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Mad Rooter. Party Dozen
After well over a year Sydney duo Party Dozen returns to the blog with a loud garage rocker. A dirty rocker at that. For a drummer and saxophonist again a lot of other noises come out of the duo. It only adds to the fun of Mad Rooter, including the humerous video. The distorted guitar plays in tight connection with the drums, together laying down a very infectious groove over which Kirsty Tickle can sing, with a very much distorted voice, and play the saxophone parts in the instrumental interludes. All together it rocks as if the tribal sounds of ancient Australia have joined the band in the studio. Mad Rooter was released as a stand alone 7" single with the song 'Ghost Rider'.
Waiting For The Phone Call starts as if The Twilight Sad strives to emulate an electric folk version of fellow Scots Simple Minds. Patience is rewarded though when the band explodes into the rest of the song. Yes, Simple Minds do again cross my mind here, but has that band ever been this loud? I doubt it. Okay, I'll allow 'Up On The Catwalk', But enough of that, with its new single The Twilight Sad returns after a hiatus of seven years. And with a bang. Waiting For The Phone Call is a song that boils over from the urgency it is sending into the world. The sound is so huge that it is almost more than I can bare, if I'd allow myself to be distracted. Give it half a chance and this song draws you into it, to eat you alive. The lyrics are a bit morbid, "come and watch me die". No, thank you, I'll opt to listen. Fun fact, you can hear Robert Smith on guitar, while the band will tour with The Cure next spring.
Do coincidences exist? It was just over seven years ago that Bawrence of Aralia found itself on this blog for the first and last time. At the end of 2025 there is a sign of life. On Edge is a track that can be placed in the indie rock section, with hints of Dutch band I Am Oak, with a little more alternative rock c.q. postpunky elements infused into the sound. The band name suggests that it's more in fun and perhaps should not be taken too seriously. That would be a mistake. Listen to the solo/outro and you will find that the band put a lot of effort into the arrangement of On Edge. Where in the intro around the same motive it sounds somewhat naive, in the outro the band shows its mature and secure side. It makes for very interesting listening, On Edge does. Album 'Nine Pieces of Insecurity Pie' was released last week.
With Robert Ellis Orrall's new single he brings us again to music that was released somewhere before 1980, by U.S. bands and artists like Christopher Cross, the Michael McDonald era The Doobie Brothers and yes, even Steely Dan. But what he adds, is a bit of dirty rock that makes Where The Gone People Go very much alive. Look at the video and you can see that all four men were around at the time of these examples and have the experience to play with their own take on it all. Let me tell you that it happens in a very convincing way. Where The Gone People Go is a great track with the quality to get into your head like only true earworms can. Besides, I notice that the band has a near perfect mix between the slickness of the examples I provided for you for reference and that tougher edge in its own sound. Yes, I like it alright. Should you want to hear more, there's an album out called 'Wrong Thing'.
Over two and a half years ago I wrote a review about the band Peuk's debut album, 'Escape Somehow'. The first two paragraph's were not about Peuk but Nirvana. The link between the two bands must have been quite adamant, I suppose. Why start about it now? Well, because behind behind Head on Stone is Peuk's singer and guitarist, Nele Janssen. The difference between the two acts could not be bigger. In Tower Janssen sounds like an Agnes Obel, who is in training to fill her spot. In training, because her piano playing does sound a bit hesitant in some places, as if she is still finding her way around the black and white keys. Don't get me wrong, because what she presents, is a beautiful song that resonates quite well. Nele Janssen also shows that her voice works quite well in this quiet, almost modern classical setting. Without opening her throat for the whole of the way, she sings with a soft, modest voice and gets her message across. Totally surprising and unsuspected Tower is. 'Stony Beds' the name of the upcoming album is.
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The contrast with Tower, right above here, cannot be much bigger. White Thread is punk as punk comes and has a little of Hole/Courtney Love. The single reminds me of Hole's best song, 'Celebrity Skin'. In singer Cox Dieben We Are Joiners has a voice that can compete with Love's voice in the 1990s. (I wouldn't know about today.) The band is from Zeelst and Eindhoven and has the quality to combine dirty sleaze punkrock with a great melody. Reading the story, this is all about a punk loving dad, Joep van Son, who found fellow travellers at the school yard of his kids and some help way beyond that school yard, like the drummer, who is a Guided by Voices producer and others from across the pond. If this is the length where dreaming can take you, I wouldn't stop just yet. White Thread is a fantastic song.
Another band from my motherland makes it debut on this blog. Jack Harlon & The Dead Crows sound as dark as the band name promises. The singer sings from beyond the grave, with a little distortion on his voice for emphasis. The Dead Crows play dark riffs and deep chords to make sure we get the message. The song may be loud, as it creates a wall of sound with guitars and voices, behind which the drummer lays a solid foundation, mixed straight in the middle. Dave Is Done, despite what I've written in the above, is a song. One to enjoy at that. From the riff that goes on and on, the song blows up into great proportions setting the room on fire. Rock on!
2023? Check. 2024? check. 2025? check again. Boston band Other Brother Darryl is on the blog with a third single. Watch The Trees is another country rock that just brings warm feelings of nostalgia for music from decades ago and happiness that this kind of music is still created today, at a level that easily competes with what came before. The seven piece band have a warm range of instruments and voices. The harmony vocals are so good and effective on Watch The Trees that it makes the song a joy to listen to. and now I find that there has been an album released, 'Roll Shine Roll', which I seemed to have missed. Based on the three singles I know this should be a must listen. Watch The Trees is a song Other Brother Daryl can be so proud of.
More from Boston. Slowly but surely I'm starting to realise that every Bostonian plays in at least three bands. Casket Rats makes its debut on this blog and plays the sleazy kind of rock that Aerosmith made its name with. Double lead guitars, backed by a rhythm one, a bass player that has more fingers than the average ones do, judging by what he manages to play and a very sound drummer backing everything up. Add some solos flying around and a singer with a rough edge to his voice and you get the drift of what is on offer on Blood In The Water. "Today is a good day to die". What's up this week? I hope you don't mind me sticking around for just a while longer. There are too many singles still to listen to. Starting with ...
... a great powerpop track from duo Anthony Kaczynski and Garret Vandermolen. Now is a song by The Plimsouls from 1981 and revived for our pleasure in 2025. The song has this great solo guitar which most definitely sounds like a 12 string electric guitar, just like Roger McGuinn's a long time ago. It really powers this version of Now. Musically Now brings back memories of The Cars, The Romantics and The Outfield. Now has that power and that pop feel. The kind of music that simply brings a smile to my face and keeps it there for the whole of the three minutes and five seconds the song last. If Ski Van keeps coming up with gems like this, I'll be a fan before you know it.
Wout de Natris - van der Borght
