Alien Snatch Records
TV Crime – Metal Town – New LP
Regular price
$ 20.00
punk rock and roll, speed shifting the Mopar down the two-lane blacktop build by Chuck Berry and Eddie Cochran and resurfaced by the mid 70s outfits from the Australia, East Coast, Detroit and Cleveland, London and Ireland, splashing through the puddles in the gutter carved out by the Alice Cooper Group and the Dolls, running down the road with Thin Lizzy on one side, the Clash on the other, revving it up into the vanishing point. -- winch (green noise records)
Rock N Roll from Nottingham, United Kingdom. Artwork By – Ben Tipton
Mastered & Mixed By – Daniel Husayn, North London Bomb Factory Mastering
Recorded By – Phil Booth at JT Soar Studio, Nottingham. Sept '18.
Mastered & Mixed By – Daniel Husayn, North London Bomb Factory Mastering
Recorded By – Phil Booth at JT Soar Studio, Nottingham. Sept '18.
"Adrenaline level does not drop, great guitar riffs, lead singer Shaun powerful soul shouts and and glam rock driving batteries. In the Nottingham punk hall of fame TV CRIME gets the denim corner. With our fave UK album of here and now, a passionate fest of garage punk, power pop and pub rock. The gained cult is justified, or are HANK WOOD AND THE HAMMERHEADS write REAL KIDS songs yet? TV CRIME can do the trick. THIN LIZZY on STIFF sound cartel, capital letters GOOD TIMES and they kick with leather boots and smash pints with a smile. If SHEER MAG would be wurstels, then TV CRIME are battered sausages. Underdog football stadium anthems, where only the loved ones, rowdy dogs and dinosaurs are watching and the hooks urge you to joyful singalongs. Contains re-recorded version of both their UK singles on STATIC SHOCK and DRUNKEN SAILOR. Vinyl has a inside-out printed sleeve. Mastering by NLBF. First press 400 copies black vinyl, text sheet included.
audioammunition.blogspot.com (USA) Sep 2019 After two stunning EP’s Nottingham’s TV Crime release an absolutely volcanic debut LP. This long player contains exactly the same explosive elements that made their last two 7”’s so great, only we get more of it. Which is exactly what I wanted from TV Crime. These guys play an incomparable blend of power pop and hard hitting guitar pub rock. To get an idea of what this band sounds like, think bands like Thin Lizzy, Rockpyle, Eddie and The Hot Rods with some early Elvis Costello peppered in at ultra high energy levels. I could try and go through this record and pick out some song highlights to tell you about, but I’m not sure I can since every tune on here is a keeper. I highly recommend this record, it’s one of my favorites of the year.(JC)
OX-FANZINE.DE Issue #147 DEC 2019 Wer kennt sie nicht, diese Bands von kurzhaarigen Rummelburschen, die für ihre Plattencover mit verschränkten Armen, Button Downs in Tischdecken- Karo und finsterer Holzkopf-Mimik vor Backsteinmauern posieren, in ihren Songs und Texten dann nur selten mit mehr Raffinesse glänzen, als der Look es vermuten lässt – und neuerdings vermehrt auch noch ROSE TATTOOsoundalike Boogie-Licks vom Reißbrett in ihr Riffing schieben, weil sich das unter dem „Bovver Boogie“-Signum besser promoten lässt als. Ja, genau: schnarch! Ich hoffe, sie ärgern sich vor Neid eine zweite Bügelfalte in die Sta-Prest- Hose, angesichts der Leichtigkeit, mit der sich TV CRIME aus Nottingham fernab der Oi!-Tristesse deren Domäne angeeignet haben: Tongue-incheek- Lyrics von und für Council Boys, Melodien für Backstreet Kids, im Windschatten von First- Wave UK Punk, New Wave und der „Great Pub Rock Explosion“. Hätte nicht Elvis Costello, sondern die LITTLE ROOSTERS „This Year’s Model“ eingespielt oder Weller bei ROCKPILE den Zampano gegeben, wäre das in etwas wie der Brickwall- Extravaganza von TV CRIME aufgegangen: Songs, die hart, aber frei von jeder Grobschlächtigkeit, extrem eingängig, aber nicht per se poppig sind einzig des Effekts eines prahlerischen Songwritings wegen, und dadurch unumwunden großartig. Kurzum: No-Bullshit-Rock’n’Roll mit der Losung „The boys are still in town“ – definitiv einer der besten Releases 2019 für mich. 9/10 (MB)
