You might think that the sound of BLINK 182, the old GREEN DAY, and basically all punk rock that consists solely of good vibes is a thing of the past, but then DUNE RATS come along.
DUNE RATS started out like the Abstürzenden Brieftauben, as a duo. They then grew into a trio and quickly skyrocketed in Australia. After all the terrible news from Down Under, it’s almost surprising that there’s a work here that consists almost entirely of good vibes.
This sound still exists.
It’s the third album within six years from the band based in Brisbane.
With their second album “The kids will know it’s bullshit,” which took off and opened doors they didn’t even know existed, they ultimately decided to rely on friends. Thus, the album was recorded in a small circle in Australia, despite many offers from top producers. The band’s recording motto was “less, but better.” This means they focused on their music and made the best of it.
Cleanly produced and well mixed, the album is focused on the essentials. However, what the album massively lacks is tempo. It barely exceeds mid-tempo. If you’re making (fun) punk rock or at least label your style as such, you should also step on the gas and not concentrate solely on playing cleanly or perfectly timed tempo changes. That way, you’re holding yourself back.
“Hurry up and wait” has many elements that are inherent to the sound of BLINK 182, the old GREEN DAY, and other bands from that era. But it shouldn’t be released.
It would be interesting to know if it sounds better live, because faster and more powerful. Maybe the guys will fly to Europe soon to present their sound to the other end of the world. Perhaps I would then change my overall judgment.
At the moment, the overall judgment is: good approaches, too little risk taken, at best suitable for radio and the masses. A lot of show and marketing, but where is the attitude?
