Nite Songs

  So we're almost there now and getting into the stuff we really  liked from the last 12 months. Top 10 tomorrow but first let's see what made the Top 20... *** 20. JANUS STARK - "Face Your Biggest Fear" Safe to say that Britrock mainstays Janus Stark well and truly exceeded our expectations with this album. Built on a band with a rock solid tightness, it has a good mix of full throttle punk assaults ( Clusterfuck ) and more melodic moments ( One More Ghost ) and sees Giz Butt and co well and truly casting off their tag of being one of the genre's second division bands to well and truly announce their arrival at the big boys' table. *** 19. STENFORS - "The Family Album" The brainchild of former Hanoi Rocks guitarist Nasty Suicide, Stenfors' debut was a supremely self-assured album which mixes in a ton of well-established influences (rock 'n' roll, blues, country, even the odd bit of jazz-pop) but does so in a way that you don't expect...

  And so the Nite Songs odyssey officially comes full circle. You may remember that when we first started this webzine off way back in July 2020, the first album we reviewed was the Sweet Things' debut In Borrowed Shoes On Borrowed Time and now, just under two years later, the follow-up is out and in our review pile. So let's dive in, shall we? Those who remember those early days of this 'zine might recall that these New York rockers' debut was a prime slice of Dolls-meets-Stones swagger and it's clear from when the title track (which owes a definite nod to imperial years Quireboys) kicks in that it's very much business as usual on this one although countrified former single Ya Know I Don't Mind  shows a gentler side to their output before Ride It Home  kicks things back up a gear, kind of like the Dolls covering the Stones' Rip This Joint . Keep It Movin' reminds me of great lost '80s Sunset Strip rockers the Joneses with its glammed up take on ...

  Yup, it's that time again. Similar to last month, a bit of a bumper crop this month with the Singles Bar meaning we've officially got our first multi-parter of the year with no less than three instalments coming at ya this morning. First bit here and the second bit'll be up in an hour or so. Enjoy... *** Well the obvious big news this month is a new Michael Monroe  single and Can't Stop Falling Apart  (🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗) is a confident comeback from the guy - a mid-paced ode to sticking to your guns and not giving up which builds up to a trademark big Monroe singalong chorus which has a definite hint of the early '70s Stones in there. The frenetic B-side Murder The Summer Of Love  is even better with its panic attack vibes and angry message showing a definite nod to Mike's old mucker Stiv Bators. Good stuff - roll on the album! *** Those of you with long memories may recall that the Sweet Things ' In Borrowed Shoes On Borrowed Time  was the first album we ever re...

There's been plenty of bands come along over the years who've tried to capture the magic of the great and good New York Dolls on record but I'd definitely stick my neck out and say that the Sweet Things are one of the stronger ones to have emerged in recent years. Hailing from the Big Apple (where else?), In Borrowed Shoes On Borrowed Time  is a glammed-up riot of an album with the ten songs fair zipping by. Yes, it's a fairly obvious set of influences but the sloppy Thunders style riffs, honking harmonica and David Johansen Noo Yoik style drawl on the songs is done with enough energy and enthusiasm to make this a very enjoyable listen - songs such as Liquor Lightning , Dead Or Worse , Through The Cracks of the City and Fix To Kick  have just the right amount of scummy charm to keep you interested throughout. If there's a slight complaint to be made here, it's that the Sweet Things don't really vary their sound up much with only the sprawling Stonesy...