L.A. Witch – Motorcycle Boy

LA punk trio L.A. Witch released their second album ‘Play With Fire’ last August to critical acclaim. They are back with a scintillating video for the track ‘Motorcycle Boy

Cat’s Eyes 60s girl group pastiche meets the outsider rock ‘n’ roll of their label mates (Suicide Squeeze) Death Valley Girls on this Hopper/Fonda inspired gem. Aloof, sexy, and dangerous, they traverse ‘Easy Rider’ and ‘Wild One’ landscapes with the effortless cool of Nicholson and Brando. Backed up by the instantly iconic video, L.A. Witch have found a way to move their punk sound forwards with distinct and rebellious integrity.

The guitars are simply divine. Freer than any BRMC track, beefier than The Byrds, and cooler than Steppenwolf, they are set to titillate even the sourest of souls! If like us, you missed the album, dive back in and let its magnificent wash away the February blues.

*Image courtesy of Marco Hernandez

Death Valley Girls - Breakthrough

LA’s psychedelic occult punk rockers Death Valley Girls are back with their new single ‘Breakthrough’. It is to be the title track from their new EP due for release on the 12th June via Suicide Squeeze Records.

‘Breakthrough’ is about freeing oneself from an invisible prison. Inspired by Damien Echols of the West Memphis 3, they conjure the primordial magic of the Stooges and Black Sabbath via the smooth psyche of the Velvets. Despite the discourse, it’s impossible to escape the connotations of covid19’s grip on peoples mind-sets amid lockdown.

There is something beautifully simplistic to the guitar playing. Akin to Peter Green, everything has space to breathe and, flourish. The concise solos, perfectly encapsulate the short lived release of a daily exercise outside. Great for a brief period but, soon the familiar walls of home circulate both physically and, of any thoughts of escapism.   

Yet again, Death Valley Girls prove they are major innovators.

*Image courtesy of Abby Banks

Suicide Squeeze Records · Death Valley Girls - Breakthrough

Death Valley Girls - Dream Cleaver

LA's Death Valley Girls, fresh from touring last years album 'Darkness Rains', wasted no time before returning to the studio. They have returned with stand alone single 'Dream Cleaver'. It's out now on Suicide Squeeze Records.

Their archetypal punk and garage remain but, now, they've calmed them and allowed their pop instincts to take them to a peculiar altered state of mind. They've taken the hypnotic spirit of Suicide and given it the immediacy Primal Scream.

When the sax kicks in, its easy to see why Bobby Gillespie was at their Victoria (Dalston) show earlier this year. The hallmarks of their dystopian classic '2013' lurk in the shadows of this anthem.

This tale, is a display of adoration for psychonaut and ethnobotonist Terrence McKenna; the founder of “the spirit molecule” and trans-dimensional travel.

In exploring this subject, they have left Stooges aggression of 'Darkness Rains' behind and moved towards a groove laden, white knuckle psychedelia realm.

Death Valley Girls : The Victoria, London

LA’s Death Valley Girls recently released their triumphant second album ‘Darkness Rains’ and, this past Wednesday, they played a sold out Victoria in Dalston.

For any new fans in the crowd, the sight of Bobby Gillespie in the room would have enhanced the anticipation of their arrival on stage. From the opening notes of ‘Abre Camino’ to set closer’ Seis Seis Seis’, Death Valley Girls redefined what it is to be a dangerous rock n roll band.

The power and raw sexual energy of The Stooges ‘Raw Power’ album flowed through them throughout.  Bonnie Bloomgarden is awash with glorious juxtapositions. Innocent and venomous, welcoming and dangerous. She is Poly Styrene and PJ Harvey wrapped up in 5ft of punk-psyche glory!

In Larry Schemel, they have perhaps the most humble and giving guitar player in the world. Stood almost off stage, he allowed the spot light to be focused purely on the rest of the band as their strutted and danced their way to the hearts of the London crowd. A remarkable feat when you consider that, his solos were akin to an occult taking over.

Despite the power and the darkness that emanated through the set, a sense of love and togetherness was always at their core. Accentuated on ‘Disco’, their Modern Lovers meets Blondie romp.

This was a firm reminder that, if you open your mind, rock n roll is still a dangerous and explorative field for artists to create in.

Death Valley Girls – Darkness Rains

Death Valley Girls released their third album 'Darkness Rains' last October via Suicide Squeeze Records. They are currently on a monster tour across the US, Europe and will soon be in the UK. To whet everyone's appetite, we look back at 'Darkness Rains'.

Every so often, bands like The Pistols, The Clash, The Strokes, and The Libertines hit the reset button on a bloated rock music scene. Death Valley Girls have this spirit at their core. The likes of '(One Less Thing) Before I Die' and 'Wear Black' personify this but with the muscular guitars a stinging vocals.

This album goes further than resetting the wheel though. The punk spirit is met with psychedelic garage guitars, giving new meaning to dangerous. The growling hiss of 'Disaster (Is What We Are After)' spirals out of control in a frenzied mash up of Jim Jones Revue meets BRMC circa 'Spectre At The Feast'.

'Unzip Your Forehead' harness' the primal nature of early Sabbath with big meaty riffs before Bonnie Bloomgarden's spiky Kate Bush vocal elevates everything to a new psychedelic plain. There is a realness to their psyche, its not floaty or hazy, its firmly rooted in the chaos of modern life. The howling solo in the closing stages is the perfect scream of “wwwwhhhhyyyy” every time their tapeworm of a President takes to Twitter.

'Abre Camino' ferociously stares into the abyss with its The Blinders-esque guitar licks. Like their peers, they have found a way to unite the voiceless via a demented and destructive form psyche punk rock.

This is not for the faint of heart. This is a courageous and vehement act of defiance in a world on the edge of a dystopian nightmare.

Death Valley Girls - (One Less Thing) Before I Die

A big contender for single of the year comes from the LA five piece Death Valley Girls. Released on Friday 5th October on the Suicide Squeeze label, this is one minute fifty seconds of blood sweat and venomous victory!

There is a distinct flavour of Johnny Marr’s 3 solo albums here. Those big distorted but, insanely catchy riffs are firing out like desperate warning sirens. They’ve created a real sense of chase and escape on arguably the most immediate record of the year. Danger is coming for them and they couldn’t give a fuck.