The Murlocs - 'Compos Mentis'
Australian psych-rock maestros The Murlocs return with blazing new single ‘Compos Mentis’ from upcoming album Rapscallion.
After a year-long break since their 2021 release ‘Bittersweet Demons’, which peaked at 6th in the Australian charts, the prominent band are back with yet another psych-rock gem which is sure to send you flying. Led by Ambrose Kenny-Smith (also known for their involvement in King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard) yet again show just how fanatical they are about their craft, announcing their sixth full-length album since their debut in 2014.
Produced in the initial stages of the pandemic in 2020, ‘Corpos Mentis’ shows a softer and more pensative approach to songwriting from The Murlocs, yet still packed with fuzzy guitar tones, enthusiastic and heartfelt vocals from Ambrose, and sterling psychedelic brightness which shows the band still vividly represent modern psychedelia, whilst venturing forth into newer territory such as post-punk and stoner-rock.
The lyricism takes the perspective of what is clearly someone who is living through rough times, waking up on a pavement surrounded by stray dogs thinking of how they have been “left to die” and whether they are truly in control of their own mind. Backed by lively guitar riffs from Callum Shortal (also the guitarist of ORB), and a tantalising bass line by Cook Craig (also of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard) it is hard not to feel absorbed by the harmonic beauty of this song.
This and many other narrative perspectives are the driving force of the upcoming record which is described as a 12-track coming of age novel in the form of an album, going through the day-to day lives of a startling cast of misfit characters ranging from teenage vagabonds all the way to truck stop transient. The inspiration for this theme is said to be inspired by the frontman’s youth as a nomadic skate kid.
Rapscallion is set to be released on the 16th of September on ATO Records, an exciting record which is sure to put on show more psych enchantment and interesting tales from The Murlocs.
Words by Jay Cohen
