ALBUM REVIEW: Beer Baby – Drunk Mums
After a four-year absence, garage rock band DRUNK MUMS finally make their much-anticipated return with their new album Beer Baby. The Aussie rockers are known for their DIY thrashy sound and the new album does not disappoint.
New Australia kicks things off with heavy distortion on the guitars and wastes no time setting up the song and the overall sound of the album which is a heavy garage rock tone. The song itself focuses on a bleak outlook on life in what the band refers to as the ‘New Australia.’ It’s got an aggressive but still aloof feel which doesn’t sound like it should work however it just does. Next track Slippin’ Up is frantic and punchy; the vocals are fast and sound carefree with a punkier edge to them. The guitar parts are heavy and there’s even a blistering solo amongst the chaos.
Moving into Mutant the punk feel is still there with a DIY garage rock tone on the instrumentation. It’s a back-to-basics rock track, nothing too fancy but just a super catchy rock-out song. Apocalypse sounds like a party at the end of the world. Honestly, the band makes an apocalypse not really sound so bad throughout the lyrics – it’s a super fun track. It feels like the bass is more present in this track which gives it more of a thundering sound which is something different. DRUNK MUMS are an unpredictable band.
Livin’ At Night was released as a single and this is a track where the band really sound like they’re living up to their name. The vocals sound absolutely smashed as do the rest of the band with their anthemic chorus. That’s not to say it’s bad however as it only makes them sound better. This track has earwormy hooks and it’s hard not to love it. It’s carefree and one hell of a good time, and it’s got kind of a rough edge to it almost as if it were a demo for the band which just adds to the DIY tone that is set up as soon as the album starts and is there the whole way through.
Saturday describes what a Saturday night should look like: a good time. The lyrics are kind of messy and a little flatter but it feels like it’s a little calmer than the rest of the album. The guitar drives the song with a simple structure utilizing four to five chords exclusively. Topping the whole thing off with a solo, this is a short but catchy tune. From The Hip closes the album on a strong and frantic note. The vocals are more or less shouted than sung which is still great as it’s a little more punk rock and the guitar parts reinforce this with simple chords that sound more smashed out than anything. It’s a short track but doesn’t lack in any parts as the band seems to know what they want to do with it and get it done, simple as that.
Beer Baby is the kind of album to just put on and forget about your responsibilities and have a good time. It’s fast and chaotic which is just great as DRUNK MUMS aren’t worried about trying to be the most talented band or the most complex band. What they’ve done is set out to make a fun record and they’ve more than achieved this.
Rating: 8/10
Beer Baby is set for release on March 7th via LEGLESS, Gaga Music and Bachelor Records (UK).
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