The Mads - Time By Time

Formed in Milano in 1979 and playing an energetic blend of beat and rhythm 'n' blues, The Mads were the first and best Italian Mod band. In four solid years of gigging, their reputation grew, becoming legendary on the modernist underground scene.
Re-formed with the original line-up in 2012 by the band's main song writer Marco Pertusati, with Luis Bergamaschi, Toni Graziani and Mauro Fossati, the band released a series of singles and E.P's, a critically acclaimed debut album The Orange Plane plus tracks on the Well Suspect Records' compilation Generation Mod and four recordings on the Deluxe Edition of the seminal mod revival comp The Beat Generation And The Angry Young Men.

Well Suspect Records are proud to release their second album Time By Time. Ten irresistibly powerful pop-rock bangers; each brimming with the bands signature melodic hooks, riffs and 'madernist' lyrical imagery. 

Release date 18th Oct 2024, on Vinyl, CD and digital. Pre-orders available at time of writiing.

A single Rabbit On The Run preceding the LP. 

The song, written by Marco Pertusati with escapist lyrics by Flavio Candiani, is a mid-tempo, catchy, power-pop earworm, with a dynamic horn section and the band's signature melodic riffs riffs.

The video (below) that accompanies the digital release captures the actual recording sessions of the song.

Available digitally on Oct the 4th on all online stores and streaming services.

Skill!

Dave's Doors Of Perception - Major Door Arcana

It is commonly accepted that one member of Dave's Doors Of Perception has returned from the future. Widely believed to be Dave Door himself, the band's drummer, who first started the rumour, one thing is for certain - few of their garage band contemporaries have any reason to doubt the alleged time travelling credentials; their far-out, far-sighted, visionary soundscape is hard to explain otherwise. The new LP, their second, Major Door Arcana, gives extra grounds to gossip.

Side 1: Twenty-two minutes of garage punk-rock perfection; fuzz guitar, snarling vocals and a tinnitus inducing rhythm section. With two 'mellower' tunes programmed by way of respite; the nine songs play like a whole album in itself.

Side 2: Twenty-two minutes of wigged-out psychedelic excess. A sonic exorcism of such hallucinogenic innuendo that psychosis may be induced in all but the most mushroom-hardened listener - a cautionary note to anyone intent on finishing all six tracks.

See video below.

Well Suspect Records have released this great record on limited edition vinyl.

Recommended.

Men Of North Country - '3'

'3' is the third album by Men Of North Country and the first on Well Suspect Records.

Moving away from the pure soul sounds of their previous two acclaimed albums on Acid Jazz Records, delving fearlessly into more eclectic territory, mapping their musical influences into a stirring collection of irresistibly melodic songs.

Featuring wistful jangle-pop 'Out on the Hills', rollicking and celebratory 'Happy Birthday, Child', sweeping anthemic bravado 'There is Light', a romantic indie love ballad 'They Don't Know' (the Kirsty MacColl's classic) plus sexy rock'n'roll 'Since I found my Love'.

Oh, and they haven't abandoned their Northern Soul roots – just sprinkle some talcum powder on the floor and soar away to the sound of 'Ravens', plus a brilliant down-and-dirty rendition of Sam Dees's dance-floor filler 'Lonely for You Baby' (video below).

Opening with the soulful soundscape of 'Titanic' and closing with their dark version of Californian 60s garage-rock gem 'Rari' by The Standells – this album is a ride through diverse musical territories, all the while retaining the melodic heart and soul of the band.

Men Of North Country - '3' is available digitally, Bandcamp and vinyl from Well Suspect Records.

Check these videos for tracks featured on the album.

Dave's Doors Of Perception - Shake It!

From possibly the 'greatest garage rock band ever', the mighty Dave's Doors Of Perception, comes, probably, the 'finest seven-inch record ever released'; the garage-rock, mod-stomping, dance-floor anthem to be....Shake It!

The responsibility in capturing this earth-quaking, live favourite to two-inch eight -track tape fell upon the shoulders of Liam Watson at Toerag Studios; tape-heads especially re-aligned to do so; the resulting recording proving to be the monster that the band and song demanded. 

