China Drum - Goosefair | Scheer - Infliction | Magnapop - Rubbing Doesn't help | Skunk Anansie - Stoosh | Sex Pistols - Filthy Lucre Live

Scheer - Infliction

4AD/Shock

4AD'S recent addition to it's fold caused a few sniggers among those who hold 4AD on a pedestal. A metal band on 4AD? But fear not, because while Scheer rock out with the best of them, they also can mellow out with the best of them too. Scheer who hail from Ireland are a bit like PJ Harvey crossed with The Cranberries, covering Metallica (before they went soft). That may sound a bit dodgy, but for the most part it works.

The opener and first single - 'Shea' - jolts you out of your seat with it's siren-like guitar riff and Audrey Gallagher's impressive banshee wail singing, a bit like Shirly Manson or Sinead O'Conner (a good thing). 'Howling Boy' and 'Wish You Were Dead' similary demand to be taken notice of, with guitars turned up to 11, heavy distortion, throbbing bass and drums, all on top of a solid song base. 'In Your Hand' and 'Demon' start a turnaround of sorts with the verses being mellow and hazy, while the choruses are loud, anthemic monsters. The rest of the songs follow either of these formulas except for the touching acoustic and string soaked 'Goodbye', which closes the set. Probably the worst thing about the LP is the cover. Ahem, yes the cover. Although the adage 'Don't judge a book by it's cover' should likewise be applied to CDs the grusome photo of a stiched scar (and various inards inside) is...erm just a bit sick really. Probably just the emotion they were aiming for but it can't have helped sales. Still if you can get over that, there's lots of good stuff within.

Caleb Rudd

Rating (out of 5 trainers)

Scheer Live
Singer Audrey Gallagher

China Drum - Goosefair

Beggars Banquet/Shock

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Proving that there's still plenty of life in punks reanimated corpse (take note Sex Pistols) China Drum's debut disc, Goosefair is an impressive batch of emotional punk-pop. These three Nothumberland lads mine a similar vein to Therapy? (circa Troublegum) as Goosefair is full of catchy power chord riffs, memorable choruses, lots of snare drums and clean, crisp production. The first five songs fall into this catergory anyway, until 'Biscuit Barrel F.M.R.' (er, no sorry I don't know what it stands for either) changes the pace with it's acoustic style verses. 'God Bets', 'Find The Time', '[Had A Good Idea On] Monday' and 'Meaning (Acoustic)' also lean more towards convential rock than punk which adds to the variety but also increases the boredom factor. They get extra points though, for an 'ard and fast take on Kate Bush's 'Wuthering Heights', about 20 minutes after the final track finishes, an addition which alone makes the album worth purchasing.

Caleb Rudd

Rating (out of 5 trainers)

Magnapop - Rubbing Doesn't Help

Shock

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With the release earlier this year of the four track ep Fire All Your Guns At Once and the subsequent release of their second album Rubbing Doesn't Help this year has been an extremely busy one for this American band. Having been lucky enough to see Magnapop live in the US two years ago, touring on the back of their debut album Hot Boxing, I can vouch for their explosive live sound. The interplay between the female vocals of Ruthie and Linda amidst a background of punk-inspired guitar creates an atmosphere of melodic intensity that is unmatched by many bands. Right from the first song on the album 'This Family' and particularly in the songs 'I Don't Care', 'An Apology' and 'Radio Waves' Magnapop demonstrate the raw energy that the band possesses and for which they are most well known for.

However Magnapop are not all raw power with no emotional substance to their songs. An essential aspect to the music on this album are the lyrics to the songs. Throughout the album Linda and Ruthie discuss many of the obstacles that have been thrown at them during their lives. In the faster songs on the album the ability of the band to be able to combine lyrics with feeling into a melodic swirl of noise makes them stand out amongst a host of other bands. In the more reflective slower songs such as "My Best Friend", "Open The Door" and "Dead Letter" the vocals and the lyrics to the songs are brought even more to the fore, the vocals seem to float along on the top of a melodic backdrop. The strategic combination of these slower songs with the faster ones ensures that the sound never gets monotonous. Now with two fine albums behind them the band is really hitting its peak

Brendan Sinnamon

Rating (out of 5 trainers)

Skunk Anansie - Stoosh

One Little Indian/EMI

Skunk Anansie summed up how I felt on my last visit to bonny ol' England- "I like England just fine but I ain't eatin' any of that beef". ('Yes It's Fucking Political'). Their second effort, Stoosh suprises with the diversity of styles of songs - punk, pop - angry and emotional, largely due to the songwriting and vocal talents of Skin (the lead singer), but credit should also go to her band of multi-talented artists. Stoosh oozes political, androgynous sexuality, subverting dominant ideas of what a band with a black female singer is supposed to sing about and sound like. It's reassuring to listen to Skin, a strong female performer amongst the sugary divas of Britpop, with a voice that can be swiftly mutated from defiant and in-your-face (in 'We Love Your Apathy') to gentle and expressive (in 'Hedonism').

'Yes It's Fucking Political' has the potential to replace Billy Bragg with Skunk Anansie as the mouthpiece for the young socialist generation! Skin says: "We've been slagged off for being political. I hate that kind of argument against bands. Music doesn't have to be about feeling good all the time. The minute you run away from politics, you run away from life." She also talks about the song 'We Love Your Apathy' - (it's) "about the attitude of British people who've just gotten used to being kicked in the bollocks all the time. They just take it". With the new Tory government in Australia, it would pay for us to listen to this song as a warning for the future. But their songs aren't just about politics. Many of their songs sing about love and lust. 'Twisted (Everyday Hurts)' is a spiralling tale of love and lies.

Skunk Anansie blew the Sex Pistols off stage across Australia. Hopefully when they tour next, they won't have to ride on the backs of dinosaurs - but deservedly headline. And seeing the songs off Stoosh performed live will be amazing.

Melissa Fox

Rating (out of 5 trainers)

Skunk
Outspoken leader/singer Skin

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Sex Pistols - Filthy Lucre Live

Virgin/EMI

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Live albums are at best, risky affairs. When they're of a major comeback concert of a much critised reunion tour, for a band that epitimised a movement for the young and angry, even more so. The tongue-in-cheek but truthfully titled Filthy Lucre Live, is a recording of the Sex Pistol's Finsbury park headling set mid 96, minus the supporting cast of punk bands that made up, and some say made, that day. The Pistols slogg through all of Never Mind the Bollocks and few others, including The Monkee's 'Stepping Stone', not embrassing themselves, but not redeeming themselves either. But really, who hasn't got Never ind already? Granted you get the predictable crowd shout-a-thon and Johnny's in-between banter but that hardly makes it a must have.

Maybe it all made sense at Finsbury Park. At least you there you could see Uncle Johnny's gravity defying hair and lurid clothes, and laugh at waistlines of the others. But as a a concert momento, or subsitute, you'd probably be better off waiting for the video which will no doubt be released just in time for Christmas. Me cynical? Nev-arrr!

Caleb Rudd

Rating (out of 5 trainers)

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