★★★★☆
“Psychedelic reggae ska doom metal punk rock band from hell” was the description The Bennies coined early in their career for their brand of party-flavoured ska/punk.
On their third album Wisdom Machine, the Melburnians have come their closest to creating something that can only be truly described by that label.
The Bennies still really love to party. Wisdom Machine’s lead single ‘Party Machine’ features the mantra of “One part party / One part machine” before exploding into a dance break. ‘Legalise (But Don’t Tax)’ is a Bennies protest song if there ever was one – no points for guessing what they’re looking to legalise.
These guys really are firing on all cylinders, making this album simultaneously more serious and more outlandish at the same time. Anty Horgan screams “YOLO motherfuckers!”on the aptly titled ‘Party Till I Die (Or Die Trying)’, but two songs later he’s singing about crooked cops on the dark and doomy track ‘Corruption’. Elsewhere, Jay Whalley from Frenzal Rhomb and Ezra Kire from Leftover Crack both provide guest vocals; Whalley in particular stealing the show with a tight ska verse on ‘Maybe We Should Get High’.
The Bennies have come through with their strongest release yet. Now let the party begin.
Wisdom MachinebyThe Bennies is out now throughPoison City.
