With Just A Hint Of Mayhem

Music reviews, gig reviews, fun trivia and extra added random stuff!

“Two Rails To Nowhere” – Inca Babies November 12, 2025

Filed under: Review,Single — justwilliam1959 @ 10:22 pm
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Iconic Manchester band the Inca Babies will soon be releasing an album that reimagines via rerecording some of their finest songs. It is called ‘Reincarnation’ and is out on 28th November. In advance they have released a two track single, “Two Rails To Nowhere” with the second track being the 1988 original featuring Inspiral Carpets stalwart Clint Boon. I love the new version, the instrumentation evokes the more chilled output from the KLF and Angelo Badalamenti’s work on the ‘Twin Peaks’ soundtrack. Vocally it sounds more like a countrified blues track about going to jail. Country but not set in the US deep south, but in Manchester. I think Nick Cave could make a great cover of this song. If Shane McGowan was still alive he could have done a great shared vocal on the track. Based on this and the previously released reincarnated version of “Candy Mountain” I reckon the album will be classy indeed.

Inca Babies front man Harry Stafford had this to say about “Two Rails To Nowhere”; “This was from our fourth album ‘Evil Hour’. On the original version, we managed to hire Clint Boon of the Inspiral Carpets to play Hammond organ for us. This is a song that was inspired by the trad country blues number ‘Midnight Special’, but somehow had more of a Gun Club vibe to it“. This single will be on rotation at Mayhem Towers for a while!

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“You” – Rich Allo November 11, 2025

Filed under: Review,Single — justwilliam1959 @ 7:57 pm
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To my knowledge, apart from perhaps Mura Masa the Channel Isles haven’t produced that many pop or rock stars. But Rich Allo who grew up in Jersey might be the one to change that. His new single “You” is a phenomenal track. It has a soft heartbeat pace and some cinematic ambition. All of this is overlaid and wonderfully finished with Rich’s ethereal, soulful, impassioned vocal. The song reminded me of George Michael and Bruce Hornsby.

Rich says that some of his key influences are Freddie Mercury, Keane, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen and U2. If he gets the airplay that I believe he deserves then maybe he and his music could stand alongside some of these artists one day. “You” has a cut glass clearness in its production which gives the song a glorious soundtrack sheen. The track encompasses fragility, strength, positivity and melancholy in equal measures. It is a song that inspires and makes you consider life and where you might fit in to the overall scheme of things. I love it!

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“Ghost” – debdepan November 9, 2025

Filed under: Review,Single — justwilliam1959 @ 10:41 pm
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debdepan are Margate based female duo Chelsea Tolhurst and Grace Bontoft. They formed in March 2022 after writing together during the Covid lockdowns. They have have released a hauntingly, captivating emotional single called “Ghost”. It charts some deep, dark gothic waters with a pinch of baroque style. There is an air of depressive fragility in the verses and then a magnificent chorus that explodes through the darkness like a huge solar flare. The song is taken from their upcoming EP, ‘Lovers & Others’, which will be out on Silent Kid Records on 28th November. debdepan said this of the track “This song had to feel like a journey – slightly hopeful initially and slowly turning a little bit dark with insecurity coming in and then the chorus feeling like a total release of emotions. It needed a big fat pop chorus to juxtapose the dark and miserable verses. This song was recorded with Mike Collins and Mike had a wicked idea to layer a bunch of guitars in the middle 8 to really build some tension“. The video has Chelsea and Grace dressed as classic sheet covered ghosts and is a lot of fun! I just know that the new EP will be an instant classic when it arrives!

Portrait by Martin Perry @martinperrystudio

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“Sailboat In The Sky” – Nathan Bryce and Loaded Dice November 8, 2025

Filed under: Review,Single — justwilliam1959 @ 10:48 pm
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If you love a gorgeously mellow blues style overlaid with a soulful emotional vocal then you will love “Sailboat In The Sky” the new single from Nathan Bryce and Loaded Dice. This is the product of a writing collaboration between Bryce and Candace Crockett. The song has a loping beat and provides an endless supply of endorphins. It is one of the best feel good songs I have heard for years. Some of the blues stylings made me think of Elvin Bishop. I know that I will be singing the chorus in my head, and maybe even out loud for weeks. Feeling down? Need a musical pick me up? Then listen to “Sailboat In The Sky” NOW!

