PON052

The Scratch - You want the world/independent and unrepentant/Teen idol Download only single

TRACKLIST
YOU WANT THE WORLD
INDEPENDENT & UNREPENTANT
TEEN IDOL

Buy from iTunes

REVIEW

The Scratch – You Want the World (Ponyland)

There’s something refreshingly uninhibited about The Scratch. Their tracks are quite minimal but all in completely different ways. ‘You Want the World’ is old school and punky, a little like the Undertones (‘Teenage Kicks’ is even referenced in second track, ‘Independent Unrepentent’). Then they throw in a proggy track like ‘Teen Idol (for 300 million)’ – bafflingly obscure and brilliant leftfield.

www.tastyfanzine.org.uk/singles88jul09.htm

PON051

The Scratch - Destroyed by the look of love/Flicker/NYF (live bounus) Download only single

TRACKLIST:

DESTROYED BY THE LOOK OF LOVE
FLICKER
NYF (Live demo)

Buy from iTunes

REVIEW:

The Scratch should need no introductions in these pages, pardoning the French but they literally piss melodies so razor sharp, acutely addictive and drilled in threads of a vintage golden era new wave flavour that we here suspect them of having access to a time travelling device.

'Destroyed by the look of love' is frankly worth the entrance fee on its own. This babe is primed and charged with the kind of wickedly audacious exuberance not heard around these parts since Supergrass started re-branding old Buzzcocks ditties as they’re own. And talking of the Buzzcocks the Shelley / Diggle et al reference markers aren’t lost on us here because 'Destroyed by the look of love' has a definite 'love bites' edge to it albeit subtly smoked in the irrefutable shade adorned soft psyche hue of 60's fuzz shakers the Shadows of Knight while cut pristinely with one of the most drop dead chorus’ this side of a garage beat pop styled Sundazed re-issue.

'Flicker' should rightly see itself garnering something of a thumbs up and some admiring glances from the psychedelic community draped as it is in softly warping lysergic tonalities that we here are thinking reveals someone in the ranks spending their spare time genning up on the finest kookily kaleidoscopic moments to be had from the Elephant 6 Collective back catalogue and decided to observe those off kilter wonky west coast moulds through a vintage viewfinder and tender the emitting refractions with essences procured of a quintessentially English eccentricity that suggests Pete Shelley leading out a magic mushroom munching Syd loving collective made up of members of the Soft Boys, the Freed Unit and XTC in their Dukes guise. Trippy stuff.

Not to be outdone 'Not your friend' lands a considerable jaw dropped punch, an unrepentant slab of searing, sneering, snot nosed spite replete with nasal drawls and a warring armoury of wilfully frantic spiked and sparring insurgent three chord hip hugging accoutrements that we here are suspecting has been born of some impish soul cross matching the DNA’s of the Godfathers with those of the Dead Boys.

No prizes for guessing that you need this in your life sharpish. [LosingToday.com]

PON050

The Scratch - Against The Grain/Cool in an Uncool Way Download only single

TRACKLIST:

AGAINST THE GRAIN
COOL IN AN UNCOOL WAY

Buy from iTunes

REVIEW:
The return of one of our favourite turntable obsessions of recent years, the Scratch have on more than one occasion flattened us into states of jaw dropped fondness within these pages. Despatching a high end pedigree of pop grooved new wave the Scratch sound like renegades from another pop age time tunnelled into the present and brandishing an impeccable arsenal of hook laden nuggets and whistle-able sub three minute anthems whose prime directive it would seem - aside that is wearing your stylus blunt - is to drive you to the limits of distraction.

Both 'Against the grain' and its flip cut 'cool in an uncool way' bristle with the
trademark class of Scratch releases of yore, the former seductively swooning 'n' swaggering and proving to be a hitherto instantaneously shot of delirious radio friendly new wave buzz laced power pop over-turing that catches light with the same acutely knowing melodic symmetry of the much missed Motors from yesteryear albeit here found peaking over the shoulder of the Flamin' Groovies and comparing notes
whilst shoehorning into the mix some neatly drilled strut riffed ear candy and MOR harmonies.

In sharp contrast the hot rod boogie of 'Cool in an uncool way' yelps, coos, pouts and preens its way in to your psyche and burns the grooves in the process to sound not unlike a preened, primed 'n' stripped to the bone early career Reverend Horton
Heat who aside sounding like some 50's wet dream homage sublimely manages to not only veer into the same retro glazed avenues similarly occupied by Pirroni's much admired Wolfmen but craftily echoes of the ghost of Bators former charges the Dead Boys and the Lords of the New Church while happily showing off its Vanian like Damned / Phantom Chords implants.

