by Dominic Acito (@mycamgrlromance)
There really is no other band like Tropical Fuck Storm. While the band name may make you snicker, the music will make you smile. They are difficult to pin down yet at the same time, they have a sound that’s instantly identifiable. This is surprising as there are multiple songwriters and singers who trade turns leading the band, yet their style remains consistent despite the changing voices and writing styles. TFS is at home equally in a chaotic noise rock rendition of a Missy Elliot’s“Can’t Stop” as they are perfectly in character to deliver heartfelt ballads like “Legal Ghost” on their most recent album Deep States. Elements of hip hop, noise rock, and industrial can all be heard within a single song. Their lyrics are at times poignant, genuine, and funny; sometimes all at once.
With a band name like Tropical Fuck Storm, a measured approach clearly isn’t the top priority. Deep States is an album that could only exist in 2021. The lyrics are strikingly topical and the sound takes influence from everything under the sun. Tropical Fuck Storm are a band for the modern age, as they draw their influences from the wide range of artists made possible by streaming and take inspiration from any number of current events, juxtaposing the modern and mundane with the poetic.
“Give a fuck fatigue” or “G.A.F.F.” draws inspiration from the numbing effects of the multitude of global concerns that inundate our news feeds. So many causes are vying for attention that it’s difficult to keep track as one issue seems to be more urgent than the next. The track begins with a quote from an Australian MP who dismissed complaints about same sex marriage by saying “But I ain't spending any time on it because in the meantime, every three months, a person is torn to pieces by a crocodile…”
The songs “Blue Beam Baby” and “Suburbiopia” delve into the nutty conspiracy theories that inexplicably run rampant on the internet. “Blue Beam Baby” describes the wild blue beam conspiracy that alleges that NASA and the UN are hard at work trying to pass off the anti-christ as the actual Christ. “Suburbiopia” makes references to chemtrails lunacy and the YouTuber Teal Swan (who has a cult-like following) posing the question, “what if all of these suicide cult members were right?”
The album is short but highly concentrated, a collection of songs that leaves the impression that it’s the result of many years of consideration. At once, the songs feel strikingly fresh and historically informed. It’s surprising to discover that the song “Legal Ghost” was first begun in the 90s and was originally released with another of Gareth Liddiard’s projects, Bong Odyssey. “Legal Ghost” seems to only now find its footing and reappears here with different structure and lyrics. The song evokes a potent, melancholy feeling, describing the aftermath of the suicide of a loved one and the devastation that follows. “Bumma Sanger” is a play on ‘summer banger’ and puts to music the feelings of being trapped indoors during the long lockdown.
The album does everything that a great music should. It tugs at your heart strings, urges you to dance, pokes fun and highlights current events. If you’re a fan of the band, this release delivers on the promise of their previous releases. If you’ve never experienced TFS before, there are few musical experiences in life that will surprise you more than your first listen to Tropical Fuck Storm.