Wire "Love Bends"

Just some FYI for you all to hear. Wire is scheduled to release an album of unrecorded songs from 1979-1980. The album Change Becomes Us will be released later this year. But, in the meantime here is a legal download of one of the songs, Love Bends. It is great BTW! http://stereogum.com/1283272/wire-love-bends-stereogum-premiere/mp3s/

The Defects-Politicophobia

Well a welcomed treat! I have been a big Defects fan since 1983 when I purchased Defective Breakdown on WXYZ Records (labelmate Anti Nowhere League also debuted with their So What single and We Are The League around the same time). Funny that I even picked this up, as I live in The States and just picked this up their debut way back then on a lark because of their album cover. Since being schooled by Guy Trelford (co author of It Makes You Want To Spit!) I have gained a whole new appreciation for NI punk, but I always keep coming back to The Defects. Maybe they were peers and I relate more to them for that reason, but hey, that is not a knock on Rudi, The Outcasts, Protex, etc. as I love those bands too. After the sample offers of the two singles Relevator and Hill Street comes an album that is shockingly as good if not better than many of their counterparts treading the reformed band circus. This is a real, in your face "modern day" punk album for sure. Sure you still have the trademark Defects sound, but they have improved it and modernized it, so what you get is not a "nostalgia" tour, but fantastic return of a band that should get more love in this world. This album is stunningly good, actually it is a great album, and will be in my top 10 albums of the year......easily. Favorites include, Relevator, Guilty Conscience (my fave!), Metal Walls, which returns to their earlier sounds, and believe it or not, their two dub songs, which seem to be a bookmark of sorts. Please do yourself a favor and head over to iTunes, or Punkarama Records and pick this up, this deserves to be played over and over and LOUD! I love it!!!!!

Epic Problem- All Broken 10" Ep

Wow! Can I please pick my jaw off of the floor? This is some serious damage here kids. Just for reference, Mackie, bassist for Oi! greats Blitz plays guitar on this. I am sure that this is/will be tiresome to them at some point, but I am using that as a small reference here. Epic Problem do not sound one bit like Blitz...nope not at all. What do they sound like? How about a very good MODERN day punk band. You definitely hear some Leatherface in there, maybe a tad of Rancid with the duel shouty vocals and maybe some early Anti Flag???? This is just some serious kick butt speedy, shouty punk rock here. Production, playing, songs.........everything is here for the taking. I cannot find a single complaint, this is that good, and to my jaded 48 year old ears, that is a good thing. Please get this as this is one of the better things I have heard this year!!!! Boy I wish there were more than 6 songs though....sigh http://www.contra-net.com/news/1/index.html http://www.facebook.com/epicproblemuk?ref=ts&fref=ts

New Sham 69

Heard a demo of the song Once A Punk, Always A Punk from the original '77 punk band led by Pursey, Sham 69. It sounds great and from what I have heard a new single will be available for download next week. Also and album is in the works!!!

Epic Problem

For those that read......I am not sure how many of you readers know this or not. I am a huge Blitz fan. Been since the moment I bought All Out Attack back in the early 80's. I have the skull painting that is on their Voice Of A Generation lp on my arm...yes I love Blitz. This brings me to this new band called Epic Problem. Who is Epic Problem? Well they are from the Manchester area, so that might give you a hint....Noticed that I mentioned Blitz? That should give you a hint too. Epic Problem is Mackie from Blitz' new band. Mackie played bass in Blitz, but in Epic Probem, he is playing guitar. They don't sound much like Blitz but that is ok with me....Why? Because they have this Leatherface thing going and to my ears, that is a ok too as I am a huge Leatherface fan. Epic Problem put their twist on modern day punk and do it very well. They have a 7" out and a 10" that is just about to come out. Here are the links, go to those links, and dig this band as they are really, really good. http://www.facebook.com/epicproblemuk?ref=stream http://piratespressrecords.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=32_34&zenid=efd5609401e0dae4ea1b55c172d10e9c