I have previously reviewed music by The Margaret Hooligans and couldn’t wait to hear more. A very quirky band, they are not for everyone, with their eccentric lyrics, but if you can see past the “fun” aspect of the band, they are actually really talented.
Let me remind you who The Margaret Hooligans are. The Margaret Hooligans are Meg Cratty (electric ukelele and lead vocals) and Mr Strontium (drums, backup vocals….and teapot!) and come from Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania. They are a couple who have “a child, a cat, three dogs, and four ducks. They record in their basement and try not to fight on Saturday nights.”
They cite their influences as The Who, New Orleans, James Brown, Miles Davis, Soul Train, The White Stripes, Grateful Dead (’68-’72), and Fiona Apple and have created a sound that really is unique to them.
With eclectic vocals, provided by both members of the band, ranging from clean singing to almost spoken word and even a kind of rapping has been thrown in for good measure, the track really does have a character all of its own.
The music side of things is raw, the riff-laden guitars heavy and distorted and the drumming almost punk-like in style, but this is the perfect accompaniment to the eccentricity of the vocals. with hints of psychedelia and stoner rock creeping in too, this really is a mish-mash of genres, but one that works!
Please check out The Margaret Hooligans and see for yourself what this band is all about!
The Pulltops are a Milwaukee based duo who play a mixture of indie rock, power rock and album rock. Consisting of drummer Mark Pierret and guitarist Tom Crowell, they were both eclectic record collectors and so really clicked when they joined their first band together. Despite having some musical differences with Mark leaning heavily towards old country and soul music and Tom preferring the experimental and underground scene, they found common ground with pop music and string hooks.
Stronger is the band’s latest single and was released on 26/05/2023.
With a strong pop/rock-based foundation, the song draws on other genres to create a really effective sound.
The main focal point of the song for me was the drumming, which was clear, powerful, and extremely compelling, almost as if the band have used this instrument to draw the listener in, while the rest of the music keeps them there.
The guitar work is awesome as are the electronic beats that have been used to create an almost 80’s feel to the song, and with all instruments combined there is a fantastic atmosphere about it that is upbeat and extremely catchy.
The vocals have a typical 80’s drawl to them that is reminiscent of a lot of indie bands from the time but also a lot of classic rock bands too, and accompaniment with layered back up vocals there is a great depth to the song.
I have listened to this song about five times in a row now and I could listen to it five times more! This is an excellent track with plenty for the listener to engage with.
I am very much looking forward to hearing more from this band and am excited for an album in the very near future!
The Dirty Mitts first came together in 2018 with a mutual love of loud, old-school rock ‘n’ roll and hail from the UK, Poland, and Egypt.
You Better Run (Villains Theme!) is their latest single and was released on 02/06/2023.
The track is a great upbeat song that will certainly get the listener moving in one way or another. With a foundation in hard rock, there are elements of other genres showing through too, and these range from glam rock to AOR.
The song is inspired by the action and epic nature of the first few Marvel films and imagines a world in which people with superpowers have never been seen before. It tells the story of a winged man descending to earth, who is then immediately set upon by the army as they don’t know whether his intentions are good or bad!
Although the song was originally written nearly a decade ago, new members of the band have greatly improved it to what we hear today.
The guitar work is heavy but also quite bluesy, and the drumming is energetic and frenetic. With some meaty basslines to back everything up and keep everything together, the musical side of this song is fantastic and there is some obvious talent within the band.
The vocals are gritty, strong, powerful, and downright dirty! There is a swagger in his voice that is full of attitude, and this really gives the track great character.
This is an awesome song and a band that I very much look forward to hearing more from in the near future!
Radio Vision is the brainchild of Benjamin Stephenson from Michigan in the US, and primarily a guitarist, he tends to dabble in a variety of instruments. He is the sole member of the band, the project forming after the sudden hiatus of his man band, The Shook.
Faux Business is his latest single and was released on 02/06/2023.
With influences from the likes of David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, Cream, Robert Johnson, The Yardbirds, Frank Zappa, Donovan, Pink Floyd, the song is a definite hybrid of a combination of genres. Rooted in psychedelia and blues, the song takes inspiration from stoner rock, classic rock, and art rock.
The song uses a multitude of instruments from electric guitar to laid-back drums and brass instruments to create a sound that really is quite unique.
The guitar work is bluesy, a slight distortion used to create an almost fuzzy feel to the track, and this is combined with jazz trumpets to give off a really quirky sound. The use of other percussion instruments really adds to the sound, and you would be forgiven for thinking this song originated in the 70’s.
Having previously reviewed music by Radio Vision, the vocals are once again very distinctive. With distortion playing a major part in the sound of the vocals, the psychedelic feel is really ramped up and this really does give the song character.
So, if you are of the stoner, psychedelic and blues persuasion then you are going to love this song. Check out Radio Vision and see for yourself!
