B R A T Taylor Street

From songs penned on back decks to a full-blown EP that makes chaos seem grittily appealing, the debut EP Taylor Street from Brissie grunge pedlars B R A T is an honest exploration of snarling dirges, nihilism and toe-tapping riffage.

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Three “pretty sick blokes”, as described by some guy Robbo via their socials, B R A T have embraced even keeled lashings of ratbaggery and honest hard work conjuring their brand new release.

Bringing together Blair Thompson, Jacob Tully, and Justin “Lobey” Hobbs, the Meanjin/Brisbane trio traces its origins back to a share-house mid-pandemic, forged over “night sweats, hot piss, broken strings, and broken hearts”. And amongst the sweaty and fuzzed-up vibes oozing out of B R A T’s every sonic pore, as well as some timely stylistic references to fellow Brisbanites Violent Soho and other grunge icons, there’s an unmistakable sense of self driving at the core of Taylor Street. Life sucks, but that doesn’t mean you can’t party and give it the finger at the same time, and that’s precisely what B R A T are gunning for on this debut EP.

Boasting 25 minutes of non-stop grungy goodness, Taylor Street kicks off with the jangly, driving sludge of Empty Club; a jaunty and upbeat pearler that flexes minimal arrangements with persistent basslines, swaggering vocals, cheeky Brisbane locale references, and an unforgettable kazoo solo thrown in for good measure. Next up, Boogie, Man flits between cacophonous menace and woozy apathy, complete with delightfully detached lines like “The youth is getting tired of you” and “You’re wasted / Let’s face it / No point complaining”. 

B R A T are a band perfectly primed to continue to soundtrack the weird ol’ world around us all. The world may be on fire, but we can always meet at Taylor Street for a good time if the apocalypse ramps up.

W.Y.B.S churns with gaze-y undertones and alt-rock anthem energy, while Dumb Luck sparkles with stripped-back verses and singalong-ready choruses that’ll undoubtedly cause some fun-filled pandemonium in a live setting. For anyone currently lamenting the Violent Soho hiatus, Taylor Street’s penultimate track Lexapro is just what the doctor ordered, with laidback melodics, driving guitarwork, and a dynamic disposition in full swing that undeniably marks a standout moment on the EP’s six tracks. Not to say closing track No Fux isn’t also without its charm, with the punk-spiked surf rock basher bringing proceedings to a close in a way that’ll make you want to skin your knees in a skate park, or, at the bare minimum, in the mosh pit.

While the grunge 90s heyday and its more recent renaissance may have firmly paved the way for bands like B R A T to shine through in 2023, Taylor Street is proof that a bit of honest originality fused into the genre’s tried-and-true recipe goes a long way. And fresh off launching their new EP in a live setting in Brisbane, the Sunny Coast and the Goldy, B R A T are a band perfectly primed to continue to soundtrack the weird ol’ world around us all. The world may be on fire, but we can always meet at Taylor Street for a good time if the apocalypse ramps up. 

STANDOUT TRACKS: Empty Club, Boogie, Man, Lexapro
STICK THIS NEXT TO: Violent Soho, IDLES, Nirvana