Featuring members of The Shifters, The Living Eyes and Parsnip, ‘In The Wilderness’ is a beguiling record, full of twists and turns.
Anti Fade is more than just a record label. They have that whole Fast and the Furious ‘it’s all about family’ vibe going on with members from almost every band on their roster chopping and changing to lend their services to their mates’ newest side project. And somehow, every new project that the label boasts not only maintains a distinct flavour from one another, they seemingly get better and better.
The Toads are their newest offering.
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Finding their sound between the thin-wire garage rock guitar tones of Article 58 and the geeky, yet stoic nature of proto-punks The Modern Lovers, The Toads mark themselves as newcomers worth keeping an eye on.
Their debut In the Wilderness showcases the group’s self-described brand of ‘nervy post-punk scuffle’ with finesse– marrying sharp, tinny guitar tones with echoes of disco quirk and gothic drawl. Miles Jansen’s naturally despondent vocals uphold the group’s sound, with his nonchalant demeanour and deadpan delivery maintaining the angst and boredom of UK garage punk, whilst simultaneously channelling adding an adjacent playful larrikin wit.
Through a combination of ragged 1970s surf-punk riffs (‘Two Dozen Functions’), humdrum Brit-Pop melodies (‘Gimme Little More’), and minimalistic post-punk rhythms (‘The Next Door’), In the Wilderness marks itself as a debut release that continues to push the scope of Melbourne’s ever emerging DIY punk scene in refreshing new ways, while still giving a stern nod to the influences that have come before it.
Release: 09/06/2023
Label: Anti Fade Records
Check it out on Bandcamp here.
