When I first heard 'Music By People Who Drink Cider In The Gutter' a compilation on TNS records I must admit I wasn't that taken but after playing it straight through several times it really started to grow on me. With twenty different bands on this CD there is probably something on here for everybody who is either a fan of punk, ska or both. Some of the bands included on this compilation are The Dangerfields, Revenge Of The Psychotronic Man, The Kirkz, The Shadowcops, Buzzkill, Dog Toffee, The Hyperjax and DBD. This is well worth £4 and whilst it's virtually guaranteed to have a few tracks you like on it, you can also check out some great bands you probably haven't heard before. TNS Records have invested quite a wedge in this production and i've no doubt they'll recoup their investment.

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I saw Pink Hearse live in February and this all female band are a top notch outfit but I thought £4 for 'Beautiful Bones' their 5 track EP, an EP that is basically DIY is a bit steep. The production isn't great and it does them no favours when compared to their live performances. Nikki their singer has a good singing voice, similar to Becki Bondage but her vocals on this EP leave the music too far in the background. The power of their live performances just isn't there. Still that's more to do with levels than her voice. Sometimes it's better to invest in a quality product, this might take longer and cost more money but it's better than rushing out a CD that is badly recorded. A badly produced CD can actually be detrimental to a band's future. Of the 5 songs 'Have It All' is definitely the best.

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I saw Stand Out Riot live for the first time at a ska gathering at the end of February and they were very good. With more members than two bands combined it led to a really cramped stage but the cramped stage detracted nothing from a very good performance. I bought their 3 track CD 'Stand Out Riot vs. The Oxbridge Mafia' after the gig and although it is only a three tracker it's enough to demonstrate what a good band Stand Out Riot are. With plenty of changes in tempo, a good singer and a brass section to blow the wax out of your ears I will be after anything they release in the future. Both 'The Oxbridge Mafia' and 'Ambush Paddington' have everything any ska fan would want to hear in a song but 'Beach Week' is simply one of the best ska songs i've ever heard.

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Both tracks on this CD are off the Levellers forthcoming album 'Letters From The Underground'. As the Levellers are celebrating their 20th anniversary this year both these songs are available as free downloads. You might think that you never get something for nothing but in this case both tracks are definitely worth downloading.
If you read my reviews regularly you'll know i'm a big fan of Irish music and Levellers are definitely in that vein. Their music is so catchy that it could get someone out of their wheelchair to dance. 'A Life Less Ordinary' is a good foot-stomping song but the second song 'The Cholera Well' is the best of the two. Driven by some quality fiddle playing if this doesn't get your feet tapping you're probably dead.

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