Label: Rough Trade
Released: 10th September 2021
Without so much as a whiff of pretension or pompousness, Melbourne-based pub-rock icons Amyl & the Sniffers have exploded back into our ears with a lunatic collection of 13 rapid songs on their newest album ‘Comfort To Me’. Each track is packed with enough energy to power a city and an insatiable lust for life that hums from the charmingly brash lyrics and brazen vocals of Amy Taylor.
In typical punk fashion, almost every song is a short sprint that establishes its point in an instant and rides high on the pace it produces. In the absence of gigs, Amyl and the Sniffers have replicated the raucous structure of their live performances, leaving listeners no doubt moshing in their bedrooms and lobbing beer around their kitchens. Compared to their previous releases, ‘Comfort With Me’ has a more calculated nature, with a more polished musical proficiency that can only come through honing your craft over time.
Amy’s lyrics are eclectic and unmistakably direct. In ‘Maggot’ when she sings, “Come on maggot, put your maggots in me,” it isn’t too difficult to imagine what’s on her mind. There’s also a new vulnerability in Amy, that ranges from fighting with the way the world sees her in ‘Laughing’ or how fed up she is of feeling unsafe at night in ‘Knifey’. Despite the bold honesty, the band doesn’t drop their badass image for even a moment, thanks to the grimy guitar and hectic drums that fill every track with a grotty punk vibe. Amy Taylor owns all of her insecurities; even when singing “Everyone’s laughing, everyone’s laughing at me,” she portrays herself with immense confidence.
This is raw, unadulterated punk with no prefix that can only come from a band with immense amounts of talent and character. Amyl & the Sniffers have clearly put every ounce of themselves into this album, and the product is as unique as they are.
