Cartoon Darkness. Amyl and the Sniffers

I can't help but liking this album such a lot. Cartoon Darkness is simply too much fun. There's so much positive energy in, so many great melodies and shiny guitar solos on the album and then there's Amy Taylor. From the minute 'Jerking' starts I'm moving in my seat, if not dancing around the living room. Amyl and the Sniffers have come up with a dream of a punk rock album.

You can try to convince me that Amy's voice is horrible and sounds like a wining child or that the songs are too simple or whatever you have against this band and I will deny all allegations and denounce them till my last breath. Amyl and the Sniffers simply do not deserve this kind of criticism. It is the kind I run into here and there.

The Australian band came into my life with its previous, second album, 'Comfort To Me' in 2021.  I wrote at the time: "this album is one surge of energy that rages over me, with me enjoying every inch of the way". In part I can write this again. Most songs on Cartoon Darkness are raging punk songs. The other, smaller part is more introspective and shows that Amyl and the Sniffers have a different side to itself. The mix of songs work and show that the two sides fit the band.

The band rages hardest in 'It's Mine'. The studio ceiling must have been blown off during the recording of the song. Amy is spitting out her lyrics like a true punk singer has to. The band lays down such a dark mood and groove that clouds will gather on a sunny day out of nowhere. The rage remains but a positive melody is introduced in the next song 'Motorbike Song'. Here the Iggy & the Stooges influences, think 'Raw Power', shine through. The Sniffers show how good they can rock. Guitarist Declan Martens shows his chops playing great rhythm and escaping as soon as he can to show off his lead solos.

Looking at Wikipedia I see how many awards Amyl and the Sniffers has won in Australia for best band, best album, best live band. It says something about Australia, as a band like this would not even get nominated here, let alone win. It says even more about the band. To all appearances a lot of prizes can be collected after the release of Cartoon Darkness, as the album is better than 'Comfort To Me'. The band dares to go deeper and wider in a successful way. It is a punk(rock) force and shows to be capable of writing Blondie like punk ballads, if such a thing exists. Just listen to a song like 'Bailing On Me'. This song is spot on. (Blondie scored its first hit in Australia by the way in the spring (there) of 1977 with 'In The Flesh'.) Both are the kind of song that provides bands with a bigger audience.

To become huge several Amyl and the Sniffers songs are to uncompromising. Where I'm concerned the band excels in both. With the 90s punk bands out of existence or ageing, the title for best punk band is vacant pretty soon. I have identified the contender for the title best punk band in the world.

The band is in great form on Cartoon Darkness. And Amy?  Just listen how versatile her voice is and how much energy goes into the songs and then tell me again about those criticism. Cartoon Darkness is one of the best albums of 2024 to date. And there are quite a few very good ones, believe me.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

You can listen to and order Cartoon Darkness here:

https://amylandthesniffers.bandcamp.com/album/cartoon-darkness

Week 45, 10 singles

Week 45? There's not that many to go in 2022. Years fly by. It's not as if nothing happens, it's just that 45 weeks are nearly gone already, almost another year older, perhaps wiser as well. This week in part we are rocking hard in this singles' section. Including a punk rocking Christmas single, believe it or not. Better start reading and don't forget to listen along the way.

Amazon. Rob Munk

Rob Munk, a new name to me, sounds as a 20 something at first, until I read about him playing in commercials with Bill Cosby. (I doubt there are any recent ones with him.) He's far from a 20 something but sounds like one with the enthusiasm to boot. Amazon is a song about climate change and wanting to make things better but as much about being a fading shooting star as well. Despite the sombre lyrics, the single has an upbeat 90s vibe. I'm reminded of one of the most obscure albums I own, 'Whirligig' by The Caulfields from 1993(?). It has that same jumpy rhythm, slightly alternative, some punk and some indie. Amazon may not be an earth-shattering experience, it wants to save it after all, but certainly is nice and that is enough.

Junebugs In April. The Morning Line

And another song about climate change and yes, that is a coincidence. The Morning Line is a band from Boston and releases its first record on Red on Red Records, another independent label releasing many a fine single and album over the past few years. Stephen Smith has been active in bands since the 90s and shared stages with the biggest acts of the decade, including Nirvana. With The Morning Line he has moved way beyond grunge and alternative rock from Boston around 1992. Junebugs In April is of the bittersweet kind. The kind that instantly pleases and makes me want to hear more of the band. In between loud and soft, the music is mixed right, it allows some synths in to float in between the tougher instruments. Label manager Justine Couvault writes: "I’ve had single “Junebugs in April” on repeat play in my house for weeks. I love it more every time I hear it, which to me underscores the beauty of the song". I could not put it any better.

