These record reviews originally appeared in Audio Ammunition on February 27th, 2014 Chain Letters – Bad Reflection b/w Boulevard Girls 7” (Pogo Time Records) Superior power-pop punk by former front lady of Young People With Faces; the band also featured a No Tomorrow Boy as well, if I’m not mistaken. Chain Letters have warm female vocals laid gently like a soft blanket a top of melodic buzz saw guitars. Chain Letters drum up some super fantastic Ramones-y sing-a-long songs about love and longing. Is there a greater subject to sing Rock N’ Roll songs about? - Jay Castro Ballantynes - Liquor Store Gun Store Pawn Shop Church EP (La-Ti-Da Records) Finally we have more than a two song 7” by the fabulous Ballantynes! What you get here are six magnificent songs of rowdy yet smooth, heartfelt mod/soul music to delight your spirits. When I say smooth, I mean Motown heyday Smokey Robinson smooth! The Ballantynes make you want to sit up straight, put on a vintage suit and soak it with sweat fro...

The first time I heard Boris the Sprinkler, my brain melted. Sure I’ve heard wit, sarcasm and humor in Rock N’ Roll songs before but never put together so meticulously and sung with such ferocity. I remember thinking the same thing when I first read Norb’s monthly column in Maximum Rocknroll. Norb now fronts another band called The Onions with former members of Last Sons of Krypton and The Tantrums. Just when you think you’ve heard it all, the good reverend is now also producing his own podcast called Bubblegum Fuzz. A punk rock jack-of-all-trades, he injects his trademark mixture of charm, pop culture wisdom and manic energy into everything he does. So prepare to get tie dyed, deep-fried, pie eyed and Shanghai’d tonight with the voice of geek America himself! This interview originally appeared in Audio Ammunition on February 6th, 2014 Interview by Jay Castro Shock Treatment: You are known throughout this land as being a bit of a Rock N’ Roll enthusiast. At what age do you reme...

Nikki Corvette’s music has been described, quite accurately I might add, as the perfect blend of The Ronettes and The Ramones. Garage bands around the world have been trying to imitate her sound ever since her debut album Nikki and the Corvettes came out in 1980 on Greg Shaw’s legendary recording label Bomp! Records. Although her name didn’t attain the household status that some of her peers achieved, it didn’t make Nikki’s music any bit less relevant. In my opinion, she hit all the marks a lot of her fellow lady rockers of that time missed. It’s more playful and light hearted than Joan Jett’s first records and less of a show boat than Blondie’s Parallel Lines and Eat to the Beat LP’s. Nikki Corvette continues to play her unique brand of sharp, sassy, and fun Rock N’ Roll with as much charisma and bounce as she did back in 1980 with a new crop of musicians she helped inspire. How’s that for the ultimate homage! This Interview originally appeared in Audio Ammunition on February 6th, 201...

The stream of fantastic band’s coming at us from Vancouver seems to be never ending. That stream turns into more like a raging river when listening to Nervous Talk. They ride these rapids hard hanging onto a raft inflated with influences ranging from 1970’s style power pop like Cheap Trick, or even catchy pub rock like Rockpile. Throw in some 1990’s garage punk that you might have heard exploding out of Fink or Jack Oblivion’s amplifiers back in their prime and this might get a bit closer to describing their full range of sound. Nervous Talk just released their debut 7” on Mammoth Cave Recordings and it very much reflects this broad range of influence. It’s a bit hard to describe it all accurately, but once you listen to this record you’ll sink right into it just like in your favorite pair of black Converse All Stars. This interview originally appeared in Audio Ammunition on January 30th, 2014 Interview by Jay Castro Shock Treatment: Please introduce yourself (or selves) and how you co...

The Mandates are a pressure packed Rock n’ Roll powerhouse blasting out of the streets of Calgary. Some of the other press the band has received describes their sound as very “New York” and I couldn’t agree more. The songs drip with Ramones heart and glow with Dead Boys power. The best testament to this lies in the band’s debut full length, which they released in March of 2013. The album will make you want to fight that fancy dressed jerk that keeps hittin’ on your best lady friend. Then steal that same douche bag’s car and drive it really fast right through the front doors of that convenience store that humiliated and kicked you out earlier for trying to buy cigarettes and beer with your fake I.D. Every impulse a great Rock n’ Roll record should bring out of you. This interview originally appeared in Audio Ammunition on January 30th, 2014 Interview by Jay Castro Shock Treatment: Please introduce yourself and how do you contribute to the Mandates Rock n’ Roll machine? My name is Brady ...

In 2010, Kurt Baker released an EP called Got It Covered where he introduced the world to his greatest influences by covering their music. This didn’t feel like a covers album though. Kurt turned the volume to 11 and cranked out tunes by power pop titans The Nerves, Joe Jackson, The Vapors and many more. He played those songs with such gusto and gumption I had to hear more of his songs. That same energy continues to electrify piece of music he puts out. I often ask the people I interview if there’s a certain song or album they put on to help them get out of a bad mood. For me, Kurt’s LP Brand New Beat has been permanently added to that list. This interview originally appeared in Audio Ammunition on January 8th, 2014 Interview by Jay Castro Shock Treatment: You were born in Portland, Maine, where you still live today. What was it like growing up there? I live in Arizona and Maine is a place I really want to visit before I croak. I imagine rocky shorelines, foggy cold breeze, ...