When I learned that Spacejunk’s second full-length album Bite Your Tongue was mastered by Mikey Young (of Eddy Current Suppression Ring) and recorded by Graveyard Train’s Matt Duffy on top of a bar in North Melbourne, I knew we would be in for a treat.
The Melbourne four-piece embody the heart and soul of old school Aussie rock – the sound, the edge, the talent and even the rock star pseudonyms. They established a loyal following in the local bar scene and made clear their intentions to deliver fuzzed out guitar-driven rock with their self-titleddebut album in 2014. However, with the release of Bite Your Tongue, it seems Spacejunk are determined to push the boundaries and discover new frontiers in their collective psyche.
The fast and firm drumming in the opening bars of Raised By Snakes set the tempo before frontman Mark E. Moon’s seasoned vocals take the spotlight. Moon’s frantic pleas make track two, Something I Know I Don’t Know, a haunting favourite, while the explosive rhythm guitar on When It Rains perfectly rounds off the first half of the ten track offering.
Warning kicks off the record’s second half with a distinctly psychedelic vibe that leads into an all-out grunge assault. Moon and bass player Betty Righteous share vocals on Better Now, which features just the right amount of distortion.
The essence of the albumcan be heard in the chorus of penultimate track, Time Of My Time. In this quintessential punk anthem Moon unleashes the beast, repeating the lines, “Sorry I got so wasted / Sorry I got so high / Sorry I crashed your party / I had the time of my life.”And so did I listening to Bite Your Tongue.
BY NATALIE ROGERS
