So, then, is it sabotage? Or is it just punk?
After 2017’s knockout hit single, “Smoko,” and a solid sophomore album, The Chats have been brushing up awfully close with mainstream success. The Australian trio is one more Wet Leg cover away from rising above the underground. Poised for evening talk show circuits and stadium tours they do what any self-respecting punk band would: sabotage. Maybe.
A completely unmarketable, or at least un-mass-marketable, name graces the cover of The Chat’s third album -- Get Fucked. That’s it. That’s the thesis of the album. Get Fucked sneers colloquial digs at ticket inspectors and stingy bosses. If you have to Google what Boggo means, you’re on the wrong side of the class war. But don’t let the title fool you; the Aussie trio’s sound is tighter than ever: precise to the point of militarism. Lead singer Eamon Sandwith’s singing swings closer to barking than melody but carries the sound of the punk generation of yesteryear.
Album opener “6L GTR” pokes fun at pseudo-macho muscle car antics with a riff that could saw through a Redwood. Just listening to “Boggo Breakout” gave me a speeding ticket and I don’t even drive. The high-energy track clocks in at under a minute and half and is the sonic equivalent of duct taping the gas pedal to the floor of your car. “Southport Superman” sounds like someone offered the band $1,000 if they could play Black Flag's “Rise Above” at 3x speed -- trust me when I say this isn’t a bad thing. “Ticket Inspector” and “The Price Of Smokes” remind you the band hasn’t cracked mainstream success yet and still has to worry about transit cops, fare dodging and rising cigarette prices. While this might be usual punk fodder, it’s raised from the gutter by bouncing basslines and the ever accented shouts of Sandwith. On the album’s best track, “The Price of Smokes”, the band aspires to the heights of fellow Aussie rockers Amyl and The Sniffers. Razor sharp wit and sardonic vocals soar high but are snatched back down to earth by winding verses and confused instrumentals. “I’ve Been Drunk In Every Pub In Brisbane” is a chaotic ready-made live show hit held together by the punchy drumming of Matt Boggis. “Emperor Of The Beach” is one of the album’s catchiest tracks thanks to a buzzing riff from guitarist Josh Hardy. The anti-poetics of The Chats only make the album closer, “Getting Better”, more earnest. Clocking in at under 30 minutes you’ll be ready to press repeat before the last song draws to a close.
Sabotage or brand maintenance, Get Fucked is a high decibel, sticky to the touch, serving of old school punk. The Chats are poised for a major breakthrough; however, if they have any say in it, they may stay underground for a bit longer. At times Get Fucked is repetitive, almost verging on formulaic, but snotty vocals and tight instrumentals elevate the album and strike the perfect balance between melody and punk authenticity.
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