If It Sucks, Turn It Up

Someone once accused AC/DC of making the same album over and over again for over 40 years, while also pointing out that its a really GOOD album. One could say something similar about their fellow Australians Dune Rats -- stylistically and thematically, their first four albums (2014s Dune Rats, 2017s The Kids Will Know Its Bullshit, 2020s Hurry Up and Wait, and 2022s Real Rare Whale) were essentially interchangeable, loaded with sloppy but enthusiastic punk rock fortified with cheerfully lowbrow humor and frequent references to drugs and sex. Dune Rats commitment to concept has made them stars in Australia and earned them a healthy following elsewhere, but they appear to have realized not every band can get away with their level of recycling, and 2024s If It Sucks, Turn It Up is where they boldly attempt to add some new flavors to their formula. The first two tracks -- the title song and "Be Like You" -- are standard-issue Dune Rats and executed with their typical degree of skill and enthusiasm. Then comes "Solar Eyes," which sounds like an actual pop tune, with acoustic guitars, sweet harmonies, and a more measured tempo, and "Cheapskate" could almost pass for a dance track in dim light, with its funky percussion breaks and bursts of rap-influenced staccato vocals. "Main Beach" sounds more new wave than punk, with its quiet-loud-quiet structures and processed vocals, and the closer, "Beer, Bongs, and Bullshit," deals with their classic themes but with a gentler attack that sounds remarkably like a heartfelt celebration of friendship. Put it all together, and you get an LP that sounds like Dune Rats have made a genuine effort to grow creatively without having to mature. The lyrics are still the thoughts of post-teen dirtbags who dont have much on their minds other than getting baked and laughing at one another, though "Main Beach," "High Roller Selling Dope," and "Rich Kid Rehab" suggest their level of partying might catch up with them somewhere down the line. If It Sucks, Turn It Up tears through its ten songs in 29 minutes, wisely thinking that if fans dont like the change-of-pace tracks, they wont have to wait too long before returning to the bands normal programming. Dune Rats attempts to kinda sorta reinvent themselves arent always a roaring success, but none of them are abject failures either. If It Sucks, Turn It Up reveals they can change if they need to, though they are probably most comfortable just being their snotty, weed-addled selves. ~ Mark Deming