Out in March, this is great little collection of ditties. Andyboy is a one-man-band affair and plays a great bluesy-punk-a-billy-country kind of thang. The best way to imagine this album is having Rancid do an unplugged/acoustic session. Plus he does a cover of Discharge’s "Protest and Survive" and Johnny Cash’s "Man in Black" all making for a great release - Bobby Dylan eat your heart out the times they are-a-changin ’.

(Down South Records)

Bawl come from Dublin and three of the quartet are brothers. Any way this two tracker has a very indie-Smiths feel (music wise) while the vocals have a touch of the Buzzcocks to them. This release is their second release and it is ok but not really anything to make me go wild. They’re on tour with Echobelly, so you can sort of get the drift from that.

(Dependent Records)

What a fucking band! Bodyjar certainly are the business when it comes to churning out those melodic-punk anthems. Once again the Swedish label, Burning Heart have another cool band in their stable. Bodyjar are a mixed hybrid between the driving rhythms of Bad Religion and the utopic, harmonious vocals of All, it is therefore no wonder that they cite their influences as the Descendents. The four tracks on this promo are taken from their debut album for Burning Heart Take A Look Inside (previously released in their country of origin - Oz). They are all classics and certainly are a band to look out for.

(Burning Heart Records)

As predicted in the last issue of H.H. this is fucking ace! It rips from start to finish with pure adrenaline hardcore. 12 choice cuts in a slick non-stop barrage of cool tunes including a top cover of Bad Brains’ "Pay to Cum". Yeah!!!

(Dr Strange Records)

Like a phoenix out of the burning embers of Decadence Within come Burnside. Fast and furious hardcore with a similar feel to Cowboy Killers. There’s some great tracks on this four track demo. My faves were "Time is the Killer" and "Room Upstairs". Also on my copy were some more up-to-date tracks from practises, 6 in all. These have a more 7 Seconds kind of sound and are just as good, if not better.

(Burnside, 7 Court Road, Strensham, Worcs. WR8 9LP, UK.)

This band have been treading the boards of the Californian punk scene since the days of the Dead Kennedys and are still going strong. "Three Chord Pile Up" is a great album of fast hardcore the oI' fashioned way - ripping guitars, tinbox drums, aggressive vocals and top lyrics. For the uninitiated CP sound like an amalgamation between MDC, DOA & TSOL - Good eh?

(We Bite Records)

What a great name this Swedish three piece has. Anyway what you get is twelve tracks of 3 chord pop, the problem is that only two or three of them really stand out above the rest which are so similar. It’s a shame as the CD starts with a great track, which I loved.

(Dolores Records)

Where to start with the new offering from Citizen Fish ? This has to be their finest release to date, the production is spot on, the horns add a distinctive feel to the excellent music and the vocals are the icing on the cake. This album should be selling by the bucket load because it is fucking ace! There’s even great punked up number, "Next Big Thing", which leaves the lingering feeling of the Subhumans while the rest are a ska-punk bonanza. If you need a push to buy it, it’s on Lookout Records in the States!!! Buy this now!

(Bluurg Records)

What a great name and title, you don’t see them like that anymore do ya? Anyway ex-members of Ripcord and Napalm Death make up C.C.S. and it takes you back to the heady days of Ripcord. Fast 'n' Furious tracks with a couple of Discharge-sounding numbers. A good release from Brian’s (of Bleak Horizon zine) new label Days of Fury, so support him now, it’ll only cost you £2 (inc post in UK cheques to: B.Sayle).

(Days of Fury, PO Box 65, Wallasey, L45 3QE, UK)

Now I don’t usually condemn stuff because I know all the work that goes into a release, but there are times when you can’t help but be cruel! Cyber-Death metal- Ministry is the nearest thing I can drag out of it to be polite.

(Retribution)

This is absolutely tops, a fucking great release from the opening guitar riff to the closing acoustic tracks this EP takes you into a world of crunching rhythmic guitars and cool vocal melodies. Farside deliver the goods with their melodic power pop leaving you dying for more. There are bonus extra tracks on the CD which are beautiful acoustic numbers one of which is a Husker Du cover. Bloody Ace!!!

(Revelation)

This is one of the best UK bands I’ve heard in a long time. 4 great cuts of punky riffola and top melodies, sounding in places like SNFU & then again not in others! Interesting and articulate lyrics and lovely packaging. Great release by a great band! Only £2 inc post in UK.

(JSNTGM Records, 64 SedberghAve, Blackpool, Lancs, H’4 4DQ, UK.)

This hot item has been whizzing about in my CD player like.... EVERYDAY! Game Face are a band that have progressed so much since their 1st LP and this is a pure gem. Grab the Descendents and mix it up with a seasoning of power-pop giving a recipe for unadulterated addiction. I love the unlisted version of Cyndi Lauper’s "Time After Time" - I’m in heaven!

(Dr Strange Records)

The latest Fat offering is Hi-Standard, who at first come across as Japan’s answer to NOFX. Fortunately after a couple of spins this perception alters and you’re left with a nagging urge to play it again and again. This trio have a comic tinge leaving a Toy Dolls taste in your mouth and blending a great array of pumping hardcore with well crafted harmonies and a cover of the ’Rollers "Saturday Night" making for another fine CD.

(Fat Wreck Chords)

Here’s a classic history lesson in the authentic sex, drugs, rock ’n’ roll band. The 70’s and smack were synonymous with each other and topped with a 'live fast - die young' moniker Johnny and Co mainly lived up to the part, en route they happened to write some class ditties too. This well recorded gig captures their great tunes and antics live. Thunders who played the part to the full like Mr Vicious ensured his legendary status in rock mythology and left an excellent back catalogue... I’m living on Chinese Rocks... - yeah!