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“Bring On The Storm” – The Apocalypse Disco

Filed under: Review,Single — justwilliam1959 @ 7:32 am
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Your soundtrack for Armageddon just got loads better. The Apocalypse Disco return with their first release since their magnificent ‘Welcome To The Disco’ EP back in January. The new single is called “Bring On The Storm” and it is a booming bass driven techno dance floor anthem. No one would be surprised if the late, great Keith Flint would be resurrected if he heard this magnificent masterpiece and joined Ian and Robin with alacrity in this hard electro rave stomper. The song shouts back at the destruction and devastation that the metaphorical storm that is the world today with waves of positivity. “We can dance, even in the eye of the storm“, indeed we can, and we fucking should! This song will have the four horsemen of the apocalypse quaking in their plague boots and it will curdle their plans of pestilence! A huge welcome back to the Apocalypse Disco, we missed you and the world needs you! They will be playing at the Fulford Arms in York on 5th December. I will see you there!

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“Hunting Season” – abs November 7, 2025

Filed under: Review,Single — justwilliam1959 @ 8:53 pm
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Classy UK artist abs has featured on these pages a couple of times. Earlier this year she became the 24th act to appear in the Mayhem Virgins series back in March. The following month we had the pleasure of interviewing her. Now she is back with a brand new single, “Hunting Season”. It is sultry, sexy, sweltry and sensual and is performed with a swagger of sensual lust at heights that come close to the peaks that Marvin Gaye and Millie Jackson reached in that kind of song. But it is not all about bringing sexy back (apologies to Mr. Timberlake for that) it strikes me as a song of female empowerment with the woman taking control, the prey becomes the hunter! abs is in total control on this track she is strong, charismatic with just the right level of chutzpah. “Hunting Season” sets up residence in your head after the first listen and is impossible to evict, but frankly who would want to evict such a great track? If I have any criticism it is only that at 1 minute 52 seconds it is a little short, but that is easily solved, just put it on repeat! This is a magnificent and ambitious release from abs and I bloody love it!

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“Fake I.D.” – Squangey Bobbins November 6, 2025

Filed under: Review,Single — justwilliam1959 @ 11:05 pm
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Margate based Squangey Bobbins are a phenomenally good band. Some would describe them as indie, but indie isn’t really a genre is it? For me they have the cheeky intellectual chaos of the Libertines, the wordsmithery and sharp as fuck poetry of the Arctic Monkeys and, the powerful harder edge of some of Britain’s greatest new wave bands (the Damned, the Jam). They have just released the first single, “Fake I.D.”, from their upcoming album ‘Margate Crows’ which is to be released in January.

“Fake I.D.” has a wonderfully jaunty pop rock feel with a hint of country rock styling. It drives along at a subdued frenetic pace and has some vocal “woah, woah, woah” hooks to die for. The song also features backing vocals from Billy Lunn of the Subways. The track was recorded at Farm Factory Studios and was Mixed, Engineered and Produced by the aforementioned Billy Lunn and was Mastered by Alex Wharton at Abbey Road Studios.

Squangey Bobbins are Lewis Colley on vocals, Chris Bourne on guitar, Jack Elliot on bass and, Tommy Pearce on Drums. The band have said this about the song “Fake I.D. was written to capture that feeling of misspent youth — romanticising the days when the only reason to work was to earn just enough to go out with your mates at the weekend“. The song shines with a sunburst of joyful, carefree vibes that took me back to the nostalgia of my own misspent youth!

