Frenzal Rhomb
Meet the Family


3.0
good

Review

by iwanttopunchadolphin USER (2 Reviews)
March 28th, 2013 | 34 replies


Release Date: 1997 | Tracklist

Review Summary: High energy melodic punk from Australia falls a little flat.

If you are living in a world where you regularly get beaten up by cops, all of your best friends are racist and your mum changed the locks you have every right to be extremely bitter about it. But Australian four piece Frenzal Rhomb are in no way hostile about the sad, sad world around them. They’re just snotty and snotty is the way all good punk should be and among these 18 tracks of frenzied and mostly hilarious explosions of trashy punk, this drunken quartet unleashes barn-storming attacks on a pitiful planet.

But the planet they live on is mainly made up of dim-witted friends as indicated on the chorus refrain of “All Your Friends” where lead singer Jason Whalley shouts, “All your friends think you’re a ***head, all your friends think you’re ***.” Hardly subtle but at least he is honest. On the closer “You Can’t Move Into My House,” which is one of the better cuts from the album, the band liken their friends to steaming turds and lack to give a *** about them. Their words, not mine. Elsewhere they lament about how funny genitals are, their desire to sail away on a ship of beers and that in actual fact guns don’t kill ducklings, ducklings kill ducklings.

It’s all steaming, exhilarating melodic punk delivered with a distinct Australian drawl, power and sly humor but after the 18 songs speed by in 35 minutes you notice that, like a lot of punk albums, the songs remain the same. If it weren’t for the fact you were reading the lyric booklet, you would think the album was just one stretched out, frenetic punk song delivered in the same vocal tone and guitar chords throughout.

Despite this fact, Meet the Family is a hilarious and deranged insight into the world of one of Australia’s most beloved and psycho punk bands.


user ratings (39)
3.9
excellent


Comments:Add a Comment 
Captain North
March 28th 2013


6793 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

FUCK YOU YOU FUCKING FUCKWIT, YOU CAN'T MOVE INTO MY HOUSE!

iwanttopunchadolphin
March 28th 2013


20 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

Such a great way to end a kinda good album.



Hope you don't think I'm rude, FUCK YOU!

Captain North
March 28th 2013


6793 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

I don't really get the same chord argument, this album is full of fantastic riffs.

iwanttopunchadolphin
March 28th 2013


20 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

I like the album (I listened to it this morning) but as a whole it just all sounds the same. Don't get me wrong, The Doctor can and will pull out some fantastic riffs but it is an album of the same old punk rock that you expect from Frenzal.



Not a band thing.

iwanttopunchadolphin
March 28th 2013


20 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

not a bad thing *





Captain North
March 28th 2013


6793 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

True, but I feel they do it better than most of their other albums on this one, and better than most of their contemporaries too. Sans Souci probably does it better again

iwanttopunchadolphin
March 28th 2013


20 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

Yeah, definitely better than some of their other albums and some of the other bands on Fat Wreck Chords at the time.



San Souci is killer, arguably one of their best. Might review it next. I'm new to this site so thought I'd start off with a Frenzal Rhomb album.



Feedback is appreciated.

Captain North
March 28th 2013


6793 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Mmm, ok well in that case don't worry about censoring your swear words. We're all big kids here. I'd also try and expand your points about, don't just write one sentence about the music itself and then move on. An album is much much more than the lyrics. Talk about the individual instruments, including vocals,

iwanttopunchadolphin
March 28th 2013


20 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

I didn't censor them, I think the website did. Like the moderator I think?



I was kind of trying to make it a short sweet review, maybe a lot like Frenzal's music? haha.



But thank you, I will take note of that. That being said I think Frenzal are one of those bands you have to see live to appreciate the albums.





Captain North
March 28th 2013


6793 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Ahh, I thought we'd gotten rid of that stupid shit. We can swear in comments but not reviews, I don't get it.



I still need to listen to smoke and mans not a camel, but forever Malcolm young wasn't that great.



And yeah, they're amazing live and the crowd is always great. One of the more intense pits I've been in, especially when they play "Punch in the Face"

iwanttopunchadolphin
March 28th 2013


20 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

Oh man, I do recall a Frenzal show I went to that was pretty hectic. After the pit had stopped some dreadlocked guy ascended from the sweat and fury with a broken nose and blood all over his face.



Was such a great moment haha.



The bass line in Gun Don't Kill Ducklings is pretty killer.

Captain North
March 28th 2013


6793 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

The only song I've heard from smoko is bird attack and it's honestly pretty shit. But I'll get on the rest



I saw them once at No Sleep Til festival, and it was in this enormous shed and the pit was raging door to door. So much fun

iwanttopunchadolphin
March 28th 2013


20 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

Which No Sleep Til? I went to the Brisbane one.



rained all day but when Frenzal came on I think the rain was a blessing. Was a big sloppy heap of fun.

Captain North
March 28th 2013


6793 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Sydney. I think we had a bit of rain but not much, and all the stages were either inside or on concrete. Security were dicks too, one guy jumped on anothers shoulders (like every punk show ever) and they literally chased him around the whole compound

joshieboy
March 28th 2013


8258 Comments


Never really got into this band.

iwanttopunchadolphin
March 28th 2013


20 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

Whatever happened to No Sleep Til? Thought they were doing an annual one?

iwanttopunchadolphin
March 28th 2013


20 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

They are an acquired taste in my opinion.

You either love them or hate them.



San Souci is a great place to start. Or A Man's Not A Camel.

joshieboy
March 28th 2013


8258 Comments


Yeah, I wanted No Sleep Till to become an annual thing as well.

iwanttopunchadolphin
March 28th 2013


20 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

First line up was stellar. So many great bands.

Was hard to choose throughout the day which bands I wanted to see.

Captain North
March 28th 2013


6793 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Part of what makes them great is how fuckin Aussie they are. Im not one for broad stereotypes (well I am, but I try not to be) but its fairly true in this.



And I think the problem was it didn't sell anywhere near enough tickets. I think Sydney and Melbourne did okay but nowhere else



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