Loaded Album of the week
By Fred Spanner
These New South Whales: Godspeed ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Godspeed, the latest chaos-pop missile from These New South Whales, is absolutely begging for attention. From the first barked vocal to the last scrunched-up guitar squeal, the band sound like they’ve finally stopped pretending they’re a parody of themselves and decided to become the real thing, only sweatier. It’s punk wired with synthy panic.
The record barrels forward with a sort of charming incompetence that’s actually just very calculated competence. Tracks flip between frantic riffs and unexpectedly glossy hooks, and by the time you hit the midpoint, you’re wondering whether the band are trying to start a mosh pit or sell you a protein shake.
Either way, it works. Their sense of humour is still intact too, with the usual self-deprecating lyrics, manic energy, and a delivery that suggests they’d happily set themselves on fire for a good chorus.