Hailing from the unlikely locale of Billings, Montana, Megagiant aren’t exactly at the heart of a rock ‘n’ roll metropolis. Maybe their fore fathers moved there to raise themselves a lowly crop of dental floss…who knows? Whatever, in association with DIY label Minor Bird Records, their 2014 release brings seven slices of garage pop/indie rock with a definite 90s persuasion. There’s not necessarily a sharp sense of originality within its seven tracks, but the style and influences gathered by this band still holds up on a couple of tracks, even though this release is far from perfect.
Category Archives: Album & EP Reviews
THE NEW TROCADEROS – Frenzy In The Hips
The New Trocaderos comprises three very gifted cult musicians, all of whom should be familiar to listeners who closely follow the power pop/retro pop scenes. The project brings together Kurt Baker, Geoff Palmer and Brad Marino, the latter both members of British Invasion obsessives The Connection. The New Trocs doesn’t actually mark the first time Palmer and Baker have worked together, of course, since they had also backed The Queers’ Wimpy Rutherford on an excellent EP in 2012.
EDENTHORN – What’s On Your Mind? EP
Hailing from Durham, alternative rockers Edenthorn mix up a range of styles on their debut EP, ‘What’s On Your Mind?’. While never shy in flaunting a few of the nineties grungy sounds that clearly made them want to become musicians in the first place, some of the material on this release also comes with a surprising amount of melody and occasional funkiness – like Pearl Jam had decided to channel the radio-friendliness of Three Doors Down and Dishwalla.
THE NUTS – EP
Italy isn’t short of great punk rock bands. The Manges have gained a big cult following with their Ramones-obsessed schtick, enough to secure them a US released split with the legendary Queers; Killtime do almost as good a job at being Screeching Weasel than the Weasel themselves; then in addition to those who’ve broken through to the US, there’s a whole scene of hardcore bands… Hailing from Piacenza, The Nuts are another Italian band on which to keep a very close eye. The three piece band are yet another outfit that take four chords and an unhealthy obsession with Joey & Johnny, but like so many others borrowing from such a timeless source, the results are absolutely first rate. On their 2014 EP they capture four lightning bolts of punk guaranteed to please.
THE BREAKDOWNS – Rock ‘n’ Roller Skates
The Breakdowns are a four piece power pop combo from Nottingham, but despite their roots, can be heard indulging in some very transatlantic sounds. They’ve released a couple of excellent albums (with 2011’s ‘The Kids Don’t Wanna Bop’ being particularly worth seeking out), they’ve supported Ginger Wildheart and each year increases their cult status. 2014’s ‘Rock ‘n’ Roller Skates’ [issued early 2015 in the US under the name Los Breakdowns on Rum Bar Records, sometime home of Kurt Baker] takes their previous musical blueprint and polishes it a little, delivering eleven old-style power pop gems in the process.