New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Hej America! My friends at Bongo Boy Records have asked me to listen to and share my thoughts about an album that is very special to me personally. The name of the album is Revolution Volume One. Punk Rock is one of my favorite genres. When I was a kid, I remember the Pistols arriving in Detroit. They made the nightly news because of their behavior. People my parents' age were horrified, which was totally expected. The
Rolling Stones had the same effect on people my parents' age. My parents were the World War II generation and frankly the Stones scared people their age. What I noticed and what really surprised me was that people 10 to 15 years older than I were just as outraged by the Pistols as the World War II generation had been by the Stones. This, from my perspective, was fantastic. These guys scared my parents and the hippies. How cool was that? The next thing I knew, I was at a party and someone put on London
Calling by the
Clash - that really got my attention. I have been a fan ever since. Thus, it is with a great sense of anticipation that I cue up the tracks for this album.
Revolution Volume One - The Punk Compilation Series by Bongo Boy Records
01. Nick Le Juge - Non, Je Ne Regrette Rein 2:54
02. Wood Shampoo - Things Ain't Supposed To Be This Way 3:01
03. The Bumpus Hounds - Release The Hounds 2:07
04. The Accelerators - I'm Stuck Inside An Episode Of The Twilight Zone 1:51
05. The Satisfactors - Johnny Commando 2:34
06. Nick Marr - No Love Without The Glove 4:48
07. Pixie Tourette - WhensDay 1:34
08 The Swinging Iggies -
Lady Gaga 3:09
09. Scanner - Living Life To The Emptiest 1:48
10. DJ
Buddy Holly - Shred Habits 2:01
11. 267 - I Love Girls 3:03
12. Voice Of Addiction - Rustbelt 3:00
13. Subtitles - Abort 2:22
Official Web Site:
https://bongoboyrecords.com/revolutionvol1/
Download: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/punkrevolutionvol1
Physical Album(CD): https://goo.gl/HaqQ9S
1. Nick Le Juge - Non, Je Ne Regrette Rein 2:54 - Firstly, even before listening to this track I wanted to check out Nick's website. Attention anyone who thinks all Punks are brain dead slugs. The man has not only graduated from the Los Angeles
Music Academy with a degree in Bass, but he graduated from law school in his native Switzerland and served as a judge. Wait, it gets cooler than that, it turns out according to Nick's website that the name/word Nick means F*** in French slang. This former judge's stage name is F*** the judge! Way to stick it to the Man, Nick! When I listen to the track, I dig the bass intro and the guitar is total Ramones. (Their
Boogie Man album, or whatever the official title of the album with the Shadow Man on the cover is, is one of my all time favorite albums.) The guitar rocks and Nick's drummer has some speed - very tight groove. The music is fantastic! Upon listening again and going through my record collection I see this is a cover of a Satisfactors song. Nick, I want to hang with you, we absolutely have the same taste in music.
2. Wood Shampoo - Things Ain't Supposed to Be This Way 3:01- If you are not familiar with Wood Shampoo, you really should be. These guys are out of the New Jersey/New York scene and they rock! If you have time I highly suggest you check out their video online called "I Want to be a Dead Rock Star." So, since I have really liked everything I have heard from this band, I have high expectations before cuing up their song. Rest assured folks, you will not be disappointed with this track. I have to tip my hat to their drummer - well done. The drums are intense, fast and spot on. The guitar is just headbanging cool. The bass picks up the rest of the bottom while the drummer throws in some flash and the guitar opens up with some massive Punk licks! It does not get any better than this. I feel compelled to say, English is my best language, having grown up in the United States, but I cannot understand the lyrics to this song. I do hear the chorus and can pick out the title, but as for the rest, Wood Shampoo might as well be singing in French. At the end of the day, I don't even care that I cannot make out the lyrics, I have just experienced the massive musical thunderstorm that is Wood Shampoo and I loved it!
