BLOG | OCT. 29, 2024

Amyl and the Sniffers: Cartoon Darkness


Australia has always had its fair share of rock and punk bands, and the tradition continues today with artists like The Chats,

, and Amyl and the Sniffers, just to name a few.

amyl

Amyl and the Sniffers new release,

Cartoon Darkness
, continues where they left off with 2021's
Comfort to Me. Cartoon Darkness
and its thirteen songs clocking in at just over 33 minutes, is a little rattier and raw sounding than
Comfort to Me
, which was a bit more produced and polished sounding. The lyrical themes range from social issues, AI and big tech, climate change, and war. The tracks range from the full on assault of songs like "It's Mine" and "Pigs", to the mellow and almost Courtney Barnett sounding "Big Dreams". Singer Amy Taylor is still channeling Wendy O. Williams of the Plasmatics, which is welcome in a world where so much of the music being released is sanitized, polished and packaged for the masses.

Produced and mixed by

(
Tape Op
#105), Cartoon Darkness is as mentioned a little less "big rock" sounding than its predecessor, but is still a well-crafted and thoughfully presented album with short, to the point songs with little to no fluff or self-indulgence.

Amyl and the Sniffers were guests on the

Tape Op Podcast
in 2022 and you can listen to that !

MORE ENTRIES

New Episode of Creative Recording with Tape Op: Drum Panning

December 26, 2024

New Episode of Creative Recording with Tape Op: Drum Panning

BY Geoff Stanfield

Check out the latest episode of ourCreative Recording with Tape Opvideo series.Tape Op's editor, Larry Crane, and our online publisher, Geoff Stanfiel...

The Go-Betweens box set G Stands for Go-Betweens, Vol. 3 (2000-2006) out now

December 17, 2024

The Go-Betweens box set G Stands for Go-Betweens, Vol. 3 (2000-2006) out now

BY Geoff Stanfield

In February 2000, I was lucky enough to record the legendary Australian group,The Go-Betweens, for their "comeback" album,The Friends of Rachel Worth....

Tape Op Staff Favorites 2024

December 16, 2024

Tape Op Staff Favorites 2024

BY Geoff Stanfield

Larry Crane

Juana Molina: EXHALO

December 13, 2024

Juana Molina: EXHALO

BY Geoff Stanfield

Sometimes when artists release compilations of "bonus" tracks, or songs that were recorded for an album but were left off, it is quite obvious why. Wi...

New Live Album From Nils Frahm: Paris

December 9, 2024

New Live Album From Nils Frahm: Paris

BY Geoff Stanfield

I’m normally not that into live albums, butNils Frahmis not a normal musician. I saw him play live in 2018 when I interviewed him forTape Op, and it w...

New Music From Sunroof: Electronic Music Improvisations, Vol.3

December 4, 2024

New Music From Sunroof: Electronic Music Improvisations, Vol.3

BY Geoff Stanfield

We interviewed bothGareth Jones(Depeche Mode, Erasure) andDaniel Miller(Mute Records, The Normal) inTape Op#110. Collectively they are Sunroof, and ha...

Miles '54: The Prestige Recordings

November 23, 2024

Miles '54: The Prestige Recordings

BY Geoff Stanfield

Craft Recordings has just released a select compilation of Miles Davis' recordings from 1954 for the Prestige label. I just got theMiles '54: The Pres...

New album and video, The Way Out of Easy, from Jeff Parker ETA IVtet

November 22, 2024

New album and video, The Way Out of Easy, from Jeff Parker ETA IVtet

BY Geoff Stanfield

The Way Out of Easyis the second album Jeff Parker (Tortoise) has released that was recorded live by Bryce Gonzales at The Enfield Tennis Academy to a...

New Video Series Episode: Best Place to Spend Money When Starting a Studio

November 22, 2024

New Video Series Episode: Best Place to Spend Money When Starting a Studio

BY Geoff Stanfield

Check out the new episode from ourCreative Recording With Tape Opseries!