Drink to Better Days
Four|Four
Melbourne folk punk septet, Mutiny, has celebrated two decades of anarchic pirate punk by re-releasing many of their classic tunes under the banner of their latest studio album, Drink To Better Days. The first thing that can be said for the album is its mammoth track listing. A 20-year repertoire gives the band plenty of material to choose from, and the content-packed reflection feels almost biographical.
The tracks themselves are all strong, well-picked numbers, showcasing Mutiny’s classic fusion of folk instrumentation and punk ethos. The diversity of the album keeps it engaging, which is a difficult thing for a punk album of such length to accomplish, and the balladic approach to songwriting conjures strong, engaging narratives with satisfying conclusions, despite their brevity. Despite the strength of individual tracks, the album lacks cohesion. There’s no real journey laid out for listeners, making the whole thing feel like a somewhat haphazard arrangement of ‘best of’ hits.
Even so, Drink to Better Days is an enthralling listen and an excellent time capsule for the originality of these punk veterans.
SHAUN COWE
