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Hi Sorry State fam! Hope everyone is doing well! This week has flown by, and the weekend is flying by right along with it. So by the time you're reading this, most of us are all mourning the passing of the weekend and starting all over again. But at least we're in it together. And you know, music always helps! So I'm just going to jump into it.
I came across something I really liked the other day on Bandcamp. It's the new album from Drunk Mums, appropriately called Beer Baby. I hadn't heard the band before, but immediately dug the album and thought it sounded like something that would appeal to any classic punk fans. It is newly released and our stock is on its way! So even though we don't have it yet, it is what I've been enjoying most this week, so I thought I'd share it with you. Go check it out on Bandcamp if you want, and if you like what you hear, you will be ready to grab a copy when they arrive. Drunk Mums have been laying low for the past few years, but what a return! The album has 10 tracks delivered in just over 20 minutes. Very high-energy and amped up all the way through. If you like the classics like the Ramones, Buzzcocks, The Clash, etc., I think this record will be up your alley.
Drunk Mums are from Melbourne, which was not a surprise to me when I started listening to it. It has that special Melbourne magic. I am drawn to so many Australian punk bands. What I love about so many bands that have emerged from down under in the last decade or so is that they sound really fresh and exciting. Very upbeat with a hell of a sense of humor. I've written staff picks on many Australian bands, and now that I think about it, a few of them were in my top 10 of 2023. So before I dig into the next one, shout out to some Australian bands that have won me over, like Lothario, Stiff Richards, The Chats, Cutters, Phil & the Tiles, Vanilla Poppers (to be fair, the band are sort of a Cleveland, Ohio/Melbourne mix), Amyl and the Sniffers, and Display Homes (huge favorite). I'm definitely forgetting another handful at least. Also, I'm currently listening to, and really liking, the debut album from The Judges, who are another Melbourne band! Don't be surprised to see that one in one of my (near) future staff picks.
Ok, let's get back to Beer Baby by Drunk Mums! I guess it could go in the garage punk category, but it's really just good old rock and roll classic fun punk. It's very riff based with fun, sing-a-long style choruses. When I say fun punk, I think of the Ramones, and I immediately thought of the Ramones when the second song, Slippin' Up, came on. The intro sounds very close to Beat on the Brat, so close that I thought it was going to be a cover song, but it's not. It's only that opening beat that sounds so similar. I don't know if they do this on purpose but I had another "is this a cover?" moment with the song Apocalypse. That beat in the intro sounds really similar to Dancin' With Myself, which I happen to love. But much like their second track, the style changes before the first verse and thoughts of Billy Idol dissipated. Apocalypse has a deeper sound, and that could be because the bass is more apparent on this track. Another standout track is Livin' at Night. Really, the whole album is catchy, but this one may be the catchiest. It's very Hey Ho, Let's Go! It's upbeat and hooky with an anthem style chorus. The back-up vocals also give the song more dimension and a fun, retro sound.
This is one of those albums that you put on when you want something fun that stays that way from start to finish. I'm really looking forward to getting this one in stock, so keep your eye out for it. Looks like most of their copies on Bandcamp have sold out, and for good reason! Ok time to wrap things up. Thank you for reading! Until next time...
-Angela