In short devilishly cool stuff from the practitioners of perfect pop. [LosingToday.com]

PON043

The Scratch - Girl's World/Sweet Surprise 7" pink vinyl/CD single/Download

TRACKLIST:

GIRL'S WORLD
SWEET SURPRISE

Buy from iTunes

REVIEW:
The Scratch keep getting better and better with their most appealing song yet on Girl's World, released on the bands own label next Monday. It's almost jukebox bubblegum tongue in cheek with catchy chorus, coupled with the fast and furious punky Sweet Surprise to give you two sides of The Scratch [The Country Times]

PON042

The Scratch - Critical Mass '08/Dear Maniac CD single/Download

Two of their live favourites on one ace single! Critical Mass re-recorded specially for the single release.

TRACKLIST:

CRITICAL MASS '08
DEAR MANIAC

Buy from iTunes

REVIEW:

'Critical Mass' is the latest release from The Scratch, a four piece punk rock outfit from St Albans. Over recent years releases such as 'Night Bus or Milk Train' and 'Numbers' have brought the band well-deserved exposure and voiced their talent further afield than ever before through live radio performances and TV. 'Critical Mass' is their latest release through DIY label Ponyland Records.

The first thing that has to be said about 'Critical Mass', is that it takes today's music scene, gives it the middle finger and turns it back. This band has no intent of making music to fit in. Funky bass lines, and crunching guitar rhythms build throughout opening track 'Critical Mass' and is excellently laced with pop sensibilities. Energizing rhythms and that twist of punk create a raw feeling which is essential to the band's sound.

'Dear Maniac' is personally my favourite of the two tracks with its quirky guitar sound and catchy sing along chorus. The speed of the track builds up throughout creating a frenzied feel in the final moments.

The single is available through iTunes and on CD through their website and I recommend you get it if you’re a fan of raw punk anthems. If that’s your cup of tea then I guarantee this band will leave you with a grin from ear to ear.[www.roomthirteen.com]

PON041

The Scratch - Numbers/Texture to the Flava (single version) CD single

The track that won them XFM Manchester Unsigned, released as a single, backed by a more uptempo re-recording of Texture to the Flava from their debut album, DIY.

TRACKLIST:

NUMBERS
TEXTURE TO THE FLAVA (SINGLE VERSION)

Buy from iTunes

REVIEW:
DIY pop/rock outfit The Scratch's somehow familiarly unfamiliar new single, 'Numbers', is a piece of wonderfully edgy pop/rock with nu-punk attitude and wholesome retro intonations. Rammed full of typically British popability but with genuine global appeal, 'Numbers' is great 'dirty rockin' pop' as only we Brits can manage - fast, raw, homely and real!!

Beautifully raw and genuine sounding, 'Numbers' has that special bite to it that so many bands either can't achieve or, wrongly, engineer out in the studio. It works very well and you just can't help joining in with the guys here and getting yer rocks off to 'Numbers'. With hints of The Jam, a touch of early Who, the street drive of The Clash and the 'now' rockin' melodic tendencies of Green Day and Bowling For Soup, The Scratch sound vibrant and kick ass cool. [toxicpete.co.uk]

PON038

The Scratch - Night Bus or Milk Train CD album

Second album from The Scratch, "Night Bus or Milk Train" is a love lorn tale of jealousy, confusion, chocolate lemonade and needle dicks!

TRACKLIST:

NUMBERS
STRANGE 4PLAY
DIAL XERO
STRANGER
CRITICAL MASS
SISTER PSYCHOSIS
CHOCOLATE LEMONADE
DEAR MANIAC
OUTFAKING THE FAKERS
SMELL THE GAS TAPS
BLISS
UNDERCOVER

Buy from iTunes

REVIEW:

On the surface, The Scratch could be just another indie band, but once you get past the first three or four tunes on Night Bus Or Milk Train, you realise that something a little bit special is going on here. They come across like a mildly nu-punk version of The Coral, tightly crafted guitar pop music interwoven with the odd synth or sample - not overused in the slightest. 'Stranger' even takes a different course and sounds very Eighties, like Midge Ure with new toys on Christmas. The guitar work is excellent, there are some damn fine riffs on this record and they seem genuinly keen to do something just a little bit different. In every verse you can hear shades of influences ranging from The Libertines to The Human League. The real gems are in the second half of the album, 'Out Faking The Fakers' and 'Smell The Gas Taps' being highlights. It's a fine effort, and one that sounds like things are only just beginning.[is this music]

