★★

Though far from a perfect release, Dune Rats’ debut album was the embodiment of brilliant, dumb fun.

Tracks like ‘ET’, ‘Funny Guy’ and ‘Superman’ easily hold up as some of their best songs. The album’s breakout track, however – stoner anthem ‘Dalai Llama Big Banana Marijuana’ – does not.

The Kids Will Know It’s Bullshit is more than a response to the ‘Dalai Llama’ success; it’s a culmination of Dune Rats’ image as the most 4:20-friendly, fucked up band in Australia.

Starting off the album on a shaky note, ‘Six Pack’ is a roaring ode to underage drinking that sounds out of place being sung by these 20-somethings. ‘Demolition Derby’ is a throwback to earlier Dunies material with its destructively fast guitars and absurd lyrics – it could sit amongst the band’s strongest tracks if it weren’t for that grating outro.

Loaded with coddling drug references, the album’s weakest track ‘Scott Green’ is mercifully also its shortest. ‘Like Before’ features a Strokes-esque instrumental that barely meshes with its lyrics, which, predictably, are about getting fucked up.

Though its fun stoner-punk sound is familiar, The Kids Will Know It’s Bullshit is an ultimately hollow and pandering release, while Dune Rats’ persistent glorification of binge culture is misguided at best, and mean-spirited at worst.

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