Who needs The Bronx touring Australia each year when Melbournian band Clowns are in our own backyard bringing a similar brand of mayhem and debauchery?
I’m Not Right, their debut album, is half an hour of attitudinal punk. Bravado aside, the band delivers some serious riffs throughout; it’s dirty hardcore at times and that suits the band just fine. The lyrics are laced with an array of drug references and violence all set to a groove that will get you moving.
Clocking in at under the half hour mark, Clowns don’t mess around either. The cult classic line from the movie, They Live starts proceedings, “I’ve come here to chew bubble gum and kick ass…and I’m all out of bubble gum”. Then, it’s on. The unrelenting ‘Grave Junkie’ hits the speakers while frenetic guitars and empowering vocals swell the eardrums immediately.
The much loved ‘Eat A Gun’ is next with vocalist Steve Williams lapping up the expletives, culminating in an elongated “Yeahhhhhhhhh” that will have the listener dabbing their ear cavities for the ensuing pus.
‘You’ve Got The Curse’ rocks out in dirty melodic glory before the 34-second ‘Boxcutter’ brings nothing but a wry grin. ‘Jesus On Acid’ continues the magnetic disorder of chaos, as Jake Laderman pulverises his drum skins into submission. “I know something you don’t know,” yells Williams. Hopefully it’s another album next year he’s referring to as this one is awesome.
I’m Not Right is the quintessential, pre Sunday sesh amp-up soundtrack, best played loud at the excessive ‘neighbours-are-gonna-call-the cops’ level.
Watch the clip for ‘Eat A Gun’ here:
