It’s Bandcamp Friday, so today an average of 93% of your money reaches the artist/label (after payment processor fees) when you buy music from the site. Here are a few for your listening pleasure.
TABLE SCRAPS
It’s about time! Table Scraps have long been the bruised apple of our eye with their amalgam of garage punk and doomy heavy metal. But it’s been over three years since their last full-length, mind you, half of that has been spent in various states of lockdown. Now the Scraps are back with ‘Coffin Face‘ and so far the two tracks that have been released, ‘Doom Generation‘ and ‘Threads‘ are merely a teaser for what’s to come in September. We are counting down the days.
RMBLR
RMBLR is an atomic bomb. With two EPs and a handful of singles released, the band has anyone with a pulse salivating about a long-player. The latest Ep ‘MF/EP‘ unleashes five tracks (six on the vinyl edition) of authentic snotty punk rock played by what sounds like a rowdy bar band. Featuring the almost legendary Chase Tail and members of Dinos Boys, the Heart Attacks, Biters, Ravagers, and The Barreracudas; these guys are lifers and totally get what makes a great song! All it takes is one listen to ‘Main Muscle‘ for proof….Muscleooooooooooo….
CRIME LINE
By way of introduction this year, Crime Line pretty much just kicked down the door. And while the band may be new, the members have all been around the Norfolk, Virginia scene for a while in outfits like Norfolk Nightmares, Great Dismal Swamis, Constrictor, and the Lousy Savages. In 2021 they’ve released two EPs of guitar-heavy rock and roll providing an exercise in both snarl and swagger; the snarl of Ray Braza’s vocals and the swagger of the dual guitars of Steve March and Charles Glover. Stooges, Dead Boys, MC5. Yep. Just turn this up.
JOHNNY MAFIA
If you want your punk served up hot and tight with gigantic hooks, lively swagger, and just the right amount of noise, Johnny Mafia has got you covered. If you’re familiar with the French rockers, on their latest ‘Sentimental‘, they are leaning away from the straightforward garage rock of their earlier material and are swinging for the fences. The album is filled with massive radio-friendly arena rock anthems still very much rooted in garage rock but tipping into Pixies territory. From Howlin’ Banana.
RORT MENACE
Rort Menace a trio out of Newcastle, Australia was formed in 2012 but with only one album under their belt, 2017’s ‘Reid’s Mistake‘ it’s been a while. The new EP ‘Turea‘ is a tantalizing follow-up comprised of four tracks of rage-filled hardcore with lyrics dealing with the injustices, past and present, faced by indigenous people in Australia. This is hardcore with an 80s bent – superb metal riffing, a breakneck rhythm section, and the furious dual voices of Madeleine Mitchell and Will Mitchell.
THE JAMES CLARK INSTITUTE
Toronto’s James Clark uses all the key ingredients of classic power pop with an emphasis on the pop; sweet melodies, memorable hooks, and velvet harmonies. On his latest LP, the perfectly titled ‘The Colour of Happy’ Clark slides effortlessly into line behind the likes of Elvis Costello and Marshall Crenshaw. The album was produced by Moe Berg of The Pursuit of Happiness. Smiles all around!
