Dripping Slits - "Krokodil Rock"

Sometimes, at any given review outlet, an album makes it way to the top of the pile simply because of what the reviewer has heard of their previous output.  Dripping Slits have previously been reviewed here earlier this year when they shared a split and we loved them then as you can see here..

This latest release "Krokodil Rock" also spat on all the thrash, death and black metal, promptly stole the bottles of corpse paint mixed them with ethanol then  raided the liquor and medicine cabinets and apologized with a wink and only a hint of a winning smile.  That particular kind of charm is a rare commodity in this day and age so it wins every time here.  Dripping Slits' music is dirty sleazy rock 'n' roll played the way it should be.  It's noisy, dirty and raw.  The fact that the band have a song entitled "Venom and Denim" may give the impression that they fall somewhere between the originators of black metal and Scandanavian punk 'n' roll but lyrics like "A wise man once said, " Rock and Roll is dead but he ain't seen what I seen" lets you know these guys pump sleazy rock through their arteries and no doubt contain in other vessels that may contain body fluids even if they usually just hold alcoholic beverages.

These cats know that blues aren't just for washing clothes as there are a few moments that the scuzz is from a southern swamp.  The final song, " Snake Oil Blues" sounds like a cross between Motley Crüe 's debut combined with Alice Cooper's best moments meeting head-on with Black Flag and then grabbing a little something off a stoner rock band.  The album "Krokodil Rock" is streamed on the band's site which is linked below.  So you really should click the link.



4/5



http://drippingslits.com/

Hip Priests - Full Tilt Bullshit

(Ghost Highway)

Look up all your liquor cabinet and all the female members of your acquaitance because the UK’s Hip Priests are back with a new singer and their lurid punk and roll tales of sex, debauchery, more sex, more debauchery and did I mention even more sex and debauchery?  

 There’s a couple of songs here that more astute will realize are parodies of other songs including the tight opener “Sonic Repoducer” and I’ll take the less subtle “Outa My Head (Into My Pants)” over that horrible Billy Ocean song.  And it’s not to hard a stretch (ha!) to imagine  “Wrist Action” is their version of “Turning Japanese”.

“Baptized in Booze” clues the listener in that The Hip Priests’ shows are drunken sweaty affairs for the audience.  “Gang of One” is the perfect counter to all those punk songs about being in a gang hanging with the crew and comes complete with the obligatory woohoo vocals.  A possible weakness is that it sounds a little too much like all the other haning with the gang songs.  “Dna Dynamite”  lives up to the album’s title and is full tilt and seems to be over much quicker than three minutes and like all good rock 'n'roll borrows from elsewhere, in this case, it's from The Stiff Little Fingers with lyrics twisted to “I gotta go, I gotta ejaculate”  The speed theme continues with “Faster than Fuck”.  The theme of “Dressed Up, Messed Up”  should be  self-explanatory to most readers.  The title “Demon in My Genes”  is possibly the least obvious these guys get but just say it out loud and you get the idea.  Put simply the song rocks regardless.  It’s difficult not to think of The Stooges listening to “Terminal Lust”.

The world’s still in recession but if you love garage punk and roll you should seek out this album and spend your disposable income on  it instead of booze and loose woman although The Hip Priests themselves are more likely to take the latter options.

4/5

See also Dogfight

Hip Priests on facebook



The small takeover on facebook

Sonic Negroes/The Hip Priests - Dogfight

SONIC NEGROES/THE HIP PRIESTS - “Dogfight”,2008
(Zodiac Killer)

The term “dogfight” describes a fierce battle between two or more opponents.  In today’s punk ‘n’ roll bout we have two well-matched battlers.  ,In one corner representing Sweden we have the Sonic Negroes and in the other side of the ring we have The Hip Priests from the UK.  The UK representatives start the show off by telling all and sundry “Let’s Get Fucked”.  They receive zero points for subtley but successfully combine the three vital elemements of their chosen musical style into a single frenzied song.  Sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll are the bases covered in the lyrics and the UK contingent assure in one break-neck song that they are a threatening band.   Too many other bands attempt the same themes but sadly struggle to inject even a minimum dose of menace over the course of an entire album.  This is a sleazy band that should be kept a safe distance from your little sister and any other female companions.  Go on, guess, exactly what, “She Loves It” is about?  Too late for the youngest one but a restraining order might not be out of the question.  “Rip Them Off” has a simplistic Ramones chorus but these priests are blessed with an ever present Motorhead bulldozer capable of ripping and shredding the thickest jungles to pieces.

With their chosen name alone, it’s clear that the Swedish crew, Sonic Negroes wear their Norwegian influence on their collective sleeves.  It’d be far too easy to totally write them off as generic Turbonegro clones but lucky for everyone, the songs of the Swedes stack up well on their own accord.  Evident on “Born to Be Gone” is occassional use of express pace piano tinkering ensures any hurled accusations of mere carbon copying are stopped dead in their tracks.  There’s a revved up and modified corpse of MC5 inhabiting, rocking and breathing life into the twenty-first century through the presence of these swedes.

With the referee knocked out by both contestants picking a winner is a difficult feat however the trophy goes to the finishers Sonic Negroes largely due to better production which lead to a clearer vocal and overall sound.   In comparison, the Hip Priests’ vocals sounded buried in the background over their primal garage rock.

 Disclaimer:  This “Dogfight” was legally organized for disturbing the peace with the volume turned up above maximum.  No animals were hurt in the writing of this review.

3.5/5

Hip Priests facebook page

Sonic Negroes facebook page