this kind of music. Listening to this record, I can't help envisioning a live show where people are pumping their fists and jumping around like maniacs. If you're into the Dirtnap scene or newer French powerpop bands like Protokids and Crusaders of Love, give this one a listen!



-L.R.

http://skategang.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Skategang/315079688594584
http://store.requiempouruntwister.com/product/skategang-freya-police
https://www.facebook.com/requiempouruntwister

My ten favorite albums...ever!

More than once, someone has asked me, "What's your favorite album?" or "What are your favorite albums?" And, you know, it's not always easy for me to come up with an answer. Having been a fan of music for three and a half decades, I find it darn near impossible to list just five or ten all-time favorite albums out of the thousands I've enjoyed. But I'm never one to back down from a challenge. Sure, I could go all the way to a top 50 or even 100 to be more fully inclusive. But that would make it too easy - and where's the fun in that?! So ten it shall be. Here goes!

10. Exploding Hearts- Guitar Romantic (2002)
It's hard to believe that it's been 12 years since Guitar Romantic came out - and over 11 since this band came to such a tragic end. I remember giving this album such an over-the-top rave review that I shamed myself into replacing it with a toned-down "revised" version. But looking back, I was right the first time! Guitar Romantic has been in heavy rotation in my car CD player for a decade, and without a doubt I would put it up there with the all-time great punk rock and power pop LPs. Thinking about today's punk/powerpop scene and some of the amazing young bands I write about, I can't help wondering how many of them would even exist without the inspiration of the Exploding Hearts. They were that important. And while listening to Guitar Romantic often fills me with sadness, the music always brings me great joy. If you see some crazy dude in his car singing along to "Still Crazy" at the top of his lungs, it's probably me.

9. Replacements - Tim (1985)
It's been said that the Replacements never made a truly great album - that even at their absolute peak, they would bog down their LPs with joke songs, failed experiments, and all other sorts of filler. While I generally agree, I'd say that the, uh, unpredictability of the 'Mats' recorded output was a large part of the band's greatness. Tim, in addition to being the Replacements album that I listen to the most, is probably the closest the band ever came to making a front-to-back masterpiece. It's got the perfect mix of tear-out-your-heart ballads ("Here Comes A Regular", "Swingin' Party"), outsider rock anthems ("Bastards Of Young", "Left Of The Dial"), and charming, rootsy pop songs ("Kiss Me On The Bus", "I'll Buy"). The underrated "Little Mascara" is one of my favorite 'Mats tunes, and even throwaway rockers like "Lay It Down Clown" are great fun. If you ever bought a Replacements record and thought to yourself, "I just don't get it!", I would urge you to purchase Tim and see if that changes your mind.

8. Generation X - self titled (1978)
The U.K. punk rock sound of '77 has long held a special place in my heart. Generation X, along with The Clash and Sex Pistols, define that sound for me. I prefer the American version of Gen X's debut due to the inclusion of "Wild Youth" and "Your Generation".

7. The Who - Who's Next (1971)
The music geek in me wants to say, "But their '60s stuff was so much better." However, I was raised on classic rock. As a kid, I always liked the Beatles and the Stones - but I loved The Who. Who's Next found the band making the seamless transition from mod pioneers to arena rock gods, and a full two-thirds of the album has been in heavy rotation on classic rock/AOR radio for 40 years plus. Even after thousands of listens, anthems like "Baba O'Riley" and "Won't Get Fooled Again" still implore me to rock my air guitar and air drum moves like nobody's business. As an aspiring natural bodybuilder during my teen years, I often designed entire posing routines set to "Behind Blue Eyes". Thank God there is no footage of this. 

6. Sex Pistols - Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols (1977)
A staple of my car's tape deck for many years. This is the album I play for people when they ask me what punk rock sounds like.

5. Billy Joel- Glass Houses (1980)
This selection doesn't seem to fit in with the rest, eh? Billy Joel, really? Glass Houses is another childhood favorite of mine that has stood up quite well over the years. I like it so much that I've owned it on just about every format imaginable. Originally written off as a transparent attempt to cash in on the "new wave" craze, Glass Houses infuses the "feel" of 1980 into a timeless pop/rock n' roll record. "You May Be Right" is still just about the most bad-ass song ever, and the sentiment of "It's Still Rock N' Roll To Me" rings truer than ever in today's world. 

4. AC/DC- High Voltage (1976)
With all due respect to Brian Johnson, I've always been more of a Bon Scott guy. I love all of AC/DC's albums with Bon, but High Voltage is the one that's stuck with me the most. I don't think a better rock n' roll record has ever been made. There's nothing like being 12 years old and hearing "T.N.T" for the first time - your adolescent mind completely blown by such staggering lyrical brilliance.  

3. The Clash - London Calling (1979)
When a punk rock band aspires to broaden its horizons and craft an epic rock record representing a myriad of musical genres, it's either going to be the best record ever or the absolute worst. The Clash tried this twice and got both results. I still can't sit through the entirety of Sandinista!, but I will never tire of London Calling. Side Two, in my opinion, is the best side of any album ever. 