voixdegaragegrenoble.blogspot.com Il y a des disques comme ça, dont tu tombe amoureux dès les premières secondes de la première écoute ! Love at first sight on dit dans la vie courante mais ça marche aussi sur la musique ! J’aime beaucoup leur nom, et celui de l’album aussi est bien trouvé ! Comme quoi quand on se donne du mal il y a encore moyen de faire simple et efficace (je réserve mon jugement concernant la pochette). Ce quatuor issu de Nottingham déboule à plein régime et gonflé à bloc avec leur 1er album (après 2 EPs) il se sont trouvé un descriptif : PUB CITY ROCKERS ! (Comme quoi quand on se donne du mal il y a encore moyen de faire simple et efficace, derechef)! Disons que le côté Pub Rock n’est pas primordial dans leur musique, c’est plus une sous couche culturelle, celle d’une Angleterre ‘historique’ qui refuse d’être le paillasson des oligarques russes, des pétrodollars de la planète entière et autre mafiosi (les vrais et ceux du système bancaire) qui envahissent ses mégalopoles…Ici on est dans une Power Pop tranchante, musclée, tirant un peu vers le Glitter (toujours cette culture anglaise)… hors du temps tellement c’est une musique qui est totalement évidente, accrocheuse et addictive ! Il est évident que quand tu as la chance d’avoir un chanteur avec une telle gouaille et un tel abattage tout devient simple et facile ! Et les TV CRIME capitalisent sur leurs points forts : des guitaristes saignants et fins, un grand chanteur de Rock’n’Roll, et une rythmique capable de jouer serrée et tendu, mais aussi plus élastique et lourd. Sans contrôle la puissance n’est rien : là il est évident que les TV CRIME l’ont parfaitement compris ! PUTAIN QUE C’EST BON! (BT)
rpmonline.co.uk (UK) Aug 2019 I’ve loved the singles from TV Crimes and waited patiently for a full album from the East Midlands noisemakers and finally here it is ‘Metal Town’ is everything I wanted it to be and more. Punchy, noisy, melodic no bullshit Rock and Roll. Seems perfect, but once you lock into the groove they’re ‘Jamming out on ‘Neo Waltz’ then you too will find them irresistible. They have elements of a young Elvis Costello in the vocal delivery and plenty of 60 ft Dolls and the likes of S*M*A*S*H and These Animal Men are in there as well in their approach to songwriting and pop music hooks. Just listen to opener ‘Hooligans’ and tell me differently? When it came out as a single I had to get it – A fantastic opener by anyone’s standard. ‘In The Gutter’ is aggressive like Wellar fronting Buzzcocks on some Diggle numbers. Rolling with a Parkinson’s vibe its got an excellent hook – I love the chorus and can imagine bouncing around in some dingy club as this pounds my eardrums. Its been too long since the UK had a band that could cross over many genres and draw in punters on the strength of their songs alone. well, I recon TV Crime have got the chops to pull it off. I remember the NME wetting their collective pants when the Libertines did house calls and Camden was buzzin’ well its been too long since the streets had that going on but there are a few bands around right here right now who could carry it off. The band drag in the punk rock snot of ‘Can’t Remember Your Name’ it’s got an attitude, not unlike Cyanide Pills. You can tell when you have an album this good on the player because when it’s finished you shove it back on again and a month later your still thinking the same. It’s trashy punk rock ‘n’ roll and these boys do it over and over again. They make it sound so easy. The bands last singles B side ‘Clocking Out’ is included next with its fast stomping twelve-bar kicking rhythm. There’s no reinventing the wheel here and they haven’t gone and discovered some brand new genre of music that will spearhead a brand new youth culture or sweep in some new craze for the 21 century what TV Crime have is a war chest full of top tunes from the slower more purposeful ‘Television Crime’ to the out and out Rock and Roll of ‘Man In The Pub’ or the yobbish ‘Never Been In Love’ its sweaty packed out club night Rock and Roll and you might not know it but you need it – trust me. Just Buy it its a fuckin’ great time on record loud rock and roll with plenty of punch and the occasional swift kick to the knackers – ‘Ave It!
