The Warhawks - Wellness Check Pt. 1 and Pt. 2 (Bandcamp Name Your Price)

 

Over to Gloucester City, New Jersey for the quartet that are The Warhawks. The band released two EPs in the space of a week in July and both three track affairs offer up different takes and angles of great guitar led Indie Rock.

Parade sounds a little 80s, a bit darker than what surrounds it, Very Indie still. Brighton is more 90s and has a lot in common with the new noisier breed of Power Pop bands. A bit clappy with a big chorus. Highway is built on a killer riff and a knockout chorus.

The second EP offers even more variety. Domino is top notch Slacker Rock. Secondhand Promised Land is probably the best thing here, but the competition is high. Anthemic Power Pop at its very best with a Butch Walker like handclaps.

How High Can We Go? is wonderfully noisier, more aggressive and this works just as well. You can imagine this lot to be a great live band. I'm a bit confused as why the two EPs were not combined into what would be a splendid mini album. But both EPs are at Name Your Price, so no one has an excuse and can grab the six excellent songs. Great stuff!

You can listen to and buy both EPs here and here.

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I Don't Hear A Single Albums Of The Year 2019 : 51 - 60

It's been difficult to get these choices down to 100. I'm also not a believer in saying one album is better than another. Most of the time you are comparing Apples To Oranges. I'm not a List person, I just think what's the point.

However, for the last couple of years I have compiled Best Of 2019, normally I just said what my favourite album of the year is. I've done it again, because these posts seem so popular and the aim of this Blog is to get exposure (and Sales) for the artists.

There is no meaning or judgement on an album that is Number 1, Number 100 or not on the list. Anything that I review on here, mention on Social Media or play on the Radio Show is as highly recommended.

I would also add that the Top 100 includes albums available as Download Only. To suggest that they are anything less than equal to a Physical release is patently nonsense and omits many wonderful albums.

I will compile a Top 20 of Reissues and Compilations combined after all this is complete. For each album, I've posted a song from it and a link to the review, where you can find further details on how to listen or buy the album.



51 Erk - When Night Meets Day       IDHAS Review








52 Big Nothing - Chris       IDHAS Review









53 Berwanger - Watching A Garden Die       IDHAS Review









54 Cabana Wear - Cabana Wear       IDHAS Review









55 Onesie - Umpteenth       IDHAS Review








56 Mike Adams At His Honest Weight - There Is No Feeling Better      IDHAS Review









57 Matthew Milia - Alone At St. Hugo      IDHAS Review









58 The Warhawks - Never Felt So Good       IDHAS Review








59 The High Strung - Quiet Riots       IDHAS Review







60 Wrinkles - Other Days       IDHAS Review







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The Warhawks - Never Felt So Good

Over to New Jersey now and the quartet that is The Warhawks. I've seen the band referred to as Punk Rock and I don't concur with that at all. Never Felt So Good was released earlier this year and it is a cracking slab of noisy Indie Rock.

Also don't be fooled by the noise, although there is plenty of Garage Rock here, there's also hints of Classic Rock as well as sleeze. At times I'm reminded of The Quireboys. An accusation of basement production is often levelled at albums such as this, well not a bit of that here.








This is a beautifully produced Guitar album. Big choruses amongst the wonderful looseness. The 28 minutes fly by, the album just doesn't come up for air, it is an Indie Wall Of Sound. Got It From Me could become their anthem and Ten Things is a wonderful closer, it's moody and magnificent, reminds me of Days Of Europa era Skids.

Not A Problem has so much attitude, very CBGBs and Soulsucker verges on Guns n Roses. There are influences all over the place from The Stones to The Replacements, but everything sounds uniquely The Warhawks. This is a really impressive affair. Plus, Nothing To Do is one of the best songs that I've heard all year.








I'm sure some regular band followers may accuse the band of selling out and there is a hint of looking for the right direction. But who cares? When an album sounds this good, they can keep searching all they like. Never Felt So Good is a nine song joy,








You can listen to and buy the album for a bargain 5 dollars here.


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