There’s a fine art to taking the silly seriously, and the Aussie punk scene appears to be more dedicated to it than most. Brisbane’s Dune Rats certainly seem to be. From the goofy spoken-word skits that bookend their fourth album, to the wry, sarcasm-soaked lyrics, to the childish bursts of “na-na-nanana” nonsense, their world is an exuberant playground.
At heart, Dune Rats slot right in with the Warped tour warriors, the late-90s wave of US pop-punk that directly contradicted the grunge scene that preceded it.
The title track – both a celebration of seeing the good in the artistically shite and a clap-back at dour scene gatekeepers – is the direct offspring of The Offspring, while Main Beach is a speedy, nasal, heartfelt but defiantly daft blast from the Blink 182 cannon.
For variety there’s an electro sugar rush buried deep in the album’s foundations. If it’s dumb fun in the sun you’re after, these are the rodents you’re looking for.