fasterandlouderblog.blogspot.com (USA) May 2019 Well here it is, after many years of great anticipation! TV Crime, the Nottingham-based foursome that wowed so many of us the moment its debut track "Hooligans" went on-line three and a half years ago, has finally released a debut album. We've had little in the way of new material from TV Crime over the years - just a pair of singles released in 2016 and 2017. But all the while, the band was taking its time to craft a debut full-length it could be truly proud of. Listening to Metal Town (out now on Alien Snatch Records), one could hardly deny that the band's commitment to getting it right has paid off handsomely. Individuals I hold in the highest esteem have already chimed in with high praise, and I can only echo those sentiments. Metal Town is nothing short of the brilliant debut that was fully expected from TV Crime - a pub rock extravaganza informed by power pop, first wave UK punk, and '70s glam and arena rock. If you think that sounds like something I'd be especially into, you could not be more correct! Over the course of 13 tracks, the band puts on a clinic on how to play powerful punk rock and roll with all of the hooks and melodic appeal of the best power pop. Kicking off with a new-and-improved version of "Hooligans", this album takes little time in showing us how far TV Crime has come. The group's sound has grown bigger and cleaner - while still retaining the soul and guts befitting a proper pub band. These songs evoke comparisons to everyone from The Jam to Elvis Costello to Thin Lizzy, but not in a way that feels retro or consciously derivative. Essentially, this is great pop music played with the force and vigor of punk rock. From the big hooky rock of "Neo Waltz" to the quintessential sing-along punker "In The Gutter" to the footballer pop anthem "Match Day Programme" to the adrenaline rush of the title track to the pub-hardened Buzzcocks dash of "Never Been In Love", the material is consistently well-crafted and carried off with an energy that thrills. When the band slows the pace a tad (consider its "theme song", "Television Crime"), it comes off like a pop group that ought to be all over the charts. The 7" tracks re-recorded for this release have never sounded better - a testament to both the first-rate production and the tightened chops of a band firing on all cylinders. I've heard "album of the year contender" mentioned in conjunction with Metal Town by more than one individual. Who am I to argue? I anticipated a great deal from TV Crime on its debut album, but honestly Metal Town manages to exceed what I was expecting. You would have to look far and wide to find a band and album better suited to this blog's readership. And in a wonderful occurrence of history repeating itself, it seems we have returned to the days of Alien Snatch Records being the undisputed king of record labels. I'll drink to that! (Josh Rutlegde)
beatinmybones.wordpress.com (UK) AUG 2019 I have had a bunch of records I have wanted to write about, but just couldn’t bring myself to do so. I lost my best friend- my beloved Gran on the 23rd August. Since then, everything has seemed utterly pointless. I can’t make it through the day without crying or having a panic attack. I may write about music again soon, or I may not. I have no idea. Maybe I’ll use it as a distraction. I have no idea. I’m attempting to push through it to write about a record I have been SO excited for; Metal Town by TV Crime. TV Crime are fronted by one of the coolest human beings around- Shaun Hencher (he fronted VIRALS, and if you weren’t a fan of them- why the hell weren’t you?!) I’ve written about TV Crime a bunch of times, but I’m super excited to write about their debut full length record which has been released via the equally phenomenal Alien Snatch! Records (fun fact: they have never released a bad record!) Metal Town is a record that you cannot help but play insanely loud. It’s got a strong 70s Rock feel to it, but there’s also this Garage Rock feel. I know a lot of bands fall into this category, and they don’t back it up. But with TV Crime, they make you feel like you’re truly watching this band rehearse in a garage or sweaty basement room, playing with all they have. The record doesn’t sound polished in an overbearing way. It sounds like a band who are sure of themselves, and have created something that they (understandably) are proud of. As a huge fan of theirs, I am so proud of what they have created on this record. Take songs like Can’t Remember Your Name and Neo Waltz- they really have this 70s Rock feel that bands like Amyl and The Sniffers have given us. The two bands are responsible for some of the best music around, and have been for the past few years. TV Crime aren’t afraid to absolutely push themselves on this record. If you want to compare them to Shaun’s old band VIRALS, then that’s on you. But just so you know, they sound nothing alike. Shaun’s vocals on this record are so strong, and there’s this beautiful roughness to it that just makes you want to try snarl out the words like him. Luke absolutely destroys the drums with no hint of an apology found- just how it should be. This is prominent on songs like Clocking Out and In The Gutter. The title track of the record though, shows us just how brilliant this band are. It’s under the 2 minute mark but don’t let that deter you. In that short time, TV Crime show you that they aren’t to be messed with. TV Crime are the kind of band that make you want to ditch everything, and just follow them on tour. Something to just adore about this record is that the 13 songs take you on this voyage through the wonder of music. They have evidently put their all into this record, and every single song on this record justifies why this is one of the most incredible debut records I’ve heard in a long time. I knew that I was going to be blown away by this record, but the level of greatness on it is truly something else. At the moment, I think I am calling Television Crime and Never Been In Love as my favourite songs on the record, but I’m likely to change my mind because a record this great doesn’t happen that often you know. I love how it just embodies everything I love about music, and it has this unfiltered Rock ‘n’ Roll sound. It’s an honest record with a Punk heart, and for me that’s more than enough to make me fall in love with it. TV Crime are headed out on a tour of Europe in the next few weeks, so please go see them if you can. Hopefully they’ll make their way to Manchester soon. Until then, I’ll keep playing this record as loud as I can and as often as I can. Metal Town is released officially tomorrow via Alien Snatch! Records.
