Tropical Fuck Storm – Fairyland Codex

Fire

For all the anarchic trappings that proceed Australia’s profanity-framed Tropical Fuck Storm, there is clearly a lot more craft and imagination at play when the enterprise is examined up-close, as this first full-length release for a new home at Fire Records attests. As the quartet’s fourth LP-sized outing in all, Fairyland Codex bears the hallmarks of finding a creative sweet spot between swampy sleaziness and more imaginative intricacies.

Key to the alchemical achievements gathered here are the amorphous arrangements forged by guitarist Gareth Liddiard, bassist Fiona Kitschin, multi-instrumentalist Erica Dunn and drummer Lauren Hammel, with the interchanging vocal frontline of all but the latter. Consequently, Fairyland Codex serves itself a richly bubbling stew of sounds overlaid by its commanding lyrics-wielding characters.

Whilst as openers “Irukandji Syndrome” and “Goon Show” go for fairly straight-ahead post-Birthday Party rawness, with a few twists of blues-rock-mode PJ Harvey, by the turn of “Stepping On Rake” greater subtly takes over as a warmer, almost wistful approach arrives with layered singing and languid instrumental prowling. Thereafter, the ensemble-melded mutations become increasingly interesting.

Thus, “Teeth Marché” rides a bass-led Tortoise-shelled rubbery groove throughout; the magnificent near-nine-minute title track stretches and sprawls like the best of latter-decades Tom Waits; “Dunning Kruger’s Loser Cruiser” and “Bloodsport” both zigzag along as a terrific call-and-response gang stompers; “Joe Meek Will Inherit The Earth” seamlessly switches between dub reggae and jazz-laced shapes; “Bye Bye Snake Eyes” slides into a well-fitting rootsy folk-country skin; and the closing “Moscovium” rages quietly as well as noisily into the sunset.

Although from a band named to be forever self-limited by NSFW filtering, the compelling Fairyland Codex packs in a lot of artistic ambition into ten communally constructed songs that will bring fascination and reward to those that find it beyond any points of obstruction.

-Adrian-