The Nite Songs Singles Bar - December 2020

 

Welcome once again to the Singles Bar for our final session of 2020. As you'll see throughout today, this month's entry has been a bit of a never-ending saga to put together. The aim was to clear the decks before the end of the year but just when we thought we'd got everything sorted out, it seemed like something else that was of interest came on to our radar. So keep your eyes out for further updates today because rest assured they will be coming.

Anyway, here's a blast from the past to start us off - Grand Theft Audio were one of the few bands I genuinely used to enjoy back in the dreaded nu-metal era (partly I think because of the presence of ex-Wildhearts drummer Ritch Battersby and former 3 Colours Red guitarist Chris McCormack in the fold). Ruin Your Youth (🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑) is their comeback single as a three-piece (McCormack is now busy playing guitar with the Professionals) and sees them abandoning a lot of the electronica that marked their sole album from back in the day Blame Everyone out in favour of a more straighforward pop-punk sound (the guitar on here actually reminds me of Jimmy Eat World a bit for some reason). More of a slow grower than a song that grabs you round the neck right from the off, it's still a decent effort and it'll be interesting to see what's coming further down the line from them.

The prospect of veteran LA scuzz merchants The Hangmen covering the Gun Club is definitely something that sounds like it'd work on paper and their breakneck rendition of Thunderhead (🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑) definitely lives up to the hype, keeping the barely restrained chaos of the original intact while at the same time stamping the Hangmen's mark on it well. The lurching B-side She Walks is a worthy back-up as well and this definitely comes recommended. Bandcamp link here.

Baby Shakes' Cause A Scene album was one of the first records we ever reviewed on Nite Songs earlier this year and it's good to see them back with a new single. Sweet 'n' Sour Part 2 ( 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑) sounds like the Ronettes covering T-Rex, a collision between girl band sugar and '70s glam spikiness and is a good effort. B-side Really Really meanwhile is a sublime slice of power-pop which slips down like cold soda on a hot day. Good stuff. Bandcamp link here

The passing of legendary Stranglers keyboardist Dave Greenfield earlier this year was a real shock to a lot of us and it seems fitting that Hung Like Hanratty who he did his last recording with on their rather excellent Dragged Up album which we reviewed on here a couple of weeks back, have released a tribute to him. Fly High With The Ravens (🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑) is a worthy testament to the man with HLH foregoing their usual foul-mouthed humour for something genuinely heartfelt and it's good stuff.

We seem to have had a few singles from Jesse Malin landing on our review desk in recent months and the gloomy Ameri’ka (🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑) is another good 'un from the former D Generation man as he takes a mournful look at the state of his home country in 2020. Maybe a bit more mellow than you'd expect, it's still a genuine and honest song hoping for a new dawn in the wake of the recent American election.

It was a shame to see US power-poppers the Biters go their separate ways a few years ago as with their second album The Future Ain't What It Used To Be, it looked as if they were finally starting to find their feet after a slightly shaky start. However, their frontmen is now back with Tuk Smith & The Restless Hearts and on the evidence of their third single Same Old You (🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑), they're aiming for very much the same power-pop ground that the Biters were heading towards at the end. Although it's not quite good as its predecessor, the strutting Lookin' For Love, Ready For War, this is still a decent effort which will have you tapping your toe along with its nagging sense of urgency.

Loup Garoux are an interesting prospect featuring the talents of former Senseless Things/Deadcuts drummer Cass Browne as well as former indie solo singer Ed Harcourt on vocals. I wasn't quite sure what to expect but Good God (🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑), their fourth single, is a pretty damn good effort sounding like a more ethereal take on the glam stomp of classic T-Rex with its strutting guitar and plinking piano. Definitely something that's made me curious to check this band out further - Bandcamp link here.

Finally this month, veteran Chicago garage rockers The Shadows of Knight (they of Gloria fame) have returned to the fray with a single on Wicked Cool records (where else). Wild Man (🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑) may be instantly identifiable for what it is but it contains exactly the sort of bad boy low-slung cool that characterised all the best Nuggets style rock. The swaggering B-side Ain't Got You is a good 'un as well and definitely makes this worth a look. Bandcamp link here.

And so endeth part one of this month's Singles Bar odyssey. Just give us an hour or so to clear up the empty glasses here and we'll be back with part two...