Tag Archives: Tor Sjödén

VIAGRA BOYS: Welfare Jazz.

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Weiner dawgs! It is finally here- the new record by Viagra Boys! Is it going to be the best thing to happen this year? More than likely. The only thing to top it would be if bands could tour again. We can only hope.

Anyway, the record is obviously brilliant because it is Viagra Boys. They just don’t have it in them to do anything half arsed or boring; they are truly one of the most exciting bands around and does anyone else sound like them? Absolutely not! They are one of a kind, and they are just exceptional. This record is one you won’t just play once and be done with it. It’s the kind of record that you become obsessed with. You’ll talk about it to anyone who will listen, and even if no one listens- you’re still going to let them know about it. Right away you just know it is going to be a remarkable record, and the opener Ain’t Nice just smacks you right in the face. Beautiful!

I love how the record sounds like it was made to be played so loud, and often. I love every single sound on this record and that Blues-like feel that is in Sebastian’s voice is just fucking divine. They have all gone above and beyond with this record. In some parts, when I listen to this record, I feel like I am listening to Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds for the very first time. There is so much going on and so much to take in, which is why you need to just keep on playing this record.

I’ve played it a few times already and I can safely say that I am obsessed with Toad. There is something about this song that reminds me of Suicide mixed with Nick Cave and Captain Beefheart. It is a masterpiece, and it’s probably going to be one of the best things I’ll ever listen to. Probably. It feels like something you’d get from one of the Beat Poets- there’s a lot of soul, trouble and passion in the song, and I think that’s what just keeps me going right back to it. Then it goes right into This Old Dog and before you know it, you are lost in the sounds of Into The Sun. For me, the way this flows is just impeccable. Some like to listen to a record in order and some don’t. Regardless of your preference, listen to this record in full and in order. Do not skip anything, do not assume you need to change up the flow of the songs. Just soak it all up in order. After that, do what you will. But honestly, listening to it in order is the best way.

Into The Sun will break your heart. The honesty and the vulnerability in the vocals and lyrics are just beautiful. It is so painful and heart-breaking but my god it is so beautiful. If anyone ever doubts the talent of this band, then show them the lyrics to this because it is just so fragile and open. This is the same band that opened the record with the face-melting Ain’t Nice- remember that!

Every single song on this record needs to be heard, and if you’re looking for one to play a bit louder then you need to make it 6 Shooter. Play that gem as loud as you can. It is was made to be played loud. I think the whole record was, but this one needs to be turned up a little louder. There is one song on the record that I need to mention, because it features one of the best vocalists around- Amy Taylor from Amyl & The Sniffers.

The record ends with a cover of In Spite Of Ourselves, and Sebastian and Amy’s vocals together are just beautiful. It works so well, and to hear their voices calmer than what we are used to just shows us how incredible they are. It’s such a gorgeous song, and I could happily listen to a record of them both together. It is just so beautifully sung and put together; I could listen to this forever and not get bored.

I could happily write thousands of words about why this record is sublime; there is so much to love about this record. I’m in awe of how they have gone from Street Worms to Welfare Jazz; you can hear the growth, but you can also hear that same rugged sound that we all love and treasure. I’m slowly getting better from having that pissing Coronavirus, and I’ve had next to no interest in listening to music let alone write about it. Welfare Jazz was exactly what I needed today. It’s more than a Punk record. It’s more than just 13 songs. It’s something else, something that goes beyond my words or anyone else’s.

Is it their masterpiece? Of course, it is. Street Worms was too, and everything they will do will more than likely be a masterpiece. I just really love this band. That’s all this is really. A declaration of love for a band that I am obsessed with.

VIAGRA BOYS: An Ode To Sweden’s Finest.

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VB

Foolishly, I haven’t written about Sweden’s finest Viagra Boys. They have been a band that I have been obsessively listening to over the past few years. I guess I assumed I had already written about them. Never assume. But I guess now is the right time.

Last year they released the exceptional Street Worms, which is one of the most solid debut records we will ever be given by anyone irrespective of genre. It’s got everything you could possibly want from a record. The dark humour and their take on the world, and how fucked it has become is incredible. For me, they are up there with one of my biggest loves- METZ. They’ve got this heaviness in their sound that just blows your mind with every single listen.

Viagra Boys make you want to break stuff, they make you want to pick up a guitar and smash up a stage. They just present the world to you how you see it, but the way they do it is something else. I cannot think of any other band who have this much strength and power in their music. What I love about the band also, is that their fans are so passionate about them and really appreciate the dark humour in the songs and how the songs just make you feel free. There is freedom in relating to your favourite band, and knowing others feel the same. The same goes for bands like IDLES and The Murder Capital. Dedicated fans who are just in love with the music.

 

 

Sebastian has such a distinctive voice. For me, it’s the song Baby Teeth that really cements the sound and style of Sebastian’s vocals. He’s got this effortlessly cool drawl that makes you feel like you’re listening to Lou Reed or Iggy Pop for the first time. When you find a band like this, you really know you have found something special. I can’t write about Viagra Boys and not mention the anthem that is, Sports.

Sports is such a cool song. It oozes coolness so effortlessly, and you cannot help but lose your mind when you play it and shout “SPORTS”! along with Sebastian. I love how the drums and guitar seem to egg each other on in this song to play louder, and to get faster when the hook hits. It’s an underrated anthem, but us shrimps fucking love it. It’s the kind of song that you cannot help but recite whenever you can. The sax hits, and it is the most glorious feeling ever especially when Sebastian is screaming “SPORTS!” as if he has been wounded. I absolutely love this song, and for anyone who has never listened to Viagra Boys- start with Sports and let your obsession be fuelled. There’s six of them in the band, and they are all so vital to creating a sound that is theirs, and theirs alone. They possess the wildness of The Birthday Party and the storytelling of the king that is, Mark E. Smith. These are just a handful of reasons as to why I adore Viagra Boys.

If you check out their live performances on YouTube, you’ll see just how wild they are and how powerful their shows are. You feel like you’re watching something from another planet, and it’s one of the many reasons as to why you should and will love them (if you don’t already!) You can truly see that they are band that put everything into their music, and the way it comes across in their live shows just leaves you in awe. Again, they are a band that will definitely influence the next generation to make something of their own and thank Viagra Boys for it.

Songs like Frogstrap, Can’t Get It Up and Upside Backwards are just incredible. The more I listen to them, the more I hear how they have truly created something that goes beyond Punk or Post-Punk. It goes beyond anything we’ve ever heard before. All you can do is listen obsessively because that’s the kind of hold they have on you. I wouldn’t have it any other way, would you?

 

 

Viagra Boys are on tour in June in the UK. I didn’t get a ticket to the Manchester show because I’m a twat and it’s sold out. Don’t mess up like I have and go get tickets to their shows, if they haven’t sold out yet!