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Jun 06, 2022 Web Exclusive By Andy Von Pip

Australia is definitely enjoying another resurgence in terms of the diversity and brilliance that’s emanating from Down Under, from Amyl and the Sniffers to Confidence Man to Annie Hamilton to Middle Kids to Hatchie (insert your favorite here). So much so that it certainly wouldn’t be a stretch to suggest that music from Oz is entering a new golden age. You can add Sydney-based quartet Body Type to that list as the band has released a bold and blistering debut album in the shape of Everything Is Dangerous But Nothing’s Surprising.

Body Type were already tipped by Under the Radar back in 2019. The four-piece—who comprise of Sophie McComish (guitar and vox), Annabel Blackman (guitar and vox), Georgia Wilkinson-Derums (bass and vox), Cecil Coleman (drums)—have crafted an album that is full of surprises (despite its title) that delights and inspires in equal measure. Their previous output in the shape of the imaginatively titled EP1 and EP2 had hinted that the quartet had the capacity to be an abrasive punky antipodean version of Warpaint, which was certainly an intriguing possibility, but on their debut the band have drilled down and really found their groove, mixing elements of grunge, riot grrrl, post-punk, and psych-pop without ever letting one particular style dominate.

Everything Is Dangerous But Nothing’s Surprising is full of dexterous sonic shifts complemented by insightful wit and acerbic lyrics replete with rotating vocalists, which means every song has a slightly different edge to it. It’s a thrilling joyous ride with every track hitting the mark, none more so than the quite brilliant adrenaline rush of the David Cronenberg-inspired “The Brood.”

“Sex & Rage” is another broiling frothing blitzkrieg of a tune that gives a nod to Eve Babitz’s cult 1979 novel of the same name driven by pummeling percussion and a kind of paranoid post-punk guitar thrash. “The Charm” is a middle finger to patriarchal passive-aggressive put-downs, a track described by vocalist Sophie McComish, as being “about how women are held to higher standards than men in the music biz. It’s harder for us to get away with being a bit shit or making mistakes. Some guy once told us the ‘charm’ was gonna wear off if we didn’t get better at our instruments, that we had to do our 10,000 hours before we were worthy of the hype. This is our response.”

“Flight Path” mixes deadpan ennui, melodic pop and jangling guitars with the kind of musical adroitness that’s served Wet Leg very well of late. In contrast, “Buoyancy” is another furious slice of freewheeling punky sonic genius. It’s full of personality, wit, wisdom, righteous anger and crucially, great tunes. It’s also one of the most thrilling debuts of 2022. (www.bodytypeband.com)

Author rating: 8/10