Page 44 - Black Velvet Issue 90

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and imagination. to nothing, they’re left with- take crap from anybody. with sorrow and regret.
YYYYY out a hope’, Michael sings However, the change of di- They niggle against the
Mark McConville in ‘Wake Up America’. It’s rection halfway through the mind; they offer the wor-
good to hear songs with record takes an emotional shippers an insight into the
THIRSTY meaning by a rock ‘n’ roll turn that could make any- band’s burning request for
ALBATROSS band. ‘You Won’t Read It In one with a mohawk and a peace. Beginning with
(THIRSTY MUSIC) The NY Times’ is more leather jacket weep. The ‘Fallen From Grace’, it
Guy Bailey (Quire- jazzy/loungey, with subject song that will tug at your opens with an infectious
boys) and Russian poet matter of the social net- heartstrings the most, guitar line fuelled with a
Irina D are back with a sec- working revolution and though, is 'Delicate, Petite great melody. The vocals
THOSE DAMN CROWS ond album of compact, po- mainstream media being & Other Things I'll Never are haunting and emphatic,
THE MURDER AND THE etic, blues rock, this time censored. ‘Go Back To Be'. Laura speaks of the laden with a depressive
MOTIVE with a literary theme. Irina’s Sleep’ is funny but true. ‘Go struggle of being her true tinge. ‘Dark Skies’ starts
(THOSE DAMN CROWS) lyrics pay homage to some back to sleep you silly little self and the treatment she like a powerful rock song
Welsh act Those of her favourite writers, be- sheep’, Michael sarcasti- receives with the hard hit- ready to spark fury. It
Damn Crows seem gra- ginning with ‘The Alba- cally spouts, while ‘Big ting "I wanna be so opens with an empowering
cious and their music is a tross’, which takes Pharma Pimp’ points the real/You can see the differ- riff that develops on, cater-
melodic inspection of rock. Coleridge’s ‘Rime Of The finger in a quirky billboard ence” and "Like a beggar ing for the lover of the
The band orchestrate mas- Ancient Mariner’ as its in- way at the pharmaceutical with a cold cup to fill/I am macabre. The track justi-
sive sounds that instantly spiration. ‘Chaos’ is a industry who make money the dirt under your nails." fies why Chasing Ghosts
barge open the norm, theme song for a character from putting the general Laura and James Bow- are a competent band.
flooding its cavity with pu- missing from ‘Pilgrim’s public on medication. The man, the only original band ‘Fearless’ opens with a se-
rity. They captivate by gen- Progress’, a track with an Refusers refuse to be member left since 2001, riously ingenious guitar se-
erating an organic signal of early 70s bare bones rock dumbed down and we are accent the guitar and vocal quence. It’s a volatile track
intent, offering a blend of sound. The stripped-back, very glad about that. A re- talent both of them share with angry vocals. Chasing
rock and roll that pushes relaxed style permeates freshing release. so well. Atom Willard (An- Ghosts have it all in their
the boundaries. The vocals the album and gives it an YYYY gels & Airwaves) and Inge armory. Their sorrow-rid-
arch towards silky with a air of louche decadence SBV Johansson (The (Interna- den tracks are something
harmonious finish, the gui- and intoxication. There’s a tional) Noise Conspiracy/ to behold.