3. The Bumpus Hounds - Release the Hounds 2:07 - The Bumpus Hounds are out of
Chicago and according to their Facebook page the guys knew a drummer who was still alive, so they started a band. Well, that is as good of a reason as any I suppose. You would hate to let a living drummer go to waste. I dig the heavy ominous sound that begins the track. The guitar is classic Punk and is that a Rat Scabies influence I hear coming from the drummer? Overall, I am reminded of both the Damned and Ramones. There might be a little Fear influence here as well, although the track is not as gritty as a lot of Fear's stuff. What do you know? I can understand the lyrics. That makes me feel better as I was starting to wonder if the problem was with my ears. Overall, this is good quality Punk Rock. I would love to see the Hounds' live show.
4. The Accelerators - I'm Stuck Inside an Episode of The Twilight Zone 1:51 - The Accelerators are an old-school Punk band out of New Jersey. Their major influence is the Ramones (Is anyone else seeing a pattern here?) and I have to say well done, not only have they come up with a really cool song title, but like the Ramones they managed to keep the entire track less than two minutes long. After listening to this track, I have to say, the Ramones have returned under a new name and with new material. This track is brilliant. The beat is fast, the music is basic and loud, the band is TIGHT, but what I am really impressed with is just how melodic the music is. The vocals are some of the best I have heard. Well done! This is a band I must see live!
5. The Satisfactors - Johnny Commando 2:34 - The Satisfactors are an amalgamation of some of Punk's heaviest hitters. We have Gar Francis, who is simply one of the best musicians I have ever heard - period. Bruce Ferguson who comes from a band I really like called the Easy Outs, Curtis Roy of the Grip Weeds and Kenny Aaronson who played with the New York Dolls (very cool indeed),
Billy Idol (I loved Generation X.),
Joan Jett (I still listen to old Runaways' tunes.) and the man, Bob Dylan. I am impressed. On a side note, anyone who doesn't think of Dylan as a Punk check out the video of when he went electric at Newport.
Bob Dylan was busting heads and oh how the Folkies did howl. This song, Johnny Commando, is an homage to the one and only John Cummings who was better know by his stage name Johnny Ramone. WICKED solo Gar! This is hands down, one of the best songs on the album. I am sure Johnny is looking down and thinking Gabba Gabba Hey.
6. Nick Marr - No Love Without the Glove 4:48 - Track 6 is from Nick Marr and is absolutely a contender for the funniest song title on the album. Nick, I dig it!! The massive ripping guitar at the beginning rocks. The vocals just ooze charisma and self-confidence. One of the things I really like about this song is that the band is tight - enough. Punk Rock is music for the masses. Most people with a modicum of musical ability can play Punk Rock - it is the great equalizer. All you need is a bit of ability and the nerve to get up and do your thing. If there is one thing Nick Marr has it is ATTITUDE, and I for one love it (plus he can make that guitar scream!) I am reminded of Richard Hell or Sticky
Little Fingers, two bands that I really enjoy.
7. Pixie Tourette - WhensDay 1:34 - This track is very special to me. It was written by my late niece Jennifer "Pixie Tourette" Nalley. Our family, and my sister in particular has been helped by the Teton Valley Family Safety Network whose mission is to provide assistance to victims of gender-based violence. Bongo Boy was very kind to suggest that one of Jennifer's songs be included on this album. We, as a family would like to thank both Bongo Boy Records and the Teton Valley Family Safety Network. Any royalties from Jennifer's song on this album will be donated to the Teton Valley Family Safety Network (https://www.familysafetynetwork.info/) I sincerely hope you enjoy Jennifer's music which is classic Punk Rock. She was hugely influenced by The
Clash and The Pixies, as well as Jawbreaker. Even if Punk is not your thing, please consider buying this album. One final thought, PLEASE, if you are in an abusive relationship escape! Get away! Jennifer told no one in our family that her ex-boyfriend was abusive. She was going to file for a restraining order the first work day after July 4th, 2016. Evidently, she thought she could handle the situation on her own. Now she is gone.