PON037

Morbid Fascination - The Means of Production CD mini-album

TRACKLIST:

MY EX'S EXCITEMENT
FASHION WHELL
IN HIS CULTURE
MORBID FASCINATION
HIZUMI'S THEME
CONTROL OF THE PROCESS
SERPENTINE
KING KONG III

PON036

Mamajamas - Not in season CD album

TRACKLIST:

LSD AND EMAIL
FRIENDLY SNAKES
WET DREAM
TOMORROW'S STILL ANOTHER DAY
BRAND NEW HORIZONS
SQUEEZE IT TIL I BREAK IT
JEKYLL AND HYDE
WHATEVER
LEAVE TOMORROW
MISS KATE

PON031

Mamajamas the singles CD album

TRACKLIST:

LATEST DREAM
EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER
ON THE HORIZON
PATH TO FOLLOW
DEAD HORSEMAN
LOVE AND PAIN
SAVIOUR OR A SAINT
FIGHTING SHY
LASTING FLAME
SQUEEZE IT TIL I BREAK IT
JEKYL AND HYDE
WHATEVER
LEAVE TOMORROW
MISS KATE
PLAY HARDER PLAY FASTER
NOT IN SEASON

bonus tracks...
LOVE SONG
PAIN INTO AN ART
PLEASURE LEACH

PON030

Ponyland Sampler 2 CDR - Offenbach Overdrive

TRACKLISTING:

CRITICAL MASS - THE SCRATCH
FRIENDLY SNAKES - MAMAJAMAS
PEDAL TO THE METAL - PONY VIRUS
PLEASE DON'T DO THAT - TAGAS
KING KONG III - MEANS OF PRODUCTION
SISTER PSYCHOSIS - THE SCRATCH
JAPANESE GUYS THEME - THE JAPANESE GUYS
FREAKOS - PONY VIRUS
MORBID FASCINATION - MEANS OF PRODUCTION
FOREVER LOVING LOVE - TAGAS
NOT IN SEASON - MAMAJAMAS
IMPULSIVE COMPULSIONS - PONY VIRUS
SWEET SURPRISE - THE SCRATCH
BROWN TAPE LEDERHOSEN - THE JAPANESE GUYS

PON032

The Scratch - Logical Mind remixes CD EP

TRACKLISTING:

LOGICAL MIND
LOGICAL MIND (PONY VIRUS MIX)
LOGICAL MIND (WAVEBREAKER MIX)
BRAINSTORM (KIDDAH MIX)

PON028

Ponyland Sampler CD album - Problem Children

TRACKLISTING:

I RELAX TO SPIRAL SCRATCH - THE SCRATCH
FASHION WHEEL - MEANS OF PRODUCTION
MISS KATE (REMIX) - MAMAJAMAS
ANOTHER SLICE OF FEMININE MIGHT - PONY VIRUS
TEXTURE TO THE FLAVA - THE SCRATCH
MY EX'S EXCITEMENT - MEANS OF PRODUCTION
SQUEEZE IT TIL I BREAK IT - MAMAJAMAS
PASSING THROUGH - PONY VIRUS
X-RAY EYES - THE SCRATCH
CONTROL OF THE PROCESS - MEANS OF PRODUCTION
MASSIVE ATTACK (MEETS FRIDAY 13TH) - PONY VIRUS
LEAVE TOMORROW - MAMAJAMAS

REVIEW:
This label sampler compilation comes with a press release informing us of the Ponyland label's "eclectic nature" and aim to raise "awareness to the DIY cause", before suggesting if you don't like what's going on, you should "get off your arses and do something about it."

Hear hear. Especially when "Problem Children" turns out to be as eclectic, diverse and stimulating as its' advance notices suggest. Indeed, it's a filler-free 12 -track affair with all four of Ponyland's current artists supplying three tracks apiece. And, for sure, all four bands are more than worth crossing the road for.

Excellent London quartet THE SCRATCH are Ponyland's label bearers and W&H have previously featured reviews of their "DIY" album and fine current EP "Undercover". "Problem Children" reminds us what an intriguing record "DIY" remains and also what a diverse, style-straddling outfit The Scratch are. The immortally-titled "I Relax To Spiral Scratch" hi-jacks lippy, rip-roaring rock'n'roll, manic handclaps and a necks a subtle side order of beats. It's an anthem-in-waiting if ever there was, while both "Texture To The Flava" and "X-Ray Eyes" present us with intelligent, danceable thrills, memorable hooks and a way of incorporating scorching guitars, crushing beats and electronica that's presently only rivalled by the likes of Kasabian. Watch out for them.

