RECORDS OF THE WEEK: APRIL - JUNE 2016

I know I said I'd be gone for a little while, but posts like this take 5 minutes and I feel like I need this to stop myself from jamming a biro into my temple while revising for my Public Affairs exam.

If you like Randon's Reviews (or even just tolerate it), you should really LIKE THE RR FACEBOOK PAGE, because I often post stuff on there that doesn't air on here... until now, of course. Every Sunday I reveal my RECORDS OF THE WEEK, and seeing as I did a playlist for the ROTWs spanning January to March, I've gone and done the same for April to July so you can get a taste of all the rad shit that has soundtrack this transitional period of time for Randon's Reviews, and my life in general.

It's even more of a clusterfuck than the last one, but in that regard there's a bit of something for everyone in there, and it's really just testament to the incredible half-year it's been for new music. Just incredible. 

Any records/podcasts/stuff not represented in the Spotify playlist for whatever reason are marked with an *, and there'll be alternative links to hear them - I especially recommend the GOING OFF TRACK podcast if you like the conversational tangents I go off on with my guests on BITCHIN' BREW. Meanwhile, MUNCIE GIRLS have also done a really fucking awesome cover of Iron Maiden's 'THE WICKER MAN' too (I'm sure that if you ask them really nicely, they'll play it at a show sometime - don't quote me on that).

Without further ado, here's a week-by-week breakdown of April to July's Records Of The Week:

WEEK 10 (03/04/16): WARHORNS - WARHORNS (EP); BOB MOULD - PATCH THE SKY; SEAWAY - COLOUR BLIND; RORY INDIANA - RULING CLASS CROOKS

WEEK 11 (10/04/16): WEEZER - WEEZER (THE WHITE ALBUM); BLACK PEAKS - STATUES; FAITH NO MORE - SOL INVICTUS; THE NEW TUSK - SLOOM

WEEK 12 (17/04/16): DEFTONES - GORE; MOOSE BLOOD - I'LL KEEP YOU IN MIND, FROM TIME TO TIME; SYSTEM OF A DOWN - TOXICITY; GOING OFF TRACK PODCAST *

WEEK 13 (24/04/16): CAN'T SWIM - CAN'T SWIM (EP); THE WINTER PASSING - A DIFFERENT SPACE OF MIND; NECK DEEP - LIFE'S NOT OUT TO GET YOU; PRINCE AND THE REVOLUTION - PURPLE RAIN *

WEEK 15 (08/05/16) * : ROB ZOMBIE - THE ELECTRIC WARLOCK ACID WITCH SATANIC ORGY CELEBRATION DISPENSER; THE SMASHING PUMPKINS - MELLON COLLIE & THE INFINITE SADNESS; GUILT - EVERBLUE / LOW SCENE (SINGLE); ASH - 1977

* APPARENTLY I MISSED A WEEK BECAUSE I'M A DICK LIKE THAT

WEEK 16 (15/05/16): NOTHING - TIRED OF TOMORROW; SAD BLOOD - LEGION OF GLOOM (EP); THE DRUMS - THE DRUMS; ACID TONGUE - I DIED DREAMING (EP)

WEEK 17 (22/05/16): MODERN BASEBALL - HOLY GHOST; LONELY THE BRAVE - THINGS WILL MATTER; THE MENZINGERS - RENTED WORLD; ANGEL DU$T - A.D.

