Phenomenal Cat continue with their single a month releases with their latest track "Love on the dole" and they continue to display that they are a musical force to be reckoned with!
The new single has slightly more edge to it than the previous releases and still hits the bits that other songs can't reach.
Once again, there are only 200 free downloads of the single available, so go over to bandcamp and take advantage of their generosity.
To avoid any future disappointment in missing future releases from Phenomenal Cat, go over to their facebook page, click like and show them some love!
Featuring 14 songs spanning 12 years (and five drummers), The Question Is No is not only a terrific introduction to Fastbacks, but an excellent summary of the early years when they were one of the dozens of Seattle punk bands who couldn't get a hearing outside of Washington. While from the start Fastbacks were a band that loved first-wave pop-punk (think Ramones, Buzzcocks, and Rezillos), theirs was pop-punk with a difference; Kurt Block was willing to betray his fondness for '70s rock in his guitar solos, and his lyrics suggested the confused and angst-ridden internal monologue of an adolescent while dealing with the hopes, fears, and everyday realities of an adult. Bloch managed all this in a manner that was at once personal and unpretentious, thanks in part to the vocals of Kim Warnick and Lulu Gargiulo, who blend the offhand blather of punk with a sweetness that gives this band a very human warmth. Compiling singles, compilation tracks, and a few unreleased tunes (including one with a teenage Duff McKagan behind the traps), The Question Is No is as good as collection as you could ask for of the band's formative period and features some of their most energetic, rollicking performances. -AMG
For those of you who are still smarting over the demise of The Madd, here is some excellent news!!!!!!
Marty's Graveyard 'Summer Holiday'! 'Summer Holiday' is the first solo album by Marty Graveyard, known as the drummer / singer of The Madd! Marty also wrote some songs for this acclaimed power-pop combo, including the singles' I Know’ and 'Step into the sun’ .. After rave reviews from the press about his songs, Marty decided to write more and in no time there was an entire album of catchy guitar pop/rock material on the shelves.
When The Madd disbanded it was the logical step to go solo and make album himself! How to make a record like you're on your own? Simple, you play all the instruments yourself. Drums, Bass, Guitar, Keys, Vocals and harmonies are all performed by Marty. However, sometimes you just need something extra. Therefore, Marty also asked a number of artists to contribute to 'Summer Holiday'. Guest contributions are there from a.o. Joe Sixpack (Ragtime Wranglers) and Dave von Raven (The Madd) The production of 'Summer Holiday' was done by Marty Graveyard and his former bandmate Marcel Fakkers .. 'Summer Holiday' can be described as a feelgood guitar pop album. Catchy choruses and ditto Guitar Lines make you feel like it's summer forever. Marty has developed a unique style and sound with influences from a.o. the Californian popsound. If you think of The Beach Boys you're a step in the right direction .. Sprinkle a glimmer of punk rock on top of that and you get 'Summer Holiday'! If you really want to enjoy the summer?! .. Then you go on 'Summer Holiday' Marty Graveyard!
The album "Summer Holiday" will be released in June, meanwhile, here is a little teaser......
