The Nite Songs Singles Bar - September 2022

 

I have to be honest, this month's Singles Bar very nearly ended up being a EP/mini-album special - bizarrely while we've had three of those come in this month, we've really had to trawl the vaults to find some of yer regular one track efforts to make up the list.

We eventually managed it though so thankfully this month's trip to the bar is good to go. Mine's a large one landlord...

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Well, at least the Speedways have made sure it isn't a completely barren month in terms of new 45's and Shoulda Known (🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑) is another confident shot from them, sounding like some sort of halfway house between early Elvis Costello and The KKK Took My Baby Away era Ramones. B-side A Drop In The Ocean is a bit more mid-paced with a bit of a Babys/Records style feel to it which is no bad thing either. New album in November apparently and rest assured we'll have a review up here as soon as it lands. Bandcamp Link

We should have a review of Suede's new Autofiction album going up on the site very very soon but in the meantime, we've got a third single from it in the form of That Boy On The Stage (🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑) which sees Brett and co at their loosest with its swaggering guitar riff and Brett's vocals definitely owing a nod to the darker end of '70s glam (Bowie obviously but maybe a touch of the Sweet's Six Teens and the Cuddly Toys' Bring On The Ravers as well). The second single, 15 Again, which we missed at the time, is thankfully on the B-side here as well and adds more fuel to the argument that it looks as if Suede are very much aiming for a 21st century update of the sound of their classic debut album with Autofiction. Consider us duly intrigued.

We should also have a review of The Cult's Under The Midnight Sun album in these pages when it lands next month but for now, A Cut Inside (🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑) is the second advance release from it and while it's not quite as good as the lead-off track Give Me Mercy, it's still a strong effort with Duffy and Astbury cutting loose as only they can with the storming riffs and swooping vocals harking back to the good bits on Sonic Temple. There's worse places to be, put it that way.

Having made their comeback after a decade-plus absence with last year's Steve McQueen single, The Chevelles have followed it up with Something About You (🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑), another respectable slice of old school power-pop which owes a nod to the likes of the Knack and the Jags albeit with a bit more of a bite than either of the aforementioned. Not bad at all. Bandcamp Link

We've fallen out of touch with Vice Squad's release a bit this year for which we probably owe Beki, Paul and co an apology - Bang Bang Bang (🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑) is actually their second EP of new material of late and is a strong effort with the riffed up anger of the title track taking a well earned pot shot at nine to five culture in the best Obsessive Compulsive style while Killjoy's chugging riff and chantalong chorus marks it out as another strong number. Add to this new versions of Punk Rock Radio and Resurrection and you've got a strong effort here. Bandcamp Link

At least you can always rely on Rum Bar records to have something to pique your interest when there's a general paucity of new singles worth looking at and such is the case this month with a team-up between Natalie Sweet and Brad Marino (featuring fellow power-pop luminary Kris Rodgers on the keys as well, making this a bit of a supergroup of sorts). Second Time (🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑) is a pure bright fizzbomb of a song which recalls prime time Voice of the Beehive sharing a couple of mojitos with the Go-Go's while Over My Head is another bright sunny duet sounding like what would happen if the Ramones teamed up with Faye Fife and Eugene Reynolds from the Rezillos. Think this might just be our Single of the Month right 'ere. Bandcamp Link

Finally for the singles this month, The Young Hasselhoffs are another band from the Rum Bar stable hailing from Omaha and Life Got In The Way (🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑) sounds like Green Day if they'd never gone all concept album on our arses and started listening to the Buzzcocks and the Undertones instead. Good stuff - album due in October apparently so expect a review once it lands on our desk. Bandcamp Link

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MINI ALBUMS

TYLA'S DOGS D'AMOUR - "Dice Clown Man EP"

I've been reliably informed that the Bard of Bilston and his band have a full album landing soon and we'll deal with that when it gets here but for now, let's concentrate on this six song EP from Tyla and his current Dogs line-up. I'll be honest, my disappointment at the way the reunion of the classic Dogs line-up crashed and burned has subsided a bit in recent years - with Jo and Bam both now involved in some damn good projects of their own (the Desperados, Sonic Boom and Twin Flames Radio), it's a bit easier to be more grateful that we've still got new stuff incoming from Tyla as well.

For what it's worth, Dice Clown Man is an intriguing affair with some good tunes only slightly marred by the slightly rough sounding production (it's maybe telling that my first thought on listening to the bluesy Blow On My Dice and the mournful acoustic led Every Scar was In Cold Blood/Que Sera Sera era Johnny Thunders). Jimmy Moodblood is more of the classic Dogs sound (similar to Drunk Like Me's darker cousin) and the gentle Memphis sees Tyla wearing his battered heart on his sleeve as only he can before the slide-led Nazarine (possibly the best song on here) and the brief instrumental outro Never Forget That Day to bring things home. 

While I think Tyla's done better records with his current Dogs line-up, Dice Clown Man is still a respectable effort which will keep his devotees happy if nothing else. Like I say, we'll have a review of the new Tree Bridge Cross album up on these pages soon enough so keep your eyes out for that one.

Bandcamp Link 

NITE SONGS RATING: 🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌑🌑🌑 (7/10)

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SUN'S SIGNATURE - "Sun's Signature"

We first encountered Sun's Signature in the Singles Bar last month via their Apples single and we enjoyed it so much that we decided to check out the attendant mini-album as well. For those unaware, the band are a collaboration between the Cocteau Twins' Liz Fraser and Massive Attack's Damon Reece and this album, as you'd expect is a quite hauntingly lovely dream world that you can happily lose yourself in for half an hour.

From the dense opener Underwater, the group set their stall out well but it's with the hypnotic sitar-led Golden Air that this one really kicks into gear with Fraser's vocals floating above the gentle backing before Bluedusk goes into an almost Eastern European style waltz and the quite beautiful Apples and the slight Make Lovely The Day bring things to a close.

This may be very different from the sort of thing we normally review on Nite Songs but if you're looking for something to soothe the savage beast after a tough day at work then this will work perfectly. Beautifully haunting, it's a real testament to Fraser and Reece's talents and I thoroughly recommend it.

Bandcamp Link

NITE SONGS RATING: 🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌑🌑 (8/10)

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THE PUNCTURISTS - "The Punk Tourists EP"

Hailing from Barnsley, the Puncturists are a group of veteran punk rockers who put this EP together during lockdown for want of something better to do. With titles like Jackanory Johnson, I Hate Living In A Place Like This and Politicians Lie, you can kind of see where this one is headed in terms of lyrical subject. Indeed, there's a bit of a hint of the recently split Those Fucking Snowflakes in here albeit a more traditional old-school punk version.

There's an endearingly ramshackle sound to this album which conjures up the weird image of Eugene Reynolds from the Rezillos fronting Wire with maybe a slight touch of early SLF in here as well and a touch of New Values era Iggy on tracks like Let's Get Wankered At The Weekend. Elsewhere, A Swan Can Break Your Arm (Did You Know?) and I Just Want To Die Of Death In My Sleep show a sense of humour lurking beneath the surface.

Like I say, this is proper no-nonsense piss 'n' vinegar punk rock and there's something actually quite refreshing about its lack of pretentiousness. For some enjoyably simple thrills, you could definitely do a lot worse than investigate it.

Bandcamp Link

NITE SONGS RATING: 🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌑🌑 (8/10)

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Well, we got there in the end! Hopefully you've found some stuff worth listening to in the Singles Bar pickings this month. Touch wood, with autumn kicking in and people starting to put things out again after the summer break, we'll have a bit of a bigger intake next month. Till then...