Tuesday, December 26, 2017

The Stanleys Debut Album


The Stanleys from Perth, Australia deliver one of the best New Wave / Power Pop you've heard in a very long time. In eleven songs they prove they are the true heirs of DM3, The Hoodoo Gurus and the Cars. 

So this blog could not miss the opportunity to talk to lead singer and bass player Mark Di Renzo about the band and their first self-titled album, released on CD by New Jersey-based US label Pop Detective Records.

1) For the viewers of this blog who don't know you, What would you tell about THE STANLEYS to introduce yourselves? How did you meet and decided to start a band together? Who is playing what instrument in the band? How the hell did you end up playing with a drummer living on the other side of the planet?

To begin with I would say The Stanleys play a classic style of upbeat power pop with catchy melodies, lush harmonies and crunching guitars.

The studio nucleus of the band is me as lead singer, bass guitarist and playing some keys, Jamie Horsburgh on guitars and Tomas Dahl on drums and guitars.  Jamie and I live in Perth Australia and Tomas lives in Oslo Norway.  Jamie and I played together in an early line up of my previous band Gigantic but Jamie had a break from music for a few years.  I was on tour with Gigantic in Japan towards the end of Gigantic’s career when someone recommended Tomas’s solo project, Caddy, to me as music I would enjoy.  I did enjoy the first Caddy album a lot.  Tomas and I connected on Myspace and essentially began writing a few songs over the internet with no real agenda other than to write great power pop songs we loved. After separating from his wife at the time (around 2010) Jamie was interested in getting back into music and that became the start of The Stanleys.


2) About the recently released debut full length record, what can you tell about the recording process? Was this a live in the studio recording or a track by track recording with lots of overdubs? 

The record has been recorded over a few years in Australia, Norway and France.  Tomas did come to Perth to do some recording with Jamie and I and my brother John, I went to Oslo to do some sessions with Tomas, and I also did some sessions with Ken Stringfellow (REM, Big Star, The Posies) in Paris at his home studio.  The geographical logistics made it easiest to record a track by track recording plus this allows you to build on a song and keep writing bits and pieces once the core bed tracks are recorded.  Those bits and pieces might be extra guitar or keyboard melodies, percussion or harmonies for example.  I feel that recording songs can be like making a salad.  Lettuce, bacon, egg, parmesan cheese and olive oil might be key ingredients but without the croutons, garlic and lemon and lemon juice, the salad (or song) is not complete.  We were trying to create delicious power pop!


3) What are your favorite topics to write about or the topics that come easily when you write a new song?

I think the most common topics revolve around people and relationships and this comes easiest because we are in contact with others every day.  But there are also songs on the album about the cons of the modern online world, cars, dancing and the quest to follow your dreams.  I think its best just to let the ideas and topics come out naturally rather than specifically trying to manufacture something.


4) THE STANLEYS have an undeniable Aussie approach of power pop that could lead to compare you to DM3 The STEMS, etc. Do you agree with this comparison or do you consider there is way more than that? 

I find it a big compliment for you to compare The Stanleys to both DM3 and The Stems as those bands are both fantastic bands and both from my hometown.  In fact my introduction to power pop would have been through both The Stems and Hoodoo Gurus and these three bands are bands that we do get compared to from time to time overseas.  I believe we have our own brand of new wave power pop.  However, we undoubtedly lend a little from bands that we love who have come before us and that is natural for any songwriter.  Music that you love inspires you to make music for other people to love!


5) Is there a main composer in the band or is everybody composing his own songs (words and music)?

Its definitely a joint effort between myself, Jamie and Tomas and for us that seems to produce the best result.  It also makes the process more fun in constructing a song.  The majority of lyrics, but not all, are mine and this probably just happens since I’m singing those lyrics.


6) To what kind of music did you listen to as a teenager and does it still influence your today work? What was your favorite band as a teenager? Name 3 bands that you consider still have a influence on your own work today.