MAMAJAMAS, meanwhile, are Ponyland's most straight-ahead garage rock purveyors. They were originally clocking up serious brownie points on the London live circuit around the turn of the century, but split up temporarily until Ponyland stepped in. The likes of "Miss Kate" and "Leave Tomorrow" make you glad they did, too, as both proffer cantankerously hooky, rough-edged pop aligned with cheeky riffmongery. You immediately get the feeling they'd be excellent live, too.

At a different tangent altogether, MEANS OF PRODUCTION set the controls for the early '80s, which is actually pretty timely right now. Tracks like "My Ex's Excitement" and the cautionary "Fashion Wheel" showcase splatchy, analogous synth-pop fare, with echoes of "Travelogue"-era Human League and Cabaret Voltaire's Virgin period, as well as nodding to smart contemporaries such as Camp Actor.

It's PONY VIRUS, though, who are surely Ponyland's wild card. Personnel-wise, apparently, this shadowy bunch can number anything from two to five or more, and musically they are just as adroit at avoiding pigeonholes. The three tracks they contribute to "Problem Children" can also be found on their debut EP, "Passing Through", and none of them are less than fascinating. "Another Slice Of Feminist Might" sounds like it could be Crass-style militant rant, but is actually a brief, chaotic snippet of malevolent electro-punk and warped as fuck to boot. "Passing Through" itself goes from dark'n'broody to gentle'n'floaty and stops at all points between, while arguably their best here is "Massive Attack (Meets Friday 13th)" which does tap into a fugged-out Bristolian sound and sounds maliciously mellow en route. Intriguing and then some.

"Problem Children", then, suggests Ponyland Records are sharp at spotting the talent amongst the delinquents and that their artists should be fostered by all discerning homes. The kids round here are more than a bit of alright. [www.whisperinandhollerin.com]

PON022

The Means of Production - 'Control of the process/Fashion wheel/Morbid fascination' CD EP

TRACKLISTING:

CONTROL OF THE PROCESS
FASHION WHEEL
MORBID FASCINATION

PON021

Mamajamas - Playharder play faster CD single

TRACKLIST:

PLAY HARDER PLAY FASTER
NOT IN SEASON

PON013

The Scratch - 'Undercover/Time to say…/Outfaking the fakers' CD EP

TRACKLISTING:

UNDERCOVER
TIME TO SAY...
OUTFAKING THE FAKERS

REVIEW:
The Scratch’s new single is a ballad. Yep a slowie, get the acoustic guitars out and look earnest here’s the chance to show their soft side dude. Thing is though it works. No, it doesn’t just work it might even be the best thing they’ve done yet. What with slow songs having been hijacked by the likes of Coldplay, Keane, Athlete et al this reviewer was beginning to believe there would never be another lament that actually touched his dark cold heart. I feared I had been hardened by too many soft boys whimpering ‘cos they miss their mummies.

What ‘Undercover reminds me of most is Blur. Blur, lest we forget have written some of the greatest ballads ever (Out of Time, This is a Low, Tender, The Universal, To the End, No Distance Left to Run, I rest my case m’Lord). ‘This is the comeback / from the comedown / it is the aftershock / from the new sound’ so starts lead singer Andy over acoustic guitars. The song builds slowly to a chorus of ‘It’s the lover / You got undercover’ before they chuck in some strange whizzing electronic sounds that should spoil the whole thing but bizarrely bring a tear to my eye. What’s it about? Haven’t a fuckin’ clue but it’s marvellous and deserves to be sung back to the band by fields full of pissed people at a festival near you. [www.whisperinandhollerin.co.uk]

PON012

Pony Virus - Passing through/Another slice of femanine might/Friday 13th CD EP

PON010

The Scratch - 'X-Ray Eyes/Brainstorm' 10" single

Second single from The Scratch, this time only on 10” vinyl. Two great tracks. 'X-ray eyes' is a great slab of dubby beats, deranged steel guitar, a slits drum sample and shouty punk vocals. Think primal scream at their most adventurous.

TRACKLISTING:
X-RAY EYES
BRAINSTORM

REVIEW:
X-Ray Eyes/Brainstorm (Ponyland 10")
by England's The Scratch is one of the most pocket-picking white guy post-punk dub dance whatsis slabs since The Pop Group's "She Is Beyond Good And Evil". And, yeah, it lacks some of that record's massiveness. but the sputzy way these clowns pile grooves together on "X-Ray Eyes", then tangle them with Beefhearty guitar slides, and strange post-glam vocals, is pretty goddamn snappy. [The Wire]

PON006

The Scratch DIY CD album
The Scratch's first album, an eclectic mish mash of styles.

