Nite Songs

  Okay, so this is it - the official Nite Songs Top 10 albums of 2022. Enjoy... *** 10.  THE HELLACOPTERS - "Eyes Of Oblivion" A comeback album that thankfully rather than being a faded retread of past glories was a timely reminder of everything that was great about the Hellacopters first time around. With a good mix of lightning precision garage rock and some unexpected sonic twists and turns all backed up by Nicke Andersson being his usual imperious self up front and a returning Dregen firing off the riffs to devastating effect, this was a triumphant return from this seminal band. *** 9. MILES HUNT - "Things Can Change" Recorded during the lockdown, Things Can Change  felt almost like an arm around the shoulder from Milo to reassure us that everything was gonna be alright. With a mix of slower introspective numbers and a couple of heavier interludes which were originally aimed for a Vent 414 reunion that never quite happened, it made for an enjoyably varied album ...

  It's good to see the Black Halos back after an absence of well over a decade. With Rich Jones, Billy Hopeless and Jay Millette reuniting the band in 2020 and a clutch of promising singles resulting, the prospect of a full album from them was, I'll admit, something that had me pretty excited. But, let's face it, the scenario of a great group disappearing for a lengthy period and then returning with an effort that just sounds like a pale shadow of their glory years stuff is something that happens more often than a lot of us would like to admit so there was an element of nervousness in there as well. I'm happy to say though that right from the moment the opening broadside of History Of Violence  kicks into gear, it's obvious that the group haven't missed a beat in their years away as it soars through on a brutal twin guitar assault from Jones and Millette topped off with Hopeless' Stiv-esque snarl. Tenement Kids  and former single Uncommonwealth  are similarl...

  "This ain't nothin' really new, everything's just tried and true, sure the name may change but the product's still the same..."  - Black Halos  - Retro World There was a weird moment around the turn of the millennium where it felt as if Canada was making a sly play to become the world centre for cool rock 'n' roll bands. I remember in my early twenties discovering the Black Halos, Danko Jones and Crash Kelly in quick succession, all very different groups but all of whom well and truly kicked arse. Add to that others such as Robin Black and the IRS and the Red Light Rippers and it really did feel like something was starting to stir in the Great White North. I first encountered the Black Halos some time around 2002 via a split Christmas single they'd done with fellow SFTJ alumni Bubble on notorious Sunderland label ChangesOne (who also had the likes of Antiproduct , the Diamond Dogs, Broken Teeth, the Streetwalkin' Cheetahs, Darrell Bath and ...

  So here we are again. The autumn is rolling in although given that as I write this it's 25 degrees up here in Yorkshire, clearly no-one told the supreme being. Guess we'd better grab some cold ones, head out on to the terrace and see what aural delights the month has waiting for us then... A couple of covers to kick us off this month, both courtesy of Screaming Crow Records' Action Jukebox series. First up,  The Dirty Denims  take on the Kiss classic Rock 'n' Roll All Night  (🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑) and turn in a respectable version although it was always gonna have its work cut out matching the peerless original. The fact that they're a Donnas style female fronted band at least gives this version a slightly different twist (hey hang on, didn't the Donnas cover Rock 'n' Roll All Night  themselves back in the day? :checks notes: No, turns out that was Strutter . Carry on) The original track Better Believe It  on the flipside is actually the better tune here, so...

  Well, here we go, part 2 of this month's Singles Bar as we finish rounding up all the good stuff that's landed in my inbox over the last few months while I was in reviewing hibernation. Hopefully everyone will find at least something they like in here! Cheers again and hopefully we'll see you with the next instalment either next month or in November depending on how much stuff lands in my inbox between now and then! Starting off with a band who I'm friends with from my days living on the Herts/Essex borders, Touch of Blue  reformed a couple of years ago and "Here It Goes"  (🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑), their new single, is a good slice of low-slung and loose Stonesy rock with a slight nod to the bar-room stomp of the Quireboys as well. If you're looking for something nice and simple to sink a pint to this coming Friday night then you could do a lot worse than this - downloadable from their Bandcamp page (along with a couple of other recent re-releases) if you want to i...