Death By Unga Bunga – Heavy Male Insecurity 
(Jansen Records)
Release Date: Out Now
I have been eagerly following
this bunch of Norwegian rockers with hearts for a while now so getting my hands
on this new album is a treat that I want to share with you all because I’m
feeling generous. ‘Heavy Male Insecurity’ is a 10 track collection (perfect
length) that covers a lot of ground and issues so we’d better get down to
business.
‘Modern Man’ kicks things off at
a hundred miles an hour and any fans of Les Anges, Grasshow and Fungus will immediately
be in their element with sneering vocals, garage-punk drums and fuzzy guitars
played at pace. On ‘Egocentric’ the pace settles down slightly, slipping in to
a Weezer-esque groove as they sing “I’m egocentric when I’m in the zone” before
‘My Buddy’ treats us to the band’s trademark rock’n’roll with melodies to die
for. The searing guitars and drums of ‘Not Like The Others’ introduces an
anthem for the outsiders while ‘All Pain No Gain’ takes influences from the
Clash and 70s American rock but putting that Scandinavian spin on things to
keep it fresh in the way SPAN used to do in their prime.
If you’re looking for a shy and awkward
love song with crunchy guitars a la Wheatus then ‘Like Your Style’ is the one
for you but ‘Live Until I Die’ is more direct, punchy and upbeat with guitars
pinging and zipping everywhere as they try to keep up with an urgent beat. The
garage-rock energy on ‘Trouble’ is infectious to say the least - like the Foo
Fighters jamming out old Beach Boys songs in a basement somewhere on old
guitars. ‘Faster Than Light’ is a real standout track that puts the melodies
ahead of the rock’n’roll power to create the kind of tune that should do well
on radio.
As the album closes out on ‘White
Lies’, we are treated to five and a half minutes of rock’n’roll fun that sits somewhere
between the Darkness and Spinal Tap but with a fresher energy and a great deal
more sincerity. If you’re looking for some new rock stars to lead you out of
the darkness of this seemingly never-ending pandemic then Death By Unga Bunga
are they and even if you’re not you should really give this album a spin, it
will only serve to make your life better.