Amyl and the Sniffers first came to my attention through seeing the single ‘Chewing Gum’ as a ten second clip and being entranced by the loud guitars, consistent beat and vocals coming from this woman who looked like butter wouldn’t melt. But, after watching the full video I knew butter definitely would melt and she’d batter me if I say otherwise.
Hailing from Melbourne, Amyl and the Sniffers are a four-piece fronted by Amy Taylor, Bryce Wilson behind the kit, Declan Martens on the strings and Gus Romer on the thicker strings with the lads having the maddest haircuts going.
Cartoon Darkness is the third album from the group with Taylor describing it as “Driving headfirst into the unknown, into the looming stretch of the future that feels terrible but doesn’t even exist yet. A childlike darkness. I don’t want to meet the devil half-way and mourn what we have right now.” It was produced by Nick Launay who has worked with the likes of Nick Cave, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Idles in the Foo Fighters studio on the same mixing desk of ‘Nevermind’ and ‘Rumours.’
When I played ‘Jerkin’ for the first time it nearly blew my ear drums. The guitars and pounding drums kick the album off with a bang before Taylor’s vocals radiates self-belief (or degrades the listener depending on how you want to take it).
‘Chewing Gum’ was the first song I heard from the band, and it captivated me. It seems fresh and youthful yet nostalgic with themes of not being fulfilled, ignorance and making bad decisions. The guitar solo rips through like from the fingers of Eddie Van Halen. The drums and bass holds the song together comfortably.
The riff on ‘Tiny Bikini’ carries everything through the song like a train if the service is actually running as well as being vaguely like Dire Straits’ ‘Money for Nothing’. The drums and bass come across like an early eighties rap beat.
‘Big Dreams’ slows the pacing of the album down but allows Taylor to show off her vocals. The guitar is haunting, and drums come off as primitive, simple but effective. The track speeds up and every element smashes together. The feeling of being chased is rooted in the song.
The raw nature of ‘It’s mine’ is refreshing. Taylors anger seeps into the music and the lyrics reflect that screaming each word with passion “Not mine” is repeated. The guitar solo splits through and gives Taylor’s voice a much-needed rest.
‘Motorbike song’ follows the rawness of the previous song with the vocals still emitting anger. “Are you sure that you’re living free?” is a guide to life. The guitars are brash but the drums are the focal point dictating tempo speeding it up and slowing it down which the bass holds it together.
‘Doing in me head’ starts with a ‘The Drowners’ (Suede) like drum beat whilst both the guitar and bass give Black Sabbath qualities. Whilst not being grammatically correct the chorus gets stuck in your head, and I don’t think the crowd will care when they’re singing this back.
The band know how to bring energy and ‘Pigs’ demonstrates this. The thrashing of the drums, the howling of the guitars and bass hammering through. Taylor’s vocals run through the song keeping the intensity up. “We’re all pigs after all”, it’s never looked so appealing.
‘Bailing on me” shows a softer, more vulnerable Taylor with her signature rasp not being there. The bass is on full show blending a funky tone into a heartbreaking ballad. The guitar and drums keep the punk elements in mind but allow the sadness to be the main factor. The whistling is a nice touch even if I cannot do it.
The bass again is at the forefront again in ‘U should not be doing that’. The fusion of saxophone and guitar on the solo shows the musicianship and vision of the band and when isn’t cowbell needed. Another single and another crowd-pleaser.
‘Do it, do it’ is dancefloor filler with basic Ska elements which is not heavily relied on. The guitars and drums fight for the limelight with each being on top form. Taylor acts like a conductor dictating the tempo herself.
Bluesy rock oozes from the guitars on ‘Going somewhere’ whilst the rhythm section unites and appears massive creating a wall of sound, which Taylor’s vocals slice through. A slight bit of optimism shines through in the lyrics as getting out is on everyone’s mind.
A hip hop like beat returns on ‘Me and the Girls’ as the bass and drums work together to come across as Beastie Boys inspired. The vocal effects are straight from an early 80s robot film. A feel good, comedic song to end the album.
Me and modern punk have a love/hate relationship as it’s often a re-hash of what’s already been done or a band trying too hard to be edgy, as well as every song sounding exactly the same. People have been saying punk is dead for years, but Amyl and the Sniffers have made sure it’s not. Each musician has moments to shine on the album showing as a unit they are strong and no one is trying to keep the limelight on themselves. Not sticking to exactly one genre but blending a mix from obviously punk, funk and so on. A modern-day classic.
Amyl and the Sniffers: Cartoon Darkness – Out 25 October 2024 (Rough Trade Records)
and The Sniffers “Chewing Gum” (Official Music Video) (youtube.com)