I'm On Fire. Karen Jonas

A while ago Karen Jonas covered a song by Counting Crows, in 2022 it's Bruce Springsteen's turn to get the Jonas treatment. I'm On Fire was The Boss' second, and last, number 1 hit in my country and I never liked it. Too synthesized but then I was biased, never having been a Springsteen fan. So, it becomes tricky, as I am a fan of Karen Jonas for over a decade now. I'm On Fire remains I'm On Fire of course but gets a treatment that only a woman can give the song. Karen Jonas puts a longing into the song turning it into something I can believe in. Guitarist Tim Bray plays as if he just had a lesson from James Burton. In short I'm On Fire is set on fire. I may even start to like it, in this version that is. A great voice, and Karen Jonas has one, makes a whole lot of difference.

Underachiever / Womanchild. The Jacklights

A double-sided digital single? Mmm, how does this play out? I don't care, as The Jacklights returns to the blog with some nice punkrockin' songs. The guitar, drums and bass rage like Green Day in its hey-day in Underachiever, where Womanchild pushes in the pedal some more. Rocking at breakneck speed Womanchild is. Nilagia McCoy spits out her lyrics here over the heavily distorted double tracked guitar. The result is excitement, as this is exactly what The Jacklights offer on its new single. There are days that nothing else is called for.

 

Just (Good) Enough. Pom

Pom returns as well. The band's new single holds a mix of alternative rock riffs with huge rock chords. It makes the new single a great mix of two worlds. The vocal melody tends more to the alternative rock with a hint towards the Belpop of the 1990s. All together Amsterdam band Pom created a great sound that is bursting out of its digital chains. Despite the great use of dynamics in Just (Good) Enough the thought of a huge rock song is what I wind up with when it's all over. The lyrics deal with having the idea to never be good enough or being able to live up to expectations, whether real or perceived. Singer Liza van As captures these feelings perfectly with her voice. Desperation, exasperation, it's all there up to the point of wanting to be somebody else. Pom is releasing singles and an EP for some time now. The band is ready for an album.

3000 Years In Showbusiness. Nothingheads

One more alternative rocker but more as if John Lydon from PiL has become active again as his 25 year old self. Nothingheads is a London based band. It formed in 2020 and is ready to release an EP in 2023. This is the first single on route to the release. 3000 Years In Showbusiness is as dirty as the outer edges of showbusiness are, far from the glitter and glammer crowd. Rob Fairey has that weird vocal sound Lydon/Rotten had in the 1970s. In such a convincing way that I would have bought it had Nothingheads been announced as his new band. The voice would be nothing had not the song itself been convincing and that 3000 Years In Showbusiness is. Dirty, muddy, sleazy but full of energy, great hooks and licks, with a forever forward propelling drums, driving the song on and on and on. There's not a second of contemplation here, it's all action right up to the exploding end.

Gotta Get Back To My Baby. Beck Black

Beck Black is a new name to me. Right in the first seconds of Gotta Get Back To My Baby Again my ears pricked themselves up. This is one voice Ms. Black is sharing with the world. It is tough, has an edge to it, giving the impression she's not one to approach without gloves on. At the same time this single is a rock ballad with strings and all. Gotta Get Back To My Baby Again is one of the singles of her EP 'Electric Cowgirl'. Beck Black is also the name of a Hollywood based band. In the video it's just the singer we see. The song itself is beautifully layered. Musically it has a few layers and is exquisitely arranged. The same goes for the vocal performance. We can hear Beck Black singing several vocal melodies over the same chords. In other words, work has been put into her single and it pays out. Gotta Get Back To My Baby is a great single.

X-Mas Business. Gary Kaluza & The Figgy Puddings

It's that time of the year again. X-mas Business is a song about Tinder, among other things. That must be a novelty. It's all about mrs. Claus looking for X-mas Business, if you get my drift. Gary Kaluza and band incorporate Jingle Bells' main riff into its Christmas song. All tongue in cheek of course. Gary Kaluza plays a nice punk rock song and sings with a nice rasp in his voice. Don't search for any depth here or strong messages. Just go with the rocking flow and let yourself be entertained, just like the song is intended to do. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink, know what I mean, know what I mean", with thanks to Eric Idle.

