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Viagra Boys are anything but ordinary. Spam-mail worthy name aside, they’re a band that cast a glancing eye over the rule book, purely so they know what to avoid. It’s that carefree attitude that has adorned them to so many fans over their previous three releases. New album ‘viagr aboys’ sticks to that no fucks given attitude, with some of the most wonderfully weird tracks of the year.
Opening with the anthemic ‘Man Made Of Meat’, it could slip into any of their previous albums, a hint at their sonic consistency. Bouncy rhythms, a subtly infectious hook, and an actual burp in the first verse, it’s the lyrics that stick out – references to Chandler Bing dying in a freak hot tub accident, and looking at your mum’s Only Fans to look at her “flappy giblets”, it’s sardonic and reflective of the culture, something they’re particularly adept at doing.
Similarly, ‘The Bog Body’ and ‘Uno II’ follow their tried and tested method of mixing obscure analogies and thunderous instrumentation. Henrik Höckert’s bassline is the real delivery method in the former, with brass and synth licks riding over it whilst portraying the message of physical jealousy – in this case with the body of a woman trapped in ice. ‘Uno II’ meanwhile is the biographical personification of vocalist Sebastian Murphy’s greyhound who, during a year of ill health, would wake up with less teeth than he had before he visited the vets – he’s a mischievous bastard, old Bogdan the Croatian or Australian vet.
While there may be some subtle hints at Murphy taking aim at conspiracy nuts in ‘Uno II’, the crosshairs are far more deliberate in ‘Pyramid Of Health’ – long wails of distortion and a very 90s Beck feel are peppered with thick rhythms and pounding synths. References to licking trees, sacrificial goats, wearing specific accessories and drinking sludge, he might as well specify which crystals will clear up your boils and how many ground up leaves to shove up your arse to help your sore throat. For Murphy, it’s all the same – bullshit.
Perhaps the most quote/unquote traditional song is ‘Medicine For Horses’. It’s a fair distance from most of Viagra Boys’ discography, far slower and gentler (till now), with Murphy singing – a genuine rarity over his normal spoken word delivery – and although he might not have the strongest of pipes, he’s evoke such fragility and sentiment that causes lumpy throats and watery eyes. A love song, even if there’s a tinge of nihilism within the lyrics.
‘Store Policy’ rings with an almost industrial vibe, dense synths and distorted, echoey vocals while ‘You N33d Me’ has a discordant post-punk vibe; chunky rhythms, pulsing synths and guitars, and a scattering of caustic brass squeals adding to the nauseating atmosphere.
Hey, remember when we said ‘Medicine For Horses’ was the most tender track in their discography with the caveat of “till now”? Yeah, it’s a short lived achievement. Closer ‘River King’ is a full piano ballad, with Murphy’s falsetto vocals, melancholic trumpets and ambient cafe background noise being the only additions. Despite the minor key, it’s laced with romance, with Viagra Boys ditching the subtle chalk outlines to paint with watercolours instead – “Go get Chinese food / Tastes like sour meat / Looking at you / Everything feels easy” is a clear indication that even the most disappointing of circumstances are palatable with those you love.
Viagra Boys are no strangers to being a bit left field, and ‘viagr aboys’ feels perhaps their most left field album. Not because it’s particularly batshit, but because of how different it is. It’s more refined yet somehow more layered. It’s simpler but more complex in its delivery. There’s depths they’ve not plumbed before, and it’s all the stronger for it – from the atmospheric instrumentation to the softer balladic tracks, there is literally something for everyone. And no one. That’s the beauty of Viagra Boys.
ANDY JOICE
Opening with the anthemic ‘Man Made Of Meat’, it could slip into any of their previous albums, a hint at their sonic consistency. Bouncy rhythms, a subtly infectious hook, and an actual burp in the first verse, it’s the lyrics that stick out – references to Chandler Bing dying in a freak hot tub accident, and looking at your mum’s Only Fans to look at her “flappy giblets”, it’s sardonic and reflective of the culture, something they’re particularly adept at doing.
Similarly, ‘The Bog Body’ and ‘Uno II’ follow their tried and tested method of mixing obscure analogies and thunderous instrumentation. Henrik Höckert’s bassline is the real delivery method in the former, with brass and synth licks riding over it whilst portraying the message of physical jealousy – in this case with the body of a woman trapped in ice. ‘Uno II’ meanwhile is the biographical personification of vocalist Sebastian Murphy’s greyhound who, during a year of ill health, would wake up with less teeth than he had before he visited the vets – he’s a mischievous bastard, old Bogdan the Croatian or Australian vet.
While there may be some subtle hints at Murphy taking aim at conspiracy nuts in ‘Uno II’, the crosshairs are far more deliberate in ‘Pyramid Of Health’ – long wails of distortion and a very 90s Beck feel are peppered with thick rhythms and pounding synths. References to licking trees, sacrificial goats, wearing specific accessories and drinking sludge, he might as well specify which crystals will clear up your boils and how many ground up leaves to shove up your arse to help your sore throat. For Murphy, it’s all the same – bullshit.
Perhaps the most quote/unquote traditional song is ‘Medicine For Horses’. It’s a fair distance from most of Viagra Boys’ discography, far slower and gentler (till now), with Murphy singing – a genuine rarity over his normal spoken word delivery – and although he might not have the strongest of pipes, he’s evoke such fragility and sentiment that causes lumpy throats and watery eyes. A love song, even if there’s a tinge of nihilism within the lyrics.
‘Store Policy’ rings with an almost industrial vibe, dense synths and distorted, echoey vocals while ‘You N33d Me’ has a discordant post-punk vibe; chunky rhythms, pulsing synths and guitars, and a scattering of caustic brass squeals adding to the nauseating atmosphere.
Hey, remember when we said ‘Medicine For Horses’ was the most tender track in their discography with the caveat of “till now”? Yeah, it’s a short lived achievement. Closer ‘River King’ is a full piano ballad, with Murphy’s falsetto vocals, melancholic trumpets and ambient cafe background noise being the only additions. Despite the minor key, it’s laced with romance, with Viagra Boys ditching the subtle chalk outlines to paint with watercolours instead – “Go get Chinese food / Tastes like sour meat / Looking at you / Everything feels easy” is a clear indication that even the most disappointing of circumstances are palatable with those you love.
Viagra Boys are no strangers to being a bit left field, and ‘viagr aboys’ feels perhaps their most left field album. Not because it’s particularly batshit, but because of how different it is. It’s more refined yet somehow more layered. It’s simpler but more complex in its delivery. There’s depths they’ve not plumbed before, and it’s all the stronger for it – from the atmospheric instrumentation to the softer balladic tracks, there is literally something for everyone. And no one. That’s the beauty of Viagra Boys.
ANDY JOICE