Swedish post-punk outfit Viagra Boys already at first glance at their name, is that there is something so cheeky about them. The best things that manifest out of punk or post-punk is that there could be so many ways on criticizing the dumbness that is our world and its men with their art. Frontman Sebastian Murphy uses self degrading humor to give confidence in his self conflict. That makes hilarious song writing, which he has done in the past, when I was a fan of his past songs like “Sports” or “Troglodyte.” The songs make me vent and then laugh. This album with their cheeky songwriting adds the cynic energy what we need. I mean the first track is named “Man Made of Meat” it just pokes fun at the ridiculousness of people themselves. The tracks aren’t long usually so it flows very well and the songwriting is just dead on hilarious or introspective. So, we pop a pill to deep dive this one.
“Man Made of Meat” is an excellent starting appetizer that reminds me of 2000s rock, but its got so much humor such as a Chandler Bing tub reference, trolling at a drive-thru, and just straight up burping into the mic. It’s a man who yearns for escapism and I find it hilarious he refuses to pay for anything, but is willing to pay for someone’s Onlyfans. This not giving a fuck attitude has weight throughout the album. “The Bog Body” brings us about him criticizing someone who is envious of others. But Murphy states a point, why the vitriol if we all decompose in this swamp or bog looking all gross at the end? Trivial things like that shouldn’t matter. I really liked “Pyramid of Health” as Murphy sounds inebriated as hell like isolated mountain folk. He claims he’s doing dandy by eating cigarettes and cacti, because someone else told him to. Someone else told him to drink the Kool-Aid as the flat Earth is about to get him! Guess what level of the pyramid this subject is at? Really loved the next track, “Dirty Boyz” as it tells the sad story of how this “dirty boy” who is hard into drugs and are seen as less than human. The song is so grimy and abrasive, and the repeating vocals make them sound so lost. Speaking of feeling lost, “Medicine for Horses” is the sounds of a man who is loosely tethered to the Earth. It’s a slow burner of a song that is somber and relatable. Escapism seems to be the name of the game throughout this entire LP. “Store Pollicy” gives us this down and dirty groove who just lists a bunch of absurd rules that were broken. The band brings the life of the party on “You N33d Me”, which is him proposing that Murphy would not let you down if you have him in your party. He insists no awkwardness will arise if he crushes a bunch of beer and European war trivia. “Best in Show pt. IV” is the ramblings of a man who would give absurd imagery and storytelling. It’s the longest song of theirs being just shy of five and a half minutes, but they put their all into the instrumentals of this one. And then we get to a tragic ending in the end as Murphy quivers his way through this piano ballad that is “River King”, he longs for the moments or the person that reminds him of those moments. Its ending comes to a full closing of the curtain as he loosely grabs hold of the link that binds him to the world.
This was a fun listen, but some tracks didn’t do it for me sound wise. Such as “Uno II” seems too laid back to me. And “Waterboy” seemed to have Murphy sing the song in a stupor in the verses, but it sounds too awkward for me. And although the ending was very touching and I sympathize with his plight, I wished the ending was a bang instead of a whimper.
Nevertheless, this has been a fun listen with sharp commentary on humans and how they’re surviving. It’s a good album to vent and rock to. Great riffs, great songwriting, and Murphy has so many ways to tell stories and metaphors lined up in his pocket. I wish to get into punk and post-punk more and I’m glad this album is so accessible for my ears to get into. This man of meat approves.
FAVORITE TRACKS: MAN MADE OF MEAT, THE BOG BODY, PYRAMID OF HEALTH, DIRTY BOYZ, STORE POLICY, YOU N33D ME, BEST IN SHOW PT. IV
LEAST FAVORITE: WATERBOY
Their discography is available for streaming.
Leave a comment