The Hard-Ons are the epitome of the Australian spirit and approach to life in general.
A mainstay on the punk music scene for just over four decades, the band have released thirteen albums to date, all laced with their laconic humour and catchy beats that ooze warmth and fun.
The band dropped a bit of a bombshell earlier this decade when it was revealed You Am I frontman Tim Rogers would be taking over as vocalist, and while all in sundry knew how talented Rogers was (is) there was still a litany of rumblings throughout fans as to how he would fit in with the formula.
Any and all fears were allayed with the triumphant first album with the new lineup, I’m Sorry Sir, That Riffs Been Taken with Rogers easing into his role with ease and putting his own stamp on the Hard-Ons without dominating, or, more importantly, altering their sound.
That album was almost written before Rogers joined the band, meaning he was effectively singing someone else’s songs, but that is about to change with the release on June 2 of the Hard-Ons new album Ripper ’23, a collection of twelve songs written and created entirely by the current incarnation of the band.
The album kicks off with lead single Apartment For Two, instantly tapping directly into the punk DNA that has highlighted their career.
It is a fast-paced and infectious track that harks back to the band’s origins all those years ago.
It sweeps along at a rapid pace, with original guitarist Blackie commanding a sonic stream of passion through his fingers that forces the rest of the band to comply.
Three Separate Lightbulb Moments starts with some form of vocal monologue that could have come from Natural Born Killers.
This is even more punk than the opening track and threatens to explode before suddenly screaming to a halt and I notice it has a running time of only 36 seconds, so there isn’t a fault with my recording.
Interesting to say the least.
Goin It Alone pulls the pace back considerably, starting in a swirling, almost oriental fashion that has psychedelic party biscuits written all over it.
This is more of a soft rock type track with minimal use of the instruments at the band’s disposal with more emphasis placed on the vocal delivery and soft whispers and whistles in the background. It is slow and deliberate and an early respite from what was starting to appear like a frenetic trip down music lane.
Sheets Area Shroud kicks off with a cool guitar riff before Rogers soothes over the top and ignites a pop/rock tinged number that flows at a steady pace without ever getting out of second gear.
Chopping Block promises something meatier and delivers with a rollicking tune that is led strongly by a steady, yet aggressive drum pattern from Murray Ruse. He almost cracks the whip throughout, dictating the song’s direction before Blackie tires of staying in the background and throws his guitar into the mix.
It’s almost like an extended jam with some vocals thrown over the top. And I like extended jams.
If I were a betting man I would say this song will be on the set list for the upcoming tour.
Never Been Handsome could have been written for me and judging by the groovy intro it definitely wasn’t.
This track oozes charm with a crunchy rhythm section offset by an almost tender chorus that rises and falls on the back of Rogers’ approach.
You can tell he is more at ease on this, his second album with the band, and his sugar-coated stamp is all over Ripper ’23. And what a delight it is!
Grandiose chucks along from the outset in another change of pace that sees punk sensibilities combined with a rock beat that works surprisingly well.
It has an underlying sense of menace that the band cleverly leaves simmering just out of reach, which only adds more danger to the sonic palette. But, again, just as I’m starting to get right into it the song finishes and I look back to find it, too, pushes the scales at well under two minutes.
Less is more, is that what they say?
In Falls Everything pays direct homage to Australian rock, with an AC/DC-like riff fat and heavy that lingers in the air.
Then the track cleverly pulls back and is void of guitars for a bit and when they return they are more of the punk-infused variety favoured by the Hard-Ons rather than the heavier side of the fence.
I’m not sure if they are taking the piss or paying homage here, but being a song by the Hard-Ons I would say option A is more likely.
A nice breakdown halfway through returns the rock glory to the track as Blackie makes his guitar sing while Rogers takes a break.
You get the feeling that the Hard-Ons had A LOT of fun making this record. They have never given a fuck what other people think – and rightfully so – but this album is further proof of that.
This is a collection of songs made to please the band themselves and luckily for us translates well to a wider audience.
Makes Me Sick returns to the glory days of punk with a simple yet awesome repeating guitar riff that coaxes the inner anarchist out of the rest of the band. That doesn’t last though, as Blackie once more sets off on a sonic barrage of solos, and, yep, just as I am starting to get into it the song finishes and is another well under the two-minute mark track.
I’m sensing a pattern here…
Sling Shot trots to life with a lone ranger-type guitar run that stutters and spits with venom, and just as I find myself thinking this might be an instrumental piece Rogers finds his voice and sets things back on level footing.
The chuggs subside somewhat and retreat into a more measured tempo with Rogers’ vocals becoming the highlight. Blackie, perhaps sensing this, has his wicked way with another solo, pulling another different tone from his instrument which is also a feature across the twelve songs on Ripper ’23.
Letterbox bounces out of the speakers next, a more radio-friendly track that will likely be a future single.
It’s a catchy and accessible song that is completely unoffensive and, dare I say it, safe. But that’s the nature of music these days, so I shall suck it up and press on.
Ordinary Things closes out the album and at over five minutes is the longest song as well.
It starts with an almost blues-like swagger before keys jump into the mix to combine with the guitars and create an altogether different sound that jumps between styles regularly while still maintaining a steady pace.
Sound strange? Probably because it is.
But it’s also cool as fuck. Talk about saving the best for last!
Another mighty and eclectic effort from the Hard-Ons, with Tim Rogers imparting much more of himself throughout.
Which can only be a good thing for the future of one of this country’s finest ever outfits.
