You know those Aussie moments when you witness something completely and utterly ridiculous, and afterwards you fall in love with Australia all over again? Well Aussie rockers Super Best Friends sparked such a moment with their music video last year for the track Round and Round, which depicted the ridiculous behaviour of our government. Please do yourself a favour and give this video a geez.
Now please take a moment to process it; OUR COUNTRY IS RUN BY THESE PEOPLE! That’s pretty fucking cool if you ask me; it just further goes to show that Aussies are the most laid back people on Earth! Don’t get me wrong though, stupid humour has its time and place especially in politics; Super Best Friends have been quick to point this out throughout their politically enraged ballads.
Super Best Friends give messy pub-punk a good shimmer on their latest album Status Updates with politically charged messages and rapid guitars.
Nevertheless Round and Round was my first introduction to the hilariously titled punk rock trio Super Best Friends. I’m not quite sure how the group got its name, and frankly I don’t care; these guys will always be an instant reminder to a classic South Park episode and that is 100% fine by me. No matter the name, Super Best Friends are not a joke by any means, in fact the trio are busting out some of the most politically driven and memorable punk rock today. Now with four releases to their name, their latest effort Status Updates has been out since mid-March; People have been talking about their newest Super Best Friend.
Status Updates starts off as you’d expect on Conscript, with booming drum beats and straight forward, politically charged messages which cover war and its many casualties. By the next track Dog Whistling, a verbal outrage toward asylum seekers, the stylistic direction seems to be somewhat set in stone. Don’t get me wrong, the topics discussed throughout are indubitably important subjects, however my raunchy teenage days of rebellion are no longer awakened through straightforward spoon fed politics. The riff on Dog Whistling is ridiculously infectious and I wish the brilliant instrumentation was placed in the forefront, rather than the frankly preachy lyricism. If only the messages were toned down, but I guess subtle is not one way to describe Status Updates.
Despite my previous comments, I must give credit where it’s due. Status Updates packs one hell of a punch in the riff department, reminiscent of many fellow Aussie acts such as Bad//Dreams, The Smith Street Band, and Violent Soho. Radio Silence would be my favourite track; you have to love the aggression and melodic qualities on this track. It’s the kind of track which tends to stick around for a few weeks. Super Best Friends have definitely proven to have found a sound in which shines a definite comfort, allowing the group to write some confidently killer jams.
I may not be the biggest fan of Super Best Friends, but I’d be an absolute dick head if I didn’t acknowledge their efforts on this release. Despite nagging tidbits, Status Updates is beyond doubt one of the paramount releases in their catalogue, and I’d highly recommend you check them out if you’re into the Aussie pub-punk rock ruckus that’s sweeping around the country. Needless to say punk rock is progressively making its comeback in the mainstream, only this time Australia is breeding its own style of reckless larrikins playing messy pub rock jams; please keep your eyes peeled.
