Always eager, Tripod are putting aside their youthful geekiness and diving headlong into suburban middle age.
Regulars at many overseas and local comedy festivals, the Australian trio are most recognisable in their on-stage guise as three lads and an acoustic guitar.
Following a run of live shows with the same name, Men Of Substance reveals a more mature Tripod, both thematically and musically.
It’s not so much three guys on a stage as three men in a studio. They’re still singing about everyday, strangely important things, but it’s now climate change and bruschetta, rather than comic shops and karate, that fill their lives.
That acoustic guitar has grown up too, and it’s now accompanied by a host of backing instruments, with drums, keys, and even horns.
As ever, the material is both witty and charming. While many of the songs are more quietly giggle-worthy than the laugh-out-loud funny of yesteryear, the laid-back style and engaging lyricism see Tripod moving past their youthful comedy-act-masquerading-as-a-band shtick to truly straddle the divide between music and comedy.
Ultimately however, the musical elements, though impressive, are limited. The album is carried by its humor, and, while undoubtedly funny, after repeated listens it is likely to lose its appeal for all but the most committed musical comedy aficionados.
For existing fans, Men Of Substance will be a delight, an album to be relished and revisited. For others, there will be laughs, and pleasure to be had in the clever and relatable content. It may even encourage some to attend a live show, but, like other releases in the genre, it is unlikely to prove a long-term favourite.
