Chantal Claret – The One, The Only…

by Anna-Franziska Milanollo

With big boned rhythmic seduction and even more tempting melodic suggestiveness, the debut album from Chantal Claret is one delicious romp of sixties pop and modern insatiable inventive hunger, a release which makes the term having a good time as a description seem rudely limiting. The former vocalist for the excellent Morningwood, Claret has crafted her own soulful and enchanting not forgetting vivacious sound, into a larger than life treat which brings femme-pop from five decades ago in a feisty and thrilling union with attitude drenched indie pop. Think Imelda May meets Brenda Lee with strong whispers of Wanda Jackson, Gwen Stefani, and at times essences of Brody Dalle’s Spinnerette, and you get the unique presence of Chantal Claret. The One, The Only… is an album which has feet and emotions pumping in time and passion with the forthright sounds it offers, a release which quite simply and persistently thrills with each and every enthralling note.

    The One, The Only… is something very different from anything Morningwood unveiled though there is still a visible thread between the two due to the stand alone vocals of Claret who arguably upon her first full length solo release has found an even richer and expansive depth to her tone and delivery. Following up the acclaimed Pleasure Seekers EP whose four tracks also grace this album, the new release dances with the passions and ear to send a rapture marauding through the body like a tide of raucous melodic energy which ebbs and flows yet never leaves anything less than captivated seduction roaming its presence.

The opening intro introduces the artist like you would have found at an authentic live performance or TV show of the sixties, or so my Dad told me… an audience excited and drooling as the artist takes her spot in their eager spotlight. It leads right into the muscular rhythms and initial crafty tease of Bite Your Tongue, a song which sways with devilment whilst coaxing the passions into its instantly infectious embrace. The rhythms continue to dominate from the drums and bass, even in its quietest lure, whilst the keys add smokey whispers to stand side by side with the blaze of horns. It is a terrific start with a female snarl and wile to its magnetic temptation.

The thrilling start continues with Pleasure Seekers, a track which has the fire of the band of the same name in the sixties and the gentle pop artfulness of Nancy Sinatra, through the contagious Pop Pop Bang Bang and on to This Time. The second of the trio is one of the highest pinnacles, its arrival on a nursery rhyme like coaxing opening moving into a riveting stroll of woman scorned devilry with accompanying violent intent. Not the most involved song in its construction but certainly the most dramatically mesmeric and energetic, the track enlists the listener into its revengeful mischief with enigmatic craft and arcane breath. The third of the trio leads the senses into a wealth of bulging rhythms and enchanted melodies coated in a sinister design which sparks an ardour as potent as the sacrificial seduction of a siren, both inescapable and unrelenting.

Arguably there is a constant surface shine and glow to the songs which shades the variety at work initially but with songs like the Crystals/Yeah Yeah Yeahs prompting No Love Lost and the Aretha Franklin/Gwen Stefani call to arms of Real Girls and their curves and swerves, any similarity in the coating is soon dispelled with their individual voices, the latter of these two a hip hop/pop fusion which makes it impossible not to hungrily enlist in its cause.

Further flames of pleasure come with the fifties gaited Black Widow, a song which is as tricky as it is insatiable, its aural tongue licking its lips as it seizes the heart with the appetite of its subject. The Mari Wilson sounding Honey Honey stands alongside the song as another real high point its sixties energetic kiss from keys and passionate vocals leaving thoughts and emotions into unbridled mischief before handing over to the excellent Song For The Sinners, the best song on the album. It stomps with guileful invitation and addictive charisma whilst the licking flames of the again irresistible horns incite further temptation into its cute yet dangerous heart.

The One, The Only… is an outstanding album which guarantees nothing but full and breath-taking pleasure, and who could want to share those moments with anyone other than the temptress Chantal Claret.

http://chantalclaret.com/

9/10

RingMaster 03/04/2013

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

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The Creeping Ivies: Stay Wild

Having been left in rapture by their previous EP Ghost Train earlier this year, the anticipation and excitement going into Stay Wild, the debut album from Scottish rock n rollers The Creeping Ivies, was near on immeasurable. Admittedly it would have had to be a car crash of apocalyptic proportions not to have found approval, but the ten track psyche buzzbombs, to steal one of their song titles, took existing expectations and hopes and elevated them into a debauchery of passion. Stay Sick is a stunning irrepressible feast of wickedness which could grace any dance floor, riotous party, or waking graveyard.

The Creeping Ivies consists of the powerful inciting vocals and carnal riffs of Becca Bomb alongside the senses slapping, primal incendiary beats of Duncan Destruction, a duo which ignites primitive urges and raw hunger for their challenging and insatiably thrilling sounds. Together they brew up a storm which plays like the bastard sonic offspring of an illicit engagement between The Cramps, Wanda Jackson, The Orson Family, Patti Smith, and Ray Campi, whilst being violated by Alien Sex Fiend. It is an unforgettable and unique cacophony of instinctive mischief bringing the fullest most invigorating rewards.

