The Graveyard Tapes Vol 3 – review
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Various artists: The Graveyard Tapes Vol 3
Mental records
Outside now
Red vinyl
My quiff was all out of a quiver when I received the last installment in The Graveyard Tapes series. Volume 3 of âUK’s Best Psychobilly, Surf, Punk & Horror Songsâ delivers exactly what it says on the cover. More songs than any of the previous releases, 14 in total, 9 of which are from Scottish artists. âMy psycho / rockabilly surf punks.
Being the Graveyard Tapes, there has to be the right mix of classic b / horror movie icons – of course, a quick glance at the track list will tell you everything you need to know about Wolves- werewolves / wolves / werewolves, witches, vampires, monsters and surf Creatures all featured right off the bat and to top it off, it’s on a befitting blood red vinyl.
Blood-sucking creatures
Howlin ‘Bones and Numbskulls from Nottingham kick off the proceedings with some psychobilly bangers slapping the bass. Howlin ‘Bones introduces us to Mr Werewolf, while the Numbskulls of Aberdeen sing along to perhaps the most evil blood-sucking creature on the album, the scumbags Scottish Midgees. Switching from psychobilly to bass, The Bikini Bottoms brings the garage punk of their latest 2 piece single, the frenzied Bite Me. Their last hurray before Jack and Evan went their separate ways, Jack moved to London and the band was reformed into three pieces. Look at the world.
Sordid punk
A few surf numbers follow courtesy of the Birmingham Kings of Hong Kong’s Surf Creature and from Kirriemuir to Angus, the legendary and enigmatic Secret Admirer invites us to the Monster House. Fancy some ska-billy? Of course you do! Then Ayrshire’s The Three n ‘Eights will be happy to oblige and rock you with scarlet-haired singer Ingrid performing live singing of the favorite leopard-print heart *. Signing (or singing) for the first part, it’s London-based Surfin ‘Wombatz who channels the minds of Lux, Ivy and co. with their excellent sleazy punk n roll on Black Cat Bone.
Phew, I’m exhausted and we’re only halfway there!
Evangelical
Onto Side 2 then and anyone who knows me will know I’m a little evangelical about the band that kicks off. Over the past year or so, The Best Band Influence have become street legends on the streets of Glasgow, drawing massive crowds and impromptu jivings when they perform Friday and Saturday afternoons on Buchanan Street / St Enoch. Square. Before taking on the world, they contributed Wolfman’s rockabilly howl to their debut album Rock-It!
Ugly Fly Guys from Durham brings some weird and twisted horror punk to the debates with their creepy song Brainiac before The Phlegm from Edinburgh brings bass back up and prepares to cause a frenzied demolition with hot psychobilly from My Baby is a vampire. The legends of Methil 13 Tombs keep the horror punk vibe going with their high adrenaline rush from I was a Teenage Wolferine, bordering on the Dead Kennedys in places.
Horror that shakes the bones
Next up from the deep and dark east of Edinburgh is Thee Girl Fridays whose addicting Love Witch mixes their surf punk vibes with a ’60s doo-wop / Motown feel in places. Bass is back (can you tell I kinda like standing bass) as Grave Failures takes us on a bone-shaking horror tour around Aberdeen in their psychobilly Bonemobile stomper before X Ray Cat. Leeds Trio provide us with a suitably atmospheric instrument in Gundred’s Revenge to end the proceedings well.
Then all you have to do is go back to the first side and start over.
I long for the days when we can get back to live music and host another Graveyard Bash at the iconic McChuills Bar on Glasgow’s High Street. In the meantime, it is the ideal companion for a good cold beer in the garden (as long as the unsightly and unsettling heat wave in Glasgow drags onâ¦)
* RIP Johanna Collins (Three n ‘Eights trumpeter who sadly passed away this year.
Buy vinyl now at Love Music Glasgow – Love Music – Glasgow
~
All of Neil Hodge’s words. Other writings by Neil on Louder Than War can be found in its author’s archives. You can also find Neil online at his thegingerquiff blog.
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