★★★★☆
Like an episode ofRen & Stimpydirected by Lars von Trier, Tyrannamen’s self-titled debut is equal parts slapstick, sex and the surreal.
It’s a deliberately off-kilter mess, one with a thrilling disregard for the normal rules of the album. Even by the standards of punk and garage rock, this is a defiant record.
Choruses appear out of nowhere, and there’s a kind of contrarian cheekiness to the lyrics. The ironically titled ‘Happiness’ is largely concerned with the shedding of tears, while the romantic implications of ‘Diamond Ring’ are undone by the twangy perversity of the guitars that carry the number over the threshold.Everything feels held together with old gum and Band-Aids, and the threat of disintegration hangs heavy over songs like anthemic opener ‘I Can’t Read’ and album highlight ‘Ice Age’. Though the piece is unashamedly lo-fi from the get-go, there’s a kind of overstuffed glamour to proceedings that recalls glam and cock rock; a swaggering oversaturation that brings it ever closer to the point of total collapse.
Like a rusty nail rising to the surface in a jar of baby food, Tyrannamen is an unexpected shock of the most perverse order. But perhaps most surprising is not its perversity or crudity; rather it’s how goddamn lovable this record turns out to be.
Tyrannamen’s self-titled release is now available throughCool Death.
