BACK in November 2020 Dune Rats guitarist-vocalist, Danny Beus, suggested the punk band's fourth album would veer in a "dancier" direction which might lose some fans.
The Brisbane three-piece is about to make a splash with Real Rare Whale, and it's obvious suggestions about a bold shift in a new direction were overstated.
Real Rare Whale dishes up the same formula that's delivered Dune Rats' two ARIA No.1s in The Kids Will Know It's Bullshit (2017) and Hurry Up And Wait (2020) and crystallised their place as festival favourites; fast punky power chords with poppy singalongs lavished over the top.
Their beloved singles Scott Green, 6 Pack and Dalai Lama Big Banana Marijuana perfected that method.
The one song where Dune Rats dispel their instincts produces Real Rare Whale's most excitable moment.
UP is the Dunnies are their most infectious, and probably the best song they've ever recorded.
It's danceable beat and Lady Gaga-esque hook of "I got my tax back, baby" and "should I get up, up, up, up?" is enough to get even the most cynical fan dancing.
Sonically Dune Rats have always stuck closely to the distorted punk-pop sounds of the '90s and their love affair with the final decade of the 20th century also implies to their lyrical content.
The Blink 182-esque Pamela Aniston is an ode to '90s teenage pin-ups and icons Pamela Anderson, of Baywatch, and Friends' Jennifer Aniston. "Pamela Anderson/ Jennifer Aniston/ Takes me back to when we were kids and you were on TV/ So beautiful/ Lasts forever."
While it's nostalgia centred on a juvenile idea of beauty, you can't deny it's authenticity. Space Cadet also taps into the childhood nostalgia when your dreams were full of possibilities.
Elsewhere, Dune Rats stick to their familiar lyrical themes of drunken parties (What A Memorable Night, Drink All Day).
If you've loved their previous albums, Real Rare Whale is worth reeling in. However, if you've come expecting musical growth from these Dune Rats, you might want to send this whale back to the ocean.
2.5 stars
Josh Leeson
Josh Leeson is an entertainment and features journalist, specialising in music, at the Newcastle Herald. He first joined the masthead in 2008 after stints at the Namoi Valley Independent and Port Stephens Examiner and has previously covered sport including the Asian Cup, A-League, Surfest, cricket and rugby league.
Josh Leeson is an entertainment and features journalist, specialising in music, at the Newcastle Herald. He first joined the masthead in 2008 after stints at the Namoi Valley Independent and Port Stephens Examiner and has previously covered sport including the Asian Cup, A-League, Surfest, cricket and rugby league.