The flip side cut features an earworm riff so great that once heard will never leave your mind or turntable …. Wasp Honey.

An instantly collectable, highly limited edition pressing of just one hundred seven inch vinyl copies by Well Suspect Records guarantees that this is a must have addition to the luckiest DJ boxes.

Check out their debut album - Apophenia.

Here's the fantastic video for Shake It!

Men Of North Country - Titanic.

Men Of North Country release another single from their new and long awaited album since jumping ship from Acid Jazz Records to Well Suspect Records - Titanic. 

The follow up to their jangle-tastic version of the Kirsty MacColl track They Don't Know, this horn led dancer perfectly captures MONC's trade mark soulful indie pop/rock sound.

The press release blurb is fun ..

I's Titanic a cruise ship or a shipwreck? Is there a difference? Or is it a metaphor for the western world? Is Titanic the highest grossing blockbuster made up to its time, or a beautiful stop-motion animated short? Is the band in the song Robbie Robertson's The Band or a band of walruses? Do selkies really exist?

Titanic was written at a time of confusion and insecurity, when questions arose, and it all seemed to go down the drain. This called for a big vessel. We need a bigger boat.

Rari is an all-time live favourite, an epic of almost ten minutes, it's has been a show stopper and set closer for quite some time. A desperate tale of lust and longing by the great Californian 60s garage-rock band the Standells, written by the brilliant Ed Cobb of Tainted Love fame.' 

Men Of North Country - Titanic is out now on all digital platforms with links on their artist page on Well Suspect Records or Bandcamp if you prefer

The video is something else, a mini masterpiece directed and animated by Nadine Ann Abraham; check it out below.

Hopefully the album with follow .... soon.

CORDUROY - Winky Wagon 2. (The Rest Of The Psy-Fi Years)

A great outcry; a follow-up desired; the first insufficient to needs; a second volume of the funky outfit’s acclaimed psy-fi experiments required; another collection of filmic grooviness; of cartoonish, wigged-out beats, of yacht-rockish psychedelic pep; Corduroy fans insisted on more

Winky Wagon 2. (the follow-up to Winky Wagon) the final in the acclaimed series; the best of Corduroy’s ‘Major label’ recordings, plus previously unreleased radio edits and bonus Japanese album tracks - never before pressed to limited edition red vinyl

 

Released on Acid Jazz Record's sister label Well Suspect Records; this fun and funky compilation is a collection of Corduroy's 'Brit-pop' album The New You and the beat heavy late 90s album Clik! but crucially including previously unreleased radio edits of singles that never saw the light of day, plus two bonus tracks previously unreleased (other than on Japanese CD versions of the albums) and never before on vinyl; see the great animated cartoon video below for 'You Got Me', one of the Japanese tracks.

 

 

 

This is another great release from Well Suspect Records and a must for Corduroy fans.

 

Skill!

Men Of North Country - They Don't Know. Kirsty MacColl tribute

Having worked closely with Men Of North Country throughout their two brilliant albums on Acid Jazz Records; Well Suspect Records are proud to claim them as the label's latest signing.

MONC have always worn musical influences on their sleeve, both in their original songs and choice of covers. Always pointing at the giants on whose shoulders they stand as if trying to zoom out of the shot, to capture the bigger picture, not just a selfie.

Kirsty MacColl's 'They Don't Know ' - is no exception. Kirsty was and always will be the queen of songwriters, ruling many a genre. No one sang like her, no one was sassier and no one softer; and sadly no one had a more tragic ending. Twenty years after her untimely death, MONC had to cover one of her tunes; her crown jewel, one of those 'best songs ever'. A tune that refines that feeling of 'us against the world', and of course, somehow manages to transcend it.

The perfect pop song and a taster of things to come –
a new MONC album due for release in 2021 on Well Suspect Records.

Available on Bandcamp.

And all other digital platforms.