I grew up listen to lots of classic music quite wide ranging like the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, the Doors as well as some more power pop bands like those mentioned earlier and I really had a thing for 80s pop too!  If its got melody I’m a fan and that can spread across genres even into more modern dance music for example. I probably had a number of different favourite bands as a teenager moving around from time to time so not sure I can answer that question.  Even now its very difficult to narrow it down to 3 bands I consider still have an influence on my music but the Beatles, The Cars and DM3 would be in there.


7) Do you have a video on youtube featuring a track from the latest release? 

Yes we do. There is a video for the single (and opening track from the album) Amy. Here’s the link.




8) What can concert goers expect at a gig of THE STANLEYS? Are you playing any famous cover songs?

I think we deliver audiences an energetic and fun show as we just really love playing! We love to see some dancing, singing along and handclapping from the audience and want people to feel part of the night. We do occasionally play a cover. On the recent Amy Tour we played a rockier version of the Beatles’ “Day Tripper” which was very fun to play and people seemed to really enjoy it!


9) What are the plans for 2018 as far as THE STANLEYS are concerned? Are you guys planning to tour Europe soon? 

We recently (in October) toured Italy, Norway, Sweden, Spain and the UK in Europe before heading to the US for a run of dates.  Those shows went very well so we’re definitely keen to get back to Europe in 2018.  It’s just a matter of timing to see if we might be able to coordinate dates with a festival or two and our commitments back home.  Stayed tuned for announcements on that next year.
The next single off the album will be "Everybody Dance" and we’ll be shooting a video for that one early in the new year.

10) Anything you would like to say to the viewers of this blog?

You can learn a little more about the band at our website:
www.thestanleys.com.au


PURCHASE THIS BRILLIANT ALBUM HERE:

https://thestanleysau.bandcamp.com/album/the-stanleys-debut-album

Thursday, December 21, 2017

Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels - Breakout!!!


Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels - Breakout!!!
In WAV - Scans are included

1.Walking The Dog  
2.I Had It Made  
3.In The Midnight Hour  
4.Ooh Poo Pah Doo  
5.I Like It Like That  
6.Little Latin Lupe Lu  
7.Devil With A Blue Dress On / Good Golly Miss Molly  
8.Shakin' With Linda  
9.Stubborn Kind Of Fellow  
10.You Get Your Kicks  
11.I Need Help  
12.Any Day Now  
13.Breakout

Release in 1966, Mitch Ryder & the Wheels' second album, featuring the classic "Devil with a Blue Dress On/Good Golly, Miss Molly" workout, continues the pattern of their debut; strong renditions of R&B classics, chopped and channeled and revved up to max.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/2p4jdke7h7b21ca/Mitch%20Ryder%20%26%20The%20Detroit%20Wheels%20-%20Breakout%21%21%21.rar

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

The Darts - Me.Ow

The Darts, from Phoenix, Arizona is probably the hardest working band in the business at the moment. 


For the biggest part of 2017, the girls (Michelle Balderrama: guitar, vocals; Nicole Laurenne: organ, vocals; Christina Nunez: bass, vocals; Rikki Styxx: drums, vocals) have been travelling around the world promoting their both excellent previous EPs (Btw, Let's hope that one day, their London based label DIRTY WATER Records will be smart enough to compile these 2 EP's on one CD instead of just settling for a mere digital full-length album!)

And no doubt there will be more touring in 2018 to support our favorite quartet's recently released full length debut "Me.Ow". 


This new offering in pushing everything we like about the Darts one step further: menacing drum beats, fuzz-laden guitars riffs, thundering bass lines, spooky Farfisa sounds, and lead singer Nicole’s inimitable vocals. 

This new record is a pure psychedelic garage master piece all drenched in reverb.

It would be a little bit pointless to review the record track by track but let's just say that my favorite songs lay in the last part of the album: "I Made A Wish" with its memorable refrain, "Caught In The Devil’s Game" and it's great 60's organ riff and the very haunting "You’ll Bring Me Flowers".



One question puzzles me though: why on earth has the band decided to choose as close out track a Third Man session cover of The Trashwomen’s "Batteries" so poorly recorded it should have been -at best- an hidden track on the cd. 

