The Murlocs – Calm Ya Farm
The Murlocs – Calm Ya Farm
Format: Vinyl LP – Digital
Label: ATO Records
Release: 2023
Release date: May 19, 2023
Melbourne’s The Murlocs have announced their brand new studio album “Calm Ya Farm”.
Following quickly on their 2022 garage-psych opus “Rapscallion”, the band initially set out with a vision of creating a quintessential country-rock record; inspired by an iconic album like The Byrds’ “Sweetheart Of The Rodeo”, as well as the hazier edges of the mid-’70s British pub-rock scene.
Spiked with The Murlocs’ signature breed of sharply crafted garage-punk – and with lead vocalist, guitarist & harmonica triple threat Ambrose Kenny-Smith’s surrealist musings on the ever-turbulent world around him – the new collection ultimately twists country-rock convention into a free-flowing album fully in touch with the frenetic energy of modern life.
Recorded in their home studios and mixed by repeat collaborator John Lee (and mastered by Joe Carra), “Calm Ya Farm” brings that sun-drenched sound, unfolds in more elaborate and sophisticated arrangements and achieves new sonic depths largely by creating space for all five members to pursue their most eccentric impulses; “With this record we tried to steer away from all the distortion, dirt and grit, or at least let the grit come off a bit more clean-sounding”, says Kenny-Smith, who, in addition to guitarist Callum Shortal (Orb), drummer Matt Blach (Beans) and keyboardist Tim Karmouche (Crepes), also plays with bassist Cook Craig in the globally beloved Australian psych-rock powerhouse King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard.
Over the course of its 12 wildly catchy tracks, the new album touches on everything from the vicious tone of political discourse to the brain-addling effect of conspiracy theories, adorned with such unexpected flourishes as lush flute melodies, potent flamenco-guitar riffs and dreamlike Farfisa tones.
While “Calm Ya Farm” contains plenty of frenzied tension, the album quickly reveals its power to ease the listener into a more serene state of mind. This is fitting for the album’s title which Kenny-Smith explains: “It’s something my partner always says to me when I’m feeling stressed-out or anxious. It made sense with the whole country theme of the record, but it’s generally a good reminder for day-to-day life. Now whenever I look down, I can remember to just chill out and take everything a little easier”.
Website: https://unclemurl.com/
Tracks:
01. Initiative
02. Common Sense Civilian
03. Russian Roulette
04. Superstitious Insights
05. Centennial Perspective
06. Queen Pinky
07. Undone And Unashamed
08. Captain Cotton Mouth
09. Catfish
10. Smithereens
11. Forbidden Toad
12. Aletophyte