Dystopian Mirror. The Bellwether Syndicate

Sorry, folks, but we have some more musical onslaught for you. The Bellwether Syndicate debutes on this blog with a raging single called Dystopian Mirror. The band around William Faith and Sarah Rose Faith plays and sings like it is the 1980s. The voice sounds like the devil is on its tail. Here it sings not about the end of the world, but the fear in one's own mind. The individual angle makes the song a 21st century one of course. Musically the song also has elements from later metal music. In the credits it is not mentioned who plays the bass. This song is worthwhile checking out solely for the bass part. A "walking" bass plays itself out in the solo to wind up in a dual with the lead guitar. A great plus to Dystopian Mirror. The song as a whole convinces more than enough though. This is rock and roll incarnated. Standing still is not an option.

Just Like Me. Amber Arcades

Somewhere before the whole pandemic when Amber Arcades played Amsterdam's Tolhuistuin, singer-guitarist Annelotte de Graaf told me that her next album could well be a dance album, as she had many dance tracks ready. With the pandemic sort of over in its third winter, the first new track of her upcoming album has been released. I will not go as far and call Just Like Me a dance track. At the start of the song, that was my impression though. Elements of dance, the pulsing synths, the rhythm all point in a direction that the big beats of Armin van Buren or David Guetta's fog horn could be just around the corner. The song's rhythm takes a dive though towards serious introspection, twice, before the finale brings two worlds together. The alternative, dreamy pop rock of Amber Arcade in the 2010s and the dancelike rhythms blend into a beautiful song, where De Graaf harmonises with herself as if she takes on The Supremes all by herself. Despite starting out somewhat hesitatingly, Just Like Me turns out to be not only an intriguing song but also a very nice one that was extremely well made. I have only one complaint. The album, 'Barefoot On A Diamond Road' is not released until 25 February.

Wout de Natris

Die Nerven. Die Nerven

Die Nerven are not newcomers to this blog. You can find at least one album and one live show here. With its self-titled album the Stuttgart based band does go next level. Single 'Europa' already signified as much and at least seven of the ten new songs on 'Die Nerven' match that thought and expectation.

It is four years since 'Fake' was released. You could have found band members in others bands and projects over the past few years. So, it was time for the mothership to emerge. Kevin Kuhn (drums), Julian Knoth (bass, vocals) and Max Rieger (guitar, vocals) got back together and very likely have made their best album to date. The power, the inventiveness, the melodic prowess all go way beyond what they've create together before.

Looking at the record's artwork the association with a "black album" is easily made. The band refers to it in the accompanying bio for obvious reasons. Such information is all nice, it is about the music and this went down well with me before I truly noticed the artwork, which, yes, is strong and instantly noticeable.

The music is there, staring you straight in the face, something the dog is avoiding. The beast within Die Nerven is released alright, as the band cooks up multiple storms, all equally impressive and fearsome. All alternative rock in some form or other, with a band close to the boiling point all the time and boiling over regularly.

Let me start at the end, with '180 Grad'. It's almost a rock ballad, one with light sounding guitars and no load of soft (synthesised) strings. Slowly the song builds up towards "der Anfang vom Ende", the end of the beginning. The synths and strings do enter but not to produce a sugarcoated ballad but for estranging the listener from the beginning of the song. It ends with just a piano, just like the latest The Black Angels album, that plays some Beethoven. '180 Grad' reminds me of BAP's 'Kristallnach' and that's a huge compliment in my book.

'Die Nerven' has come full circle at the end of the album. Single 'Europa' opens 'Die Nerven' with an acoustic guitar, also a ballad, soft and modest. Enter some feedback and here we go. The calm before the storm only brought us to the top of a rollercoaster. Going down. Drums pounding, guitars shredding and bass supporting. 'Europa' sets the stage for things to come. 'Europa' is an epic song deserving a lot of attention. Without getting to the level of bombast Guns 'N' Roses produced, this is a song of 'November Rain' proportions, but so much more direct. 'Europa' has several different moods, I'm swinging the whole song long, and they all convince.

It is a starting point past more alternative rock songs or more punkrock songs and everything in between. 'Die Nerven' is an album that allows itself to be explored by the song and Die Nerven deliver in each song. There are so many highlights to discover! In 'Keine Bewegung' the melody prevails, in 'Alles Reguliert Sich Selbst' the anger and power, in 'Ein Influencer Weint Sich In Schlaf' the song itself. 'Die Nerven' is very well balanced.

With 'Die Nerven' Die Nerven truly surprised me. Sure, I liked the band but it was not special in my ears. This changed with its new album. Rock from Germany exists and 'Die Nerven' is another proof of point.

Wout de Natris

You can order 'Die Nerven' here:

https://mailorder.glitterhouse.com/album/5/rock--metal/5210925/die-nerven.html