WEEKS 18 + 19 (29/05/16 + 05/06/16): THRICE - TO BE EVERYWHERE IS TO BE NOWHERE; ARCHITECTS - ALL OUR GODS HAVE ABANDONED US; SHE CRAZY - SURFING U.A.E. (SINGLE); PUP - THE DREAM IS OVER; EVERY TIME I DIE - THE BIG DIRTY; RIVAL SONS - HOLLOW BONES; SEAFOAL - LUCID LIVING (EP); RAIN - SOLIS (SINGLE); NEW FOUND GLORY - CATALYST

WEEK 20 (12/06/16): CANE HILL - SMILE; LETLIVE. - IF I'M THE DEVIL; BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB - A DIFFERENT KIND OF FIX; VARIOUS ARTISTS - MAIDEN HEAVEN VOLUME 2: AN ALL-STAR TRIBUTE TO IRON MAIDEN (AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVE IN KERRANG!) *

WEEK 21 (19/06/16): GOJIRA - MAGMA; THE HOTELIER - GOODNESS; OCEANS OF SLUMBER - WINTER; SWEDISH DEATH CANDY - LIQUORICE (EP)

WEEK 22 (26/06/16): MARTHA - BLISTERS IN THE PIT OF MY HEART; GREYWIND - CAR SPIN (SINGLE); WEATHERSTATE - DUMBSTRUCK (EP); GALLOWS - GREY BRITAIN

Like what you see? Check out the playlist below, and SUBSCRIBE TO RANDON'S REVIEWS ON SPOTIFY for more kick-ass sequences of noise.

Soon...

Danny

WHITE-HOT NOISE: SHE CRAZY BRING BEACH VIBES TO BATSHIT ROCK 'N' ROLL ON 'SURFING U.A.E.' (TRACK PREMIERE)

I'll always remember the night Brighton garage-punks SHE CRAZY crashed headfirst into my life. Opening for the absolute dudes in Tied To The Mast at Sticky Mike's Frog Bar (an awesome Brighton spot which you should all go and see a show at) in 2013, they played like they owned the place, dragging a limbo pole out into the audience and changing the sole lyric of their song 'YEAH!' rather appropriately to 'LIMBO!'. Suffice to say, when they do that twice in the same set, it's very hard to get both the song and the scenes out of your head.

Their new single 'SURFING U.A.E.' (which you can stream exclusively on Randon's Reviews by scrolling down) takes their raucous rock 'n' roll style and gives it infectious-as-fuck substance.

Just don't let the title fool you into thinking that this is just a satirical cover of The Beach Boys' summertime class 'Surfin' U.S.A.' - this is far from a homage to Brian Wilson...

"'Surfing U.A.E.' is all about the kind of wild, booze-fuelled madness that often goes down on holiday with your mates: shots, heartbreak and sex (wax)!" jokes singer/guitarist Dan Grace.

"We are about -10% influenced by The Beach Boys - ['Surfin' U.S.A.'] happened 50 years ago, we're just pointing out how times have changed."

From the massive radio-rock (but far from radio friendly) chorus which exemplifies yet another cracking production job from Neil Kennedy at The Ranch Production House in Southampton, this sounds far more polished than anything from She Crazy's self-titled debut EP from last year (which you can download for free on their Bandcamp). However, the unrelenting punk rock finale they cascade into seeks to remind everyone why they're one of the most buzzed-about bands on their circuit.

"We've experimented a lot with our recordings," explains Dan. "Working in different studios with different producers, and trying to find a sound that best reflects what we hear in our own heads and is closest to how we sound live."

"'Surfing U.A.E.' is the first track that we mixed ourselves. We revisited the mix a few times, which probably explains why it's more polished than our previous efforts."

"I don't think we've reached a point yet where we're all 100% satisfied, [but] then that's all part of the fun - Aiming for something you can't reach!"

There's no doubt that 'Surfing U.A.E.' (plus its b-side, 'Do Or Die') will tide you over (arf arf) while She Crazy are working on their second EP. If that's still not enough for you, you can catch their mental live display when they open for Blackhole and Brawlers at The Hope & Ruin in Brighton on Tuesday 7th June, and at a FREE show at The George Tavern in London on Thursday 16th June.

For more details on upcoming shows, go to the band's Facebook page or follow them on Twitter: @damn_shecrazy

FFO: THE WILDHEARTS; THE BRONX; METZ

LIMBO!

Danny