I found this CD and wondered why one of Leonardo Da Vinci’s most famous drawings was on the cover of a punk rock album. Then I realized that it was Camel. Looking over the album I decided to buy it. As I pressed play for the first time I heard some calm vocals and I regretted my purchase. 29 seconds later I realized that the album I had just acquired was one of the best punk albums I had gotten in the past year. Too the Album then…
1. Never Had So Much Fun
Starting soft this song son kicks into a high energy punk song that rocks from start to finish, speaking about Coughing up Lungs and not being able to eat Japanese food. It goes to a guitar solo that is surprisingly melodic. A good song and a great opener to a good album.
4/5
2. You Are Not My Friend
The highest scoring single 48 on the charts. That said this is a gem. A fast paced guitar based song with an incredibly catchy chorus and several lyrics including my favourite line “When I Said You Needed A Break, What I Meant was Every Bone in your Face”. Another relatively good solo and its back into the main riff to continue the song. Fading out on the chorus its an good ending to an explosive song. If I could give this song 10/5 I would.
5/5
3. It’s Up To You
A fast bass riff opens up another high octane blast of Australian punk. This time we are treated to very fast sung lyrics and a chorus sung by a group. Not a bad song but pale in comparison to it’s predecessor.
3.5/5
4. I Know Everything About Everything
Another loud intro coming into near spoken lyrics about the intelligence of the singer. A great chorus to sing along to comes followed by a short solo. One more great punk song by a great punk band.
4/5
5. I Miss My Lung
An acoustic guitar opens the song about how the singer misses his lung. The drums soon join in to give the song some drive. One of the funnier songs on the album ,for what it is this is a masterpiece. We find out everything that’s not as bad as missing lungs, such as broken hearts and poisoned tarts. And how much he misses his lung, apparently more than showers.
5/5
6. Were Going Out Tonight
While Frenzal Rhombs songs may all sound the same, they are catchy. This is no exception with a great chorus and a very cool bass line in the middle. The only thing that could have made this better is a solo.
5/5
7. Lets Drink A Beer
For Frenzal Rhomb, this is a slow verse followed by a chorus that tells us the merits of drinking. A solo and bridge break up the song before moving on to a unaccompanied voice returing to the chorus, telling us “Let’s Drink a beer/Let’s drink it here/It’s The one thing that is clear.
5/5
8. I Know Why Dinosaurs Became Extinct…
This is a short 28 seconds that has a soft piano intro, loud fast punk guitar and someone telling us that Frenzal Rhomb are not a very good band. Perhaps, or Perhaps they are one of the better Australian bands for a while.
4/5
9. I Don’t Need Your Loving
A traditional Frenzal Rhomb leads us into a nice riff which then goes to a verse with very little guitar. Quite humorous lyrics guide us into a verse about love, kindness and someone’s spine. This song is another highlight of the album with another guitar break for us to enjoy. We then get a bridge telling us that hate is blind. Top Notch song this.
5/5
10. Self Destructor
For me this is one of the low points of the album with a soft guitar riff over near spoken lyrics. The song lifts when we reach the chorus but for Frenzal Rhomb this song is just filler.
3/5
11. I’m The Problem With Society
Opening with a radio about a horserace and a horse called Frenzal it is soon joined by a lone drumbeat. The lyrics of this song are good and it has a very melodic chorus. The song slows down again to the radio. Normal service is resumed with more fast guitar before closing on the radio. Not a bad song.
4/5
12. Do You Wanna Fight Me?
A speedy guitar intro throws us straight into this song. The rest of the band soon join for the verses and choruses before the song slows down. A guitar solo soon picks it up again and hurls us into the verse again for a final chorus. And to close the song we have the intro once more. Quite good song.
4/5
13. Methadone
An odd intro starts this off before soft lyrics about beer and not having a gun. The drums come in and give the song some more kick. We then hit the chorus of the song which is slightly disappointing. This song has some very funny lyrics so they even out. There is a musical interlude in the middle of the song but no solo which is annoying. Not a bad song. In fact it’s quite good.
4/5
14. Writings On The Wall
This song is fast from the second it begins with lyrics sung so quickly it is hard too understand. A chorus tells us how they don’t want to talk, get looked at or talked to. We hit a bridge after the second chorus. This song is alright it never changes though and the lyrics aren’t as funny as some of there other songs on this record.
3.5/5
15. Summer’s Here
High falsetto lyrics start and don’t stop until about one minute and a half in. Soon the song dissolves into some spoken Japanese before we hit a Nirvana like silence of two minutes before the instruments return at the 5 and a half minute mark. The lyrics are sung very softly under this right until the end of the song which is surprisingly melodic. And that was the end of one high energy album. Excellent way to end an album.
4.5/5
