PunkRockReview.org- Band Review

The Dopamines – “Self Titled”– God Damn,  I’ve been waiting for an album like this. I’ve been yearning for some new music that would wake me up and slap me across the face with a fresh sound. The second I heard the first song “Satisfaction of physical retraction from a chemical reaction attraction”, I was hooked on The Dopamines. Little did I know that this self titled 14 song LP would take me on quick rampaging whirlwind of mental ecstasy for the next 26 minutes. This album is full of bratty, snide, and brash, but rarely unsophisticated songs that you will be singing for days. The Dopamines debut album is an explosion of pop punk pleasure that very few can accomplish on any album, let alone their debut. This album is full of great stop and start choruses, heroin level hooks, witty lyrics, and a ton of alcohol consumption. The passion and intensity is what stands out to me and makes this album head and shoulders better than 95% of the albums I’ve heard this year.  Every song on this album is far and away a great song, choosing my favorite would be like asking me to choose my favorite sexual position. Is there really a wrong answer? www.myspace.com/thedopamines  & www.itsaliverecords.com

Posted by Jonny Taint at 04:00 AM | Permalink

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The Veterans – “Self Titled”– In the late 70’s & 80’s it wasn’t hard to find punk bands that were enamored by 50’s & 60’s Rock ‘n Roll. Although The Veterans weren’t formed until “2007“ their work is retrospective to when punk bands showed their affection for early Rock ‘n Roll by adapting the sound and adding their own flair to it. This self titled album is filled to the rim with Beach Boys influenced Surf Rock, like numerous bands before them, but with one major difference; The Veterans do it much better than most who are  trying to get this poppy surf sound. The album is drenched with catchy hooks, combining electric keyboard effects , laser sharp harmonies and even an occasional Ukulele sound for authenticity. Classic novelty songs such as “Hula Girl” & “Charlie and the surfboard factory” exude Beach Boys flavor without boundaries, putting the expectations for an attempt at Surf Rock by any other punk band to a much higher level. This album seems to transcend rock ‘n roll genre and generation by creating a bridge from old time early 60’s surfers to today’s Punk Rockers by creating something that they could all musically relate to.

 www.myspace.com/veteransitaly  & www.itsaliverecords.com

Posted by Jonny Taint at 03:58 AM | Permalink

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Jumpercable - "EP" – Even without the leather jackets, spikes, studs,  the green and blue Mohawks and The Exploited  t-shirts, five seconds into this EP (9 tracks, 9min 40 seconds) it is easily confirmed that you are listening to some good old fashioned east coast hardcore. This foursome plays it better than many of the originals and shows that when done with passion is going to be around for along time to come. Jumpercable is on pace to be compared with some of the big boys of east coast hardcore such as the The Boils, Violent Society, and especially Kid Dynamite. Jumpercable are tight thrashers, as effective as the early -80’s screamers, but add a modern twist of musicianship much like Philly legends Kid Dynamite. Don’t get me wrong, they’re young, loud, angry and roaring like the best of riff oriented hardcore. No band can ease the fact that we’ve heard this style a million times for the last two decades, adhering as closely to preset formulas as McDonald’s fries, but if you’re not tired of the older still inflamed mold of NYHC, with guts rousing, shouted in-tune gang vocals, instead of ever-worsening, diluted, well behaved, polite radio punk, this is the music for you.  

www.myspace.com/jumpercablenj  & http://www.myspace.com/monkeywrenchrecords

Posted by Jonny Taint at 03:53 AM | Permalink

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Adam Kautz – “Demo” – What the fuck is wrong with this guy? Seriously this is some of the worst music that has crossed my path. It sounds to me that Adam here has listened to way too much Depeche Mode, New Order & Tears for Fears. He’s listed as a one man band of sorts, which isn’t surprising considering you must be a complete shut in to even consider this entertaining. The best description I can give if you is a “Friends” episode where Ross starts playing his keyboard at the coffee shop and only he thinks it sounds good. I would rather stuff my ears with broken beer bottles and lemon juice than listen to this crap again. Adam thanks for sending an example of how bad music can be. www.myspace.com/adesfrehley

