Australian “shed rock” trio The Chats are a reminder of the importance of youthful delinquency and perverse creativity with their 14-song album High Risk Behaviour, which looks like a bargain bin record but plays like a tight (though less graceful) Buzzcocks LP. The band leans on conventional punk rock and presents it in a refreshing way with timeless first-world problems. The bass is punchy, the songs are mixed superbly, the breaks are clean and the vocals are snotty but extremely enjoyable.
The songs encase dysfunctional life in the state of Queensland, Australia with the rock ‘n’ roll trio of drugs, sex and drinking. The band hits the ground running with their first song, “Stinker,” a snappy number that visualizes a day in the life for an Aussie brat – crashing at a friend’s house with beers and trying to survive the heat. “Identity Theft” and “Pub Feed” are guaranteed favorites, not just because of their entertaining videos but also their clever composure. Both songs go barely beyond two minutes, so savor the shredding twangy guitars and hypnotic basslines.
“4573,” a reference to the band’s hometown post code, opens with guitar chords reminiscent of a Stiff Little Fingers hit and follows through with chants numbers over an intense solo. Their last song, “Better Than You,” seems to be the only time the band takes a breather between hit-and-run punk hits. This album is exciting, energetic and volatile, like a searing pan of popping oil or a brick of firecrackers going off. It’s sloppy, dirty and dangerous, but damn is it fun.
There’s parts of High Risk Behaviour that fall flat, though. “The Clap” and “The Kids Need Guns” aren’t as fun to listen to and their subjects fall out of good taste. Despite these nitpicks, the good of the album outweighs the bad.
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Hopefully more fun punk bands like The Chats to sprout up in our backyards and basements at the expense of our neighbors’ sleep schedules. They certainly deserve the recognition, as their record was released in March of 2020 (ouch!) and their opening act at Coachella was cancelled (along with all of Coachella this year, youch.) The album can be found on the band’s website for a good price, and shipping in the US won’t cost an arm and a leg. If you can, order a copy or ask your local record store to do it for you.
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