The Murlocs - Bittersweet Demons//Album Review
It’s been no more than 2 years since Australian five piece The Murlocs released their 4th album, “Manic Candid Episode”, and during the band’s 10 year life span they’ve been consistent with their unique brand of wild, harmonica driven RnB. Bittersweet Demons has been described by the band as their most experimental album to date, and while Ambrose’s bluesy harmonica sounds still bind the songs together distinctively, this record sees the band take on a different sound, and it feels a lot more considered and subdued than previous records.
The first song is an upbeat track that has an air of freedom about it. “Francesca” is about the singers mother finding love for the first time after separating from his father - “This has changed her spirit immensely for the better. You can really see the pop in her step as this enormous weight has been lifted off her shoulders” explains Ambrose. It’s an unusually positive and wholesome subject matter for the band, and the songs backstory shines through its buoyant bass line and fast paced tempo.
Beyond “Francesca” we have a collection of songs that are both sincere and reflective, and while there are still bursts of raucous energy here and there, The Murlocs have adopted a slower and more soulful sound. The title track “Bittersweet Demons”s poignant lyrics detail the singer’s loss of a close friend - “Live out of love not reward you’re the angel I adored. Lionised through the eyes of the ones left behind”. Unlike their previous records, this album was written predominantly around the piano, which emphasises it’s contemplative themes.
Mental health issues are interlaced with many of the stories told on this album. The slow ballad “Eating at You” seems to tell the story of someone stuck and struggling “Like a shook up Coca Cola about to burst. Why you gotta be rich to see a psychiatrist for words that circle toward all the obvious”, while the aptly named “No Self Control” details addiction troubles and possibly manic depressive episodes.
One of the album highlights is “Skyrocket”, an uplifting and powerful song that appears to describe a break through in self reflection after a relationship rift. As it builds up to a rapturous ending the singer advises “Don’t bribe the judge, don’t be corrupt, don’t wrongly rub off anyone”. In fact much of the second half of the album focuses on broken down relationships. “Limerence” circles around an obsessive romance ending regretfully, the perfect song to nurse the pain of a broken heart, while “Blue Eyed Runner” describes a more complicated story of failed connections with a feeling of remorse. To finish the album there is the cathartic “Misinterpreted”, a cautionary song that tells of the perils of judging others.
In summary this album strikes me as a coming of age record, a collection of songs that have been written after realising things that might have been hard to swallow initially. There is a sadness there, but ultimately it’s an album about looking to the future with new found wisdom. While this is a different direction for a band that usually sounds a bit more ferocious, this is a genuine and heartfelt record that will resonate with a lot of people.
