It’s not difficult to be immediately fascinated by the Psychedelic Porn Crumpets. The chaos of their name alone is provocative, but their sixth album, Fronzoli (2023), takes their intrigue to a whole other level.
I’ve been an adoring fan since I first started listening around 2020 and an obsessed freak ever since I saw them live at The Crocodile in Seattle in 2022. Their constant flow of releases has made following their growth as a band effortless. Made up of five stellar musicians, this Australian rock group is taking after its psychedelic predecessors, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard and Tame Impala. Since the album’s release in November, the Crumpets have embarked on a tour across North America, Europe, and Australia, where they’ll join their major influence, the hard rock duo Royal Blood.
Though their most heavily distorted recording, Fronzoli features the group’s technical skills with perfectly imperfect harmonies and occasional moments of delicate finger-picking. You’re thrown around from trippy hooks to acoustic intermissions, but the groove never wavers. One of the most memorable songs, “Illusions of Grandeur,” demonstrates this swift progression into unexpected calm with a picturesque ballad describing the effect of the advancement of technology and artificial intelligence. Aside from this odd cautionary tale, most of the songs emphasize only imagery and dreamlike storylines over specific messages.
The opening track, “Nootmare (K.I.L.L.I.n.G) [Meow!],” allows for absolutely no emotional preparation. It’s as if you join the song at its climax, and are quickly attacked by aggressive noodling followed by a satisfying drop. The introduction sets the tone for the album with impressive riffing and a grounding beat.
At first listen, the overall level of fuzz was overwhelming, especially during the spoken vocal interludes. The buzzing characteristic present in Night Gnomes, their 2022 release, was implemented in Fronzoli and almost overused. This departure from clean complexity feels immature and the pauses for dramatic narration mid-song just make it less coherent.
Even so, these tunes reiterate the band’s knack for making psych rock — and borderline prog rock — catchy. “Sierra Nevada” and “Dilemma Us from Evil” alternate between acoustic and electric guitar within rhythmic verses to produce ear worms with intermittent, mind-bending solos. The consistency in sonic themes throughout this album makes it slightly less daunting for those not accustomed to psychedelic rock because of the added structure. Almost every track includes a half time breakdown of the chorus or verse, tethering you back to the beat and topping it with a plethora of dynamics.
Admittedly, it felt unnatural to move on from the musical mastery shown in earlier releases like High Visceral Pt. 1 and embrace Fronzoli’s surplus of effects. Despite this deviation from their usual soft psychedelia, its no-skip qualities and instant mood-changing powers make it an essential addition for listeners who span multiple genres.
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