Amyl and the Sniffers: Cartoon Darkness review | Alexis Petridis's album of the week
(Rough Trade)
With their swearing and flashing, Amy Taylor and co’s return might seem like business as usual – but new melodic depths and lyrical concerns reveal themselves
Anyone unfamiliar with Amyl and the Sniffers could learn a lot about them from the fact that when an acoustic guitar appears nine songs and 20 minutes into their third album, it feels genuinely jolting. Thus far, the Australian quartet have dealt in a brand of punk that carries with it the distinct whiff of the pub and the roughhouse pop-cultural heritage of their homeland. (There’s definitely something of the sharpie, a peculiarly Antipodean youth cult/folk devil, about their haircuts.) Blessed with songs called Blowjobs, Gacked on Anger and Don’t Need a Cunt (Like You to Love Me), their oeuvre has treated the concept of subtlety in much the same way as most people treat spam emails promising immediate bitcoin windfalls or sexual congress with lonely Russian beauties: just ignore it and move swiftly on, no good will come of engaging.
They are very good at what they do. Singer Amy Taylor sounds like X-Ray Spex’s Poly Styrene might have had she hailed from Bundoora or Wonga Park, and the band are on the brink of transforming critical acclaim and cult status into something much bigger. For their forthcoming UK tour, they have sold out three nights at London’s Roundhouse and added a fourth at the 10,000-capacity Alexandra Palace.
Continue reading...Date: |
-
World - The Guardian
Kelly Lee Owens: Dreamstate review | Alexis Petridis's album of the week
October 17 -
World - The Guardian
After One Direction, Liam Payne was just getting started. His death is a heartbreaking end | Alexis Petridis
October 17 -
World - The Guardian
The Cure: Songs of a Lost World review – dark, personal and their best since Disintegration
October 18 -
World - The Guardian
From the budget to waxing: Edith Pritchett’s week in Venn diagrams – cartoon
4 days ago -
Entertainment - ABC News
Music Review: Lin-Manuel Miranda and Eisa Davis combine for thrilling 'Warriors' album
6 days ago -
World - The Guardian
From dirty money to stains on a patterned shirt: Edith Pritchett’s week in Venn diagrams – cartoon
October 14 -
World - The Guardian
Chris Riddell on the US election: two weeks to go and it’s too close to call – cartoon
5 days ago -
World - The Guardian
Martin Rowson on a parlous outlook for the UN – cartoon
October 15 -
World - The Guardian
Martin Rowson on the death of Yahya Sinwar – cartoon
6 days ago
More from The Guardian
-
World - The Guardian
US election live updates: Harris heads to Texas as poll shows her tied with Trump at 48%
6 minutes ago - Donald Trump -
World - The Guardian
Stacey Williams says Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein ‘coordinated’ groping incident
1 hour ago - Donald Trump -
World - The Guardian
Middle East crisis live: Hundreds of patients and staff ‘detained’ in north Gaza’s last functioning hospital after Israeli raid
27 minutes ago - Israel -
World - The Guardian
Anti-hate group vows to continue work after Elon Musk’s declaration of ‘war’
2 hours ago -
World - The Guardian
Northern Ireland man jailed for life after abusing at least 70 children online
11 minutes ago
Latest in World
-
World - The Guardian
US election live updates: Harris heads to Texas as poll shows her tied with Trump at 48%
6 minutes ago - Donald Trump -
World - The Guardian
Northern Ireland man jailed for life after abusing at least 70 children online
11 minutes ago -
World - The New York Times
Why Democracy Lives and Dies by Math
12 minutes ago -
World - The Guardian
England v Germany buildup, Premier League press conferences – football news live
13 minutes ago - Premier League -
World - The New York Times
Live Updates: Deadly Israeli Strikes Hit Southern Gaza, Health Officials Say
14 minutes ago - Israel