When Gentlemen Rogues released their ‘Do The Resurrection!’ 7″ at the tail end of 2020, they gave the year one of its finest rock tracks. The melodic riffs, straddling a fine line between melody and distortion, harked back to the very best college rock of the 90s. The three minute banger carried elements of ‘Lick’ era Lemonheads, a massive love for The Replacements and even a bit of Sugar at their most melodic. For lovers of the style, it surely sounded like an instant classic – a reminder that so much retro sounding 90s rock is now capable of creating a wave of nostalgic feelings.
Monthly Archives: February 2021
STRAWBS – Settlement
Like any band with a long history, Strawbs have gone through many changes over the decades. Musicians have come and gone; they’ve seen dozens of members come and go since their inception in 1964 – including legends Rick Wakeman, Sandy Denny and Curved Air’s Sonja Kristina – with each one bringing something different to the band. Through it all, Dave Cousins has been there to steer the ship. In fact, aside from very occasional silences, Strawbs have always existed in one form or other even though a lot of people would believe they threw in the towel some time during the mid 70s.
Neil Young: Live at The Shakespeare confirmed for March release
It’s only been a few weeks since Neil Young confirmed a release date for ‘Way Down In The Rust Bucket’, a legendary 1990 live show recorded with Crazy Horse. In March 2021, he has a treat for fans of his more sedate sounds when ‘Live At The Shakespeare’ will be made available officially for the very first time.
SKYHAMMER – The Skyhammer EP
Over the decades, metal has gone through various changes and spawned a lot of different heavy – and increasingly heavier – subgenres, but sometimes, there’s a genuine pleasure in hearing a band thundering out a riff or six that takes things right back to basics. Australia’s Skyhammer bill themselves as “a traditional metal band” and within the first ten seconds of this self-titled EP, that traditional – and very 80s – aspect of their art is presented rather unapologetically. For lovers of the style, this will be a good thing, especially with the opening track showcasing some fab twin lead guitar sounds inspired by Iron Maiden circa 1984.
Deluxe edition of The Selecter’s classic album ‘Too Much Pressure’ to be released in April; includes unreleased rarities
With the vinyl reissue of the 2-Tone live album ‘Dance Craze’ and the 8CD 2-Tone box set hitting the shelves in the autumn of 2020, it seemed like a good time to be a ska fan. While there seems to be no news regarding a much needed reissue of the ‘Dance Craze’ film as we move into 2021, The Selecter’s fans are given another cause for celebration.
On April 23rd, the classic Selecter debut ‘Too Much Pressure’ will be reissued on vinyl (in clear and black varieties) and a vastly expanded 3CD set.