UK Reviews (listed alphabetically)

FOGDONKEY
HOT TOWN FEVER EP
BIG SCARY MONSTERS
Ignore their name. Please, for the love of God, FORGET that name for instead of the cringeworthy pop-punk I was expecting Fogdonkey actually play some of the most feverishly catchy indie rock that will ever grace my stereo. Seriously. Mastered at Abbey Road studios no less, HOT TOWN FEVER is three wonderfully off-kilter songs denuding intermittent shards of melodies, passionately delivered through a scraping indie rock gouge of thrillingly soulful choruses that beg–no, FORCE–you to sing and shout along whether you like it or not. And with some healthy support from the God-like Radio 1 DJ John Peel in the bag, heck, you don’t need me to tell you you need this! website / website

ACONITE THRILL
504 HRS EP
MIGHTY ATOM
As the shining lights of the U.K. math-metal scene Aconite Thrill’s take on a style awash with plagiarists competing for technical superiority just seems so vital right now that in an ideal world they’d be giving lessons to all fledgling math-core bands in their own academy. Blessed with a vocalist less reliant on vein-bursting screams than his remarkable Brandon Boyd-esque croon they’re a band with actually SONGS rather than mere headache-inducing noise, his strong melodies fidgeting around their jagged syncopations before soaring over some nice Poison The Well-style choruses. While their abstract technicality can at times detract from a good melody line this is still a staggeringly accomplished EP that’ll have fans of good melodic technical stuff salivating with math-core joy. Their website is also one of the best-designed band websites you’ll ever see so check it out. website

DRIVE LIKE YOU STOLE IT
FREQUENCY
UNDERGROOVE
They may have been going barely a year but London youngsters Drive Like You Stole It are a band carving a very enticing niche for themselves in the world of melodic post-rock. While this debut seven-tracker does show some subtle nods to the likes of Foo Fighters and Cave-In the fact these songs are sung by a GIRL is just brilliant. As her voice glides across the reflective down-tempo start to “The Sound of Second Place” it’s a voice resonating with a beautiful PJ Harvey-like aura that plagues your senses with a melodic rock sheen, while later moments show she’s a girl unafraid to flex her muscles, such as in the aforementioned track’s mini-whirlwind of a chorus. This is a powerful and accessible mini-opus that, given their rapid ascension last year, should rightfully see them climb to the forefront of the U.K. rock scene. website

THE WILDHEARTS
COUPLED WITH
GUT
A B-sides album here from one of the leading exponents of blazing rock ‘n’ roll, which I’m sure will please fans like me who don’t actually own an extensive collection of Wildhearts singles, but those who’ve spent considerable amounts of money buying numerous copies and chasing up rare editions for their exclusive B-sides I can imagine are probably a little pissed off about it. But hey, I’m not one of them so I’m actually quite chuffed to see this released. As you’d expect from a B-sides album the songs don’t quite match the quality displayed on the likes of P.H.U.Q. but with a storming cover of the CHEERS theme tune and a video for “Stormy in the North Karma in the South” this is still a highly enjoyable collection of charged-up rock ‘n’ roll full of Ginger’s trademark hooks. website

QUERELLE / THE DUDLEY CORPORATION
SPLIT 7”
BIG SCARY MONSTERS
A couple of relatively laid-back numbers here on this split from two quality new additions to the U.K.’s roster of wistful indie-pop. Ok, so The Dudley Corporation are actually Irish and are, in contrast, enjoying some well-deserved media attention in their home country, as opposed to my insipid isle, but hey what does that matter? Breezing through with a kind of pensive, carefree number their contribution also has a slightly quirky feel thanks to a nice scratchy solo blurring in and out of tune towards the end. London-based Italian trio Querelle follow in a similar vein, their track shimmering with an iridescent post-rock charm so affecting that, like The Dudley Corporation, you kinda wish they’d never go away. Brilliant stuff. website