But don't be put off by this minor downside of this otherwise great debut album. Do yourself a favor and purchase a copy! 

Purchase it here: https://thedartsus.bandcamp.com/album/me-ow

Sunday, December 10, 2017

The Forty Nineteens - Good Fortune



Hailing from Temecula, California, The Forty Nineteens is a very recommended Garage Rock/Power Pop trio with a Motor City power plant and good-time raucousness. Their sound was forged in LA's underground alternative scene. 60s garage rock, meets 80s garage pop. "Good Fortune" is their 4th release and the best so far. The album includes a brilliant rendition of "Time is on my side". This blog had a very interesting chat with drummer Nick Zeigler


1) For the viewers of this blog who don't know you, what would you tell about The Forty Nineteens to introduce yourselves? How did you meet and decided to start a band together? Who is playing what instrument in the band? How did you come up with the name of the band? 

A) Hello! The band is John Pozza/vocals-bass-guitar, Chuck Gorian/guitar, Nick Zeigler/drums vocals.
B) John and I met many years ago in a Detroit/LA garage band called The Leonards. We would tour the US, and performed with The Red Hot Chili Peppers (Detroit friend Chad Smith tried out for the Leonards prior to joining RHCH) The Rain Parade, Gun Club, Thelonious Monster, Red Cross, and countless other LA bands. The Leonards is still an active band, just not That active. John formed The Forty Nineteens with Chuck a few years ago in Temecula Calif, and they proceeded to ask me to join the band.
C) Vocalist John and Chuck work in the legal arena, and 4019 is California's legal code for good behavior credit. Example: If you are serving a sentence, every day you stay out of trouble, you get one day off of your sentence. I.E. time off for good behavior. Our motto. "Everyone deserves some time off for good behavior."


2) About the recently released "Good Fortune" CD, what can you tell about the recording process? Was this a live in the studio recording or a track by track recording with lots of overdubs?

A) We work with David Newton (guitarist of the Mighty Lemon Drops) in his Burbank studio. The band generally does preproduction in our hometown of Temecula (midway between LA and San Diego) working out song structure/lyrics. Once we feel ready, we take the traveling circus up the 5 freeway and set up the tents in Burbank.
The band prefers vintage gear
-John uses Gretsch, Hofner guitars, with a Vox AC 15 and a Fender Bassman rig.
-Chuck uses Fender stratocasters with a Vox AC 30
-I use Gretsch Catalina Jazz drums and/or a Ludwig kit with a Rogers Dynasonic, and Ludwig 402 Supraphonic.
B) The band doesn't have a go to style in the studio, typically we record live, yet we sometimes we will lay a song out with me clapping a beat along with acoustic guitar, then we add the layers. We've discovered that this process encourages secondary melodies, and backing vocals. It's a lot of fun, and we come up with cool stuff on the fly. It really gets the creative vibe going.


3) What are your favorite topics to write about or the topics that come easily when you write a new song?
A) John has a large extended family in the area, and when people start talking, the stories or experiences are so interesting that they need to be told or preserved. John has a knack of putting these stories to music.  John traditionally tends to write about relationships, or experiences with people.  I tend to write about cars, sentimental things, and offbeat characters. Those things fascinate me enough to write about them.

4) The Forty Nineteens have an undeniable American approach of Garage Rock and Power Pop that could lead to compare you to The Woggles, The Fleshtones, The Smithereens etc. Do you agree with this comparison or do you consider there is way more than that?

A) Thank you for acknowledging our Garage / Power Pop leanings and said groups. We are indeed fans of those bands.  I with how you feel we are similar to those bands. Not only are we fans, we also admire their work ethic. Those groups set the bar pretty high.

5) Is there a main composer in the band or is everybody composing his own songs (words and music)?
A) John tends to write most of the material. I write one or two tracks per album. Chuck writes at times too. John comes up with the melody/lyrics, I tend to arrange the songs, or add a verse/chorus/melody. Chuck will also suggest things in the structure / melody. If someone has a better idea, we always go with what services the song.

