Despite only spending a small amount of time in a recording studio during his lifetime, Syd Barrett became a cult hero. His whimsical songs about bikes, scarecrows, transvestitism and gnomes became part of English psychedelia’s core; his distinctive musical vision set (The) Pink Floyd on the road to stardom. So much was the love for the Floyd’s 1967 debut ‘Piper At The Gates of Dawn’ and associated singles, that Barrett’s two proper solo albums ‘The Madcap Laughs’ and ‘Barrett’ (released in January and November 1970, respectively) also found an audience, despite being very difficult listens.
Watch the new video from 20 Watt Tombstone
On 22nd January 2021, 20 Watt Tombstone made a long overdue return with their new EP ‘Year of The Jackalope’. Reworking tracks by ZZ Top and Chris Stapleton in typical Tombstone heavy blues style, the two track release had the potential to reel in new fans due to its well-chosen material. After all, the opportunity to hear ZZ Top heavied up and made a little more interesting is one that shouldn’t be missed…
As part of the ongoing promotion for the release, they’ve just shared a new video. You can now experience their chunky ‘Midnight Train To Memphis’ as delivered from their rehearsal space. Whether you’ve already purchased the EP or this is brand new to you, it’s time to crank the volume…
A full review of ‘Year of The Jackalope’ can be found here
Check out the new video from Phantom Elite
Phantom Elite’s second album ‘Titanium’ – released via Frontiers Records in January 2021 – showed a huge leap in quality from their earlier ‘Wastleland’ release. In songs like ‘The Race’ they demonstrated a gift for a much bigger chorus hook and in terms of musicianship, some of the more complex elements seemed so much tighter than before. More importantly, an increased budget afforded the album a superior production job. Joeri Wamerdam’s drums finally came with a decent punch, and combined with a few heavy riffs, Phantom Elite finally sounded like a band with a lot of muscle.
Watch the new video from The Inferno Doll
At the tail end of 2020, The Inferno Doll made a long overdue return with the ‘Sacrifice’ EP. The music’s blend of gothic riffs, industrial twists and occasional black metal flourishes really showed a gift for pushing boundaries.
RADIO DAYS – I Got A Love EP
Right from their earliest days, Italian power pop band Radio Days seemed to be a band that gained constantly good press. When their 2013 album ‘Get Some Action’ first appeared, there were various online review sites that literally fell over themselves to promote the Italian act as the best band you’ve never heard. In the main, such praise has often been entirely justified: by taking the choruses of The Rubinoos and the all-round pop cool of Paul Collins, Radio Days often seemed to be the perfect band to carry the flame of the genre’s early 80s prime.