Debut EP Rock N Roll Party in November 2011 was their first full statement of intent, though the song Shake It Up had already inspired acclaim and strong responses to the band with its appearances on a couple of compilation albums. The band also landed good airplay around the world which accelerated with the Ghost Train EP, including being featured on The Bone Orchard podcast. Shows alongside Viv Albertine of The Slits and Vic Godard & Subway Sect, as well as their own gigs have only gone to place the band as one of the most exciting in the UK, something which Stay Wild will surely turn into worldwide recognition with deserved luck.  Released on December 10^th as a vinyl/download through US label Dead Beat Records, the album is a simple yet powerful trip to orgasmic satisfaction.

The album opens with the magnificent Black Cat, a track with a groove which has you scouring rooftops for the Caped Crusader and an honest swagger inviting full participation. The uncomplicated gait of the song is hypnotic enough but with the sonic scrubbing which explodes out and scorches the ear intermittently, adoration is the only outcome. The vocals of Becca demand attention as firmly as her guitar lashes, and standing side by side with the thumping rhythms of Duncan, the pair scar the air and senses with a delicious assault of lustful irreverence.

The feisty stomp of Buzzbomb rampages over the sores caused by the opener with garage punk/rockabilly energy and punchy enterprise. Carrying a spice of The Stooges, Ramones, and The Creepshow to its gait, the song is a storming treat of public disorder combined with sonic revelry and showing the variety of sound and imagination which screams out from within the album.

Madhouse Blues and Mirror Mirror step up next to fire up the passions, the first a flow of caustic strokes from Becca around her wonderfully expressive and synapse scorching vocals. The track has a punk breath to its repetitive and salty touches which steps into numerous realms of genres whilst firmly borne of the first seeds of rock n roll. It is a persistent treat taking no prisoners with its corrosive intent and sets up the second of the two with its throaty tones and ‘banshee’ squalls perfectly. The track transported thoughts to Korean horror film Into the Mirror for some reason, probably due to the The 5,6,7,8’s like spicery of the song and the sharp tingling sonics which enflame the heart throughout.

Every track on the album is a triumph and inspires the same level of wanton devotion; songs like the brilliant punk n roller Spinning, a track which is as spicy and seductive as sex, the sensational echoing tank slapper Bop Like That, the slower but equally compelling song The World, and the steamy House of Ivy, all staggering examples of the uncluttered inventive mastery and brilliance on show. The latter is a raucous maelstrom of feverish energy and body rapping beats, a sadistically teasing psychobilly binge with whispers of L7 and Bone Orchard to its striding exploits.

Completed by Rock N Roll Ghost, a song which devours the heart like a fusion of the Misfits and Horrorpops, and the final exhilarating bruising encounter of the closing title track, the sigh of deep pleasure is audible at its end and the rush to press the play button again to the whole feast of magic beyond eager. Stay Wild is simply astounding and if this was to be the only music to soundtrack the rest of our lives there would only be greedy acceptance and joy.

http://thecreepingivies.com

RingMaster 21/11/2012

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

The Creeping Ivies: Ghost Train EP

Having just been introduced to the glorious schizophrenic garage punk sounds of UK band Frau Pouch we now have the distinct pleasure by kind invitation of the band itself to meet Scottish duo The Creeping Ivies through their new EP Ghost Train. The follow up to their debut EP Rock N Roll Party, the new EP is quite simply immense, a pure unbridled splattering of the senses from sonic expulsions squeezed from psychotic blisters. Spearing the ear with all the right sounds and searing flesh to just the right depth The Creeping Ivies are one of the most exciting bands to emerge in the UK, and the beginning of a salacious love affair with their creative manipulative sounds here.

Comprising of just vocalist and guitarist Becca Bomb and drum molester Duncan Destruction, the duo rile up more noise and reaction than most multi-personnel bands as they work their way deeper and hook with the sharpest of bone splicing musical barbs. Their music can be best described as The Cramps meets The Pixies amongst an orgy of The Orson Family, The Victorian English Gentlemens Club, The 5,6,7,8’s, and The Stooges. The result is a glorious strained melodic bedlam which brings all the decades of garage rock and punk from the 50’s through to today with infectious and unique ingenuity. It is rare to be truly excited by a band but there is no avoiding it with The Creeping Ivies.

The track Ghost Train opens up the EP and immediately one is captivated by the irresistible simplicity yet fully intrusive beats and guitar. As Becca unleashes her deep and strong vocals the first thought is that this is what The Cramps would sound like if fronted by Wanda Jackson. No note is wasted on frills and no space unfilled by stirring primal beats and energy. The addictive chorus assumes control of ones voice within seconds of its first appearance and the electrified discords of pleasure from the guitar leave one spinning. The track is an unrelenting stomp with a contagion power to make any virus enviable. The song is easily our favourite of the year so far and kept the other two tracks on the EP waiting for their chance as it invited multiple plays before moving on.