tar parts are monumental very appealing slow groove Refused) bring on a warm, YYYY
and the musicianship fun- to ‘Say It Ain’t So Joe’, un- yet pulse-racing tempo that Mark McConville
damental. Those Damn derpinned by the piano re- works so well with the
Crows have it all in their frain and rounded out with background meaning of the ILLUSTR8ORS
cannon. Called ‘The Mur- a soulful violin, and Irina record that leaves you ILLUSTR8ORS
der And The Motive’, the duets with Bailey on ‘Cos- wanting it to be longer than (ILLUSTR8ORS)
album dazzles profoundly. mic Aphrodite’, the lament 12 tracks. What's beautiful illustr8ors release their
It knocks on all the right of a stranded astronaut for about 'Shape Shift With debut EP this October, and
doors musically. There’s his imaginary wife. Her Me' is not just the lyrical how it rocks. The band for-
venom, there’s courage, breathy vocals fit well with content or the perfect merly known as BlackWolf,
and there’s heaps of desire the theme and give it an AGAINST ME! chemistry between each are now back after a facelift
and hope. The album also otherworldly feel. As a SHAPE SHIFT WITH ME member of the band that as illustr8ors. The Bristol-
bursts from the edges and whole, the album is a slow (TOTAL TREBLE) makes the record sound based rockers jump
sparks a charge of ingenu- burner. It benefits from re- 2014's 'Transgender tight, but the fact that Laura straight in with 'Your Ani-
ity, breaking through nor- peated listening since it’s a Dysphoria Blues' gave us Jane Grace is allowing mal', with a catchy and in-
malcy and blending in well-crafted album but it an in-depth look into and fans to get a hard look into fectious chorus added to
impressively. The record might take time to fully understanding, to a de- her mind and her story and monster riffs and thunder-
holds a collection of songs draw you in. gree, the frustration of for that, this is what makes ous drums. 'Something
that are true anthems. And YYY wanting to be yourself and 'Shape Shift With Me' Biblical' starts with a thun-
leading man Shane Green- Clare Huckett showed a more vulnerable Against Me!'s most emo- derous drumbeat which
hall sings with a colossal side of frontwoman, Laura tional record to date and rips into a raunchy bass
range, bellowing out with THE REFUSERS Jane Grace. Two years one of the best punk rock line and crunching riffs and
power. The opus starts with WAKE UP AMERICA later, she is letting fans in albums ever created. licks, the solos are not
‘Don’t Give A Damn’. It be- (THE REFUSERS) on growing from her com- YYYYY overplayed, but rather sit in
gins with an empowering Seattle’s The Refusers ing out in 2012 with the Jessica-Lyn Saunders nicely and give the tracks
guitar presence and write socially conscious most aggressive, emo- the desired effect. If there
bassline. Greenhall sings songs in a bid to educate tional, punk record of the CHASING GHOSTS is a downside, it’s that
with a sneer and utilizes his the public via a musical year. 'Shape Shift With Me' FEARLESS EP there are only four tracks,
voice as a weapon of in- medium. Title track, ‘Wake has your standard punk (CHASING GHOSTS) yet it is a solid taster of
tent. ‘Killing Me’ starts with Up America’, and ‘Hang rock anthems, such as There is a darkness what is to come from these
an engaging drumbeat that The Bankers’ echo a more 'ProVision L-3' and '333'. that floods the music of hardworking, hard rocking
falls into the guitar frenzy; political Alice Cooper. Inter- You then come across a London band Chasing guys. As we close off with
Greenhall belts out his estingly enough, frontman more aggressive side of Ghosts. That’s not a bad 'Shush Shush', which takes
voice and describes the Michael Belkin used to the record with '12:03', thing by any means; it a much more funky, foot-
lack of truth. ‘One Of These work on Wall Street and is 'Boyfriend', 'Crash', 'Norse showcases sheer emotion. tapping approach with a
Nights’ is dark and depres- a financial market and eco- Truth' and 'Rebecca' that The band are on point with smooth bass line from Ben
sive, driven to provoke. It nomic forecaster. So yes, speak of grappling with their new record, the ‘Fear- Webb and drumbeat to
hits hard with a volatile this guy knows what he’s dead relationships and less’ EP. Chasing Ghosts’ match courtesy of the man
drumbeat and direct vo- singing about - and ‘Thank emotions while dealing with music is raw and punchy, with the thundersticks,
cals. The riffs are pleasing God for whistleblowers’ he the aftermath. However, sticking to a well worked Thomas Lennox-Brown.
and the words are spat out sings in ‘Born To Rock’. 'Boyfriend' (co-written with formula, a direction that The vocals from Scott
with rage. ‘Red Light’ is an- Michael uses a slightly the- musician Cody Votolato) keeps them relevant. The Sharp are solid throughout
other loud piledriver that atrical, half singing, half has more of a 'fuck you' at- band orchestrate great as are the dual guitars of
sparks fury and the chorus spoken word effect to get titude with “For all the rea- power and they focus pre- Jason Cronin and John
knits it together with a great across the messages in the sons to feel hateful, you're dominantly on the guitar Greenhill. illustr8ors have
balance. It’s courageous songs. The lyrics look at the best of them” and "I riffs and lyrics. Lyrics that produced what is a solid
work. Those Damn Crows the world and what’s going don't want to hang around make you ponder, that cut four-track that leaves you
have done a remarkable on. ‘Shooters attack the the graveyard, waiting for deep, that empower the lis- with baited breath, as you
job of overthrowing the nor- schools, advertisers flaunt something dead to come tener to solidify their atten- await the first full album.
mal, basic sound. Their seduction just to sell a bar back,” where Miss Grace tion. The words are dusted YYY
music is driven with verve of soap, the poor got next makes it clear she doesn't with negativity, powdered Shane Bradley
ALBUMS