Third times the charm for Australian punk rockers, Amyl and the Sniffers. Since its release last month, their album Cartoon Darkness has been on repeat in my headphones. Amy Taylor’s thorny voice and strong punk instrumentals carry my feet on runs, hurting my eardrums while I’m on break at work, and flooding my bedroom before a night out. This album is pure cheeky fun while taking a stand. There’s a middle finger, a fuck you, and maybe a smile if you’re lucky. Amyl and the Sniffers keep their position as a band to watch. Hop on their bandwagon now before you get left behind.
“Jerkin’” starts the album with a bang and ricochet of cursing and attitude. “You’re a dumb cunt/You’re an asshole/Every time you talk you mumble/Grumble.” Taylor unleashes this fury that everyone has imagined spewing at your enemy of the month. The music world craves a fit of noisy, catchy anger, and Cartoon Darkness brings it to the front. Seriously, if you’re feeling like no one is taking a stand anymore, Amyl and the Sniffers beg you to think again. They don’t ask politely; Taylor taunts the audience fiercely.
Although the album is packed with heavy hitters there are a few tracks that slow down the record. “Chewing Gum,” “Big Dreams,” and “Bailing On Me” showcase Taylor’s ability to shapeshift into a more slow Courtney Barnett style of punk, only to pick it right back up again. There’s no letting up, this album is full force even in its slower songs. Cartoon Darkness is blaring right next to me right now, and my feet are tapping along–practicing for the eventual one-woman mosh pit I’ll make later.
“U Should Not Be Doing That” encapsulates the album perfectly. This track is an eye roll, a grown-up version of a playground taunt. Taylor puts a fist up to anyone who’s tried to get in her way. “I was in LA, shaking my shit/While you were down in Melbourne saying/‘Fuck that bitch.’” Letting the lyrics speak for themselves, Taylor’s speaking/singing cadence is approachable and quite likely to get stuck in your head.
Australia keeps its title as a cradle of punk rock. There’s something about the down under, that keeps turning out great music. It’s not tired or over done, it’s fresh, new, and exciting, making me hopeful that we’ll be distancing ourselves from shoegaze for a while.
Next time you’re at the airport with your girlfriends, Amyl and the Sniffers have a track for that too. Their album closer “Me and The Girls” wraps up Cartoon Darkness in an uneven bow. This track is smudged mascara and a slight buzz from a couple of drinks at the airport bar. “Me and the girls are drunk at the airport.” But, further than that, this track mirrors conversations I’ve had with my friends sitting on a sticky barstool. It mocks all the times you were forced to watch a guy play League of Legends on his computer. “Me and the girls are out having fun/You and the boys are playing your Xbox/You and the guys are sooking, so dumb.”
Cartoon Darkness is tongue-in-cheek, prickly, and a ball of fun. Amyl and the Sniffers take their position at the mic and don't let up, giving a stiff arm to anyone who tries to turn their volume down. Everyone needs an angry album for the wintery angst, and this one is perfect for it. Taylor’s voice gives me a little light in the 4 pm sunset, and makes me want to wear a “Tiny Bikini” to the bar, even when it’s 20 degrees out.