by Dan Goldin (@post_trash_)
You may or may not know this, but Melbourne, Australia's Tropical Fuck Storm have already released one of the year's absolute best records. A Laughing Death In Meatspace was released back in May on the band's home shores and will soon see a U.S. release in late October thanks to Joyful Noise. Formed by The Drones' Gareth Liddiard and Fiona Kitschin, their latest project works on a similar template, but the picture itself has been skewed, fried, and utterly demented in the best of ways.
From the cover art, to their choice of band name, album/song titles, to their graphically disdained and sardonic lyrics, Tropical Fuck Storm don't really deal in subtleties, but they specialize in the unpredictable, spouting beauty from the ugliest moments, embracing the darkest corners and most desolate of bars, with an attitude that's somewhere between Nick Cave and Future of the Left. It really is something special, and they're not done with 2018 just yet as the band are set to team up with Australian experimental legends Liars on a new split 7" for Famous Class' always brilliant LAMC (Less Artists More Condos) series. Having worked together with Thee Oh Sees, Speedy Ortiz, White Fence, Deerhoof, Ty Segall, Black Pus, and beyond, LAMC No. 18, due out September 28th promises to be a real series highlight with all digital proceeds donated to the ACLU.
Hand-picked by Liars (who contribute their own new song "3 Part Saga"), Tropical Fuck Storm continue the ragged noise punk balladry of their debut album on "The Happiest Guy Around." Another sordid tale with clever lyrics and frantic revelations, the quartet stumble their way through discordant brilliance, squawking sax, and burnt dry vocals into jazzier territories, garage melodies that veer on soulful, and just about everything else the carnival at the edge of society has to offer. It packs in all that's so interesting about the band - a cynical fury, swelling compositions, and the reluctantly complacent feeling that things just may never be the same again, but this is the world in which we live. Tropical Fuck Storm, a casual madness you can believe in.
Liars and Tropical Fuck Storm's LAMC No. 18 is out September 28th via Famous Class.