maximumrocknroll.com (US) Feb 2020 This British band plays tuneful, raw melodic punk. Yes, the vocals do have an ELVIS COSTELLO feel. Musically, this sounds very UK 1979 to me: CLASH, BUZZCOCKS, EDDIE AND THE HOT RODS… Yes, it’s been done before, but these guys do it well. Excellent. (RJ)
everythingisnoise.net Oct 2019 They might have the name of a Black Sabbath song, but TV Crime sound nothing like the ‘Sab Four’. And despite having a record named Metal Town, they have nothing to do with metal either. If anything, they sound like Elvis Costello’s This Year Model era, only with brass knuckles instead of nerd glasses. At least there’s a clear aesthetic link, mostly in the way the words are said – kind of detached, filled with some contempt, but in a celebratory fashion. There is also clearly more glam and rock than new wave to be found, but that’s all very far from doing this band justice, as are most comparisons for any decent band. That’s why eastern philosophy strays from comparisons, instead working with opposites and balance. So, in truth, TV Crime are probably the opposite of Costello back in the day; they certainly are in the antipodes of his modern-day output. They invoke that same urge to balance the hips and tap the foot, yes, but this record is so much more urgent and filled with unpredictability than anything Costello ever recorded. And rude. Then there are the things that bothered Costello back in his This Years Model era, especially being a geek that rode the London subway every day to work. Nothing TV Crime would be interested in – their reality is more about trips down to the gutter, along with songs about hooligans, going to a football match, or never having been in love. There’s a hands down pub rock vibe in Metal Town, mixed with your typical hard rock (ah, those great guitar licks) and a splash of new wave that imbues TV Crime’s music with an unbeatable good feeling. It’s one of those records that give you instant joy and energy, sounding hard but not harsh. They’re not so much badasses as the fact of their badassery is a by-product of simply being cool. And cool they are, the same way that Thin Lizzy were cool without even trying. The kind of cool guys that didn’t need to pick fights everywhere – somehow, the fights seem to find them, and when they broke out, they were up for it, with happiness and ease. Not really riots, more like street brawls between working-class lads. That is the main sentiment in Metal Town: right from the first song, you are eased into the record without even realizing it, immediately falling in love with it. From there, you just can’t help but listen to it over and over again, hoping to really get to know it, never really quenching the thirst. You’ll kind of wish you could live in it. It’s like that school villain – leather jacket and bike included – all the girls want to date and all the boys want to be. TV Crime hail from Nottingham, and that seductive accent makes a concrete dent on their songs, turning them into an even more addictive and sugary type of music. After a couple of great 7-inches, the band finally put out a full record on Alien Snatch Records and made sure that the wait was worth it. Spoiler: it was. Metal Town should definitely be on the top ten of many ‘album of the year’ lists, at least for those who believe in such things as listed above. Even though it’s full of pop sensibility, the record’s coating is made of rock’n’roll from all walks of life, be it pub rock, punk rock or hard rock, combined in such a spontaneous way that it just feels natural. Sure, there are a lot of power pop references everywhere, but that’s a severe limitation for a band with such flair. Just make sure that you have your heart and ears open when you listen to TV Crime, because this isn’t just all aesthetics – there’s also a lot of emotion. This is music to lose weekends to, in the good way. (Hugo)
"We went crazy flipping their infectious double a-side singles over and over and the debut album "Metal Town" will get the same treatment. is like a neverending night of fun and looseness. Adrenaline level does not drop, great guitar riffs, lead singer Shaun powerful soul shouts and and glam rock driving batteries. In the Notthingham punk hall of fame TV CRIME gets the denim corner. With our fave UK album of here and now, a passionate fest of garage punk, power pop and pub rock. The gained cult is justified, or are HANK WOOD AND THE HAMMERHEADS write REAL KIDS songs yet? TV CRIME can do the trick. It´s THIN LIZZY on STIFF sound cartel, capital letters GOOD TIMES and they kick with leather boots and smash pints with a smile. If SHEER MAG would be wurstels, then TV CRIME are battered sausages. Underdog football stadium anthems, where only the loved ones, rowdy dogs and dinosaurs are watching and the hooks urge you to joyful singalongs. Contains re-recorded version of both their UK singles on STATIC SHOCK and DRUNKEN SAILOR. Vinyl has a inside-out printed sleeve. Mastering by NLBF. First press 400 copies black vinyl, 100 red vinyl, text sheet included."