(Roir)

This offering from the Wagon is much more poppy than their previous LPs. Also the songs are more straight forwardly structured than their usual strange

timings and changes. As a result what you have here is a great pop-punk record for the uninitiated and a kind of weaker feeling album for Lagwagon fans. Still saying that there are some fine tracks on here and it just needs a couple more spins than their usual stuff.

(Fat Wreck Chords)

A special tape of the Joes’ recent pre- production sessions, 5 tracks here of pure pop- punk, in a fusion between the Clash and Green Day hooked with vocal harmonies to envy the Beatles. From the classic pop of "Disappointed" to the energy spewing "Smalltown" this limited edition is only available to people on their Joe Public mailing list.

(Joe PubIic, PO Box 506, Hull, HU51YX UK)

Both these releases are on Dragnet, a worthy label to be supported with some excellent releases under its belt. Unfortunately for me these are not some of them and I found this a bit boring. I felt I’d become 16 again and excitedly waiting to see GBH or the Exploited. It’s Ok in the time zone of the 1980’s, but personally now it sounds so simple and dated, "Hey Rubeboy" was about the best track. The live tape was virtually the same tracks as the studio one and live it wasn’t much better. £2.50

(Dragnet, 39 Lugg View, Presteigne, Powys, Wales, LD8 2DE, UK.)

The first track "When" starts this tape of in style with some powerful guitar riffs and subtle harmonics. Mister Jolly have a great sound and remind me of Samiam and Jingo De Lunch with their excellent guitar work - Good tape.

(Mister Jolly, 43 Sigismund Road, Norwich, AR1 2RJ, UK)

Heralding from Sleaford in Lincolnshire are The Shreds, a pop-punk band with obvious mod influences. 3 nice little tracks here with some bass lines that would have fitted nicely into any of the Jam or Who’s songs, best track for me was "Never Too Late".

(Detour)

Ten tracks from the excellent Sanity Assasins grace half this CD while the remaining 11 tracks are dedicated to the White Pigs. The S.As are great, fast and unrelenting hardcore at its best and for me the best part of the CD. Unfortunately I couldn’t get to grips with the White Pigs at all, too many widdly, wanky guitar solos just appearing where ever & when ever they pleased. Anyway the CD is well worth it just for the Sanity Assasins bit. £6.50 (inc post in UK).

(Retch Records, 49 Rose Crescent, Woodvale, Southport, Merseyside, PR8 3RZ, UK)

What a fucking great German band this is. "Shit Happens" is an up-tempo affair of cool songs and ripping tunes and even a Bryan Adams number thrown in far good measure. The US influences are obvious but with an ever increasing amount of excellent bands from the continent like Millencolin and Starmarket, Skin of Tears are likely to find themselves amongst this influx of Euro talent. (Lost and Found)

The second release on Days of Fury is the much hyped Stampin’ Ground who’ve already had approaches from Major labels and have recorded a title track for some MTV show. Containing Ex-members of Decadence Within, S.G have a vary heavy sound and are not desperately up my street, but saying that I like "I Won't Be Denied" and the lyrics are really good too. Apparently they’re putting the ’E’ chord back into British Hardcore! So send off £2 (inc post in UK)

(Days of Fury)

A great debut from this star-studded band, who are ex-members of Shelter, 108, Fountainhead and Resurrection. Having to live up to some reputation of the afore mentioned, Texas really deliver the goods with 4 top songs. There’s a real feel about these tracks and it’s almost as each instrument is talking to you - a bit of Husker Du sounding guitars and those tom tom- based drum rhythms... it’s enough to send shivers down your spine.

(Revelation)

This tape is another release from Blackpool’s JSNTGM Records, it’s a 4 track EP featuring 4 local bands. First up are Shrink - a great pop trio. They provide "She is the One" an indie kind of affair with some good vocals. Next is the label’s own band Erase Today who do "Less Than Zero" a fine track that is like blending the vocals of Husker Du with the guitars of the Buzzcocks. The other side starts with K and "My Imaginary Friend" a slow kind of number which didn’t do alot for me and seemed to drag a bit. The final offering on here is Yellowfields who do "Surreal Blur" a U2 meets Led Zepplin thing. Thumbs up to the label for being open- minded enough not to stick to the constraints of the expected punk sound Send £2 (cheques to: A. Higgins).

(JSNTGM Records)

Another one of those fine compilation CDs from Bluefire 22 tracks of cool mixed music from 22 bands all on one little disc and for the bargain price of only £3.99! On this one there’s BIS, GOUGE, WAT TYLER, THE SHREDS, PINK KROSS, ANGORA, WACT, WHO MOVED THE GROUND ?, CUCKOOLAND, SKIPPER, GINK, PERFECT CIRCLES, KUNG FU, CHICANE, CLEATUS, APOCALYPSE BABYS, MAD CARSON, GLORY STRUMMERS, BREAKER and PROFONDO ROSSO. A great selection of bands and worth four quid of anybody's money. Cheques to: P N Talling.

(Bluefire Records, PO Box 16, Aldershot, GU125XY UK)

Why bother producing crap CDs like this? It’s like "My mate’s got a band, put an album out by them ?" the label says "Ok" (without even hearing it and finding out later that they recorded it on said mate’s cassette recorder!) - Yeah, it's that crap! The music is crap and the lyrics are diabolical rhymes; e.g: "A teen pregnancy kind of town, A per capita murder kinda town, A check cashing place kinda town, A real life stray dog kinda town.." ’nuff said!

(Veriform Industries)