Album Articulation #3: If It Sucks, Turn It Up by Dune Rats
The chaos of a punk rocker a la rats.
I don't wanna deal with it
I don't think you're listening
If it sucks, turn it up
If it sucks, turn it up, yeah
If It Sucks, Turn It Up - Dune Rats
Album Articulation #3
Artist: Dune Rats
Album: If It Sucks, Turn It Up
Released: August 2, 2024
Genre: Punk Rock
Notable Songs
Be Like You
Sassy ‘na-na-na’s’ and falsetto teasing driven with great form and a fun, bouncy, energy.Cheapskate
Tasty flashback to the 90’s with a new rocking power-chord filled trip.
Vibes
Headbanging, rhythm-driven full sound on every track; Jack Wilkie of Clashmusic.com calls them “skating over the top”.
High energy, driving bass, drums, guitar, just propelling everything flying forward.
Power chords to fill out the sound almost constantly, barely any breaks for the ear.
Shorter tracks, succinct in their screaming; they need no extra time or complexity to get their point across.
Fuzzy, blown out, raspy, vocals deliver words to scream when you need to complain.
Tight but basic, simple vocal harmonies illuminate choruses and nonsense words.
Solar Eyes takes a different slower turn, still a driving beat and a punk message with whiney echoing falsetto.
Rhythm break in Cheapskate and fast section is a great 90s callback. Emma Johnston of Loudersound.com says they “slot right in with the Warped tour warriors”.
Actually pleasant to listen to, it’s not so hard punk it looses its charm.
Country twang in Beers, Bongs, & Bullshit is surprising; when settling down at the end of rocking out, what else would punk rockers want to do?
Album Cover Connections
A scene of chaotic debauchery!
So much going on you will miss a reference or a joke, just like how their music speeds on through; you better hang on.
Stereotypical punk references paint the scene: publicly displayed bodily functions, getting kicked out, fights, skateboarding, stealing, drinking, nudity, fire, smoking…
Punk audience inclusively includes all walks of life, including aliens.
Eye balls stare down at the scene instead of lights; they are being watched, observed constantly, as ne’er-do-wells often are.
So much movement, your eye barely can settle on the title created from piss and the artist’s name with a scratchy, imperfect, wibbly-wobbly font.
The bouncers as gruff-looking pigs lets you know their opinion on anyone abusing their power or trying to shut them down.
Love the people who are just mouths tounging it, there’s always one couple at every show no matter the genre.
I have to point out Gandalf handing someone a pacifier. If there’s a reference here, I have to know what it is.