Songs About Fucking Idiots - The Owen Guns (Outtaspace Presents/Booker Bastard Records)

Those in the know about The Owen Guns’ piss-take attitude and wild performances are have caused “Songs About Fucking Idiots to almost sell out its first pressing in a week.  It’s a signal that the drawbridge has been pulled up and the posts are manned in society’s ivory towers as The Owen Guns are poised to seize the palace.

“Songs About Fucking Idiots” is sitting at number-three on the Australian Independent Records Chart, along with safer (and nicer) acts like Pete Murray and Kate Miller-Heidke.  It’s a massive achievement and reflects on The Owen Guns’ loyal following.

The Owen Guns have been around since 2020, led by Sean St Leone (aka Sean The Bastard),  a raconteur and smart-witted cynic who somehow crosses Uncle Fester from “The Addams Family“ with Dave Vanian from The Damned and ex-Dead Kennedy Jello Biafra.  

The Big Shake Up! Vol 2 – The Dunhill Blues (Evil Tone/Outta Space)

Never mind the confusing title (Volume 2? Where’s Volume 1?) For those who are numerically challenged (guilty as charged) or not watching closely, this is the fifth full album for The Dunhill Blues. And their best yet, for a number of reasons.

Throughout their 20-odd year career, The Dunnies have been a shifting cast of players, with Dan (vocals and guitar) and Adam (bass and vocals) the constants. They could be a hit or miss proposition on any given night or recording session, depending on how many beers they had on board. 

The band’s mission was always to have fun while rummaging through garage rock’s trash - and if you didn’t like that, there were always Powderfinger gigs to fall asleep at.

Green Apple – The Pingers (Evil Tone)

Like an episode of that boring TV circle-jerk "QandA", there’s something to offend everyone on the debut album for Aussie punks The Pingers. Excessive drinking; scoring ecstasy from your mum and putting it in your bum; debates about who’s a cunt and who’s a fuckwit and; shitting your pants are among topics debated (and that’s just the first four songs).

Teagz (vocals), Casey (guitar and vocals), Ollie  (bass) and Steeno (drums) don’t come to praise punk rock, they come to colloidally evacuate its bowel, and they’re using base humour as a lubricant.

“Green Apple” is a barrage of rapid-fire punk that’s over in 20 minutes. It’s two girls and two guys with 10 original songs - one briefly reprised in death metal style so I suppose that makes it 11 - and a cover of “Phone keys smokes wallet” by The Frangipanis.

Ghost - Velvet Parade (Kasumuen Records)

In what promises to be a huge weekend, this Saturday (May 3) Velvet Parade will be in Adelaide ahead of their Japanese tour, supported by The Cold Field and Electric Badger. 

Velvet Parade is Cold Harbour's Vincent J. Kramer is on guitar, Fraudband's Don Drum is on drums, The Coves' Pete Azzopardi is on bass, Ashley Jones (from Matt Malone and The Holy Spirits) is on keys, and (former Adelaide boy) Ripley Hood on vox ...

Sorry, why is Rip a former Adelaide boy?

Well, he found the railway station, is what I heard...

Living Between The Lines - Frank Meyer (Kitten Robot) 

Hello Barflies! Have I got a ripper album for you...“Living Between The Lines” is the first Frank Meyer solo album and it is a wonderful record  

Frank, of course, is a founding member of The Streetwalkin Cheetahs, and guitarist for Handsome Dick Manitoba (ex-The Dictators), legendary LA punk band Fear, and vocalist for James Williamson (Iggy and the Stooges) in  James Williamson & The Pink Hearts.  

His other bands include Spaghetti & Frank, Trading Aces, Highway 61, Sweet Justice, and Thor. So he has lots of form.

Adjustment Disorder – The Institutionalist (self released)

The Institutionalist is a post-punk creation from the sonic laboratory of Ernie O, a gifted but unassuming producer, engineer and musician from the fringes of Melbourne.

 At this point we’ll declare that The O Man is the mastering wiz-of-choice for many discerning labels, I-94 Bar Records, among them. His  playing history includes Suburban Urchins, The Photon Belt, The Undecided By Default and Vocabularinist, none of which are household names. That’s what you get for misspending your youth in Tasmania. In a fair and just world, however, “Adjustment Disorder” would change that.