Dave's Doors Of Perception - Shake Your Bones

Shake Your Bones is irresistibly catchy; conjuring a potent brew between The Doors, Nick Cave and The B52s; brooding, funny and atmospheric, it is a pop single of quality and a mission statement (Video below).

Who are Dave's Doors Of Perception?

Dave Door lives in South East London; his hair is lustrous and long; it is his antennas to receive cosmic energy from distant stars; his perception of the universe is profound, psychedelic and potent; an alternate realm of freakishness and fuzz. Dave believes that he is the drummer in a rock group; the loudest, baddest, gland-expanding, underground band that ever existed …

Dave's Doors Of Perception.

Fronted by Blair Dean, a snarling Gibson welding song-smith whose calm Ivy League exterior is in conflict with his relentless three chord aggression and vocal vitriol.

Rob Doherty is a mod, you can tell because he wears desert boots; he plays the bass, the nastiest, pounding, gnarly, growling bass that it is possible for the human body to survive.

Sitting behind a Vox Continental, it is not, as often claimed, the messiah, but Charli Doherty; Charli is too young to be the messiah, but he does possess unworldly skills in record production, can play any instrument yet to be created.

The band have previously released three tracks on Well Suspect Records compilations, Falling on Generation Mod, Sex, Drugs And Armed Revolution on Dirty Mod, and an audacious version of Sound Of The Underground (the song that made Girls Aloud famous) on Sweet & Sour Psych. And now, DDP present their debut album, Apophenia (produced and recorded by Charli), of all new material, release date 2^nd Nov. 

 

Corduroy - Return Of The Fabric Four

So, the first studio album by Corduroy in eighteen years is finally out, and as promised, here's a track by track report on this much anticipated record. 

The overall approach harks back to the early, classic, largely instrumental, Acid Jazz releases, (think DadManCat and High Havoc); beautifully recorded in Deptford's 2-Bit Studios, the sound is undeniably retro, with throw-back influences and vintage recording techniques, yet refreshingly forward looking thanks to the extravagant yet economic four-piece, drum/bass/guitar & keys, arrangements. Citing punk, easy-listening, TV and movie themes, jazz, funk, mod and British R&B, it's been a long wait and it's been well worth it.

Side 1.

Magic Mountain. The album opener, the best cheeky-kids-television-show-theme-tune that never was, named after a seventies skate-park and already reviewed, with video, here.

The Cleaner. Jazz influenced and super-spy cool, Steve McQueen in Bullitt meets the Pink Panther theme, driven by a sixties bass riff, swinging cymbals and Farfisa melody.

Return Of The Fabric Four. The album title track, Quincy Jones meets Johnny Pate, funky on the feet and cunningly syncopated; a mission statement.

Sambarella. Latin grooves like Sergio Mendez in Basil 66', sweet vocal Ba Ba Ba's in a sweeter plate-reverb Jus. Effortlessly groovy.

Blackmail. Relentless and claustrophobic, punky bass with vibrato guitar line, electric piano designed to cause insomnia and make the guilty pay up. Video here.

Snake Appeal. Beatnick lounge-room beats, Osca Peterson grand piano and Electric Prunes fuzz-tone guitar. Easy like dry Martinis in the sun ... two olives.

Side 2.

Saturday Club. The Who meets The Kinks meets Small Faces; reviewed with video here. 

Waltz For Christoph. Named after the baddie in Spectre, a jazz waltz for Christoph Waltz;  for head-nodders, chinstrokers and stylish actors when they enter the room whistling.

Sign Of The Cat. A small tune with big ideas, twelve-string melodies, inscrutably funky bass with a supple psychedelic keyboard backbone. 

The Slingbacks Solution. Tribal drumming that kick-starts a funny foot-stomping, hand-bag kitsch, twelve-bar number with a twist... crazy!

Jumping Spider. More bounce than a super-ball; Devo meets Jean-Jacques Burnel, itchy guitar runs and a thousand keyboard trajectories....and then it's gone.

Botany Five-O. Seaside funk for the dapper-clad soul boys, Bill Withers meets Ronnie Laws with fast clavi-chords and jazz groove guitar solo finish.

