Sebastian Murphy, lead singer and songwriter for Swedish post-punk giants Viagra Boys, said their latest album, Viagr Aboys, was an exploration of real life meeting high art and that the album is admittedly “a bit simple and stupid,” because he and his bandmates were exhausted by world politics and wanted to create something fun. Even the album art is goofy, as Murphy wanted the band’s name to be symmetrical on the cover and it ended up split in half.
Is life art or is art life? That’s the overall theme of the album. “Man Made of Meat” gets the album off to a fun start with call-and-response vocals about Internet culture and how it turns people into constant consumers and promoters (“I hope they see me in the drive-thru lane!” / “I don’t want to pay for anything. Clothes and food and drugs for free. If it was 1970, I’d have a job in a factory.” / “I’ve subscribed to your mom’s Only Fans.”). “The Bog Body” is based on a real museum exhibit of exhumed, preservered bodies found in bogs that Murphy’s girlfriend became somewhat obsessed with, which Murphy found fascinating. Again, life is art, and the reactions to it, often pompous ones, can be humorous (“Do you even know the difference between a swamp and an ancient bog?”).
“Uno II” is a goofy tale about Murphy’s dog and the constant veterinarian bills she produces. Elias Jungqvist’s synthesizers and Oskar Carls’ flute turn the story into a somewhat dreamy tune. “Pyramid of Health” has Murphy facing how his partying life is affecting his body and all the weird advice he’s received to fix it. “Dirty Boyz” is another witty takedown of bro-culture with killer beats from Tor Sjödén.
“Medicine for Horses” could be about ketamine, but it’s really about wanting to do something significant before one’s death and being remembered afterwards. Carls’ saxophone is as lonely as Murphy’s voice. “Waterboy” references dancing, singing raisins and aimlessly wandering through life without purpose (“Livin’ like this, you won’t live long.”). “Store Policy” is so angry and rough that it’s probably based on a true story that happened to Murphy. Henrik Höckert’s bass is, as always, thick and crushing. The grooves he creates are often jaw-dropping. The whole band hits hard on it. Carls’ flute notes stab at you, Linus Hillborg’s guitar sounds like a bandsaw breaking down, Jungqvist’s synths throb like Bruce Banner turning into the Hulk, Sjödén’s beats go full-cyborg, and Murphy snarls and growls the whole time.
“You N33d Me” gets you dancing (again, that bass by Höckert!) and is another spin on how many people have gleefully allowed their lives to become art / products to be consumed by others. “Best in Show Pt. IV” (another one about life being displayed as an exhibition) is the longest track on the album as Murphy seems to be speaking stream-of-consciousness lyrics about weird trips and how he’s losing his mind (“I need access to heaven, or ain’t none of this is gonna work out.”). “River King” is just Murphy’s voice, Jungqvist’s piano, and Carls’ saxophone spinning a tale of Murphy’s desire for a lost relationship.
You get four extra tracks if you pick up the Japanese deluxe edition of Viagr Aboys: “Therapy II” (a bit of a riff “The Bog Body” grooves with a definite Devo influence), “Middleage(d) Humanoid” (with Höckert’s bass as heavy as Thor’s hammer), “Watching You” (a cool showcase of Jungqvist’s skills and Sjödén’s programmed beats), and “Cumboy” (in which Hillborg demonstrates that he can play shoegaze anytime he wants).
Yes, art is life and life is art. There’s more to it than politics, Internet clicks, maxing, and fleeting fame. Viagra Boys have been reminding us about this (and warning us of the embrace of toxicity) for years, and Viagr Aboys is another important message from them.
And it’s silly, which is much needed in today’s world.
Keep your mind open.
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