Barnsley’s Porcine is back with a delightful and fun-packed new single via Safe Suburban Home Records. It is called “Stop The World” and frankly I suggest that you make yourself a hot beverage of your choice sit down comfortably and then press play on the video below. It is the sort of song you need to listen to to take away the stresses of your day. I bloody love it, I just listened to it twice while nursing a rather decent cup of black coffee (Aldi’s Sumatran blend if you must know).
This is the first track from their new self-titled album which comes out on 1st March. The song has a kind of poppy, slacker shoegaze vibe with some splendid harmonies. The song and the forthcoming album were produced by Andrey Pavlovic (Allusinlove) and mastered by David Watts (The Fall, The Reytons, OMD). Was that the “I wish I could be like David Watts” David Watts? The video is like a throwback to 70s TV and features some rather odd characters, all of whom might be a tad too surreal to appear in ‘The League Of Gentlemen’. Apparently, the band met and formed while ghost hunting in Barnsley market back in 2018. Let’s hope that they didn’t cross the streams. So if the music’s strange in your neighbourhood, who you gonna call? Porcine……. Obviously!
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Cowgirl are a great live band and after a slew of one off releases over the past few years they have finally got their debut, eponymously titled, album together. This York band draw their influences from a number of places, but for me this album evokes many classic New York artists; Velvet Underground, Jonathan Richman and the Strokes. They recorded these tracks with Euan Hinshelwood at his Vacant TV Studio in London early last year. The album is out in physical form and on all major streaming platforms today via Safe Suburban Home Records.
Opener “Better With You” has a dirty Garage Rock feel with a neat power pop undertone. As with all the tracks the guitar work here is first class. “Something I Needed To Do” is laid back in a Neil Young and Crazy Horse kind of way and the bass drives it along perfectly. A slowed down power pop vibe and fuzzed up vocals are to the fore in “Time Moves Along” which for me has a real Velvet Underground feel to it. My favourite track on this record after quite a few listens is definitely “Is What It Is” which evokes the Strokes at their finest, the riffage and rhythm section on this tune is immaculate. There is a real sunny disposition to “Figure It Out”, well for the tune anyway. The lyrics are much darker and remind me of Jonathan Richman at his less whimsical moments. Cowgirl nail their garage rock credentials to the wall with the wonderful “Without You”. The album closes with “I Can’t Help It” and it has a feel of the rockier tracks produced by Lukas Nelson and the Promise Of The Real.
If I have one criticism it is that at just under 20 minutes in length this is more a mini album or long EP. But to be fair this is all killer no filler with every track having the potential to become a classic. I love this record and I think you will to check it out. Cowgirl are playing a number of dates to promote the release over the next few days (Check their social media for the dates and details), get yourself along to see them, you won’t be disappointed.
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Jim sets the controls for the heart of the Safe Suburban Home!
Last week I had the delightful pleasure of catching up with Jim Quinn owner of a new record label in York, UK. The label is Safe Suburban Home and their début launch came a few weeks ago with the release of a limited edition seven-inch vinyl single by the Velts from Malta. I am looking forward to future releases and now that I own the first I may have to become a collector! Jim answered a range of questions for With Just A Hint Of Mayhem, take a read and feel free to add a comment. Jim has also chosen some rather excellent tracks for the videos at the bottom of this post!
Safe Suburban Home? Where does the name come from?
This is a strange one according to Jim. He, his partner Emma and their daughter needed a safe suburban home, so they got one. Their living room became a studio which they named Safe Suburban Home! <and there was me looking for deeper meaning!>
What is your favourite record label(s) and why?
California’s Burger Records which according to Jim has an underground feel and always seemed pretty cool. His aim is to create that kind of vibe with Safe Suburban Home. Back in the early 2000’s he would also buy anything released by Household Name Records.
Do you foresee having a roster of acts on the label ultimately or will you carry on with exclusive releases?
This is way too far ahead. Jim would love to work with more local bands and might consider going down the singles club release route. He would absolutely love to record York band Tax <Guys if you’re reading this just do it!> Acts that sign up for an exclusive release on Safe Suburban Home Records sign a 4 month contract, after that they can put their track on other platforms and media.
Will you expand beyond vinyl?
Jim says that is possible but it would have to maintain some kind of physical tangible purchase too. Say buy a T Shirt, pin badge or something and receive a free digital download of a song.
