Broken Heroes/The Guv'nors - Keep on Drinkin' (Contra Records - 2014)

We once again, after the Templars/Agent Bulldogg split 7", will be speaking of the two areas that I review the most here : America and Scandinavia, more precisely U.S.A. and Denmark.

So here we go with Broken Heroes from New Jersey and The Guv'nors, hailing from Aarhus (as Last Seen Laughing, that I review earlier here). Both bands grant us two songs, each band having a very different sound. 

Broken Heroes are a hard-hiting Oi! band, they have a very american sound (well, especially the singing sounds very american to me), straight to your face and with shouted vocals and choruses. I would compare them with their forefathers Niblick Henbane and The Wretched Ones (both also being from New Jersey, do we have a "local sound" here ?). I can see a logical link between their two songs, the first one, "Violence is the Answer" is about the necessary use of violence when you have to defend yourself or what is yours in some situation, and the second one, "Witch Hunt" is an anti-PC song. Given that the use of violence is, you will agree on that, not regarded as something good or PC in nowaday's society, that second song is basically saying "hey, you didn't liked the first song ? Why don't you just fuck off ?", or at least that's how I linked them.

Here's a (short )preview of what you'll find inside that 7"

The Guv'nors are playing a kind of rock'n'roll-ish Oi!/skinhead rock'n'roll, though much more hard rock-ish than bands like The Clichés (which I reviewed here) or bands like Suede Razors or 45 Adapters. Lots of choirs here as well, and really nice guitars, all that driven by stomping drums and rolling bass. Both songs are about alcohol, but that's no suprise given that the Danes are a bunch of alcoholics (says 99% of the population up here in Sweden). The first song, "Get Out" is a drinking and party anthem. I could easily have imagined handclapping to that song, it would just have made it even more party-ish and awesome. The second song, "Love in a Bottle", is a love declaration to alcohol, talking about it as it was a woman. Funny and well-written, hats off !

These four nice songs are packed in a gatefold sleeve containing the lyrics and band logos. You'll also find a download code in it. I basically don't ask for more, good production ! 380 copies in black vinyl and black and white cover, and 134 in red vinyl with sepia cover.

Really good split 7" of two bands that I heard before but never listened to deeply, I will definitely fix that. If I had to choose a winner it would be the Guv'nors, I just like their songs more, but Broken Heroes sure deliver two really nice ones as well !

The Clichés - Bovver Boots (Randale Records - 2014)

After a short pause, here I am again. And so is the band we'll be talking about tonight, namely The Clichés, from Norrköping, Sweden (yes, again).
Last time I heard from The Clichés was through their 2012 LP Streetrock for the Working Class, which was, as its two older brothers, insanely good.
But this 7" is not the same as the band's previous releases. First, correct me if I'm wrong, the singer Dennis is now all alone (though there's a guest vocalist and pianist on this release). Second, the sound as evolved. A lot. In a very good way. Sure, you will recognize the band (assuming that you have listened to them before, if not fix that mistake right now you fool !), but the style is quite different. You will, here, clearly hear glam rock/pub rock influences, they were there before, but now they've been pushed to the max. They have a genre for that in Sweden, which is called gubbrock I think ? Anyway, think Slade, Sweet, or to take more recent bands, the great Giuda, Suede Razors and basically that '77 Chiswick sound. You got it, it can't be wrong (it's anyway never wrong with The Clichés). Excellent vocals and backvocals, rock'n'rollish flaming guitar gimmicks and there's even some piano on the second song, "Riot". You will want to dance to these songs I promise you that. And of course, still a lot of clichés in the lyrics (basically, beat the shit out of everyone with your mates).
All that is wrapped in a nice old school cover (great artwork !), which, once again, remind me of some of Giuda's artwork (less old fashioned perhaps). No insert, and so no lyrics (too bad for me). There are 100 copies in orange, the rest is in regular black.
I'm kind of happy with the return of that glam-ish/pub-ish sound all over the world. Sweden didn't really had it so far (or maybe with The Manics, also from Norrköping, but they sound more power-pop, not much Oi! influences there, but still, they're really good as well. Excellent comeback by The Clichés, definitely one on of the best releases so far this year. The only bad thing with it is that it's so short ! I hope we'll get more soon !