2. The Clash - self titled (1977)
While I will acknowledge that London Calling was The Clash's true masterpiece, it's not the Clash album that I listen to the most. Usually when I feel like listening to The Clash, I go for the fire and fury of that first album and urgent anthems like "London's Burning", "White Riot", and "Garageland". I've gone back and forth for many years as to whether I prefer the original U.K. release or the later American issue. But for the moment I'm siding with the original LP - mainly because I think "Janie Jones" is a way better album starter than "Clash City Rockers".   

1. Vapors - New Clear Days (1980)
New Clear Days is my clear #1 selection for both musical and sentimental reasons. "Turning Japanese" was one of the first songs I got into when I first discovered popular music as a fourth-grader. Listening to New Clear Days is like time traveling back to my Cold War childhood. On top of that, I consider it the best new wave power pop album ever made. The Vapors were a clever, talented, and criminally underrated band that had the guts to walk away from the world of music rather than kowtow to the demands of its record label. If you've written The Vapors off as a one-hit wonder, give New Clear Days a listen and discover for yourself that the entire album is as good as "the hit". I've always preferred to play Side Two first - just so it starts with the band's best song, "News At Ten".

So there you have it. I was going to list a few honorable mentions, but that would be cheating. As you can see, I tend to favor "older" music. I'm thinking I need to plan a sequel to this post in which I'll only list my favorite albums post-2000. That would be interesting. 

-L.R.

Ladies and gentlemen, Napalmpom!

If "air guitar rock" is an actual genre, it's very underrepresented in today's scene. And that's a shame, since I partake in robust air guitar activities on a daily basis (let's hear it for gyms that still play classic rock on the PA!). Sadly these days when you do hear a band employing epic guitar solos or larger than life arena rock choruses, it's usually dismissed as some kind of ironic joke. Everyone throws up the horned hand and has a good chuckle. I don't get what everyone finds so totally hilarious about bands that aspire to rock out. Are you all trying to make Dee Snider cry?!

The good news for me is that riff rock is alive and well and thriving in the great city of Calgary. Is it a coincidence that The Flames have been winning ever since Napalmpom released an album? I think not! If Napalmpom are sometimes mistaken for a parody band, it's perhaps because they don't take themselves very seriously. They have a funny name and write epic rock n' roll songs about such topics as Greg Ginn's sweater and Nick Cave's ill-fated Gladiator 2 screenplay. But just because a band likes to joke doesn't mean it is a joke. And I can assure you that these fellas are completely serious about rocking. Having established themselves as one of Calgary's most beloved live bands, they're now poised for world domination with a debut LP that's chock full of arena-ready anthems. They refer to The Unconditional Love Of Napalmpom as "nine love letters to the history of rock & roll". And with a sound described as "MC5 bombast with Thin Lizzy dual guitarmonies, AC/DC showmanship, hooks only The Exploding Hearts could write and the down-to-earthedness of early Black Flag", this is definitely a band that swings for the fences. In the way it celebrates all things that rock, The Unconditional Love is a throwback to a time when kids plastered their bedroom walls with rock posters and flocked to packed stadiums to witness their musical heroes in all their deafening glory. I can't help but like a band that isn't kidding when it cites Boston as an influence.  

While I naturally relate to Napalmpom on a kindred spirit level, it's also important to consider that these guys are exceptionally talented. Shawn Petsche and Craig Evans are a powerhouse guitar tandem in that Gorham/Robertson and Young/Young mold - firing out enough killer riffs and awesome solos to fuel a full night of air guitar heroics. PJ Lavergne definitely has the pipes and personality to front a bigtime hard rock band, and that rhythm section is tighter than the lid on a pickle jar. Calgary scene legend Lorrie Matheson (Fire Engine Red, National Dust) produced The Unconditional Love and really gets credit for pushing the band to make a debut album it could be proud of. Matheson and the band went to great lengths to capture a truly massive sound - and the result is a record that practically begs you to crank up the volume. Bookended by the natural show-starter "Guided By Volume" and the farewell/theme song "Napalmpom National Anthem", this set of songs does somewhat approximate the feel of a live rock n' roll event. And if these tracks are any indication, Napalmpom surely puts on one hell of a show! Running the gamut from '70s arena sing-alongs ("Get With Me") to Thin Lizzy-ish power balladry ("Feint Of Heart") to thumping Detroit rock ferocity ("Seamstress") to full-on stoner thunder ("Ashes Ashes"), this is an album that rocks hard but also rolls with the best of 'em. I'd like to rate it a ten out of ten, but it seems more appropriate to give it an 11 out of 11.

Napalmpom has made a rock n' roll record that's largely about rock n' roll. Such a concept will only seem silly if you're not a true believer in the power and glory of rock n' roll. When I think about today's music scene and what might be missing from it, full-blown rocking out is pretty high on the list. If more bands had their own theme songs and wrote lyrics about "riding a riff so good it caused a train to derail in Calgary", surely the world would be a better place. Or least a way more fun place. Blast this album at the loudest possible volume. And if someone walks in on you air-drumming like a maniac, don't even think about stopping!



-L.R.

https://www.facebook.com/napalmpom 
http://napalmpom.bandcamp.com/album/the-unconditional-love-of-napalmpom-2