Viagra Boys : Viagr Aboys
In classic Viagra Boys fashion, the first track of their fourth album, (the nearly self-titled) Viagr Aboys, puts us right back in the sloppy, satire-laden mosh pit of the Swedish punk rockers. Opener “Man Made of Meat” finds frontman Sebastian Murphy in his sweet spot—poking fun at people who quite frankly, spend too much time on the internet, and not enough time touching grass. There’s nearly a layer of cruelty to it, but Murphy’s observations come from his place as an outsider, taking it all in. Murphy sings, “I’m a man that’s made of meat / you’re on the internet looking at feet / I hate almost everything that I see / And I just wanna disappear.” It’s the outlandish satire that Viagra Boys have made their brand: fueled by Murphy’s unabashed vocal deliveries, bold lyrics, and the band’s brash take on punk rock, their fourth album finds them faced with a fresh crop of baffling encounters.
While their last album, 2022’s Cave World, took its own jabs at the state of masculinity (see “Troglodyte”) this time around the boys seem to have an even more fun time lampooning the people they see both around them and online. There are moments where it becomes unclear if Murphy is singing about these bizarre dudes or peering through their own gaze. On “Pyramid of Health,” Murphy sings in a lax tone, “They say my stomach’s nearly fried from eating / Cigarettes for breakfast,” which sounds almost like a line lifted from Murphy’s onstage banter. Later in the song he sings, “The world we live in isn’t shaped like a sphere / It’s the shape of a pyramid or so I learned /By the liquid I was given by the little green worm,” giving flat-earthers a kick in the meridian.
Musically, Viagr Aboys has a hazy glow to it, most noticeably on tracks like “Medicine for Horses” and “Uno II.” Both tracks have a sharp layer of percussion bolstering the more dewy synths floating above them. “Uno II” carries a disorienting feeling, highlighting Oskar Carl’s lively flute performance against Henrik Hockert’s compact bass line, while Murphy sings from the perspective of his confused Italian Greyhound. There’s a swaying feel to “Medicine,” a moment of possible sincerity from Murphy, as he coos in a creepily calm way, “Take the fluid from my spine / put it in a mason jar and give it to our child.” With ethereal background vocals added by singer Klara Keller, it’s a haunting approach to a serenade. The band’s time touring with Queens of The Stone Age shows on “Waterboy,” with its bullish guitars and bass punctuated by a high pitched synth riff.
While their music definitely isn’t for those who want to dissociate from the current state of affairs, Viagr Aboys provides a cathartic reprieve from the constant chaos in the real world. Through their unapologetic approach to songwriting and composition, the group crafts 11 tracks for those who can’t help but be baffled by where we find ourselves now. But, by setting it to a driving rhythm, Viagra Boys can at least have a little fun along the way.
Label: Shrimptech Enterprises
Year: 2025
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