The Viagra Boys are back and they’re sludgier than ever. Viagr aboys see’s the band tackle the fears we experience throughout our daily lives. Are we eating healthy enough? Are we all losing our minds on social media? Viagra Boys don’t have the answers, but there’s something comforting about their art-punk outlook on it all.
Viagr aboys is the Stockholm-foursomes fourth studio release and its undoubtedly their most polished work yet. The lads signature muddy sound and harsh vocals remain present, but songs that heavily feature that style are split by more melancholy reflective pieces.
For example, take Medicine for Horses, a deeply emotional song that sees lead vocalist Sebastian Murphy weave a tender tale of hopeless love and suicidal ideation. It’s a hard when you really break the song apart but it stands out as one of the most effective tunes Viagra Boys have ever concocted.
Medicine for Horses is sandwiched between two of the albums most upbeat tracks, these track being Dirty Boyz and Waterboy respectively. Both songs have a great upbeat melody that accompanies Murphy’s harsh cracked vocals. There’s fears of losing yourself to a group you don’t care for and calls for the listener to “go get high on nostalgia”, both tracks cut the admittedly dark lyrics of Medicine for Horses, but they don’t subtract from the impact of said track.
Viagr aboys isn’t all doom and gloom though, album opener Man Made of Meat is a classic Viagra Boys tracks. It’s got stupid lyrics like “I am the man that’s made of meat/you’re on the internet looking at feet.” The lads wear their comedic lyrics with pride but they aren’t afraid to throw in some real opinions on the consumerist attitudes of many listeners.
Murphy’s lyrics on Man Made of Meat see him wishing to “disappear” but also have everything for free. He rambles on about subscribing to “your Mum’s OnlyFans” and how if he lives five decades, he would be working in a factory. These rambles are daft, but there’s hopelessly fun to listen to.
Rambling is part of Viagra Boys charm and viagr aboys features some of Murphy’s greatest rambles. On The Bog Body, Murphy yammers on about the differences between swamps and bogs. Best In Show pt. IV has Murphy scream about random things he’s supossidly done and how he was guided by “The Shadow Man”.
These rambles could be chalked up to Murphy’s open drug and alcohol use, but at the same time, it doesn’t change how fun it is to listen to his preacher-like delivery of his insane thoughts.
At the heart of viagr aboys is a desire to escape the perputal misery of modern existence, whether it be drugs, dreams of the past or improved health, there’s seemingly nothing out there to save us. It’s not a delightful idea but Medicine for Horses sees Murphy admit that maybe love is the only way to escape.
It’s a simple message wrapped in swampy melodies and comedic thoughts, if you’ve got any interest in art-punk music, there’s really no one out there doing it like the Viagra Boys.
Featured Image Credit: Shrimptech Enterprises
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