8. The Swinging Iggies -
Lady Gaga 3:09 - The Swinging Iggies is another Gar Francis creation. They call this Garage Rock, but to me there is not much difference between 267 - I Love Girls 3:03Garage Rock and Punk Rock. This song is one of my favorite songs on the album and you may have already heard it if you tune into the Bongo Boy Rock and Roll Television show. The thing about this song is that it really gets inside the listeners head. Without even realizing it I began humming the tune and singing the chorus as I drove my kids someplace the other day. My kids immediately wanted to know why I wanted to be like Lady Gaga.
9. Scanner - Living Life to The Emptiest 1:48 - Hats off for a good old-fashioned nihilistic Punk song title. Man, I like these guys! Their music is polished, and the guitar is wicked. I really like the lyrics which seem to be mocking the sheeple attitude of so many people when they talk about "Buy Buy Buy" Spend some money on a tattoo. Scanner has a decidedly Dead Kennedys vibe, and I dig it! Jello would nod in approval guys (as if you really care). Overall, this is a great song that makes me smile and I want to hear more from this band.
10. DJ
Buddy Holly - Shred Habits 2:01 - Well, this is different! I can honestly say I have never heard a Punk DJ before. I am a bit confused though. His website says that he is a DJ, but what I hear sounds a lot like a full band. Is this really one guy making all of that noise with technology? I must say I am impressed and A+ for creativity. You need to listen to this song. It really is an excellent effort. This is a blistering song that I will listen to many more times.
11. 267 - I Love Girls 3:03 - 267 is another band from the French-speaking world. I like their name but am sure I do not get the significance of the number 267. When I looked at their Facebook page I see their hometown is Plusieurs villes en Gironde. Okay, I am not exactly up on the geography of French speaking countries, so I really don't know if they are from France, Switzerland, Belgium, or Quebec. In any case, I see that 267 and I dig the same kind of music. This song reminds me more of what 267 calls Dirty Rock and I think of as Hard Rock with an attitude, than Punk Rock. The music is good. Their rhythm section is locked in and their guitar can make some noise! Overall, this is a good song, the guitar solo grabs my full attention! All in all, well done guys.
12. Voice of Addiction - Rustbelt 3:00 - VOA comes out of Chicago. According to their website the song "Rust Belt" is about the despair people in Cleveland, their front man's hometown, felt during the time he was growing up, when the jobs they counted on for years were suddenly lost to economic circumstances beyond their control. I can relate to that! I grew up in
Detroit and remember when the Big Three began making junk and the American automobile companies began really getting hammered by foreign competition. (Does anyone else remember the joke called a K-car that was supposed to save Chrysler?) Musically, I really like the in-your-face blast that hits the listener at the start of the song. These guys can play. This is not just basic Punk Rock. To be sure, this is Punk, but their musicianship reminds me of Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, that is these guys really are good players who insert some fairly complicated breaks into the song. Lyrically, I am right there with them. In 1983 the United States was in a recession, but
Detroit and it sounds like Cleveland, was in a depression. This song speaks directly to the uncertainty and angst felt by a generation. Well done.
13. Subtitles - Abort 2:22 - The last song on the album comes from Subtitles. I like their minimalist sound. The bass and drums keep it going while the guitar darts in and out. When the guitar opens up, he does take control, but you can tell he is not obsessed with being a guitar God. The vocals are forlorn and actually have a
Peter Murphy vibe. Overall, I really like this song and would love to hear more from Subtitles.
So, folks, what is the bottom line? The bottom line is this: Punk Rock is alive and well. This is a blistering album that anyone who enjoys the genre will listen to over and over. At its heart, Punk is about regular people making music. You won't find any Rock God solos on this album, but you will find thirteen songs that gnaw at your core. The musicianship ranges from good to outstanding, but the emotional intensity, that is the soul of the music, hits the stratosphere on each and every track. I give this album six out of five scowls. As you can tell from my review of track #7, this album is very special to my family and me. Even if Punk Rock is not your genre of choice, please consider buying the album and support the victims of domestic violence. All royalties from WhensDay will be donated to the Teton Valley Family Safety Network in the name of Jennifer "Pixie Tourette" Nalley. My nice whom I miss more than word can describe.
