The Bordellos

If you're looking for some honest music you need look no further than the Debt Sounds album by St Helens band The Bordellos who have embraced the brutalist ideal with this latest release, gripping on to their non-conformist honesty with a vice-like grip.

The Bordellos could be described as the Howard Hughes of the music world with live performances like hens teeth, however I can announce with no small degree of delight that they will be performing for a second time in support of Musicians Against Homelessness.

At the humble behest of Ralph's Life on May 19th in the Ruskins Sports and Social Club, St Helens along with another 12 bands and artistes they take the stage with all monies raised going to homelessness charities.







Their idea behind the Debt Sounds album was to get back to basics, so Brian Shea informs us that he set down these ground rules: 

1. All recorded on old tape 4 track, using microphones and recording equipment bought from pound shops and cash convertors for under £5.

2. All tracks recorded on 4 tracks only no overdubs.
  
3. All vocal tracks would be first take only even if disaster struck whilst recording ,so a lot of these songs have only ever been sang once.  

4. All songs recorded would have been written that week . so the rest of the band would never have heard them before recording.

5. every song started would be completed that night so no going back. 






Brian further elucidated: "It was recorded over 10 consecutive Friday nights during that 10 weeks. There were two romantic break ups (the two ex girlfriends actually sang on some of the tracks to add to the spice), and only just before the start a marriage had also broken up. There was lots of alcohol consumed lots of madness. It is the sound of four people going out of their minds."

"Looking back, I wonder how Dan managed as he only turned 17 during the recording of this album, but his teenage angst mixed with our midlife crises made for a very dark work of art. 

This was supposed to be our third Brutarian Records release, but a label that boasted in its bumph as releasing noncommercial uncompromising music refused to release it as it was too uncompromising and noncommercial." 

"I have very fond memories of this LP; recording it was an experience that was only matched in madness when recording our Ronco Revival Sound LP."

Errant Boy

We Like You is the first Errant Boy single of 2018 and a preview of their forthcoming second album, due later this year. Boasting their signature melodic guitar manoeuvres and lyrical unease, it’s a worthy follow up to last autumn’s Means track which appeared on several best of 2017 lists.

Errant Boy has a sound that's pretty unique but if you were to twist my arm for a comparison they're a cross between Jonathan Richman and a perkier version of St Helens legendary band The Bordellos who are on a quest to annoy as much of the mainstream music industry as possible. 

This is Errant Boy at their off-beat best. The track is as like-able as it is addictive. Not so much lo-fi Doom Pop; more jangly-fi (yes I just made that up especially) Quirk Pop, and is the most fun I've had listening to music with my clothes on so far in 2018.

Brian will be playing the track on the Radio KC Indie Show this Sunday so tune in on rkc.noip.me Internet Radio 5-7pm.

Ralph's Top 10 Blogged Band Chart - 3.9.16

OK bands you know the score .....

the more hits your blog gets by the fans ..... 

the higher you go .....

So Tweet it, Facebook it .....

Generally expose yourself .....


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Click here for the Ralph's Life website

Now Mr Snuggles and I have been sitting with our heads down counting the hits on each blog to see which band's got what place.

Tracks from the Top Ten Blogged Bands are played 
every Sunday 5-7pm on Radio KC as part of 
Ralph's Indie Show.

No 1: Billy Mitchell

Ralph does a Video Of The Week on ralphslife.co.uk

and this week it's 'All You Got' by young Scottish singer songwriter Billy Mitchell who hails from Dundee.

The Video is by James Calderwood and the single is currently available on i tunes.

No 2: Barstow Bats

Title track from the Barstow Bats 'Vixen' EP.

iTunes store:
smarturl.it/Vixen-pre-order

Apple Music:
smarturl.it/vixen-applemusic

No 3: The Society

North West Indie popsters The Society are creating quite a stir in Manchester and it's no wonder with a cracking debut single Begging on the way plus a headline show in The Soup Kitchen soon. Begging is a tight, melodic track guaranteed to fill the dance floor.

After playing in a handful of previous bands Lew Whalley and Harry Beresford met and instantly developed a strong musical bond, later forming the foundation of The Society.

No 4 Sam Simmons

The lead singer of popular Cleethorpes band The Loving Memory (who are coming over to St Helens on September 17th to play Ralph's Musicians Against Homelessness gig) Sam Simmons is flexing his solo muscles and releasing More Than Yesterday, Less Than Tomorrow; an album of his own work, on Saturday August 6th.

The album kicks off in fine style with Closest Thing To Heaven with its Americana-esque lyric overlaid on some nifty guitar work in the stylee of the late great Stuart Adamson. He slows the pace with the melodious and poignant Guess before How Can I Move You pulls on the heart strings a little more.

No 5: The Bordellos

With Ralph's Get On The Wall event for Musicians Against Homelessness in Zoo Bar St Helens coming up on September 17th it seems only sensible to check out some of the bands and artists playing at the all-day celebration of local music to raise funds and awareness for the homelessness charity Crisis UK.

Timeously in that respect then that The Bordellos have released; via Small Bear Records, their latest EP Gary Glitter. It kicks off in fine dystopian, post-punk style.

No 6: Kids On Bridges

This has to be one of the strangest collaborations on paper, but it really works. The electro synths of Liverpool's Kids On Bridges meets the New Orleans Funk of Zigaboo Modeliste from legendary band The Meters, producing Say OK, a perfect feel good summer track.

Described as Beck meets Prince and so fresh you could eat it, the track has already had over 88,000 plays on Spotify thanks to Kids on Bridges' growing reputation as one of the UK's most exciting emerging bands through their top 25 iTunes hit Something in the Water and Hype Machine Number 1 When The Needle Drops.

No 7: Empathy Test

If there was an actual empathy test other than in the dystopian future of Blade Runner, then the new double A side single: Demons/Seeing Stars, by London based electro popsters of the same name passes with flying colours. 

The soon-to-be released Empathy Test track Demons shines bright in the musical firmament as they explore the nature of jealousy in the human condition. It's available on September 9th and is a precursor to their much vaunted and eagerly awaited debut album.

No 8: The Blet Project

Scotland’s four-piece electro pop outfit The Blet Project return with their third single Eight Till Ten. A light-hearted look at modern working life and the pressures it puts on relationships; set to the sounds of 90’s R&B girl groups.

The band was formed in spring 2015 by Stephen Dennis (synths/backing vocals) to create thought-composed, three-minute pop songs with socially conscious lyrics. 

No 9: wojtek the bear

Self-confessed Frightened Rabbit fans wojtek the bear have released their debut single Dead From The Waist Up and proclaim "It marries quintessential indie-pop songwriting with melodies and hooks as big as mountains".

Hailing from Glasgow this four-piece have indeed come up with a wee cracker of a debut release. It's nicely crafted and evocative soundscape gels nicely with a seemingly retrospective lyric.

No 10: King Canute

Less can often be more; so they say, but in the case of Essex based King Canute more is definitely more. Their burgeoning post-punky alt rock sound has increased expotentially since they increased from a two piece to a three piece.

King Canute have toured relentlessly, bringing their brand of raw punk rock to as many venues as possible in the UK.