TRACKLISTING:

I RELAX TO SPIRAL SCRATCH
ROTTEN SOUL
TEXTURE TO THE FLAVA (ALBUM VERSION)
BRAINSTORM
X-RAY EYES
TRIGGER FINGER
BACK 2 TEN
ALCOHOL IS A DEPRESSANT
SUPERMODEL
EROTOMANIAC
LOGICAL MIND

REVIEW:
We've been following the progress of The Scratch with interest. Their (too) scant output so far has amounted to one 7” single and one 10” single, two records that introduced their widescreen vision, piqued our interest and then left us hungry for more. The four songs that appeared on the singles are here with an extra boot up their arses and a studio polish and sound even better than before.

'I Relax To Spiral Scratch' opens up the album and remains a gloriously dumb 3 minute kamikaze dive bomb of a tune. Like the Ramones and the Damned working through the Buzzcocks (well it would be with a title like that) song book on speed complete with outer space sound effects for good measure. It should be all too much but against the odds it works. Joint A side on the 7” single was 'Trigger Finger' and it appears here again, a spiky, shouty, trashy piece of work with howling guitars and a great spoken run through of some of Londons lowlights.

So now you’re probably ready to write them off as yet another London band with 3 chords and a whole lot of attitude. Well they’re a little more interesting than that (and they’re from Hertfordshire anyway). As their next release proved, another double A side, this time they moved into more dubby areas. 'X-Ray Eyes' in particular goes for a serious rumble around the bass bins whilst up top a steel guitar adds a funky vibe to proceedings. In essence it resides in the same musical landscape as Kasabian's 'Processed Beats' (a good thing) and demands to be cranked up loud. Meanwhile 'Brainstorm' takes a more introspective approach utilising a more rumbling bass sound and moody Massive Attackesque electronics. Eventually a sheet of guitar cuts through the narcotic haze to take us to a disorientating finale.

Theoretically bands should not be this unrestricted. It is soon apparent that these boys have record collections you could get lost in and that they also know their way round a studio. The dance element shouldn’t be a surprise, two of their members have had minor success making dance records in the past and their electronic beat building experience is all over this record. Perhaps the culmination of all these influences and high point of the record to these ears is 'Logical Mind', a funky, druggy groove that moves into Stone Roses territory with a sublime jangly guitar riff. It’s loping beat and laid back guitar make for a hazy classic.

Elsewhere 'Texture to the Flava' moves into a more straight forward rock area and they prove once again that they’re more than comfortable in switching styles. 'Alcohol's A Depressant' apart from having a title that you really don't want to hear, continues the journey into more straight forward pleasures indulging itself in a sub AC/DC riff. Whilst you wouldn’t be surprised to hear 'Supermodel' on the next Supergrass album (once again, no bad thing).

In fact the only real weak moment on the album arrives at the start of 'Back To Ten' where some ill-advised vocal harmonies prick the ears for the wrong reasons. The rest of the song redeems such over indulgences by showing yet another side to the Scratch that would happily sit in what in some quarters are calling a revival of the shoe gazing of the early 90's. Think Radio Dept rather than Slowdive.

The Scratch, as the title of the record suggests, got tired of waiting for the music industry to give them a chance and like many artists we talk about on W&H have decided to make their own way. The fact that they’ve achieved such a diverse yet coherent set of songs and that it sounds so damn professional is to be applauded. [www.whisperinandhollerin.co.uk]

PON001

The Scratch - I Relax to Spiral Scratch/Trigger Finger

Debut single from The Scratch, and the first release on Ponyland Records. Released in 2001 as 7 inch vinyl only.

REVIEW:
Another record that's nearly be worn out through constant play is this smarting debut from The Scratch for whom everyday would be locked into 1977 is they had their own way. A homage to the Buzzcocks stupendous debut 'Spiral Scratch' as done by Magazine, okay a bit unfair but you get a sense of where this lot are coming from, all gritty retro fun, rumbling bass lines and set to stun three chord shocks, impossible to stay still to for any given period, a razor sharp gem of a release. Flip the disc for the stripped down holler of the frenzied mutant garage punk / disco groove of 'Trigger finger' which recalls the New York Dolls / Black Halos sleaze and lays it all to dust with a serious boot shaking foundation, call it a scuzzier bad assed half cousin to Radio 4 / Lomax, essential in case you needed telling.[www.losingtoday.com]