Here, Viagra Boys reassert their belief in music’s fundamental purpose by offering an exhilarating journey into visceral enjoyment, infused with their signature sardonic wit. ‘Viagr Aboys’ dissects the band’s idiosyncratic charm and dark humour while delving deeper into their post-punk roots.
Four albums in, Man Made of Meat offers an enthralling, surreal gateway into to the bizarre universe of Viagra Boys for any latecomers. The lyrics, inspired by frontman Sebastian Murphy wandering the endless aisles of Walmart stores during American tours, create an oddly compelling narrative. “I’m a man that’s made of meat / you’re on the internet looking at feet,” he intones. “I hate almost everything that I see / And I just wanna disappear.”
Broadly, ‘Viagr Aboys’ veers away from the conceptual threads and electronic interludes that characterised 2022’s ‘Cave World’.
Instead, it delivers a barrage of unskippable anthems that critique a wide spectrum of societal issues, from ingrained sexism on The Bog Body to the insanity of health fads on Pyramid of Health. Throughout, Murphy uses his unsettling comedic perspective to observe his identity within an increasingly peculiar reality, oscillating between the mundane and the arcane.
Medicine for Horses is a weirdo ballad revolving around spinal fluid, while the charmingly disorienting Uno II unfolds from the bewildering viewpoint of Murphy’s perplexed greyhound. Following their unpicking of toxic masculinity on ‘Cave World’, here the band cast a wider net, lampooning societal eccentricities and blurring the lines between the observer and the observed.
Musically, ‘Viagr Aboys’ is both hazy and surprisingly sharp. The rhythmically unnerving You N33d Me and the nightmarishly infectious dancehall punk of Store Policy lay the groundwork for an adventurous sound. Waterboy channels their time on the road with Queens of the Stone Age through its frenzied guitars and a piercing synth riffs. The album gracefully transitions from raw punk to unexpected moments of sincerity, culminating in the poignant piano denouement River King.
‘Viagr Aboys’ presents a daring examination of personal and societal disconnection with unfiltered energy and razor-sharp humour. It propels Viagra Boys into a new phase, laughing bleakly at an absurd world while providing ammo for their remarkable live show.
Viagra Boys Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Thu May 01 2025 - MANCHESTER O2 Victoria Warehouse
Fri May 02 2025 - DUBLIN 3Olympia Theatre
Sat May 03 2025 - DUBLIN 3Olympia Theatre
Mon May 05 2025 - GLASGOW Barrowland
Tue May 06 2025 - LONDON O2 Academy Brixton
Fri March 06 2026 - LONDON Alexandra Palace
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