VARIOUS
SCRAP PUNK
SCRAP RECORDS
Sub-Cultural Radical Arts Productions, to give the label it’s full name, was formed in 1990 in New Haven, USA with the aim of strengthening the worldwide punk scene before resettling in Brighton, U.K. a few years ago via Berlin and various other places. It’s therefore not surprising to see this, their latest release attempting to showcase the true diversity of the underground punk scene both musically and geographically, with contributions from bands as far away as Chile, New Zealand, Norway and Scotland. But while the hard work put into this is admirable, the majority of the scrappy, badly-recorded tracks here is pretty terrible to listen to such as Landfill’s industrial-flavoured cyber-punk and Flanal’s truly appalling ode to ketamin. Despite there being no less than 22 tracks it’s only the melodic post-hardcore of K-Line and the pile driving thrash of Conflict, Disorder and Wall of Denial that are really worth salvaging here. website

NOT KATIES
REPEAT REPEAT EP
DECK CHEESE
When I caught these guys live about a year ago with Strung Out they seemed to have a real potential to prove themselves as a group ready to take over where the recently disbanded Movielife left off. How wrong I was. Lacking just about every ounce of the charisma and originality that The Movielife had, Not Katies epitomise everything that is wrong with melodic punk today, plying derivative emo-pop songs about, *yawn*, girls, relationships and teenage trauma with a completely soulless vocal style, no matter how passionately sung it tries to comes across. Still, they’re not quite as derivative as Fallout Boy’s shite-pop bollocks. Also includes a bonus video for previous single “2 Halves of 2”. website

3 DBS DOWN
BOTTOM OF THE LEARNING CURVE
SELF RELEASED
Ok, now THIS is what it’s all about. Despite still being unsigned 3 DBs Down’s infectious melodic punk grooves reel me effortlessly back in from the pit of apathy that Not Katies pushed me in, BOTTOM OF THE LEARNING CURVE spilling out dance-worthy anthems that are as intoxicating as you’ll hear from any of the major players. “Magnificent Mediocre”’s monstrously huge ska-soaked hooks are catchy enough to make Less Than Jake beam with pride while the edgy NOFX-style chord schemes of “Don’t Know Yet” are refreshingly pulled off with integrity still intact. Proving that amongst the fifth rate plagiarists there are still some worthy newcomers to be found 3 DBs Down could very well be your new favourite band. website

MY WAR
WOUNDS
MANIAC BEAST
Definitely in tune with Entombed’s super-charged death ‘n’ roll My War collide the ragged booze-drenched stoner-blues rhythms of Charger with the harsh, rippling sludge of hometown heroes Iron Monkey to create five slabs of pure venomous aggression that’s nothing short of immense. But then, with members of The Varukers, Chaos U.K. and Hard To Swallow in the ranks you don’t expect anything less. “100 Fighting Dogs”’ harrowing guitar chugs appear to be heralding Armageddon itself while vocalist 8CH’s grating vocals sound like the snarled slobberings of a pit-bull being dragged backwards through a grit-storm. An incredible debut that takes heavy music to deeper, darker levels of brutality. website

HUMANFLY
A GOD AMONG BEASTS
CALCULATED RISK
Humanfly is the garage-thrash offspring of ex-Canvas six-stringers Andy and John Sutcliffe and drummer Dave Jones of UKHC ghosts JR. It’s a thankfully more accessible hybrid of sounds compared to Canvas’ incoherent din, but no less ferocious. From the off the band propels itself with flurries of trashy, dissonant, yet inherently melodic riffwork, while vocalist Mat’s flailing screams sound like a delirious Scandinavian at odds with his sanity and the outside world-just check out the despairing sobs of “I am a slave” in “Cum to My Techno Party”. They also appear to be joining in the trend of including rather elaborate song titles that bare no apparent relation to the lyrics, “Worm Food Disguised as Porn For Ears” and “Carnival of Trouser Snakes” being among the best. This album is thoroughly recommended for those who like a bit of variety with their thrash. website

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