'Corduroy are: Ben Addison, Scott Addison, Richard Searle, Simon Nelson-Smith.
Produced by Corduroy and Andrew Jones, all songs written by Corduroy, sleeve illustration by Ben Addison, released on Acid Jazz Records. Richard plays Danelectro Bass guitars.'

Oh...and it's on white vinyl.

   


 

CORDUROY - Saturday Club

Every once in a long while, a song appears from nowhere to capture the heart and soul of would-be music lovers, beaten to the ear bone by karaoke chart crooners and auto-tuned bedroom rap, waiting for fresh and exciting sounds to recapture the life affirming joy that only really great music can offer; Saturday Club is such a song. Corduroy are truly back!

This, the second track to materialize from the much anticipated Return Of The Fabric Four album (see earlier post for Magic Mountain) is an effortless mod-drenched celebration of the weekend and all those who live for it. 

Driven throughout by a relentless, Louis Louis-esque electric piano riff, British R&B guitar chords, vintage drumming and bass licks from heaven, the vocal is euphoric and soulful .... and then there's the middle eight; a jazz keyboard solo, skillfully played over guitar power chords. It shouldn't work but it does and it's genius. 

Saturday Club is out now through all the usual digital outlets; we'll have to wait until late May for the vinyl.

CORDUROY - Magic Mountain

Nineteen years ago one of the seminal bands of the nineties Acid Jazz scene split up; that band was Corduroy. Their story is well documented (see this article for the full history), but the short story is that after countless tours and five studio albums, the band parted company and went their separate ways; never, it was widely assumed, would they return. So when an Acid Jazz Records press release was circulated this week announcing the release of Corduroy's brand new studio album, a great many people were very excited.   

Scheduled for 25^th May 2018, Corduroys first studio album for nineteen years is entitled Return Of The Fabric Four.

A full review the album will follow soon, but in the meantime here is a teaser track, available now through the usual digital sources, Magic Mountain.

THE BUNS - Dangerous

The Buns began life playing 'garage secretarial rock' in the basement clubs of home-town Paris, armoured from the norm by pencil skirts, rouge paint and with hair tightly knotted in bouffant buns; they attracted a lot of attention, especially with fans of vintage styles and sounds.

      The duo quickly progressed from sweat heavy dives to guest appearances in French stadiums, and a coveted slot on the seminal garage rock compilation on Well Suspect Records, DIRTY MOD; the track in question was Thrill Me Up, a lyric from which inspired the title of The Buns' U.K debut album, a frantic roller coaster ride of glam punk, and earthy garage rock, DANGEROUS.

The LP includes the best of the groups earlier 'Mad Men' glamour period, plus the current rock-chic snarl captured to tape by Liam Watson at Toe Rag studio.

The Buns are touring Europe throughout the autumn of 2017; but with only one London date, the LP launch show at Hackney's trendy rock pub, The Stags Head, with support from Dave's Doors of Perception and The Gallerys; a video from which is here.
 

Dangerous is available now from Well Suspect Records, and hits the shops Oct 13th.

Track listing:

Side 1.

Thrill Me Up.

Bye Bye Chéri.

Stockholm. (Video below).

Better Than Nothing.

Over Me.

Spoilt Brat.

Side 2.

One More Shot.

My Love.

Hey Stranger.

Learn How To Lie.

Bound.

Captain.

More videos on the Well Suspect Records youtube channel.

DIRTY MOD. Selected Finds For Filthy Minds.

'Sure, mod is about clean living under difficult circumstances, okay, I hear you, but sometimes you can put too much starch in your collar. From the very origins of the modernist scene, faces got down and dirty; box-suited and aloof in smoky Soho joints; ruining their chukkas in rhythm & blues crowd frenzies; dance-floors heaving with a heavy fug of hormones and hair lacquer; the blur of adrenalin and perspiration; blocked and bloodied as all-nighters spilt into weekends, sand in the hair and blisters in boots. Beatles or The Stones? I'll take the latter, the swivel-hip sex appeal that made bad girls screech, maddened and moist, torn hair in tufts, fitful nights of turning and tossing, crying themselves to sleep with guilty, filthy thoughts. The history of mod is sweat soaked and ear-splitting, limbs and microphones flaying; the loudest bands, the proudest; high-rise volume, distorted, disjointed, under the influence, pounding twelve bar, gritty rock and roll soul music that has influenced the groups on this compilation album; turn it up, jump, hump, shout and get busy ... to Dirty Mod!' (Searle, Dirty Mod, (2016)).