remoremag.com(ITA) Feb 2020 Punk, power pop e pub rock sono facce della stessa medaglia. I ragazzi di Nottingham ci mettono dentro anche un po’ di glam e sparano 13 inni (quattro ripresi dai due 7” precedenti) che potrebbero essere stati pubblicati dalla Stiff nell’anno di grazia 1979. Tutto al suo posto: dai riff incisivi al songwriting adulto e bello quadrato, fino a una voce molto inglese un po’ Joe Strummer, un po’ Billy Bragg (MG)
OX-FANZINE.DE Issue #147 DEC 2019 Wer kennt sie nicht, diese Bands von kurzhaarigen Rummelburschen, die für ihre Plattencover mit verschränkten Armen, Button Downs in Tischdecken- Karo und finsterer Holzkopf-Mimik vor Backsteinmauern posieren, in ihren Songs und Texten dann nur selten mit mehr Raffinesse glänzen, als der Look es vermuten lässt – und neuerdings vermehrt auch noch ROSE TATTOOsoundalike Boogie-Licks vom Reißbrett in ihr Riffing schieben, weil sich das unter dem „Bovver Boogie“-Signum besser promoten lässt als. Ja, genau: schnarch! Ich hoffe, sie ärgern sich vor Neid eine zweite Bügelfalte in die Sta-Prest- Hose, angesichts der Leichtigkeit, mit der sich TV CRIME aus Nottingham fernab der Oi!-Tristesse deren Domäne angeeignet haben: Tongue-incheek- Lyrics von und für Council Boys, Melodien für Backstreet Kids, im Windschatten von First- Wave UK Punk, New Wave und der „Great Pub Rock Explosion“. Hätte nicht Elvis Costello, sondern die LITTLE ROOSTERS „This Year’s Model“ eingespielt oder Weller bei ROCKPILE den Zampano gegeben, wäre das in etwas wie der Brickwall- Extravaganza von TV CRIME aufgegangen: Songs, die hart, aber frei von jeder Grobschlächtigkeit, extrem eingängig, aber nicht per se poppig sind einzig des Effekts eines prahlerischen Songwritings wegen, und dadurch unumwunden großartig. Kurzum: No-Bullshit-Rock’n’Roll mit der Losung „The boys are still in town“ – definitiv einer der besten Releases 2019 für mich. 9/10 (MB)
voixdegaragegrenoble.blogspot.com Il y a des disques comme ça, dont tu tombe amoureux dès les premières secondes de la première écoute ! Love at first sight on dit dans la vie courante mais ça marche aussi sur la musique ! J’aime beaucoup leur nom, et celui de l’album aussi est bien trouvé ! Comme quoi quand on se donne du mal il y a encore moyen de faire simple et efficace (je réserve mon jugement concernant la pochette). Ce quatuor issu de Nottingham déboule à plein régime et gonflé à bloc avec leur 1er album (après 2 EPs) il se sont trouvé un descriptif : PUB CITY ROCKERS ! (Comme quoi quand on se donne du mal il y a encore moyen de faire simple et efficace, derechef)! Disons que le côté Pub Rock n’est pas primordial dans leur musique, c’est plus une sous couche culturelle, celle d’une Angleterre ‘historique’ qui refuse d’être le paillasson des oligarques russes, des pétrodollars de la planète entière et autre mafiosi (les vrais et ceux du système bancaire) qui envahissent ses mégalopoles…Ici on est dans une Power Pop tranchante, musclée, tirant un peu vers le Glitter (toujours cette culture anglaise)… hors du temps tellement c’est une musique qui est totalement évidente, accrocheuse et addictive ! Il est évident que quand tu as la chance d’avoir un chanteur avec une telle gouaille et un tel abattage tout devient simple et facile ! Et les TV CRIME capitalisent sur leurs points forts : des guitaristes saignants et fins, un grand chanteur de Rock’n’Roll, et une rythmique capable de jouer serrée et tendu, mais aussi plus élastique et lourd. Sans contrôle la puissance n’est rien : là il est évident que les TV CRIME l’ont parfaitement compris ! PUTAIN QUE C’EST BON! (BT)
rpmonline.co.uk (UK) Aug 2019 I’ve loved the singles from TV Crimes and waited patiently for a full album from the East Midlands noisemakers and finally here it is ‘Metal Town’ is everything I wanted it to be and more. Punchy, noisy, melodic no bullshit Rock and Roll. Seems perfect, but once you lock into the groove they’re ‘Jamming out on ‘Neo Waltz’ then you too will find them irresistible. They have elements of a young Elvis Costello in the vocal delivery and plenty of 60 ft Dolls and the likes of S*M*A*S*H and These Animal Men are in there as well in their approach to songwriting and pop music hooks. Just listen to opener ‘Hooligans’ and tell me differently? When it came out as