The Scoffs

Factories in Heaven

(Short Fuse Records)

Lead singer Knuck to Heavy Melody site, in 2023: "I spent a few years on my knees in waste and filth on factory floors, sorting garbage for recycling analysis. I fed machines in cold, drafty warehouses for $12/hour, screwing up my shoulder to have some a-hole boss mock me while I destroyed myself to pad his pocket."

That's a plaint all-too-familiar to this writer, being as I am an erstwhile chief steward with the United Food and Commercial Workers (local 431).

But mine is also a skidding existence on 1977-forward safety-pin margins, soundtracked by CBGBs skronk merchants. The Scoffs' demolition brickbats ring true and land hard. '77 was a launchpad.

Recommended: "Factories in Heaven," "Never Might Be Too Soon," "Such a Mess"

Videos: "Factories in Heaven"   "Never Might Be Too Soon" (Official video)   "Such a Mess"

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The Delstroyers

Bomboras dissipate when dropdown toms and bass-string anglings assure foundation for trebly articulations known well to Green Room habitués.

Videos: "Nightshade" & "Cannibal Car"

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The Darts (US)

Halloween Love Songs

(Adrenalin Fix Music)

Singer/keyboardist Nicole Laurenne: "During a 2024 interview with Rock n Folk magazine in Paris, I jokingly mentioned that the world needed some new Halloween songs...So I got to work..."

The result? When the mystery hearse smashed into the joint, assorted kicks-junkies dropped glasses to the floor. And when the ebony corpsemobile plowed into the blinking juke, and sounds at once ghastly and seductive roared forth, all surrendered to magnetism of unknown birth... 

Back to Nicole (who also wields a glockenspiel): "So, side A is chock full of tasty, candy-colored Halloween kitsch, to be played while trick-or-treating as the sun sets...But side B is for after dark, when the bonfire is raging. It's for sweaty, middle-of-the-night dancing, making out on a bed of empty candy wrappers, and spinning through an all-nighter apocalypse."

Recommended: "Midnight Creep," "Zombies on the Metro," "Blood Run Cold," "Dream Ghost," "Every Night is Halloween," "Apocalypse," "Darkness," "Shadow," "Late Drive"

Videos: "Midnight Creep" (official video)   "Zombies on the Metro" (Now Dig This TV performance)   "Every Night is Halloween" (lyric video)   "Apocalypse"

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Marshall Scott Warner

How 'Bout It   4-track digital album, 10" vinyl

(Self-issued)

Were it not for the ace-high participation of contemporary players of hepcat esteem, this scribe would wager greenbacks that these cuts had been dug up circa '55, somewheres between red-clay joints and Sam's storied Union Ave. shoebox. Hillbilly hijinx through which trad Rockbilly Boogie howls its piece. Regular-guy Marshall - he of the disarming drawl that knows every note by name - handles snare-snaps with enviable efficiency. Fast company Tony Laborie (bass), Joel Paterson, Russ "Rusty" Blake, and Graham Tichy (guitars), and Jeremy "JW" Wakefield (steel guitar) just plain set the woods on fire.

Recommended: "How 'Bout It," "Ace Up My Sleeve," "Closing Time," "Cry Baby"

Videos: "How 'Bout It"   "Closing Time"

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The Dusty 45s

Butterflies  EP

(Sleazy Records)

Regardless of the style they take up - comfortably settled Rockabilly, het-up hijinx remindful of baggy-pants Vaudevillian carryings on, Bert Weeden's ethereal 1960 excursion, or Jazzy geniality accustomed to high-toned niteries - combo members turn hands ably. Poise walks hard and trumpet skedaddles merrily.

Recommended: "Simple Thing," "Butterflies," "Bright Lights and Blonde Haired Women"

Videos: "Simple Thing"   "Butterflies"   "Apache"   "Bright Lights and Blonde Haired Women"

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