Here we go again then, more albums, more cherry picking through the mountain of albums that land here, more picking of the cherries, picking off the cherries, the never ending pile of demanding cherries that find their way here on a daily basis. You surely know the policy by now? We do, on the whole, only feature the albums and things we feel positive about. We really don’t have time to clutter up these already overloaded pages with negative coverage of things that do nothing for us, there isn’t the time or space, there isn’t any need, although some times there probably is. Here’s another six or so as the first month of the year comes to an end….
Emmett Elvin – Optimal Eternalist (Believers Roast) – Emmett Elvin’s latest album is as lush as the last one (and the one before that) and nothing like a wasp in a jar. Now why was Old Macdonald fired? Inches away from a glorious day? The thing is, Emmett just writes really enjoyable songs, it is as simple as that, deceptively simple songs alive with complex deliciousness and everything ii nothing until it is indeed something (as every good psychiatrist knows). Timeless, classic, more than a touch proggy without ever getting difficult about it. “Born within smelling distance of Leigh-on-Sea’s famed cockle sheds, Elvin has mercifully managed to avoid mainstream success. He has plied his warped trade in Chrome Hoof, Knifeworld, Guapo and The Holy Family as well as working with figures as diverse as Keith Levene and Ed Harcourt…” and his roulette wheel is all off the rails or something like that, go ask lady luck. Optimal Eternalist does sound timelessly good, it does sound full-bodied, even 8-Bit Stars and Dreams, something that adds a different colour or two toward the end of the album, even that sounds full-bodied, how does he manage to make a 8-bit thing sound full-bodied and rather like something Genesis might have done in the mid 70s, how the hell did he do that? Everything’s real. “That’s a really good bit” she shouted, it could be almost all the bits, it happened to be a really good bit in the middle of the title track, this album is nothing but good bits really, good songs, good tunes, good passages, good everything. There’s a crafted commitment to the art of making music and songs and the breaking down of tomorrow’s door to take a look at the world out there. It is a kind of an escape from these lunatic schemes and this world falling off the carousel ride and everything here is properly something and well all is good in ochre and red (and never dead), go ask the natterjack, stand up, shake out the dust, another fine and rather recommended Emmett Elving album then.. Bandcamp
Rifle – Rifle – “One-two-three-four, don’t let the bastards get yer down!” yells yer man. Angry punk rock, properly angry properly proper punk rock from deepest London. We’ve gone on about them before, he sounds like a mouth, a geezer with a big north and south, his name is Max, he’s got things to say and he’s fronting a whole riotball of old school attitude-drenched no messing street punk noise. Think shouty ’77 punk, a whole bag of Oi! and an undercurrent of urgent hardcore bite, only two of the twelve songs on this new album make it to the three minute mark, these people don’t hang around, they are, as we’ve said before, the real proper punk rock deal and as we’ve also said before, Rifle sound like it matters to them and for that alone they should matter to you. they’re a blast of slightly stale fresh air, frab yerself a big gulp. Love it! Bandcamp / Instagram / Linktree
Lydia Lunch + Marc Hurtado – Metempsychosis: Reincarnate the Music of Alan Vega + Suicide – The ever present Lydia Lunch with a whole loads of gloriously dark twisted takes on the ground break music of Suicide. Live performances and they are very much performances rather than her and experimental artist/musician Marc Hurtado (renowned for his many collaborations with Alan Vega, Genesis P-Orridge, Michael Gira and many more) just banging through some cover versions, this is proper art, the proper way to do it, to take and song or a piece of music and take it somewhere that, if not new, somewhere different without ever forgetting what made the original versions what they were and are. Of course Lydia adds all that dark colour she always being to whatever she’s doing, that unique thing that can be gloriously disturbing, that’s always intense, committed, that always matters. What more needs to be said? Bandcamp
Export Import – Export Import (Slow Dance) – Well who knew the London collective put an album out last year? you’d think they might have mentioned it conasidering how much coverage and radio play the rather mysterious band got from us back there. Last February’s self titled album, pretty much picks up where 2023’s excellent 43 minute single left off, not quite as vitally wired but hey, how could it ever be, it sounds good to usshame they couldn’t be bothered to mention it, I wonder why we bother some times? We’re probably not cool enough for ’em, fugging hipsters. Fugg ’em and that damn art gallery they hang around. Previous reviews and such just down there, here’s the Bandcamp
“Export Import, a 10-piece ensemble from Canning Town, has carved out a peculiar niche in London’s underground music scene. Known for hosting “Life Passage Ceremonies” such as weddings, funerals, baptisms, and exorcisms, the group performs at venues like Venue MOT, Colour Factory, and The Windmill, as well as unannounced appearances on London’s streets…”
Preciously on these pages
Softcult – When a Flower Doesn’t Grow (Easy Life) – Softcult are Canadian twin siblings Phoenix and Mercedes Arn-Horn, the duo bring together their own rather lush, rather dreamy, rather refined take on the universal coming together of 90s grunge and that shoegaze thing, they also bringing their DIY and riot grrrl-inspired ethics to the beauty of it all.
As we already said on these pages, they remind us of a lot of things from back there, quite a few things we released back there actually, right now they’re sounding like a coming together of Angel Cage and My Vitriol, they have something of their own in there though, it isn’t just a rehash of things already heard. Refines yes, forceful when they need to be, alive, aware, glowing, strong, graceful, a beautiful album. Album links
Meanwhile, the third and final Slutbomb record
SlutBomb – Slutbomb – in which Ohio’s finest defiantly blast and shout and thrash and bite their way through their third and final record. Alas the no-messing hardcore punk called it a day and in doing so have released their final album as pay whatever the hell you want or have it for free download.
“Thanks for the love, and keep putting it into the world. There’s hundreds more queer and anarchist bands hitting it harder than ever, make sure and give them all your love and support now more than ever” they say, and yes there is but we will miss Slutbomb and their attitude as well as their well placed energy though. Proper punk rock done on proper DIY punk rock terms, nice Nerves cover to close the book, they always did have a way when it came to a cover, thank you Slutbomb… Bandcamp
And a little bit more Softcult…
THE ORGAN 