Garage-punk foursome cement cult rockstar status with euphoric third album Cartoon Darkness.
Riding high off the back of mainstage sets at festivals like Primavera and Bearded Theory and sold-out tours across the globe, the expectation could not be higher for Aussie four-piece Amyl and The Sniffers. Their sophomore record Comfort to Me shot them into critical acclaim, a more mature offering than their debut exploring complex themes of gender with a sense of swagger and humour. The third album carries through frontwoman Amy Taylor’s signature brand of tongue-in-cheek humour, with first track ‘Jerkin’’ dragging you into Amyl and the Sniffers’ world like a friend pulling you into a mosh pit.
Joy runs throughout the album, lead single ‘Chewing Gum’ has Amy declaring she is “young and so dumb!” before a triumphant chant chorus of “I’m a winner!”. ‘Tiny Bikini’ borrows from fellow feminist icons Mannequin Pussy, adopting a Marilyn Monroe-esque lisp as Amy croons about her notorious scantily-clad outfits. But the shining moment comes from ‘It’s Mine’, a thunderous track with fuzzy, industrial basslines and hardcore sensibilities, showcasing what Amyl and the Sniffers do best: make noise.
Listening to Cartoon Darkness, it’s impossible to not become immersed in the world they create. Self-love is the thread that runs through this record, ethos adopted by the new punk generation like Soft Play and Idles.
And if that’s not enough, then their ferocious live energy might just do it for you.
Amyl & the Sniffers, Cartoon Darkness is out now on Rough Trade.
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