Blomqvist and Mattjus is an acoustic classic rock duo from Jakobstad, in Finland and Right On Time is their latest album, released on 23/05/2023. With over thirty years of experience in the music business, the pair, HENRIC BLOMQVIST on guitar and vocals and JOHAN MATTJUS on bass, guitar, and lead vocals, specialise in bringing back the nostalgic music of the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and beyond.
With eleven tracks lasting a little under forty-one minutes, this album is an acoustic masterpiece with a great range of songs. With more upbeat tracks combined with slower ballads the album really does have something for everyone.
The guitar work on the album is fantastic and a fundamental part of the band’s sound. The acoustic guitars are combined with Spanish guitars creating a dual effect on some of the tracks and all solos are expertly executed, showing the talent that these two guys have.
The vocals on the album are awesome, and a great accompaniment to the music side of things. The singer’s voice is strong, with a hint of grit and also a slight twang of country that really is distinctive on a few of the songs. I don’t know if this was intentional or not, but it certainly adds a bit of character to the album.
The backup vocals are just as strong as the leads and the two really do compliment each other, creating a perfect harmony with one another. The two could quite easily swap roles and still sound just as awesome as they do now.
As previously mentioned, there is a great range of tracks on the album, ideally placed, never once allowing the listener to become disinterested or bored and the production of the album is excellent.
This is a great easy to listen to album and one that, I think, will appeal to classic rock and acoustic fans alike. So, if this is your thing, please go and check the guys out. I really don’t think you will be disappointed!
Craetor are a three-piece stoner rock band from Western Massachusetts and Surrender is their latest EP, released on 31/05/2023. I reviewed their previous EP Keystone Sessions Volume 1, and the main difference between the two is that this one features vocals, straight away showing how diverse they are.
With the same fuzziness that the previous EP had, this is not just a stoner band, as they have taken influence from a wide range of genres including doom, punk, psychedelia, and grunge.
With heavy distortion being used on the guitars, the riffs have a raw sound and feedback is used to add to the stoner effect. Once again, the solos are perfectly phenomenal and a great addition to the stomping, pounding riffs.
The drumming is punk-like, very raw, and brutal, and carried out with a lot of energy, as indicated by the ton load of crashing cymbals throughout.
Now the vocals on this EP are very distinctive. A mixture of singing, albeit quite distorted, and screams and growls, they give the EP a whole different feel than the previous one had. The singer has a strong, very diverse voice as he switches from one style to another seamlessly and with ease and is a great accompaniment to the music side of things.
Adding vocals to this EP, where they were missing on the previous, really shows what this band can do, and what they do, they do well. The EP is atmospheric, the awesome mix of genres really creating a great ambient feel.
So, if you are a fan of doom, psychedelia, stoner, punk, or grunge rock then check out Craetor. They are a great band and one that should get out to as many people as possible.
I have previously reviewed music by Snakedoctors and, always impressed, by them, I jumped at the chance to be able to review their new single, Why Don’t, released on 26/05/2023. First, let me remind you who Snakedoctors are.
Snakedoctors are four friends who started the band in Gdansk, Poland in May of 2020 and are a very prolific band, releasing twenty(!) singles (including a Christmas special and a song in Czech under name Jiri Blaha & Framuga Boys) and four albums, Obligation, Joy Free Bowl, Mellow Joy and Four And A Half. Band members include Wojciech Wypych (vocals, guitar, keyboards in some songs and also a little bit of drumming), Jaroslaw Szybowski (bass), Jacek Karnat (keyboard and vocals in a few songs) and Robert Porazka (drums).
With its foundations securely in the alternative rock genre, this track also extends its tentacles and takes influence from other genres too.
With heavy guitars, distortion is used to create a fuzziness that is almost grunge-like. The guitar work is a little more laid-back during the verses, but it is during the choruses that they really kick and come into their own. Along with energetic drumming that has lots of crashing cymbals and meaty basslines, the musicianship on the track is spot on, keeping the music tight yet free flowing.
The vocals are very gritty, an alternative rock sound with a grunge element thrown in to, and the singer’s voice really compliments the music. There is a slight quirkiness to his voice that really makes his vocals stand out and really giving the track personality.
This is another great track from this great band so if grunge and alternative rock are your thing and you want to be taken on a nostalgic trip back to the 90’s era, then this is the song for you! Check them out!
Who doesn’t know Engelbert Humperdinck? And if you don’t where have you been for the past god knows how long? Engelbert Humperdinck is a four-time Grammy-nominated and multi-platinum selling iconic singer who first rose to fame in the late sixties with his ballad, Release Me.
Now, in 2023 he is back to show off his romantic side with his new album, All About Love, a collection of his uniquely personal renditions of some of the greatest love songs of all time, and it was released on 02/05/2023, the singer’s 87th birthday!
The album was recorded at the famous Black Bird Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, and there is a distinctive country vibe about it. With some of the best musicians, including Grammy award winning and Country Music Hall Of Fame harmonica man, Charlie McCoy, the album combines country music with pop, soft rock and even soul to create a beautiful blend that gives us a small insight to his current live set.