6) To what kind of music did you listen to as a teenager and does it still influence your today work? What was your favorite band as a teenager? Name 3 bands that you consider still have a influence on your own work today.
A) John is into The Beatles, Graham Parker, The Romantics, which is clearly shown in every album.
Chuck likes SoCal punk which can be heard on every release. I like all 50s rock n roll, early British Invasion, soul, anything that moves.

7) Do you have a video on youtube featuring a track from the latest release? 
We are currently working on them, and will let you know as soon as they are ready.

8) What can concert goers expect at a gig of The Forty Nineteens? Besides "Time is on my side" Are you playing any famous cover songs?
We regularly perform at Temecula outdoor wineries with bands like Berlin, Robin Zander, Gin Blossoms, The Fixx, The Alarm. One can expect a fairly fast paced show. Everyone is encouraged to dance, as our songs tend to get people out on the dance floor having fun.
You will hear us play Peace Love and Understanding, I Walked with A Zombie, Dead Flowers, Behind the Wall of Sleep, Route 66, Back in the USSR, I Need to Know, Last Dance with Mary Jane.


9) What are the plans for 2018 as far as The Forty Nineteens are concerned? Are you guys planning to tour Europe soon? 
A) We are going to write new songs while we are hunkered down for the holidays.
The band plans to make an East Coast USA Swing, West Coast northern swing, and are looking for promoters to book us in Europe. If you know anyone, please forward them our info!!!!

10) Anything you would like to say to the viewers of this blog?
We want to thank you all for living and breathing music, supporting new music, new artists, listening to the radio, telling friends about new bands.
Thank you for your enthusiasm for music!! Artists can’t do a thing without you.
Keep Rocking!!

PURCHASE IT HERE : https://thefortynineteens.bandcamp.com/album/good-fortune

Friday, December 8, 2017

The Datsuns - Deep Sleep


The Datsuns - Deep Sleep
In WAV - Scans are included

1 Caught In The Silver
2 Bad Taste
3 Claw Machine
4 Shaky Mirrors
5 500 Eyes
6 That's What You Get
7 Creature Of The Week
8 Looking Glass Lies
9 Sun In My Eyes
10 Deep Sleep

The Datsuns’ self-titled 2002 debut was promising enough to suggest that a gradual fade into irrelevance was unlikely. The New Zealand quartet’s blues-rock licks caught the attention of Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones, who produced their 2004 album ‘Outta Sight/Outta Mind’. Still, fade they did. Twelve years on from their start though, the band remain committed to keeping wild ’70s riffing alive. Guitarist Phil Somervell makes most impact on ‘Deep Sleep’ – opener ‘Caught In The Silver’ is a squall of screeching solos, while ‘Claw Machine’ offers a glammy alternative to Royal Blood’s thunder. Indeed, bar the dreamier title track, there’s barely a moment’s peace on a record that forces new life into an aging band one breakneck solo at a time. (www.nme.com/reviews)

https://mega.nz/#!79sBiISC!oeLCtzuf2AeCNGp_mSeKYDpjqkM4O0afY9Z8vdM-fKs


Special Thanks to Joey R.A. Mone for this great contribution

Sunday, December 3, 2017

The Gentlemen's Agreements - Last Call For The Gentlemen


The Gentlemen's Agreements - Last Call For The Gentlemen
In WAV - Scans are included

1 Bam Bam
2 Coming Around
3 She's So Fine
4 Tarpit
5 Shakin' Around
6 Nouvelle Vague (Vocal)
7 You Got The Power
8 Nightmare
9 Grand Bi Chase
10 Ride On Baby
11 Du Hast Mich
12 Nouvelle Vague (Instrumental)
13 Catch A Plane

J'ai finalement fait l'acquisition de ceci et c'est encore une arnaque: un CDR vendu au prix fort par un label ayant pignon sur rue! Moi, cela me gonfle grave. La musique est bien mais le procédé est minable.......

https://www.mediafire.com/file/b031acnix6sa83e/The%20Gentlemen%27s%20Agreements%20-%20Last%20Call%20For%20The%20Gentlemen.rar