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“The Only Good Dictator Is A Dead Dictator” – Dead Animal Assembly Plant November 5, 2025

Filed under: Review,Single — justwilliam1959 @ 11:11 pm
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Dead Animal Assembly Plant are Zach ‘Dead’ Wager (Vocals), Rebecca ‘Buzz’ Wager (Guitars), Nick ‘Nix’ Snyder (Bass) and Jason ‘Skorn’ Moore (Drums). They formed in Portland, Oregon, USA in 2007, initially as a solo project for Zach Wager. They became a full band in 2011. Their influences seem to be drawn from a wide range of iconic bands and artists; Nine Inch Nails, Gary Numan, Slipknot and Rob Zombie to name just a few. They released a new single today, called “The Only Good Dictator Is A Dead Dictator” and it is an oven ready classic. It oozes dark industrial riffs, passionate maniacal musings, huge planet splitting drums and a perfect message for these times. Is the song directed at the Orange Turd in the White House? Probably, but it would also easily apply to the likes of Putin, Kim Jog Un and many others. The lyrics are a succinct reflection on what much of this supposedly modern world has become. “Now we’re choking as they’re stoking, All the pretty wars. We can’t decide which genocide we should be rooting for” Those lines pull no punches and that is what makes this song work so well.

Zach Wager said this about the song “his song “It is aggressive from tonality to message. The song underlines society’s complicity towards totalitarianism and how we are controlled through fabricated fears and toxic vitriol spewed by those in power. The cyclical nature of humans falling for the lies and promises of dictators. It’s a tale we’ve spun over and over and yet it continues to happen. Doing the same thing over and over expecting different results. In the end – the only good dictator no matter who or where – is a dead dictator. Anyone who desires that much abusive power is a blight on humanity and the world is better off without tyrants.” There is no doubt in my mind that Zach Wager is bang on and this song nails the message home wonderfully. This will be one of the first songs I play when I hear the news that the vile orange arsehole a.k.a. Captain Bone Spurs has died.

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“XS” – Celeste Corsano November 4, 2025

Filed under: Review,Single — justwilliam1959 @ 10:05 pm
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Last month US artist Celeste Corsano, who is based on the border between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, released a quirky, off the wall new song, “XS”. Now, with some excellent and endearing work from Brother JT the song has a curiously eccentric and haunting animation the song is accompanied by a compelling animated message to enhance the songs impeccable and meaningful lyrics. The song questions the pressure to achieve perfection and leading to a symbolic release or escape, embodying freedom through transformation. It explores feelings of insecurity and the meaning of success, often driven by media and external standards. This is highlighted by lines like “But the Execs say, I’m either fitting in or not at all“.

Celeste said of the song “it is about feeling like an outsider and trying to fit in, insecurities about body image and the trap of perfection. These mindsets come from my own insecurities based on my personal experiences, examples of women I’ve seen growing up and by outside sources such as the media and the entertainment industry”. Corsano has an individuality reminiscent of Kate Bush, Tori Amos and Lene Lovich. The song is available through Magic Door Records and was produced, recorded mixed and mastered by Ray Ketchem (Guided by Voices, Elk City, Gramercy Arms, Luna) at the Magic Door Recording Studio in Montclair, NJ.

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“Keeping On” – away//fans November 3, 2025

Filed under: Review,Single — justwilliam1959 @ 8:56 pm
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Indie rock band from London away//fans have a banging new song out. “Keeping On” is a celebration of percussive danceable rock music with a great pop twist. The repetitive chorus refrain of “come on home” is one of the strongest earworms that has inhabited my head in ages. If you are able to just sit and listen to this track without even thinking of dancing there is clearly something seriously wrong with me. For the first time the band have collaborated with SEY.MOUR who provides some sublime, ethereal backing vocals. Soundwise they remind me of the Beloved, HardFi, Lost Trends and LCD Soundsystem.

The band’s lead vocalist Tom Fisher had this to say about the track “The song is about that moment post-argument with your partner, when the initial anger has faded and you just wanna sort things out but don’t know how. That sort of malaise when you’re desperate to get back to how things were but aren’t quite sure how to get there“. In respect of where the band took some inspiration Fisher said “We took inspiration from bands like Primal Scream and The Prodigy, who managed to keep the live feel of a band, whilst still fitting in with the rave and party scene“. I am new to this band and I bloody love them!

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