South African post-punk/garage rock bad, The Medicine Dolls, have just released their raucous new album, ‘Filth and Wisdom’.
The Cape Town based trio are anything but dulcet, chucking the rule book out the window and riding their juggernaut of gritty, grunged up sound.
Growling the bass up to maximum impact, ‘Funeral Surf’ ignites the fuse to a bedrock of garage rock that takes no prisoners. With classic B-52 influences, the surfer meets underground punk imagery is inescapable, serving a cocktail of genres and blends perfect for a hungry palate.
Convulsing with dramatic vocal energy and prowess, ‘Vicious Little Sister’ burrows its way right into your brain. One can only imagine how amazing this track is going to sound live with their obvious flare for theatrics wrapped in the steely electricity of the guitar.
Toning down on the erratic sensibility, ‘She Tastes Like Cocaine’ is a spinning web of sinister slides and purrs, taking its time to spider over every bitter lyric in a devilish display of confidence.
Quickly flicking back to the B-52 reference, we have a cover of Rock Lobster, and it doesn’t disappoint. It’s practically impossible not to sing along anyway but basking in the sour disequilibrium of The Medicine Dolls version really is something else.
Another cover featured on the album (which is again impossible not to sing along to) is the classic Talking Heads single, ‘Psycho Killer’. Running with originality slightly more than the previous cover, the chorus of voices, brooding echo’s and female backing brings a darker, distinctive spin to a classic indie banger.
Dripping with sexy riffs and basking in the raucous temper of the album, The Medicine Dolls are in your face in the best of ways. Listening to the album is a somewhat an upsetting reminder of how amazing these guys must be live; however, this is enough of a fix for now. So, whilst we wait for life to become a little clearer (especially on gigs) you’ll find me headphones in and this album on full whack.
Listen here!