SkegssMy Own Mess

Ratbag / Warner
7th September, 2018
7
Simple fun

It’s official: we’re in the golden age of Australian slacker-punk. We’ve got the Dune Rats to thank for its recent explosion back into the mainstream, and the elusive redolence of shitty bush weed to thank for its sustained longevity. The latest band to serve a subconscious advertisement for the latter—and landing via the former’s upstart indie label—is Skegss.

MORE: HALLOWEEN HYSTERIA: Your Guide To The Best Gig This October // THE AMITY AFFLICTION: No Script Necessary // REVIEW: THRICE: Palms

You might’ve seen the Byron Bay trio play at pretty much any of the local music festivals that have rolled through Oz in the past 18 months, or played to death on Triple J. Either way, now is the time to hop on the hypewagon: their debut album is (finally) here, and it’s packed from corner to corner with sweet and scorching summer anthems.

Right off the bat, My Own Mess is a long album. It runs a decidedly meaty 40 minutes long across 15 tracks, which is about twice as long as their target audience has the attention span to sit through. It’s also fairly mundane, all things considered—there’s a definite formula to their surfy, smoky brand of twang and talk, and though there’s plenty of ingenuity weaved throughout the LP, Skegss rely on that formula more often than not.

Because that’s what My Own Mess is about at its core. It’s a friendly album, made by friends, for friends, that shines best when listened to with friends.

But these two criticisms are also wherein My Own Mess shines—it’s more of a playlist than it is an album. The band know their listeners aren’t approaching it with dedicated playthroughs in mind, so instead of craft a ‘magnum opus’, they’ve pieced together an easily accessible stack of jams that punters can pick and choose their favourites from. And many of the tracks reflect that; they’re the kind of road trip bangers you want to pop up every few hours when your phone’s on shuffle, the feelgood bops that keep the party rolling at 3am, and the lowkey jams you’d kill to sink into when you’re hungover the next day.

And that formula … Well, there’s a reason Skegss are such hot shit right now. Their tunes are simple fun, through and through, cutting straight through the bullshit and deep into the soul. The guitars are loose, bouncy and fun, and the drums are just punchy enough to throw your eardrums for a six. There’s a dustiness to Ben Reed’s lead vocals that is at once off-putting and goddamn alluring; you’ll find yourself belting along to his quick-witted hooks at the top of your lungs, and not giving a shit about how anyone thinks you sound—because Reed wouldn’t give a shit either. He’d chuck you a tinny, light up a beug and help you out with a juicy riff.

Because that’s what My Own Mess is about at its core. It’s a friendly album, made by friends, for friends, that shines best when listened to with friends.

STANDOUT TRACKS: Smogged Out, Couch PartyHarry Mac
STICK THIS NEXT TO: Dune Rats, Violent Femmes, Totty



 



Latest News

MORE MUST READS >