Skegss share second album ‘Rehearsal’
The Australian garage rock favourites release a riotous second album: bringing with them trippy album art, a fresh Viking swagger and, as always, rowdy garage rock greatness
★★★★✰
Photo: David Harrington
Skegss have been a firm favourite of mine for years now, and they’re always consistent in producing gritty garage rock tunes that make you yearn to be road tripping around in the Australian sun, with beers and your best mates.
The trio made up of Ben Reed (vocals, guitar), Toby Cregan (bass) and Jonny Lani (drums), set the bar high for themselves with their debut album My Own Mess, so it was exciting to see how they had developed since their 2018 release.
The album immediately starts on a high, with the energetic opening track Down To Ride. Incorporating a typical Skegss-sounding riff and fast-paced drum work, the onslaught of garage punk is immediate and it gives you an idea of the tempo of the album. This song really does epitomise their unique sound that I — and many other fans — have come to love. As with the rest of the album, the lyrics in this song explore themes surrounding romance, friendships, the Australian lifestyle and youthful musings.
The second track, and first single from the album, Valhalla features an incredibly catchy riff and has the essence of an old Viking battle song about it, which suits the lyrics of the song all-too-perfectly. The song succeeds in telling a story; depicting a vision of Valhalla (the afterlife/hall of slain warriors in Norse mythology), that includes “All the ale you can inhale / all the food you can consume / all my friends at the table / everything I’d die for in one room.” The accompanying music video features the band taking part in a comedic and (purposefully) badly acted Viking battle, which fittingly ties together the whole theme for the song and makes for an entertaining watch.
The third track, Fantasising, is a particular highlight on the album; it reflects upon past experiences, as well as serving as a reminder that life is about going out and making memories and that we shouldn’t be dwelling upon the past or future too much. The lyrics “When I’m up at night / and I'm sinkin’ in these sheets / and thinkin’ of these memories, yeah, these things last as far as I can see,” give you an idea of the inspiration behind the song — those nights we have all had, where we stay up reminiscing fondly about past memories.
The album continues in the same vein, with notable highlights in the form of the smooth guitar solo in Running From Nothing and the ferocity of the very energetic track, Bush TV.
For me, the slower, more stripped back songs — Wake Up and final track Lucky —also stand out amongst the barrage of fuzzy garage tunes. In swapping out the electric guitar for an acoustic, the vocals from Reed really get a chance to shine through and the songs have a particularly nostalgic feel about them, and you feel as though you should be listening to them while sitting around a fire watching the sunset. Lucky brings the album to a sentimental end, with lyrics “You’re more than my mate / you’re more than my soul / and we get to make our laugh for the days we grow old,” along with music that features a harmonica and vocal whistling; creating a wistful, reflective feeling.
Credit: Jack Irvine
This album showcases Skegss doing what Skegss do best; three talented musicians coming together to create sunny, upbeat garage rock tunes.
They can best be compared to American punk rockers FIDLAR — especially in the delivery of the lyrics — as well as having a similar musical style to friends of the band, Hockey Dad, who produces similarly exuberant garage music. Whilst these comparisons can be made with bands, they have cemented their own recognisable sound in the genre and certainly leave a lasting impression. Having said this, thinking ahead to the future, it would be great to see Skegss experimenting further on their next album, and really pushing what is possible for them to create as a trio.
