On October 25, Aussie punk icons Amyl and the Sniffers released their highly anticipated third studio album, Cartoon Darkness, via B2B Records and Virgin Music Group. This record follows the band’s 2021 sophomore album, Comfort To Me, and provides a heightened sense of poetic lyricism and societal commentary from the band, who are currently making themselves known as one of Punk’s most prominent names.

Amyl and the Sniffers have garnered a reputation for their insanely energetic live shows and possessing a gritty, bratty, and rambunctious attitude. On Cartoon Darkness, Amyl and the Sniffers provide some reasoning behind their rebellious nature, one that ultimately is fueled by a yearning for the perfect life.

The album opens with “Jerkin’,” the final single to be released ahead of the record, and an empowering, bratty banger. Songs like “Jerkin’” as well as “U Should Not Be Doing That” seem dedicated to the haters of Amyl and the Sniffers, who use punchy, Stooges-inspired guitar riffs to convey the ultimate message that life is short and Australia’s favorite punk ragers will continue to do whatever they want.

Cartoon Darkness features amazing production and equally flawless musicianship throughout. This album shows Amyl and the Sniffers attempting to diversify their sound and reach new heights sonically. This is especially prominent on slower, more heartfelt songs on the album such as “Big Dreams” and the bubblegum Pop of “Bailing On Me.” Both songs portray perhaps a softer side of the band or, whatever soft might mean for Amyl and the Sniffers – but this new direction is not done in jest. While the band expresses a new sound and more vulnerable lyricism, “Big Dreams” and “Bailing On Me” both show how much the group is capable of sonically while still retaining their signature sound and authenticity.

In terms of the themes or messages expressed, Cartoon Darkness represents a balance of a carefree youth alongside the darkness of the reality of adulthood. On songs like “Chewing Gum” and “Do It Do It” – the latter of which must be required to be blasted in the speakers of every beer-soaked bar in the world – the essential message of throwing caution to the wind and following your dreams is very evident, as well as the matter of how life is so short, and it’s okay for one to love with reckless abandon. 

However, tracks like “Motorbike Song” challenge listeners to question whether or not they are truly living the life they yearn for. This feminist rager includes the lyrics, “Are you sure that you’re living free? Every day you work and sleep.” Furthermore, in the mind of the group’s iconic frontwoman Amy Taylor, her ideal life consists of freedom. But freedom consists of many things: pursuing the music industry as a woman, wearing whatever you want, and being with whoever you want.

This feminist message is consistent throughout the record, as songs like “Tiny Bikini” express Taylor’s desire to wear whatever she wants whenever she likes, because as she sings in the song, “If I didn’t show up in something spicy, the cold world would feel even more icy.” Similarly, without the in-your-face attitude and hard-hitting musicality of Amyl and the Sniffers, modern music would be a lot more boring than it already is.

The record ends with “Me and The Girls,” an incredibly snarky, and empowering anthem about feminine freedom and the men who try to insult this freedom. Containing poetic lyrics such as “Me and the girls want free abortions, you and the boys can’t even get waxed,” this track serves as the perfect closer, encapsulating every message and sonic method that the album is ultimately trying to express. With the punchy musicality portrayed on “Me and The Girls,” it is so evident that every inch of this record was incredibly intentional and considerate by the band.

Overall, Cartoon Darkness instills the ultimate message that life is short, life is dumb, and the entire world is slowly, but surely going into ruin. This message can be interpreted as a dark doomsday anecdote, but it can be seen as an optimistic mantra. If the world is slowly decaying, there’s no point in not following your dreams and constantly chasing your youth, even if one or the other seems long gone. There are constant reminders in our patriarchal society that these dreams are often harder to achieve for some than others, and this may be the darkness that coincides with the cartoon that is life.

Buy the album here:
https://amzn.to/4gcSRqQ

8 / 10
JUSTICE PETERSEN
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