The album kicks off with Engelbert’s version of Barry White’s 1974 hit, You’re The First, The Last, My Everything, changing it from a soul pop song into a country music hit and its accompanying music video has racked up 2.7 million views!
The rest of the album features covers of artists such as Harold Melvin And The Blue Notes, The Manhattens, The Three Degrees, The Flamingos, Carole King and many more, and each track is as personal to him as the previous.
Musically, this album has a little bit of everything, ranging from pop to pop rock to country to even a little bit of soul and jazz thrown in for good measure! The instruments are fairly laid back during the album, but they are played by some very talented musicians and the inclusion of brass and stringed instruments also gives the album quite an orchestral feel.
The vocals on this album are superb, the singer not having lost his voice one little bit. Once described as “one of the finest middle-of-the-road balladeers around” Engelbert’s voice is still as strong and powerful as it always was, and every song is performed with such emotion and passion that the listener really understands the feelings of the tracks. The main vocals as well as the back ups really add atmosphere to the album and there is a great depth to the songs, this being added to by singing in both Spanish and English for the last two duets.
With thirteen tracks lasting a little over 47 minutes, this is a very nostalgic album, taking the listener on a journey back in time, reminiscing of the past but giving the tracks his own personal, modern touch. Although with more slower paced tracks on the album (and let’s face it, love songs generally are of this tempo) there are also a few more upbeat songs that will get the listener dancing, an example being the cover of When Will I See You Again!
Being a lover of music means that we, as listeners, should appreciate all kinds of music and I can really get onboard with this album. It’s a great, easy to listen to album performed by an iconic singer, who seems to be still really enjoying what he is doing. Long may it continue!
Track Listing:
1) You’re The First, The Last, My Everything
2) If You Don’t Know Me By Now
3) How Can You Mend A Broken Heart
4) Kiss And Say Goodbye
5) Starting All Over Again
6) Walk Away
7) You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine
8) Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow
9) I Only Have Eyes For You
10) Take Me Back Again
11) When Will I See You Again
12) Bésame Mucho (with Lupita Infante)
13) A Man Without Love / Cuando Me Enamoro (with Angelica Maria)
Rich Chambers is a singer, songwriter and producer from Vancouver in Canada who developed a passion for the guitar at ten years old, followed closely by an even bigger passion for song writing at the age of fourteen. The start of 2023 saw the release of his song, I’m A Fool For Loving You, a single from his first full non-Christmas album, I Found The Volume, which was released on 05/05/2023, and the subject of our review today.
The album kicks off with I’m A Fool For Loving You, a guitar driven rock track that is the perfect opener, and this is followed by Rich’s fantastic cover of the Creedence Clearwater Revival track Fortunate Son. The song has further ten tracks, including a cover of the Beatles hit, I Saw Her Standing There, and the album lasts a little under 38 minutes in total.
With a mixture of full-on rock tracks, such as the two mentioned above, and rock ballads such as the track Tender Years, this album really does have something for everyone and the songs are well positioned on the album, creating lots of changes in pace and tempo, always keeping the listener engaged.
With a classic rock foundation, there are also hints of other genres present throughout the album that really creates a great sound. The album is, in general, very upbeat, generating a great rock n roll vibe to the tracks, and this will make the listener get up and dance around the living room. I was actually boogeying away sitting in my chair as I wrote this review.
There is also a slight tinge of country rock to some of the tracks. The unmistakable twang of a country guitar is there and, whether this is deliberate or not, it really adds to the overall energy and feel of the album.
Rich is obviously a very talented guitar player, classic rock riffs and intricate solos being used in conjunction with one another, and it is the guitar work, along with Rich’s strong vocals, which also have a hint of country rock to them, that really drives the album.
This is a fantastic album and one I hope will lead on to big things for Rich. I shall look forward to hearing much more from him in the future.
Oddysses are Chicago-based duo, Christian Treon and Paul DiRico and typically write, record, book, and promote their vision themselves. The band have forged their own organic growth in the underground music scene, leaving great impressions wherever they play, and Music Video is their latest single and was released on 01/05/2023.
A blend of punk, alternative rock and post-punk, Music Video is a fast-paced, upbeat song that is full of attitude. With heavy guitars, meaty basslines and frenetic drums accompanying the sullen vocals, this is a great track to bounce around to.
To accompany the single there is a video, available on YouTube, and seems to be a dig at the music industry. Although done in a whacky, comedic way, I am sure a lot of bands would agree with the content of the video. Although the song itself is just about 2 minutes long, the video lasts an extra couple of minutes and features Phil Janowiak as Larry the Label Guy and Dante Stefanini as Ed C. Kedzie (the director).
The video is chaotic, in a fun way, with lots going on so there is always something for the viewer to see and hear and this helps to portray the message of the video perfectly.
If fast punk rock is your thing then please go and check out Oddysses and their music. You won’t be disappointed.
Metal Planet Media 