Viagra Boys’ new album Welfare Jazz fuses elements of jazz, post-punk and folk in perfect harmony. The Stockholm, Sweden-based band is composed of jazz-gone-post-punk musicians unafraid to push the boundaries of modern alternative music.
The album begins with “Ain’t Nice”, capturing the classic Viagra Boys sound with some droning sax in the background, easing listeners into jazzy saxophone-solo transitional track “Cold Play.” The track “Toad” comes full force with the jazzy vocals and basslines you’d expect from an album titled Welfare Jazz — this was a standout track for me because of the layering, movement and gradual build of the song. It’s a modern take on a classic jazz sound with low, jazz-meets-rockabilly type vocals.
The album veers out of the jazz-forward sound by the middle of the album, with layered guitar instrumentals on “6 Shooter” and droned, warped noises and heavy basslines. What stands out most about this album are the last two tracks “To The Country” and “In Spite Of Ourselves.” These two songs are a shift from the jazz, post-punk and experimental themes in the other songs, showcasing a more folky, almost country sound.
Welfare Jazz is absolutely worth a listen for anyone with experimental taste. The stark contrast between each song balances through transitional tracks featuring samples, noise and instruments that capture the talents of the multifaceted musicians that make up Viagra Boys.