Who is your biggest musical influence and why?
There was no hesitation or thought time for Jim’s answer here, immediately he responded with Damon Albarn. He says, and I agree, that everything Damon has done is different and that he is undoubtedly one of the great British songwriters.
Musically do you have any of what you might consider guilty pleasures, if so what are they?
Like all of us Jim has some guilty pleasures when it comes to music. Notably 80s Pop, Deacon Blue and Prefab Sprout. His guilty pleasures anthem is “Walking On Sunshine” by Katrina and the Waves. <personally I don’t think Prefab Sprout are in this category, but then one persons classic band is another persons guilty pleasure, right?>
Name three things that you simply cannot live without (not including family)?
Good coffee – definitely not the instant rubbish
His music collection
His push bikes, he has five!
What is your favourite confectionery item? Is Die Hard a Christmas film? Who is richer, Tony Stark or Bruce Wayne?
Jim took a shot at all of these;
His favourite confectionery item is a Boost Bar
Die Hard is not a Christmas film
As for whether Tony Stark or Bruce Wayne is the richest, like many people, Jim has no idea!
You can’t beat a gig showing four bands for four quid can you? Especially when it is at the Fulford Arms in York and even more especially when you know and love three of the bands playing; thank you Glass Traps, Honours and Tax! The gig was set up to launch a new York record label, Safe Suburban Home (SSH). The label specialises in releasing exclusive seven-inch vinyl singles by up and coming bands. This gig was to support the launch of the first SSH single by Maltese band the Velts. It is a shame it wasn’t a local band, but I am sure that will come. But before the Velts hit the stage there was the little matter of three fabulous support bands. Before I tell you about them I have to air a little gripe; the sound and mix at times was utterly atrocious. Was it atmospherics caused by the extreme heat or was the sound man having a particularly bad day? I am not sure what the sound was like from the monitors, but I got over the worst of it by standing closer to the stage.
Glass Traps
First up were the Glass Traps, they are quite a young band and they have tons of potential. At times a little Beatlesesque and Byrdsian with a smattering of Tom Petty. The Beatles thing was compounded by the bass player using what I think was a Hofner bass, but not just that, he was also left-handed like Macca! The Glass Traps have some excellent songs, but like all of tonight’s bands the sound let them down a little.
Honours
The second band to take the stage were the mighty Honours, without a doubt one of Yorks finest young bands. Even with the issues with the sound this bunch were fucking awesome. The sound was definitely better closer to the stage, perhaps we got a bleed from the monitors. Honours have the potential to be their generation’s Oasis, only better. Jordan has more stage presence than Liam Gallagher as a front man. Meanwhile Struan’s guitar playing at times hits the majesty of Mick Ronson at his peak. “Freedom” and “Duchess” are outstanding tunes and “Higher Than A Mountain” is heading that way too. It doesn’t matter whereabouts on the bill Honours are, they always play like a headliner!
Tax
I had the pleasure of reviewing the ‘Averageism’ EP from another great York band, Tax, back in January. So I was looking forward to finally seeing them play live. It feels like their sound has developed immensely in those few months. Not just Space Cadets, but proper spaced out cadets! There is definitely a whiff of Tom Verlaine and Television about them while the Mark E Smith influence is also clear. But they are influences and Tax are very much a band mining their own eccentric seam of great music.
The Velts
Headliners were the Velts from Malta here for the launch of their exclusive seven-inch release “Rollercoaster” b/w “Rattle The Cage” which is also the first release on Safe Suburban Home Records. It was a real shame that the bulk of the crowd had disappeared by the time the Velts arrived on stage. Those that left early missed a treat, well apart from the poor sound mix which never really improved the whole night. The Velts are to me what the Beatles might have been like if they had arrived on the scene in the late 90s with a fully formed more modern take on ‘The White Album’. George Harrison would have been proud of some of their left field wig outs! Both tracks from the single were played and they have some other great songs too.
So in summary this was a good gig that might have been great if the sound was better and the crowd was bigger. I hope the safe Suburban Records is a very successful venture and maybe they should try out a few releases from local bands in the next few months. I feel pretty sure that would pull bigger crowds and more sales. But I am the very proud owner of the single, mine is numbered 11 of 250!
All photos were taken by me using my cheap Chinese android mobile phone, hence the quality!
With Just A Hint Of Mayhem 