Featuring, the Uks finest garage rock bands, The Fallen Leaves, Dave's Doors Of Perception, and Eight Rounds Rapid. Parisian minxes, The Buns. Swivel hip rockers, Maker, and and The Sons Of Mod. Grunge Blues hipsters, The Monkey Gland Blues Band, The Beatniks, King Mojo and The Get-Go, enthusiastic youthful soul from Samuel Rogers and his band, plus another great cover version from The Third Degree, (the band that had that hit with Duffy's Mercy); Dirty Mod has little to do with the self-conscious preening of the generic spat of 'mod bands,' concentrating instead on the hard-grafting, gritty R&B outfits that splintered the boards of the original mildew stained nightclubs and jazz-bars of a scene first inventing itself in passion and sweat . This is a great compilation album.

Out now on Well Suspect Records.

Track listing:

1.The Samuel Rogers Band – Liven Up.

2.The Monkey Gland Blues Band – Shake It Down.

3.The Third Degree – Toxic.

4.The Buns – Thrill Me Up.

5.THE FALLEn leaVES – Did You See Her.

6.Eight Rounds Rapid – Bully Boy.

7.The Get-Go – Rockin' Girl.

8.Maker – Move Your Feet.

9.The Beatniks – CC (Love Surprise).

10.The Sons Of MOD – This Is Sound.

11.The Outcrowd – Booze Monkey.

12.Dave's Doors Of Perception – Sex & Drugs & Armed Revolution.

13. King Mojo – Ejector Seat.

Play Loud!

The Beat Generation and The Angry Young Men .. DELUXE Edition.

In 1984, before Eddy Piller started Acid Jazz Records, he release a number of 'mod revival' bands on an independent record label especially created for the purpose, that upstart label was the now infamous, Well Suspect Records ...... and Well Suspect Records is being re-launched in 2016 with Richard Searle (Corduroy) behind the wheel and he has apparently, lots of good things planned.

Soon to come is a limited edition Record Store Day seven inch featuring a previously un-released Corduroy track; more on that nearer the time. 

First up, by way of re-establishing the labels historic catalogue, is The Beat Generation And The Angry Young Men Deluxe Edition. Back in 84', this was the first retrospective to acknowledge the impact of the Mod Revival and its knock-on effect in collecting circles; many of the featured tracks were already demanding high pocket money prices (Directions, Small Hours, Long Tall Shorty) and these days far more. This reissued digital deluxe edition revisits and freshens the original; losing two tunes but gaining five extra tasty maximum R&B numbers (from the Italian group, The Mads) recorded between 1979 and 82. Best played loud, this compilation has influenced much of the indi-rock and brit-pop elite of the current generation of 'angry young men'....and women.

Track listing:

1. The Mads - The Mods Are Back in Town

2. Directions - It May Be Too Late

3. Long Tall Shorty - That's What I Want

4. Small Hours - Underground

5. Les Eslite- Career Girl

6. The Mads - Psycho R'n'r Art

7. Purple Hearts - I'll Make You Mine

8. Long Tall Shorty -I Do

9. Directions - Weekend Dancers

10. The Mads -This Is What I Get

11. Les Eslite - Frustration

12. Small Hours – The Kids

13. Purple Hearts - Hazy Darkness

14. The Mads - Mrs Kate

15. Long Tall Shorty -All by Myself

16. Les Eslite - Get a Job

17. Purple Hearts - Concrete Mixer

18. The Mads - Velvet Gloss

Release date 18th March. Get it here.  CD 13th.