Cosmic PsychosMountain Of Piss

Ross “Knighty” Knight (vocals, bass) on Mountain Of Piss: “It’s round, inside a cover, which is square. Not that unlike any other best-selling album by The Beatles, Rolling Stones or AC/DC.”

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Equal parts explosive, unapologetic, parochial and comedic, Mountain Of Piss is a rollicking affair. As per usual, Cosmic Psychos are not here to fuck spiders.

“Welcome to the Cosmic Psychos Flying Dingbat Adventure Tours …” – the title track’s intro really sets the tone. Then enter this song’s irresistible, party-motto choruses: “Ya gotta go hard/Or go home!” The band’s witty observational commentary specialises in poking fun at “dickhead sporting culture” (Sin Bin) and other bogan stereotypes. Bleeding Knuckles, Dunny Seat, Munted, Too Old To Drink In Pubs–these song titles summarise the topics Cosmic Psychos tackle on Mountain Of Piss. Confessional, pissed-singalong choruses (“I don’t feel very well/Oh, bloody hell”; “We’re too old to drink in pubs …”) are constant throughout. A breakdown within Munted masterfully narrates a slo-mo wipeout: “Fumble. Light switch. Ram the wall. Face plant. Hug the floor.” LOL-worthy lyrical moments and “Psycho-isms” jump out at every turn (“You got no compounding interest/In me”; “The barman looks like a rock’n’roll singer/Can’t pour a beer but he’ll sell me a pinger”).

Cosmic Psychos prove they can write a song about anything

Chit-chat and general pub ambience underscore Too Old To Drink In Pubs–a mid-paced offering that sounds like it was recorded in a neighbouring beer barn. Hilariously, Beep closes with a barrage of expletives. Cosmic Psychos prove they can write a song about anything, with many suburbs of Canberra immortalised throughout Dickson: a clever take on Jackson (Johnny Cash/June Carter). The sheer power of Dunny Seat’s dirty, infectious riffs and relentless drumming make us momentarily forget it’s a song about purposefully leaving the toilet seat up. Mountain Of Piss does exactly what it says on the (urine-splattered) tin. (And mad props to whoever dreamed-up the idea for Mountain Of Piss’ Mount Rushmore-inspired cover art, which features the Cosmic Psychos’ faces ‘carved’ into a mountainside together with piles of discarded tinnies)

STANDOUT TRACKS: Dickson, Mountain Of Piss, Munted
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