Another Fighting Boredom reviews page is here, catching up on May releases this time we have a nice selection of grooviness. I’ll let the bands PR departments speak for them in this introduction, you can see what we thought below. Duke Keats’ new EP which is a ‘genre-blurring EP shaped by the isolation of the global pandemic and steeped in the surreal, hyper-connected atmosphere of the modern digital age’. Messer Chups who ‘present the Exciting! Spectacular! new EP from Messer Chups! Fantastic sounds leap at you in stereophonic 3-DIMENSION’ Sextile with an ‘an action-packed dance record stuffed with wild, heady roof-raisers but is in the same breath a testament to living, and never looking back.’ Ships In The Night whos ‘electronic dark pop music is drawn from dreams and memories to paint an atmospheric soundscape with sweeping waves of synthesisers and kinetic beats.’ An Tóramh’s ‘music descends into the abysmal horror of grief before finding a fragile solace in the shadows.’ Original Irish Punks Stiff Little Fingers with an essential collection of their singles from their first four albums. TVOD who ‘deliver emotionally charged lyrics over eclectic, infectious, minimalistic melodies, seamlessly blending post-punk, egg punk and krautrock.’ Confessions of a Traitor with ‘an emotionally charged exploration of grief, the deep emotional scars it leaves and how it can shape the people we become.’ Youth Code ‘dense industrial rhythms, visceral soundscapes and startling aggression violently turning the page into their new era.’ Steve Von Till with ‘an album of sweeping gothic tinged Americana, tripped out drones, beautiful world weary vocal melodies and slowly unfurling cello arrangements.’ Finally this time the second and best album from Street Punk Oi band Cock Sparrer, Shock Troops. Have a listen and read below and please feel free to agree and disagree as applicable.
Duke Keats – Post-internet
For those unsure or yet to witness the Duke live, Duke Keats is a star. This latest EP, hot on the heels of ‘This California Dreaming’ is a weirded out electronic skipping treat. His vocal is high and clear as the disjointed lost music circles around. It turns funky and soulful, slinky and sexy and finishes with minimal electronics and a sparkling guitar flowing like liquid gold into your ears. I told you, he’s a star.
Messer Chups – Don’t Worry Be Creepy
Guitaracula Records
Messer Chups look brilliant and are on probably the greatest named record label ever. This is a great big slice of horror themed twangy guitar and lazy surfing rockabilly, going from the tide washing back and forth to a dragster race along the lost road by the ocean. It gets creepy crawly then sexy and sweet in the cobwebs and dust. It’s a witchy dark night sort of a record and it is brilliant.
Sextile – Yes Please
Sacred Bones
For the most part this is unapologetic EDM, blasting into your face with the subtlety of a backside hanging out of a bus window. The vocals are bratty young and chaotic, and it’s fine for what it is. But I find it more interesting when it goes wonky, synth based and weird but unfortunately, I’m not who they made it for am I?
Ships In The Night – Protection Spells
Metropolis Records
I looked at the cover for this one and the witch vibe left me somewhat cold, but then, you shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover should you. This is synthwave, darkwave and weirdly goth, the vocals are dreamlike and breathless which does, to be honest grate on me after a while, but then she sings with a stronger voice and creates greatness. They wear their hearts on their sleeves with the cover song and make it their own. One for driving at night with the moon above you and the rain falling steadily onto the windscreen.
An Tóramh – Echoes of Eternal Night
Black Lion Records
There is space here, there are organs and strings playing on occasion, but everything gets buried beneath the funereal paced doom of the music. The glacial movement of the guitars and drums and the horrible growled vocal that sucks in light and happiness and leaves you cowering in a corner in the dark bereft and alone. It’s a slow, deeply emotional study of loss and I like it a lot.
Stiff Little Fingers – The Singles 1978-1983
Captain Oi!
I have loved Stiff Little Fingers since I was seventeen or so, I was a metalhead and someone taped Nobodys Heroes and Inflammable Material for me, I was hooked, totally and utterly. I got the rest of the albums and still own them all, up until Now Then which is where this collection takes us. Pretty much every song is vital, from the raw Irish punk through to the measured pop of the last singles Jake Burn’s voice makes this vital listening. The band grew and mellowed but stayed true and stayed brilliant. My only quibble is that this has come out before as All The Best which I still own too, same tracks and pretty much in the same order. But who am I to quibble, this is essential.
TVOD – Party Time
Mothland
This is emotional post hard core punk. It reminds me of the heartfelt grooves of the Dischord bands but the synths make it warmer and more open. Which isn’t to say that the anger doesn’t shine through in places alongside righteous noise. A great album that uses the emotional vocal to its full effect, everything else following and amplifying the feeling. A great album.
Confessions of a Traitor – This Pain Will Serve You Out
Facedown Records
This album is a massive hard core metal/punk crossover record that for the most part is utterly livid, hugely bereft and as it’s a deeply personal exploration of grief you would expect nothing less. The music is brutal, hard and destructive. It batters and bruises and then in a moment of complete clarity switches to a synth heavy sound with a low down vocal, but that doesn’t last and we are back to pummelling nastiness. The whole thing hurts.
Youth Code – Yours with malice
Sumerian Records
I can sum this up easily, it’s electronic industrial hatred. The synths stab and gore into you and the beats are industrial and almost military. A marching beat for people with massive boots and black utilitarian clothes to stamp around dancefloors to. If you are an EBM head then you will love it, me, well it’s okay.
Steve Von Till – Alone In a World of Wounds
Neurot
Steve Von Till’s voice is a whiskey soaked, lived in growling beautiful thing, made for the crooning folk horror emotional songs he has given us here. The songs have layered synths, pianos, strings and on occasion a gently strummed guitar, It’s a lesson in our mortality, in our transient lives and the fragility of being. Wonderful.
Cock Sparrer – Shock Troops
Captain Oi!
This is Greg’s fault. He gave me this on tape, must be getting on for thirty odd years ago now and I played it until I knew every single word, it’s like an old friend which I go back to frequently. From the call to arms of Where Are They Now to the plaintive Out On An Island they tell stories about life and living. Punk from the streets, ace band and an ace album.
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Duke Keats is on Facebook and Instagram.
Messer Chups are on Instagram and Facebook.
Sextile’s website is sextile.music they are also on Facebook and Instagram.
Ships In The Night are on Facebook.
An Tóramh are on Facebook.
Stiff Little Fingers’ website is slf.rocks/home-base, they are also on Instagram and Facebook.
TVOD’s website is tvodmusic.com, they are also on Instagram.
Confessions of a Traitor’s website is confessionsofatraitor.co.uk they are on Instagram and Facebook.
Youth Code are on Facebook and Instagram.
Steve Von Till’s website is vontill.org, he is also on Facebook and Instagram.
Cock Sparrer’s website is cocksparrer.co.uk they are also on Facebook and Instagram.
All words by Adrian Bloxham.