Robert Carmine paid attention to what his older siblings were listening to while he was growing up, later taking note from big brother Jason Schwartzman and his band, Phantom Planet. Carmine and pals compose Rooney, and their self-titled debut is roughcast with chunky riffs and magnetic harmonies, slyly challenging Phantom Planet's glossy pop sound at the same time. Producers Keith Forsey and Brian Reeves craft a solid mix of power-chord punk and chamber pop bits for a dynamite collection. It's sunny rock & roll, really and incredibly fresh in avoiding any kind of comparison to Weezer. The first three tracks introduce Rooney's infectious indie pop style, showcasing how sharp the band is in and outside the studio. "Blueside" flirts with '60s surf rock while "Stay Away" churns such energy for a jagged, punk cut. The listener should be sucked in by now thanks to Rooney's boyish charm. If not, the playful, jilted love song "If It Were Up to Me" will leave you swooning. Rooney relishes in the band's youth, concentrating on getting the perfect hook without sounding too silly. The five-piece are barely old enough to drink, yet they deliver a real rock sound that's rich in emotion and cleverness. From the swanky guitar work of "I'm Shakin'" to the Cars-inspired "Simply Because," Rooney's sweet demeanor is undeniable. The album's quirky appeal is reflective of Rooney's self-assuredness as musicians, and likely characteristic of where the band stands personally. -AMG
Jessica Fletchers show a lot more imagination and style than many of the bands mining the rich load of neo-psychedelia, certainly more than the bands on their label, Rainbow Quartz. The group hails from Norway and is firmly stuck back in the mid-'60s about where the Kinks meet the Small Faces, just down the lane from where the Marmalade and the Move hang out. They aren't strict recreationists on What Happened to the ?; however, there is a thoroughly modern dose of Elephant 6-style cuteness on songs like "Early Monday" and "Do You Know What She Hides." They also take some elements from garage rock (pounding tempos, simple chords changes) on songs like "Let's Go" and "Beatbox." Throw in some Beach Boys (the cuddly "You Can Have Japan"), Beatles (the dreamy "Shoot"), and the Spencer Davis Group ("I Got News") and you have quite the comprehensive, not to mention entertaining, tour of the mid-'60s. They also pay a lot of attention to arrangements, making sure to stuff each song full of interesting sonic details. This keeps the similarly written songs from all sounding the same. And it helps the band claw its way through the crowd of bands trying to do similar things and make What Happened to the ? one of the more interesting debuts of 2003. It's just a shame that the cover design is so uninteresting. Rainbow Quartz should have used the original cover that the record had when it was released in Norway. It would be too bad if the amateurish look turned away prospective fans. If you are one of those fans, please don't judge this book by its cover. -AMG
It's quite possible that the La's showcased on BBC in Session is the closest to the ideal sound Lee Mavers had in mind when he sweated over the group's debut. The group is so lean and clean in these 17 radio sessions that their pop sparkles. It sounds genuinely out of time, hearkening back to the golden age of British pop and pointing toward the golden age of Brit-pop, especially when stripped of the lightest production flair Steve Lillywhite imposed on the band's debut. This doesn't necessarily make for a revelation -- there's no change on the arrangement, not even on the funky outtake "Come In Come Out," the tunes are just brought down to the bone -- but that doesn't make BBC Sessions any less valuable for die-hard La's fans: this is the group at their purest, arguably at their best, and it's as addictive as the classic studio LP. AMG
Kicking off with an exuberant version of the L.A. power pop-classic-that-almost-wasn't, "Pretty Please Me" -- and unsurprisingly Steve and Jeff McDonald and company rock the bastard to the ground with a smile this time around -- Show World is yet more fun from a band who dedicates themselves to a smart good time. In ways, Redd Kross had found history catching up to them by this time -- any number of bands had stumbled across the loud and brash- '70s pop-punk approach that was the group's raison de etre. But the fact that they hadn't gotten the attention they deserved for it didn't keep them from still going at it with gusto; Bless their hearts. If songs like "You Lied Again" and "Vanity Mirror" didn't introduce any curveballs to the basic sound, they still sounded pretty damn fantastic, singalong energy overdriven up to ten and beyond. Slightly slower tracks like "Girl God," the mega-orchestrated ballad "Secret Life," and the handclap crazy "Follow the Leader" showcase the band's calmer side well enough -- again, no surprises, but none were expected or needed. Best song title of the bunch this time around: "One Chord Progression," which lives up to its name just so. "Teen Competition" lets them cock rock out with the best of them, but doesn't forget the sugar in the chorus even as the distortion completely screws with the mix at one point, while "Get Out of Myself" has one brilliant moment with so much hyper-flange that why the speakers don't melt upon contact is a mystery. Source: [AMG]
