Browsing Tag

Ramones

Disco Lizards’ Life Lessons: A Post-Punk Bite with Anthemic Teeth

Posted on 19 February 2025

Disco Lizards’ latest single, Life Lessons, doesn’t hesitate before it goes straight for the jugular with an instant hook of augmented indie post-punk guitars. As the infectious onslaught of vocals rolls across the solid rhythm section, the track sears with sardonic wit. It hits with the bouncy, brashy glamour of Ramones and New York Dolls, while vocally, Disco Lizards land somewhere between The Fall and Half-Man Half-Biscuit, ensuring every syllable drips with a knowing smirk.

Founded by Matt Stolworthy in 2018, Disco Lizards started etching their legacy in the underground with their 2020 debut album Ride Ride Ride, followed by the 2022 EP Roll Over Red Rover. After reshuffling their lineup in 2024, with Mo El Shalakani, Jack Dunnigan, Nino Savoia, and Josephine Keller joining the ranks, they reignited their live reputation with three sold-out shows across London.

That raucous to the nth degree energy bleeds into Life Lessons, a track that bottles the chaos of city life, dating misadventures, and the grind of survival, all served with tongue-in-cheek cynicism. It gives you a taste for the live experience, but you won’t be fully sated until you’ve gorged on the real deal. And with a new album in the works, the appetite is only going to grow.

Life Lessons is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

70s Punk was Hooked by Power Pop in Twilight Avenue’s Seminal Release, Road Rage

Posted on 15 March 2024

Twilight Avenue, a band that embodies the spirit of unity and the thrill of discovery, has unleashed a potent force in their eponymous debut EP. At its heart lies ‘Road Rage‘, a track that bridges the gaps between proto-punk and power-pop and serves as a timeless anthem for the disenchanted.

This Southport-based quartet, comprising Myles Thompson, Alex Ormand, Kyle Chadwick, and George Fitton, has crafted a riotous production that echoes the punk ethos, breathing life into the rolling rhythms that are as fierce as the title suggests. For those yearning for a new punk-rock earworm, ‘Road Rage’ is a revelation.

With an endlessly energetic edge, Twilight Avenue pays homage to the 70s punk scene while infusing it with fresh fervour. The hard riffs, groovy beats, and alternating vox create a dynamic that is as infectious as it is efficacious. Hit play and get your fill of exhilaration.

Stream the debut EP from Twilight Avenue in full via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Ramoanz revived rebellion with their ‘I don’t wanna go down to the basement’ cover

Posted on 9 March 2024

London’s premier Ramones cover band, Ramoanz, is bringing a brand-new energy to the punk legacy, as evidenced by their recent performance of the hit 1976 single, I don’t wanna go down to the basement.

Ramones may have spoken to the disfranchised youth, but the four old-school punks who grew up listening to the three-chord structures of the NY-hailing antagonistic visionaries are extending the conversation to every generation while proving that the music is as timeless as the taste for rebellion.

By keeping pace with the frenetic rhythms with razor-sharp precision and putting visceral oi punk-esque volition behind the vocals, Ramoanz aren’t just paying homage to their idols, they’re starting their own revolution in the UK.

Watch the live recording of I don’t wanna go down to the basement filmed at Fiddler’s Elbow on YouTube now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Rick Shaffer gave psych the blues in his latest garage rock hit, Bogalusa

Posted on 10 October 2023

Rick Shaffer gave psych the blues in his latest LP, Sleeping Dog, featuring the standout single, Bogalusa, which allows garage rock and 60s RnB to converge to create drippings of nostalgia; fans of The Stooges will want to savour every distorted with vintage glamour drop.

12 solo albums into his illustrious career, and it is clear to see that the guitarist and songwriter is far from fresh out of ideas. The Teenage Kicks-reminiscent raucous power pop panache lends itself effortlessly well to the grooves and hooks which make Bogalusa such a scintillatingly electric ride through the golden eras of music.

Wild and hypnotic in equal measure, the guitar hook and riff-rife euphonic escapade is as close as you can get to sonic pornography.

Bogalusa was officially released on September 23; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Kaviani has released his punky power-pop lockdown playlist staple, ‘Gimme Some Sunshine’

Posted on 17 March 2021

There was no forgetting Kaviani after hearing his 2019 single, ‘Don’t Let the Bombs Drop, Daddy’ that found a powerful way to awaken the listener to the insidious nature of the military-industrial complex. With his latest single, ‘Gimme Some Sunshine’, which officially released on March 12th, the insightful UK-residing singer-songwriter gave us the aural euphoria we were crying out for.

By feeding the influence of The Vaselines, Ramones and Sparklehorse into the track that reflects our collectively suffered mood throughout our dystopic lockdown winter, you’re forced to recollect a time when life didn’t feel so cold. If you need any further persuasion to step into the light, Kaviani’s soulfully reassuring vocals will happily assist.

Here’s what Kaviani had to say about his latest single;

“I used to have panic attacks as a teenager, so the song came from a place of pure anxiety and hate of the winter months when the days are short and dark and just wishing it was light. I feel most problems are easier to cope with in the daylight hours, this song reflects that positive, upbeat vibe.”

Profits from the release will be donated to the mental health charity SANE. Kaviani is also hosting an online charity auction for the cause. With all that in mind, you can probably appreciate why the artist made such an impression on our first encounter.

You can check out the official music video to Gimme Some Sunshine via YouTube. Or purchase the single via apple music.

Connect with Kaviani via Facebook.

Review by Amelia Vandergast