Top Sounds - G

GALILEO 7, THE - Decayed {Fool’s Paradise} Celebrating ten years of this truly wonderful band, we get an album of 11 covers, a couple of which have previously been released but most are unique to this album. It’s crammed with goodies as always, in particular opener, a very able, gnarled run through the X-RAY SPEX classic, ‘The Day The World Turned Day-Glo’, ROBYN HITCHCOCK’s ‘Kingdom Of Love’, a couple of cracking not-so-obvious WHO covers in ‘Tattoo’ and ‘Glow Girl’ (the latter recorded during lockdown) and a boisterous take on REAL ESTATE’s ‘Paper Dolls’ while highlight might just be a surprisingly raucous take on THE MONKEES ‘Circle Sky’. Elsewhere there’s a bit of JULIAN COPE, PAUL REVERE AND THE RAIDERS and, the only down point, PINK FLOYD (at least it’s a Barrett era track). Lots of fun and kinda points to all I can hear in the band’s own material - THE WHO, ROBYN HITCHCOCK and a splash of Punk attitude. Great band in every way. (26.04.21)
GARY, THE - Fallow {Act Your Age} PODCAST PLAYED First time I’ve come across this band outta Austin, Texas - even though they have three albums and two previous EPs out. This is a six-track 12” and you can’t really get past the ARCHERS OF LOAF vibe, with a bit of NICK CAVE thrown in (check the vocal on ‘The Season Consumed Me’ in particular). The songs are bass driven, slightly understated and rather poetic. Of the tracks, the damaging, discordant instrumental ‘Radical Prostate’, ‘Info’ with the kind of impressive, repetitive drone the likes of MISSION OF BURMA do so well and sauntering closer ‘Unconfirmed, Undenied’ all impress while highlight would have to be ‘Fallow Fields’ that rattles along on a tonal guitar pattern and impressive rolling tom-heavy beats. In fact, I thought all of these tracks were pretty damn thrilling, inventive, compulsive and something that might just be the surprise record of 2021 so far. (07.10.21)
GEOFFREY OI!COTT - Carry On Oi!Cott {Boss Tuneage} Much as I love most of what Boss Tuneage puts out, I just can’t get this lot.  Probably doesn’t help that I find both Cricket and Darts to be the most boring ‘sports’ imaginable, so I miss much of the humour and ‘in-jokes’. Anyway, this is the band’s fourth album - their first in seven years apparently. 12 tracks and, I have to say the opener, ‘Dartitis’, is a bit of a cracker - cranking out a RUTS-esque opening riff before exploding into something LEATHERFACE would be proud of. Production is pretty banging too - ‘Chaos OK’ hits with the clout of prime-time AC/DC doing their take on THE BUSINESS. Better than I imagined (or remember) but still, ultimately, one that failed to knock me for six!! Ha - see that?? I did a cricket reference. Over and out for a duck... Ohh... that’s golf, I think? (24.11.22)
GHETTO BLASTERS - Point Blank {Mondo Trasho} Second 7” for this quartet outta Chattanooga, Tennessee that includes members of the likes of BASEMENT BENDERS, DRUG CZARS, FAST BOYS, TUFF TITS and more. You get three tracks of which the lead track had a distinct AC/DC vibe, if they played slightly dirty Garage Punk Rock ‘n’ Roll. Flip the wax and you get two snappier tracks, ‘Youngblood’ and ‘Let It Rock’ both of which smoke with a vague DEAD BOYS influence, with the latter in particular being an incendiary Garage Punk blast. It’s suitably raw, not flooded with awful lead guitar work. In fact, the guitars here are just about spot-on - sleazy riffs with leads that blast before going almost instantly back to the song. It’s a limited pressing too - only 50 in splatter vinyl and 250 on normal black wax. So get in quick if this noxious Garage Rock sound is your thing. (09.06.21)
GIGLINGER - Jävlä Nazi {DIY} Ohhh I do like this four-piece outta Helsinki, Finland. They record live, but don’t play gigs and each release is a little different but always good. This is a snappy, two track 7” with lead track, ‘Jävlä Nazi’ clocking in at just over 90 seconds. It’s got that classic Finnish Punk vibe, but played in a ‘77 way with a splash of Garage Punk guitar licks for good measure. Lyrical, it’s an attack on those who were once people to admire who have morphed into Right Wing wankers.  Flip the wax and you get ‘Independent Action’ that opens with a squeal of feedback before launching into a furious 75-seconds of riff-heavy, scorching Punk Rock. Would’ve liked one more track given the brevity of these two, but they are a couple of crackers.  Neat, fiery artwork too emphasising the lyrics of the lead track. Recommended - as always. (25.11.22)
Hit HERE for material reviewed prior to 2021 including:
GALILEO 7, GIGLINGER, GOATZILLA, HOLLY GOLIGHTLY, GOOD RIDDANCE and GRAHAM DAY AND THE GAOLERS