The Cassingles - Backyard Graveyard

The second release from Brisbane punk/rock trio The Cassingles, this record is full of fun kitschy, horror-themed tunes. Drummer/vocalist Annette plays some rockin’ beats and has a great voice, her vocals often carrying the whole sound, while Richard (guitar/vocals) is a little hit and miss with his voice. At times he sounds like he might be trying for a Rob Younger sound but not quite getting there, but his stand out track vocally is the creepy story of werewolf-love Fangs & Claws. The Cassingles definitely have a sense of humour, with tracks titled Monsterbating and Sexecuting, and lyrics like "Just keep acting like a ‘tard / You’ll end up in my backyard hey" from the title track, and "I come on looking oh so pure / You don’t know you’re gonna get skewered" from the killer girl power track Jill The Ripper. This is a pretty raw recording and could do with a touch of refinement (yes, even though it’s a punk record) but it’s a fun release and gives the impression they’d be great live.