Surrey-based grunge-pop outfit Dude Safari first graced our pages around this time last year when Jane included them in her Grunge Forever round-up. She also took the time to interview them. Now it’s my turn to feature their music, courtesy of their recently-released debut album YUSSUS.
By Graeme Smith
Feature photo by Daniel Blanchard
The thing that strikes you most about YUSSUS is the gamut of influences on display. Opening track Lead Balloon starts things off in an Ash-like way, with echoing guitar and emotional vocals, while track two Bug Hunter channels the likes of American bands like Weezer and Cake.
Maybe It’s A UFO brings urgent guitar and surreal, nihilistic storytelling while Big Worse oozes with pop appeal. It’s a real earworm. I’m No Good (At Any Sports) appeared in the aforementioned Grunge Forever round up and sits nicely in the running order here, providing a vibrant, punk energy. Mr. Prickles rounds off the first half of the album. With a patient build up and lyrics that brim with paranoia, it’s a highlight.
Doom & Bloom opens the second half of the album in a big way, with hard drums, heavy riffs and pleading vocals. Born To Lose gives us a stripped-back moment before diving headlong into one of the album’s grungiest moments. Treading Water keeps things grungy, but adds rousing percussion and a riff that will stick with you.
Godzilla has a giant energy, worthy of its name-sake. It’s one for the hard rockers. I’ll Entertain Ya slows things down for a comparatively gentle moment of heart-breaking indie rock. Until I Disappear finishes things off. Just when you think you’ve heard all the dimensions Dude Safari have to offer, they drop this boundary-pushing closer. It’s another highlight.
It’s rare for an album to feel both eclectic and cohesive but that’s what Dude Safari has pulled off with this debut. It’s a must-listen if you’ve found an affinity with ’90s rock of any flavour. YUSSUS is an album that should be getting Dude Safari on a lot of people’s radars. You can check out the whole thing below.
