The Australian band Tropical Fuck Storm favor a riotous sound. The racket on their new one, Fairyland Codex, is impressive. And the scope of their energetic attack suggests more power in this lot's musical arsenal.
Opener "Irukandji Syndrome" clangs and clatters with a hint of The Mekons about it. That makes sense since those Brit legends are on the same label now. Elsewhere, the slouching menace of "Goon Show" utterly captivates even if this listener was disappointed that the cut wasn't actually about the Peter Sellers/Spike Milligan show of the same name. Elsewhere, "Joe Meek Will Inherit the Earth" wins points for that title alone, though the track's skittering claustrophobic vibe is at odds with the more boisterous portions of Fairyland Codex. Still, for all the fury here, "Stepping on a Rake" is a gorgeous ballad, and "Teeth Marché" even swings between a kind of Zappa-y playfulness and a stark beauty. Clearly, there are multitudes contained within this band.
This is a band who sound a bit fearless. While the group's name is an eyebrow-raiser, the truth is that this lot is deeply rooted in the best sort of post-punk, and they consistently favor an approach that seems informed at least in a small way by the variety of styles Strummer and Jones brought to Sandanista!, for example. This isn't the same sort of punk rock, of course, but the music of Tropical Fuck Storm proves that to be punk means opening yourself up to a variety of influences. Thankfully this band weaves a whole lot into a record that veers between the pretty and the rough, between chaos and humor, and they do it with heart. Highly recommended.
Fairyland Codex by Tropical Fuck Storm is out on Friday via Fire Records.
[Photo: Jamie Wdziekonski]