Posted by Jonny Taint at 03:52 AM | Permalink

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The Real Deal – “Waiting for the wave” – The Punk Rock Review Canadian talent search correspondent Franky Poulsen, 2000, Taint has brought us yet another dandy from the great north. The Real Deal are one of those bands whose sound is hard to pin down, as their music contains a foundation of  Punk, there are elements of every genre related to punk mixed in. Any band that refuses to be pigeonholed in the early 21^st century should be commended, and The Real Deal continues down the path of the less traveled with their latest release “Waiting for the wave”. Despite containing hints of bouncy ska/reggae (no horns) here and there, frontman “Ants” completely bypasses barking vocals in a favor of a more melodic singing, which makes it not too hard to imagine such tracks as “Waiting for the wave” and/or “Somewhere somehow” getting airtime at your local college radio station or an arty teen movie soundtrack (like that movie Juno). With that being said, tracks such as “I hate your scene” & “Apple Blossom” sound custom made for shows in dark & dirty bars to a room full of beer swilling converse wearing degenerates.  www.myspace.com/therealdeal

Posted by Jonny Taint at 03:50 AM | Permalink

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Direct Hit! - #1 – “#1” is a Jagged, Jarring and frequently upbeat hard edged New Wave album, nevertheless bristled with hits, both commercial and cultural. “Buy me a drink“ and “We are alone“ offer escape to the current punk movement’s aloof flocks with a sound unlike the masses. The whole thing is cut with such numbingly widescreen oomph that, even with the volume down, this EP shakes the foundations with upbeat toe tapping ballads. Several bands since the early 80’s have been trying to accomplish this edgy Brit-Wave punk sound that Direct Hit has been able to bull’s-eye on their first try. #1 is a quick hitting teaser EP (5 Songs; 11min 20sec) that is over as soon as you get into it and leaves you yearning for more.  www.myspace.com/itsdirecthitgetpumped

Posted by Jonny Taint at 03:48 AM | Permalink

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V/A - "Berkley Dream Compilation" – As everyone knows compilations are the classic way to introduce listeners to a few bands they enjoy and the rest of bands that they might not have heard yet. Berkley Dream is no exception, but takes it a step further and mixes in English singing bands with a bunch of bands that sing in different languages. At first I liked this concept because it’s always fun to hear how music sounds in a different language. Once the novelty of it wore off, I was sort of annoyed by it, because there are a ton of great songs that I can’t understand. I, like most people embrace a lot of the songs because of the cerebral connection of the lyrical by singing along. There were a couple of songs that I instrumentally loved and just wished I could understand what they were saying. Those songs are; Deviazione – “L' Attimo Inafferrabile”, Langolieri – “Perdenti”, The Roscos – “Via da Qui” & especially Chromosomes – “(voglio vivere) come mi pare”. Otherwise, of the songs that I didn’t have a language barrier with, I really enjoyed; Kill That Girl – “I don’t think like you”, The Kinkies - “ Mikye sleep with her”, &  The EGGS – “Useless”.   Like most compilations there were a handful of songs that made me dry heave with their awfulness, but there were only a few on this compilation. Berkley Dream is a compilation well worth purchasing to hear some great music that you can & can’t understand.

http://www.power90records.tk/

http://www.myspace.com/power90records

Posted by Jonny Taint at 03:47 AM | Permalink

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The Jolts – “Haute/Voltage” – This album is strictly old school garage punk that sounds like a mix of The Clash, Johnny Thunders, & The Stooges reincarnated and molded into one powerhouse garage punk band. Strolling through 11 songs in just over 41 minutes, each track is power-driven punk with just enough pop hooks to keep it out of the Alternative Rock sector. The songs on “Haute/Voltage” radiate bright guitar sheen, tight arrangements, crisp drumming, and a command performance by front man Joey Blitzkrieg, who belts out contagious lyrics. Overall, the album benefits from a fantastic sense of space, thanks in large part to the guitarist, Dr. Dylan Danger, whose control is especially notable on the uncluttered track “Black Snake”. This CD was startlingly enjoyable for me considering I’m not usually a fan at all of this sub-genre of punk rock. “Haute/Voltage” is so good in fact that,  me not being a fan of this style of music I can’t help but gush about how well done this CD is. If you enjoy old school style garage punk with high level production and solid guitar solos, than this CD is a must have for your collection.  www.myspace.com/thejolts

Posted by Jonny Taint at 03:44 AM | Permalink

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