Back in the early noughties, while at college being bored and boring, I found myself ditching my classmates to wander around Glasgow alone. Self-isolation has always been very easy for me, maybe a bit too easy. But I wasn't lonely. I had an entire city to discover! Yes, I knew Glasgow. It was an extension… Continue reading Doppelganger by Curve
It started with Bad Babysitter, of course. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Drugs, sex, violence, and babysitting all in the span of three minutes and thirty five seconds. The song itself sounds perky and fun thanks to the horns in the background. Misadventure rarely sounds so fun. Of course, I had to find… Continue reading Princess Superstar Is
The Dead Kennedys. They're the most 'punk' punk band of all time. They represent the highest standard in which all other punk bands should be judged. As a band, as a force, they were political, righteous, and always willing to fight for their beliefs. What a lot of people didn't get (and still don't) is… Continue reading Frankenchrist by Dead Kennedys
Years before Prodigy released their seminal Fat Of The Land, there was Atari Teenage Riot making a racket with their acerbic digital punk. The Future of War, their second album, was the logical conclusion of the futuristic fusion of aggressive guitar riffs and skull-caving beats. Atari Teenage Riot's original incarnation - Alec Empire, Hanin Elias,… Continue reading The Future Of War by Atari Teenage Riot
Some records are defiantly underground. Others are absolutely mainstream. Then there's Goo by Sonic Youth. Though released on a major label (Geffen), it looks and sounds like the work of artists hellbent on confusing the listener. Sonic Youth always had the reputation of confounding expectations; they were serious about what they did but had a… Continue reading Goo by Sonic Youth
The Cramps should be easily dismissed due to their camp aesthetic, but then that would be dismissive of their punk ferocity, the skill and talent of their combined musicianship. Poison Ivy, still the baddest bitch on the block, also seems to me like one of the most underrated guitarists in the game. Guitarist? Also the… Continue reading Stay Sick by The Cramps
A problem I always felt people had with The Donnas was an all-pervading idea that they were somehow novelty, less serious than proper guitar bands. For me, they were a dream come true. They looked like brats. They made a racket. They wrote songs about drinking, partying, dating, and...Doin' Donuts. Less serious than 'proper' guitar… Continue reading Get Skintight by The Donnas
