Perth natives, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, have not only established themselves as one of the best psych rock groups in Australia, but they're definitely one of the best groups in the world doing this stuff right now, keeping that rock and roll flame alive. Definitely inspired by groups like Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Tame Impala, and I would say even other Australian peers like King Gizz.
On their seventh full-length LP Carpe Diem, Moonman, the Crumpets are absolutely proving themselves to be a much more dynamic band than they've been in the past. It's still infusing crazy good rock and roll riffs and the crashing bombastic energy that they're known for, but infusing a developing depth of melody and an insatiable desire to create the craziest riffs you've ever heard. Like I've said, their songs have an incredible knack for ripping, which will keep your head bobbing, but for as heavy as they are, they're digestible and they're catchy and they're memorable and their musicianship.
It's just there's layers upon layers in these songs. The more you go back to them, the more you hear things you missed the first time around. I was going back to these songs time after time after time and being like, Oh, there's some guitar sweeping happening there. Oh, there's a splash symbol that sounds like a hardcore song. This album reveals itself over and over and over again, which makes repeated listens amazing.
The first song on the record, "Another Reincarnation", literally falls into the album. It just starts. There's no lead up, there's no build up. It falls right in. It is a blistering amount of rock and roll guitar frenzy with more riffs than a Guitar Center on a Saturday afternoon. This one crashes and bashes and scratches all the itches. You get the catchy hooks, you get the tension building, you get a bridge that disguises itself as a hardcore song. Everything you want from rock and roll: groove, texture, melody, all combined into one absolutely pulsating track. Lyrically, I'm feeling this song is potentially about being abducted by aliens.
"March On for Pax Ramona" is probably one of my favorite songs they've ever done, let alone this year in terms of rock. But the talk-singing during the verses is the perfect choice to fill in the empty spaces. When it gets to that chorus, it's one of the most euphoric, explosive choruses I've heard in a rock song in a very long time. The riff itself sounds like it's ready for a fight. It sounds like it's about to take off or explode the whole time. Pax Ramona itself was a time of cultural revolution in ancient Rome, and it was where ideas flourished and books, literature and art and music and design, architecture, where all these things were flourishing during this really tiny period of time where this cultural significance, this era of peace, like they say in the song, "I got a good time if you want to march on for Pax Ramona." You're marching for peace. Let's keep this thing going.
Easily, one of one of the best rock songs of the year. If you're going to hear one song from this album, put on "March for Pax Ramona". It's going to shred your wig. From: https://theneedledrop.com/album-reviews/psychedelic-crumpets-carpe-diem-moonman-album-review/
