Top Sounds - F

FANG/ NO IDEA - Split {Just4Fun/ Wounded} PODCAST PLAYED Raging four-track 7” kicking off with the Landshark legend that is FANG. First track is a blazing cover of ‘Riot In Cell Block #9’ (which, apparently, Shakin’ Stevens also covered!) that oddly, sounds remarkably like some RED FLAG 77 stuff! Superb!! ‘Deathryder’ doesn’t cut quite so intensely, but is more in tune with FANG of old - slightly warped but with some stunning drumming. And vocalist Sam McBride (post prison sentence) still sounds noxious and intimidating. Flip the wax and you get Sweden’s very own legends, NO IDEA. They crank out ‘Container HardCore’ which sounds a bit more restrained than their usual HC rage and is a bit of a winner. ‘Logic Of War’ closes the EP with some great discordant guitar work, bellicose vocal and bruising beats and is the pick of the two NO IDEA tracks. Hugely enjoyable split 7” featuring a couple of bands that can genuinely be considered veterans - and can still cut it with any of the up and coming whippersnappers. NO IDEA just pip FANG - but FANG get best track. (25.01.21)  

FROGGY AND THE RINGES - Soft G {Kibou} Lurching from the mysterious backwaters (one assumes) of Suffolk, UK come this quartet that has taken THE SONICS ‘Boom’ cover and added a frog’s face to it. I assume this has something to do with James outta DOMESTICS being on Kibou - and it surely sounds like his bellowing vocal. This time though, it’s not the Hardcore we’ve come to expect, this time it’s more New Wave Of The Close Shave sound fused with something a bit more Garage Rock and odd splashes of FUZZTONES-esque keyboards. Four tracks on this limited 7” with the lead track having a distinctly aggro sound, as does closer ‘(We Are) Cheap Beer’ while ‘Don’t Listen’ has enough quirk about it to be comparable to THE CRAVATS. They certainly have their collective tongue embedded in their cheek and I’m guessing this might be a one-off project but, I have to say, I really enjoyed it!!  One thing is for sure: listening to the final track, they are not from Belgium. (06.03.21)

Hit HERE to access material reviewed prior to 2021 including:
FACE TO FACE (2 reviews), FAST EDDY, FATAL BLOW, FAZ WALTZ (3 reviews), FEED HER TO THE SHARKS, FIRKIN, FLESHIES, FLOAT HERE FOREVER (2 reviews), FOREIGN LEGION, FOX FACE, FUCK (IT'S PRONOUNCED SHIT), FUCKED UP, FULLCOUNT and FUTURE VIRGINS