    Don’t Cry strolls in next with equal flair and instinctive charm. There is nothing as hypnotic as a song primitively basic yet stunningly crafted as The Ramones who offer more than a spice here have proven. The Creeping Ivies have tapped that same vein of invention to equal effect and success. The track is spawn from shadows within shadows to offer a disturbance found in the likes of Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers and The Birthday Party with uncomplicated sounds found in early Yeah Yeah Yeahs. All these though merely add spicery to the sound with the duo consistently sounding like The Creeping Ivies predominantly.

Completed by the scuzz ball of noise Chicken Voodoo Blues the EP released on Jet Black Records, is easily one of the best heard in a long time. The track ruptures blood vessels and ear drums with its assault of festering melodic swipes and a mighty destructive rhythmic rampage leading to climaxes as distressed and chaotic as one could pray for. It is a bedlamic end to an enormously fun release and the instigator of deep frustration that there was only a triplet of psychotic mayhem offered.

The Creeping Ivies may not be to the taste of everyone but if any of the references mentioned grab your ear than this duo will be your new musical infatuation.

Grab the EP for free at http://thecreepingivies.bandcamp.com/album/ghost-train-ep

RingMaster 07/06/2012

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Interview with Dick Venom of Dick Venom & The Terrortones

If you thought UK psychobilly was on the decline or started and ended with The Meteors and Demented Are Go then you would be very wrong for now we have a new pretender to the throne of  P. Paul Fenech and Sparky in the dark princely shape of Dick Venom. Leading an equally mischievous band of hell’s rejects in The Terrortones they are a fresh, sexy and insatiable addition to the garage/rockabilly/psychobilly freakshows of the UK. We have the pleasure to enter the lair of Mr Venom to find out much more about the unsavoury quartet.

Hello and a big welcome to The RingMaster Review.

Could we start with finding out the history of the man Dick Venom?

Awwww, me? Well I was born in the swamps of the moon’s lagoons and hitched a comet tail to earth. Guess I landed on my ass because my behind which stung like a beehive had been hangin out the back of it for about a month. I dusted myself down, sprayed off a load of space debris and here I am.

When and where did the Terrortones become involved?

They just kinda came outta nowhere. I’d been riding high on jungle janes and ‘gator tails for a while when all of a sudden they hit me. Hell only knows what they were doing in my neck of the woods but damn they sounded good. SugarBeats was pounding on something like a thundercrack jackhammer, Vicky Twist and Wrex St.Clair just seemed to jump out at me with guns and guitars blazin’, they caught me unawares and all the hairs on my unmentionables seemed to jump up to attention.

Your music throws a mix of rock ‘n’ roll, rockabilly, psychobilly, and garage punk into a swamp of dirty mischief, what are the strongest influences to your sound musically and personally?

Musically? Anything that’s got a lil bit of something raw and a little bit of life to it, stick a little of the Devil there too and you got yourself a mix – from Raw Power era Stooges to N.Y Dolls to Batmobile to Standells  hell… let’s throw some Patsy Cline and Wanda Jackson in there for good measure too.

Personally? A lil carpet burn and heat rash and some rubber marks and whiplash and I reckons I just might be entertained

Nottingham is your home, how do you find it for you as an artist and band for opportunities and for finding fans for your insatiable wickedness?

Y’know it’s pretty good. It’s where we started playing and started getting support. And there are always plenty of people to satisfy my appetites. Though I might have to leave when the spate of quiffed up moonchild newborns all come tumblin’ out. Oops.

The band line-up has an uncanny look and feel of The Cramps, intentional or sheer fortune?

Now that can’t ever be a bad thing cannit? I mighta got some fashion tips from a few folk that I like and the Cramps might have been one of them but as for the rest of the ‘Tones – they’re the ones who make the music and they aint never come across the Cramps before getting told they play like them.

You have just had a launch show for new release RockinRollin VampireMan, was it as much of a riot and flesh fest as certain pictures portray?

Awww. Yes. Yes it was. It was every kinda fuckphonic filth that you mighta guessed it would be. Having four sets of jigglies spelling ‘We heart Dick!’ is something I won’t forget. Some people wanna see their name in lights? Seein’ mine on ladylumps will satisfy me fine.

The three track release is a dark beast of gratuitous pleasure, are the songs ones that have riled up audiences at live shows for a while or brand new for the single?

Hmmmm, a lil mix of both. ‘RockinRollin’ VampireMan’ is a pretty old one. ‘StickyPants Trance’, that just had to go on, hell when we first played that song some folk got so wet you coulda drowned toddlers in their pantyhose. ‘Lilly & the Killers’, well that was just a nice lil closer. None were written specifically for it but we try to record just as often as we can so there’s never much delay.

