Bad//Dreems
Doomsday Ballet
Farmer & The Owl
Fast-paced, sweaty Aussie rock band Bad//Dreems are at it again with their 12-track, third album Doomsday Ballet. But there is a noticeable twist on their old style to bring on this next chapter, a cleaner loud-and-soft duality thanks to the help of new producers Burke Reid and Jack Ladder. They have a crafted style which is upfront and expressive, with the varying tempos to tell two tales.
You are welcomed to the album with a badass baseline of Morning Rain. The first few songs are fast paced tracks to knock you around and throw you into the deep end, with nothing held back. Anger and rage are the welcome mat they throw at your feet, to see if you are ready to step into their sound. The cycle of high to low tempo continues throughout the album letting you ride the wave of sound, so better bring your surfboard.
Sally’s Place sounds like a lost memory of good times and bad. A place in the past but never forgotten. The song is nostalgic sounding, achieving a level of connectivity to make you feel as if you are walking in their shoes. The grungier tones pick up from time to time with an offbeat hard strum slamming a light distortion.
Low Life is all about the cheek of the message. Its in your face lyrics are hitting hard on the ear drum, adding to the song’s repetitive state of mind. “Punch in, Punch out, Punch in, Punch out, Clock in, Clock out, Get in, Get out,” rings throughout the song – tying a knot around time and making sure you don’t forget. The setting puts people’s days on a conveyor belt of time, showing their rage for a content society with that cycle on repeat. So where do you stand? As with the concept of time play in Sunrise/Sunset by Bright Eyes or Pure Imagination by Richie Cunning, their message of are you going to live on continual repeat or actually do something with it is a real thought provoker. The lyrics are rough and raw, slapping the listener in the face; the power chords and rock of this song make it a banger.
Younger takes you down memory lane to smack you in the face with the old days when nothing mattered but being around good friends; being young, wild and free. It’s like they are looking back and remembering the good times, not really knowing what’s next but falling back into memory lane and stomping around in the days which felt simpler.
The album enters a descrendo with the final number Gallows, filled with ambient tones and moments of silence. It’s a nice closer to the album as the dance slowly fades away into the frequency of sound.
Doomsday Ballet may not be everyone’s cup of tea with its hard style, raw lyrics and intimidating pace (at times) but there is a lot to be appreciated when listened to in full. Bad//Dreems bring a defining sound to the Australian new rock scene, with their true blue, stuck in throat Aussie style reminiscent of WA’s own Peter Bibby. Listening to their album you find a rich range of diversity and the title is truly fitting as they dance softly at times and then open up the sky to let it fall down with their armageddon of rage.
There are moments to reflect, moments to feel their struggle and moments to head bang in the car on your way to the beach.
JACKSON MEAD
