Album Review: How's The Carry On!? by Sophisticated Dingo

I first discovered Melbourne, Australia’s Sophisticated Dingo due to CPRW’s Marcus buying their latest EP How’s The Carry On!? on Bandcamp. I’m always keen to check out bands I haven’t heard before so I clicked the play button. I discovered a delightful indie/garage punk act and knew I had to review them and share them with the CPRW audience.

The EP begins with the song Vultures. The first thing that struck me about the song was how much noise the band, who are just a two piece, could make. Sophisticated Dingo somehow have a huge sound that you would expect from a four piece band not just two. I assume that a large part of this is done with the use of effects pedals. The vocals are so distinctive, they are of a higher pitch and at times you can really feel the strain in the singer’s voice which is something I personally love. Vultures is a great opening track as it is filled with energy and gives a great example of what to expect from the rest of the EP. Mary begins with some 8bit music before the track starts proper. Continuing the high energy sound we first heard in the opener, this is a frantic song that has me thinking of Canadian pop punk heroes PUP. This is certainly the kind of track that will get a crowd going crazy in the pit. Mary is a love song dedicated to someone who comes into your life during a difficult time and makes it better. Without a doubt one of my favourite songs of the year.

The third song is named Ego. It starts out with an atmospheric sound and some drums before being joined by the guitar. This opening is such a big contrast to the opening two songs and shows a different side of Sophisticated Dingo. For the most part, the track goes along at a slower pace but there are moments when the song threatens to explode. Even the moments when the tempo is upped, it feels as if the band are using a lot more restraint. The penultimate track is titled Don’t Wanna Be and it starts with a jangly, raw sound that I like a lot. It gives the song an extra layer of emotion that really grabs your attention. The song is about feeling as if you’re being judged for your choices in life, in particular chasing your dreams no matter how unlikely they seem. The melody in the song is wonderful and really gets stuck in your head. It’s quite a wordy song but still manages to be packed with little ear worms meaning that you’ll be singing along to the song in no time at all. How’s The Carry On!? is finished with What Is Going On? Showcasing the band’s indie influences, the track could easily fit on all of your favourite indie playlists as well as some featuring punk bangers. As it’s a final song it does have a big ending that builds and captivates in equal measure before ending with a quiet fade out.

Sophisticated Dingo are definitely a band you should know if you enjoy your indie punk. Many bands from Australia have found success in the UK over the past few years and I really wouldn’t be surprised if Sophisticated Dingo were one of the next to do so.

Stream and download How's The Carry On!? on Bandcamp here.

Like Sophisticated Dingo on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.