Lutruwita/Tasmanian outfit 208L Containers have just released a blast of iridescent joy from the intense furnace of their creative minds in ‘Soft Monstrous Masses!’. Sardonic and unashamedly Australian-accented voices sing of a range of familiar and alien concepts laced with humour and a thousand yard stare, a mix of political observations with tales of the vicissitudes and absurdities of life.
Local references pepper the tracks – ‘Hey Siri (bring Back the Thylacine)’ and its reference to the local Cripps Bakery – and very Australian concepts that so obsess the public and the media (the RBA, early elections and pork barreling). The hilarious ‘Unemployed Bees’ mixes a little environmental message into the mundanities of life along with a comprehensive list of honey varietals.
Musically there is an angular punky sound that has a slight funk to it – a stop/start, quiet/loud motion that is restless and full of untrammelled energy. Very similar to recent visitors to our shores (New Zealand’s Ringlets) there is a half spoken, half sung brittle frantic sound that ranges wild-eyed over the sonic terrain – witness the hoe-down madness of ‘Rose’ or the frenetic pace of ‘Where Will We Park?’.
‘Secret Servers’ is a brash attitude laden slice of punk with a funky overlay and a shouty sardonic delivery – an antipodean version of bands like Idles or Fontaines D.C. with an arched brow and a hand on hip. The larrikin humour shines through – I would google anything – but I wouldn’t google that – and the band’s irreverence is captured perfectly in the accompanying video directed by the multitalented artist SPOD.
Deep at the core is that larrikin antipodean sense of humour that is quite frankly hilarious – the titles of the songs alone would fill a set at a stand-up comedy festival. But there is a serious undertone – subtle political commentary. And yet backing this barrage of barracking is musicianship of the highest degree – an unique brand of punk rock operatic theatre that has almost a jazz funk component with its ambulant slapping bass and hyperactive buzzsaw edge.
‘Soft Monstrous Masses!’ is at times hilarious, sometimes serious, sometimes both, and often whacky, but is consistently a highly entertaining album that shows a band at its creative and musical heights. And you get the sense that they don’t care what I or anyone else thinks. They just play and have a bit of serious fun.
I first came across when they supported Pond at the Altar Bar in Hobart back in 2024 and lauded them for their performance – noting that they had:
…a native form of lutruwita punk that has a unique sound – abrasive yet intelligent, laced with humour and a self-deprecating air. (They were) were highly entertaining – an acrobatic and enigmatic lead singer Richie Cuskelly loaded with charisma led the charge supported by a passionate, energetic band. The music was not a homogenous blast of predictable punk – there were moments of pure pop brilliance and an endearing vaguely chaotic approach.
A very exciting band indeed.
The album is out now and available through the very cool Rough Skies Records (a veritable Tasmanian institution run by Julian Teakle from the magnificent Native Cats and Claire Johnston of local Hobart institution Slag Queens). You can get it here and through the link below.
