No, your eyes aren’t deceiving you, that really is the cover of The Chats‘ full-length debut album, High Risk Behaviour. I love that it looks like a gig flyer you’d see stapled on a phone pole somewhere in Sydney, Australia. Don’t let the simplicity of the cover fool you. These three young Aussie punks have crafted a fun record that blasts out of your speakers and has more attitude than several hardcore bands combined.
Lead track, “Stinker,” starts so fast you almost think part of the track is missing. The Stooges-like chords are immediately apparent as lead singer and bassist Eamon Sandwith sings about waking up after a wild party weekend to discover his place is trashed…again. I’m not sure if his bass riffs or drummer Matt Boggis‘ high-hat work is fiercer on “Drunk and Disorderly.” Guitarist Josh “Pricey” Price takes over lead vocals on “The Clap,” which is, as the band’s press materials state, “the closest you’ll ever hear The Chats get to write a love song.”
“Identity Theft” is a tale of woe as Sandwith sings about his identity being stolen while buying drugs on the internet. What’s he supposed to do? Report it to the police? “Guns” is an absolute middle finger in the eye toward U.S. gun culture. “Little Johnny had V.D., but went on a shooting spree. Learned it from the TV, USA let him free. Kids need guns!” Price’s solo on it is particularly sharp.
“Dine and Dash” is about loading up on food and splitting before you pay. “Keep the Grubs Out” is a spoken-word piece (backed by chugging, fuzzy guitars) about a security guard, a manager, and a business owner telling the band (and I’m sure these are direct quotes) they’re not proper social class and / or look appropriate and thus are not welcome in the venue / restaurant / business. The songs ends with the line, “Feel free to come back when you get a haircut.”
“Pub Feed” is a salute to bar food, not to mention one of the hottest tracks on the record. “Ross River” is a song about picking up a nasty infection from people Sandwith has met at shows and pubs. Good grief, that sounds pretty prophetic nowadays, doesn’t it? “Heatstroke” does indeed sizzle. “I discriminate ’em all the same,” Sandwith sings on “Billy Backwash’s Day” – a track about a guy looking for a fight anywhere he can find it.
“4573” is a great call-and-response punk track. The last two tracks on the album are a nice pairing – “Do What I Want” and “Better Than You.” The first is a song about defiant independence. The other has the band claiming they’re better than those who would sneer down at them because at least they’re honest and not trapped by the constant need to impress anyone else.
It’s a record that will make you laugh, cheer, mosh, and hungry. That’s a winner in my book.
Keep your mind open.
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