Though your songs often have a horror/movie fuelled theme one gets the sense from the passion you deliver them even in your own inimitable way that there are personal inspirations at play too?

Well I do like to bite.

RockinRollin VampireMan is an infectious almost anthem track, maybe a personal declaration too?

Well with that being the very first song on the very first single then I reckoned I better had set myself up. Aint nutin like an honest introduction.

The tracks sound actually reminds of the first split release the Meteors were involved with but also in a way of very early The Fall. Are these bands that you have a liking for?

Now the Fall I like – but… Really? The Fall? I might have to dig the old stuff out and compare.

(Note from us to Dick..check out How I Wrote Elastic Man).

Included on the single is the track Sticky Pants Trance. We have all had some of that in our lives but what inspired the song itself?

Once I got stuck in a crater of a hiphole and then I got thinkin’ how I got there. Now it can’t all be my fault that chicklets get transfixed in my stickypants trance can it? Guess it’s a curse I have to bare.

The CD comes with a great comic book sleeve, the artwork is excellent, who drew and wrote that?

You can find here in the video for StickyPants Trance, she’s the nurse that gets carted away at the end. She’s called Nurse Catatonic.

Once the dust for the single has settled what comes next and how long before the next release?

Gigs, leather, latex, shows, caber tossing, goat blowing, olive oil, friction burns, corsets, tattoos, tattoos of corsets, pictures of tattoos of corsets, burlesque queens and the odd dream of Dana Scully. Got a bunji clunge jump all lined up too – that’s a bunji jump and target practice all rolled up in one. Next release? Shall we say end of the year? Thinkin’ it might be a new song we’ve written that we so sensitively called ‘Get Fucked Up Good’. It’s a sweet little ditty ‘bout the pitfalls of lovin.

Many bands now seem to be disregarding releasing an album to instead bring a steadier stream of singles or EPs, is that something you may consider?

I think that might be the case. Every time we get a set of dynamite songs we’re gonna get them down and get ‘em out to the masses. If there’s demand for an album then hells yes we’ll do one. Plus this way our comic strip will get longer with every release.

With your diverse sound which fights being tagged how easy is it to find bills and bands to fit easy with your distinct show?

It’s working pretty well, ‘cus we got bits of rockabilly, bits of punk, bits of garage, psychobilly, gothabilly we get tied into a load of different scenes. I reckon people don’t just wanna see one thing at a gig so having a mix up does us some favours.

Is it harder to find gigs further afield than Nottingham with venues that do not know the band or is it the opposite and places you have spoilt that are then more resistant haha?

Can’t say we ever had much problem getting out and about – the more places and people we sweat on the better. I’m a sociable lil critter so I like t’ hound promoters and venues wherever I can. I’d say we play a different city every two weeks at the moment and I reckon I wanna do more. And I aint never trashed a stage or venue too bad to not get an invite to go back.

I can imagine many bands would stay away from sharing stages with you for fear of being blown away from your performances.

Well maybe, guess folks in the audience can only get so wet.

What have been the best gigs you have had to date and most memorable?

The single launch was something unforgettable and every time we play at 12Bar in Soho it’s like the best sticky hotbox homecoming you could ever imagine. Got a nice big break at Rescue Rooms, Nottingham about a year back too.

And the best forgotten?

Already forgotten.

It is hard to believe your gigs are just another show for people, you make sure one way or another they are unforgettable one imagines?

Well now that’s just me all over– unforgettable. And without any show then you may as well be sat at home with a record in your ears. You want something to get caught up in right?

Are there any boundaries or limits that have not been or you will not push in your shows?

Hmmmmmm… I mighta knocked my tooth out  twice on a mike, split my lip so bad that I went to a vets right after the gig (I didn’t wanna wait all night at A&E). Think I broke a rib somehow too but I’d never do nuthin to hurt myself on purpose.

Thanks very much for sharing your time to talk with us, do you have any last thoughts you would like to share?

Yeah – I’m all outta whisky and my mouth is bone dry. But you probably had enough of me an mine – why don’t ya get down to a gig and share yours? Maybe check out our video too… www.dickvenom.com.

Finally Gillian Anderson?  I know you would and will you share?

Will I share Gillian Anderson?! Oh Heeeeeeellllllllllllls No! That ET bustin buxom she queen is aaaall mine. Hands off ya hear me?

The RockinRollin’ VampireMan is available now, for more information go to https://www.facebook.com/DickVenomandtheTerrortones or http://www.dickvenom.com/

Read the review @ http://ringmasterreviewintroduces.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/dick-venom-the-terrortones-rockin-rollin-vampire-man/

RingMaster 07/03/2012

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