a single I had to get it – A fantastic opener by anyone’s standard. ‘In The Gutter’ is aggressive like Wellar fronting Buzzcocks on some Diggle numbers. Rolling with a Parkinson’s vibe its got an excellent hook – I love the chorus and can imagine bouncing around in some dingy club as this pounds my eardrums. Its been too long since the UK had a band that could cross over many genres and draw in punters on the strength of their songs alone. well, I recon TV Crime have got the chops to pull it off. I remember the NME wetting their collective pants when the Libertines did house calls and Camden was buzzin’ well its been too long since the streets had that going on but there are a few bands around right here right now who could carry it off. The band drag in the punk rock snot of ‘Can’t Remember Your Name’ it’s got an attitude, not unlike Cyanide Pills. You can tell when you have an album this good on the player because when it’s finished you shove it back on again and a month later your still thinking the same. It’s trashy punk rock ‘n’ roll and these boys do it over and over again. They make it sound so easy. The bands last singles B side ‘Clocking Out’ is included next with its fast stomping twelve-bar kicking rhythm. There’s no reinventing the wheel here and they haven’t gone and discovered some brand new genre of music that will spearhead a brand new youth culture or sweep in some new craze for the 21 century what TV Crime have is a war chest full of top tunes from the slower more purposeful ‘Television Crime’ to the out and out Rock and Roll of ‘Man In The Pub’ or the yobbish ‘Never Been In Love’ its sweaty packed out club night Rock and Roll and you might not know it but you need it – trust me. Just Buy it its a fuckin’ great time on record loud rock and roll with plenty of punch and the occasional swift kick to the knackers – ‘Ave It!
fasterandlouderblog.blogspot.com (USA) May 2019 Well here it is, after many years of great anticipation! TV Crime, the Nottingham-based foursome that wowed so many of us the moment its debut track "Hooligans" went on-line three and a half years ago, has finally released a debut album. We've had little in the way of new material from TV Crime over the years - just a pair of singles released in 2016 and 2017. But all the while, the band was taking its time to craft a debut full-length it could be truly proud of. Listening to Metal Town (out now on Alien Snatch Records), one could hardly deny that the band's commitment to getting it right has paid off handsomely. Individuals I hold in the highest esteem have already chimed in with high praise, and I can only echo those sentiments. Metal Town is nothing short of the brilliant debut that was fully expected from TV Crime - a pub rock extravaganza informed by power pop, first wave UK punk, and '70s glam and arena rock. If you think that sounds like something I'd be especially into, you could not be more correct! Over the course of 13 tracks, the band puts on a clinic on how to play powerful punk rock and roll with all of the hooks and melodic appeal of the best power pop. Kicking off with a new-and-improved version of "Hooligans", this album takes little time in showing us how far TV Crime has come. The group's sound has grown bigger and cleaner - while still retaining the soul and guts befitting a proper pub band. These songs evoke comparisons to everyone from The Jam to Elvis Costello to Thin Lizzy, but not in a way that feels retro or consciously derivative. Essentially, this is great pop music played with the force and vigor of punk rock. From the big hooky rock of "Neo Waltz" to the quintessential sing-along punker "In The Gutter" to the footballer pop anthem "Match Day Programme" to the adrenaline rush of the title track to the pub-hardened Buzzcocks dash of "Never Been In Love", the material is consistently well-crafted and carried off with an energy that thrills. When the band slows the pace a tad (consider its "theme song", "Television Crime"), it comes off like a pop group that ought to be all over the charts. The 7" tracks re-recorded for this release have never sounded better - a testament to both the first-rate production and the tightened chops of a band firing on all cylinders. I've heard "album of the year contender" mentioned in conjunction with Metal Town by more than one individual. Who am I to argue? I anticipated a great deal from TV Crime on its debut album, but honestly Metal Town manages to exceed what I was expecting. You would have to look far and wide to find a band and album better suited to this blog's readership. And in a wonderful occurrence of history repeating itself, it seems we have returned to the days of Alien Snatch Records being the undisputed king of record labels. I'll drink to that! (Josh Rutlegde)
