In the summer of 2020, the world was in a state of flux. People who’d normally be out at the beach or taking other vacations found themselves at home due to a global pandemic calling time on big social activities. That meant gigs were genuinely off the table, and with bands unable to congregate in recording studios, even the act of making records became more difficult. During lockdown, the members of Gallows Birds found themselves on different continents, but even with songwriter Travis Woods being stuck at home in North Carolina, vocalist Richie Holes at a loose end in New York and drummer Glenn Wellman living in South Africa, the miracles of technology allowed them to join forces…and their debut album was born.
Tag Archives: garage rock
GOLDIE DAWN – Goldie Dawn EP
Few recordings whip up instant excitement as effectively as this debut EP from Goldie Dawn. The Glasgow based band recycle a few obvious punk and garage rock influences, but they do it in such a way that most of their music feels utterly convincing. Three of the four songs on this self titled release whip up an incendiary sound – big on riffs, bigger on attitude – and those will be enough for fans of the style to fall in love in an instant.
Stream the new single from Indonesian Junk
Having cleaned out their closet with the ‘Life of Crimes’ compilation, Indonesian Junk are now ready to move forward with the next phase of their career. Having expanded from a trio to a quartet, Milwaukee’s favourite trashy rock band now sound bigger than ever.
MUDHONEY – Real Low Vibe: The Reprise Recordings 1992-1998
Following the massive success of Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’ album at the end of 1991, the major labels turned their attention to Seattle and the surrounding areas hoping to sign “the next big thing”. Bands that’d been working hard on an underground scene suddenly found themselves thrown in the spotlight as the musical tide turned. Screaming Trees signed a deal with Epic Records and subsequently released their three finest albums (including the career defining ‘Sweet Oblivion’); Tad moved up the ranks from Sub Pop to the East/West label and even Melvins – previously considered an almost unmarketable commodity – struck a three album deal with Ahmet Ertegun’s legendary Atlantic Records.
INDONESIAN JUNK – A Life Of Crimes
Indonesian Junk are one of those bands that, on the surface, have seemed to get better over time. Their self-titled debut album was a bit of a mess with rough production values. Hampered further by a sloppy vocal, it was the kind of record that would only ever find love among the most die-hard garage rock fans. Their second LP featured much sharper songs which truly showed a band with great promise and their third release (2018’s ‘Darkness Calling’), although essentially a stop-gap EP, demonstrated a world of sharp riffs and even sharper attitude. It resulting in a release that truly – and finally – showed Indonesian Junk to be a riff-heavy trio that could take on New York Dolls at their best. With 2019’s full length ‘Spiderbites’ more than keeping up momentum, it seemed as if Indonesian Junk had really hit their stride.