The Nite Songs Singles Bar - April 2021

Welcome back to the Singles Bar as we look through this month's releases. A bit of a shorter than usual column this month with five singles and a mini-album to get through so let's get on with it, shall we?...

Rich Ragany & The Digressions are currently limbering up for their second album and on the evidence of Heartbreakers Don't Try (🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑), a tribute to Johnny Thunders with its lyrical references to You Can't Put Your Arms Around A Memory unless my ears deceive me, it should be well worth the wait. A supremely tuneful slice of Tom Petty style power-pop (two Heartbreakers for the price of one, you might say) with some driving piano courtesy of ex-Shush man and all round production wiz Andy Brook, this is good stuff. Bandcamp link here.

 It's always good to see some Jesse Malin in the review pile although the jerky blues of The Way We Used To Roll (🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑) isn't quite up to the standard of his previous few releases like Ameri'ka or Todd Youth. It's still a decent effort though with some good guitar work from Malin and Derek Cruz, it's just let down a bit by the excellent run of form Malin's been on in the last 12 months or so. Still, there's enough here to keep the fans happy I'm sure and the almost reggae-style Time Robber on the B-side is actually the stronger track here and is well worth a spin. Bandcamp link here.

Penfriend (aka Laura Kidd, formerly She Makes War) have been another regular presence on these Singles Bar pages in recent months and Black Car (🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑) is another strong effort, a creeping slice of lockdown paranoia which combines sorrow and anger over the climate of fear created by the last two years and the general government incompetence in dealing with the crisis, this is a genuinely good song, thought-provoking and desolate. The debut Penfriend album is due in the next couple of months and on this evidence, I'm very much looking forward to listening to it. Bandcamp link here.

It's been a while since we heard from London grime-punks Riskee & The Ridicule since their 2019 album Bodybag Your Scene but apparently Backwords 2 (🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑) is their third single in the last twelve months so due apologies to the band for us missing the others. A well-placed diatribe against the herd mentality of people who read the mainstream media and swallow every line whole, it's a reminder of how much of a vital band Riskee & The Ridicule are in the current perilous climate we live in. Bandcamp link here.

Norwegian glam rockers Razorbats are another band gearing up for a new album release and Working For The Weekend (🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑) is a good taster, sounding like a poppier version of Total 13 era Backyard Babies with one eye on Slade's back catalogue. It could maybe do with a bit more of a kick to it in places but this is still a solid effort which bodes well for the imminent release of the group's third full length. Bandcamp link here.

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MINI ALBUM REVIEW

SAINT AGNES - "Vampire EP"

Okay so hands up, Vampire isn't strictly a new release from Saint Agnes as all but one of the tracks here have been previously released as singles. That said, it's still a fine reminder of this group's ability and if you haven't checked these tracks out already then I strongly recommend you shell out on a copy post-haste. From the ferocious tribal drums-underpinned Repent through the pounding electro-goth of the title track and the lurching The World Ain't Big Enough to faithful covers of Grinderman's No Pussy Blues and the Nine Inch Nails' Wish, this is a good example of Saint Agnes at their furious innovative best, the musical equivalent of the devil on your shoulder whispering wicked thoughts in your ear.

The one unreleased track here, I'm With You Everywhere You Go is another goodie with the pounding drums, Jon's skittering guitars and Kitty's demonic snarl of a voice combining to create something pretty damn awesome. Saint Agnes have been slowly picking up quite a bit of momentum in recent months with the likes of Kerrang! starting to pay the group attention and it's good to see this excellent band finally getting the recognition they deserve. For those new to this rather awesome outfit (and those who haven't picked up these tracks already), Vampire comes heavily recommended.

Bandcamp link

NITE SONGS RATING: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑 (8/10)

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Anyway, that concludes our brief visit to the Singles Bar this month. Hope you enjoyed yourself and we'll see you all the same time next month.