beatinmybones.wordpress.com (UK) AUG 2019 I have had a bunch of records I have wanted to write about, but just couldn’t bring myself to do so. I lost my best friend- my beloved Gran on the 23rd August. Since then, everything has seemed utterly pointless. I can’t make it through the day without crying or having a panic attack. I may write about music again soon, or I may not. I have no idea. Maybe I’ll use it as a distraction. I have no idea. I’m attempting to push through it to write about a record I have been SO excited for; Metal Town by TV Crime. TV Crime are fronted by one of the coolest human beings around- Shaun Hencher (he fronted VIRALS, and if you weren’t a fan of them- why the hell weren’t you?!) I’ve written about TV Crime a bunch of times, but I’m super excited to write about their debut full length record which has been released via the equally phenomenal Alien Snatch! Records (fun fact: they have never released a bad record!) Metal Town is a record that you cannot help but play insanely loud. It’s got a strong 70s Rock feel to it, but there’s also this Garage Rock feel. I know a lot of bands fall into this category, and they don’t back it up. But with TV Crime, they make you feel like you’re truly watching this band rehearse in a garage or sweaty basement room, playing with all they have. The record doesn’t sound polished in an overbearing way. It sounds like a band who are sure of themselves, and have created something that they (understandably) are proud of. As a huge fan of theirs, I am so proud of what they have created on this record. Take songs like Can’t Remember Your Name and Neo Waltz- they really have this 70s Rock feel that bands like Amyl and The Sniffers have given us. The two bands are responsible for some of the best music around, and have been for the past few years. TV Crime aren’t afraid to absolutely push themselves on this record. If you want to compare them to Shaun’s old band VIRALS, then that’s on you. But just so you know, they sound nothing alike. Shaun’s vocals on this record are so strong, and there’s this beautiful roughness to it that just makes you want to try snarl out the words like him. Luke absolutely destroys the drums with no hint of an apology found- just how it should be. This is prominent on songs like Clocking Out and In The Gutter. The title track of the record though, shows us just how brilliant this band are. It’s under the 2 minute mark but don’t let that deter you. In that short time, TV Crime show you that they aren’t to be messed with. TV Crime are the kind of band that make you want to ditch everything, and just follow them on tour. Something to just adore about this record is that the 13 songs take you on this voyage through the wonder of music. They have evidently put their all into this record, and every single song on this record justifies why this is one of the most incredible debut records I’ve heard in a long time. I knew that I was going to be blown away by this record, but the level of greatness on it is truly something else. At the moment, I think I am calling Television Crime and Never Been In Love as my favourite songs on the record, but I’m likely to change my mind because a record this great doesn’t happen that often you know. I love how it just embodies everything I love about music, and it has this unfiltered Rock ‘n’ Roll sound. It’s an honest record with a Punk heart, and for me that’s more than enough to make me fall in love with it. TV Crime are headed out on a tour of Europe in the next few weeks, so please go see them if you can. Hopefully they’ll make their way to Manchester soon. Until then, I’ll keep playing this record as loud as I can and as often as I can. Metal Town is released officially tomorrow via Alien Snatch! Records.
