Jazz, rockabilly, honky-tonk, melodic pop, electronica, and a lingering sense of dread: Swedish post-punk band Viagra Boys serve it all up. With so much variety on offer, and when you have a band who embrace a twisted sense of humour, the music sometimes has a feel of pastiche or parody. Which is fine, but the energy and honesty of these songs pull it all together.
It has the feel of a compilation record rather than a cohesive set around a universal theme, but in these scattergun times, that’s ideal. ‘Into The Sun’ would sit neatly alongside much of Mark Lanegan’s output, growling out confessions of fractured masculinity.
With acts like Fat White Family and their offshoots, we’ve got plenty of sleazy homegrown bands of our own to love. However, we should never close our borders to more of the same, not when it’s done as well as Viagra Boys do it.
Welfare Jazz is released 8th January on Year0001