maximumrocknroll.com (US) Feb 2020 This British band plays tuneful, raw melodic punk. Yes, the vocals do have an ELVIS COSTELLO feel. Musically, this sounds very UK 1979 to me: CLASH, BUZZCOCKS, EDDIE AND THE HOT RODS… Yes, it’s been done before, but these guys do it well. Excellent. (RJ)
everythingisnoise.net Oct 2019 They might have the name of a Black Sabbath song, but TV Crime sound nothing like the ‘Sab Four’. And despite having a record named Metal Town, they have nothing to do with metal either. If anything, they sound like Elvis Costello’s This Year Model era, only with brass knuckles instead of nerd glasses. At least there’s a clear aesthetic link, mostly in the way the words are said – kind of detached, filled with some contempt, but in a celebratory fashion. There is also clearly more glam and rock than new wave to be found, but that’s all very far from doing this band justice, as are most comparisons for any decent band. That’s why eastern philosophy strays from comparisons, instead working with opposites and balance. So, in truth, TV Crime are probably the opposite of Costello back in the day; they certainly are in the antipodes of his modern-day output. They invoke that same urge to balance the hips and tap the foot, yes, but this record is so much more urgent and filled with unpredictability than anything Costello ever recorded. And rude. Then there are the things that bothered Costello back in his This Years Model era, especially being a geek that rode the London subway every day to work. Nothing TV Crime would be interested in – their reality is more about trips down to the gutter, along with songs about hooligans, going to a football match, or never having been in love. There’s a hands down pub rock vibe in Metal Town, mixed with your typical hard rock (ah, those great guitar licks) and a splash of new wave that imbues TV Crime’s music with an unbeatable good feeling. It’s one of those records that give you instant joy and energy, sounding hard but not harsh. They’re not so much badasses as the fact of their badassery is a by-product of simply being cool. And cool they are, the same way that Thin Lizzy were cool without even trying. The kind of cool guys that didn’t need to pick fights everywhere – somehow, the fights seem to find them, and when they broke out, they were up for it, with happiness and ease. Not really riots, more like street brawls between working-class lads. That is the main sentiment in Metal Town: right from the first song, you are eased into the record without even realizing it, immediately falling in love with it. From there, you just can’t help but listen to it over and over again, hoping to really get to know it, never really quenching the thirst. You’ll kind of wish you could live in it. It’s like that school villain – leather jacket and bike included – all the girls want to date and all the boys want to be. TV Crime hail from Nottingham, and that seductive accent makes a concrete dent on their songs, turning them into an even more addictive and sugary type of music. After a couple of great 7-inches, the band finally put out a full record on Alien Snatch Records and made sure that the wait was worth it. Spoiler: it was. Metal Town should definitely be on the top ten of many ‘album of the year’ lists, at least for those who believe in such things as listed above. Even though it’s full of pop sensibility, the record’s coating is made of rock’n’roll from all walks of life, be it pub rock, punk rock or hard rock, combined in such a spontaneous way that it just feels natural. Sure, there are a lot of power pop references everywhere, but that’s a severe limitation for a band with such flair. Just make sure that you have your heart and ears open when you listen to TV Crime, because this isn’t just all aesthetics – there’s also a lot of emotion. This is music to lose weekends to, in the good way. (Hugo)
"We went crazy flipping their infectious double a-side singles over and over and the debut album "Metal Town" will get the same treatment. is like a neverending night of fun and looseness. Adrenaline level does not drop, great guitar riffs, lead singer Shaun powerful soul shouts and and glam rock driving batteries. In the Notthingham punk hall of fame TV CRIME gets the denim corner. With our fave UK album of here and now, a passionate fest of garage punk, power pop and pub rock. The gained cult is justified, or are HANK WOOD AND THE HAMMERHEADS write REAL KIDS songs yet? TV CRIME can do the trick. It´s THIN LIZZY on STIFF sound cartel, capital letters GOOD TIMES and they kick with leather boots and smash pints with a smile. If SHEER MAG would be wurstels, then TV CRIME are battered sausages. Underdog football stadium anthems, where only the loved ones, rowdy dogs and dinosaurs are watching and the hooks urge you to joyful singalongs. Contains re-recorded version of both their UK singles on STATIC SHOCK and DRUNKEN SAILOR. Vinyl has a inside-out printed sleeve. Mastering by NLBF. First press 400 copies black vinyl, 100 red vinyl, text sheet included."
remoremag.com(ITA) Feb 2020 Punk, power pop e pub rock sono facce della stessa medaglia. I ragazzi di Nottingham ci mettono dentro anche un po’ di glam e sparano 13 inni (quattro ripresi dai due 7” precedenti) che potrebbero essere stati pubblicati dalla Stiff nell’anno di grazia 1979. Tutto al suo posto: dai riff incisivi al songwriting adulto e bello quadrato, fino a una voce molto inglese un po’ Joe Strummer, un po’ Billy Bragg (MG)
released September 3, 2019
SNATCH!099
SNATCH!099
