If there was any doubt that summer is on its way, Bootleg Rascal have just dropped their ultra-cool new album, Sloppy Seconds. If you’ve followed this blog for any period of time, you’re already familiar with their good vibes. The many recent singles always left me wanting a bit more, so this album is a real treat.
I must admit, I was taken aback when I spied the tracklist and saw the opening track was called “Albo.” Was this an ode to the opposition leader in the vein of The Whitlams’ Gough? Not quite. Instead “Albo” is an opening message recorded by Anthony Albanese himself, reminding us to support Aussie music. Brilliant!
As the album’s title suggests, the tracks here aren’t exactly new. The tagline calls it a “reimagined album.” I think of it as more like a greatest hits on steroids. The best songs from Bootleg Rascal’s earlier releases Asleep in the Machine, Psychotica, and Collaborations of Very Isolated Delinquents “19 receive new makeovers. I’ve enjoyed listening to these new recordings, then going back to the original source material and marvelling at the way they’ve improved the songs. Spoiler alert, they have every single time. These old favourites join recent singles including “Therapy” and “All About You.”
Despite drawing tracks from so many different sources, Sloppy Seconds is a really cohesive album because Bootleg Rascal have such a clear and distinct sound. The preview stream I received labelled it as reggaeton, but I’m not sure you can sum these guys up so neatly with a genre label. It’s music that transports me to summer days, sitting around the pool with a drink in hand and my mates by my side. It’s super catchy, the kind of music that you just want to keep listening to. If you’re not already familiar with Bootleg Rascal, Sloppy Seconds is the perfect introduction. If you already know what’s up, you already know you’re in for a good time.
Sloppy Seconds drops today. To celebrate its release, Bootleg Rascal are hitting the road for a massive tour all around the mainland. Frankly, this is the most ambitious tour schedule I’ve seen in more than a year! If you want to be a part of it, get your tickets now because they probably won’t last long:
19 November 2021 – Woolly Mammoth, Brisbane
26 November 2021 – Indi Bar, Perth
27 November 2021 – Settlers Tavern, Margaret River
28 November 2021 – The Aardvark, Fremantle
4 December 2021 – Miami Marketta, Gold Coast
10 December 2021 – Jive Bar, Adelaide
11 & 12 December 2021 – Kill the Dinosaurs, Port Elliot
15 January 2022 – Beach Hotel, Byron Bay
22 January 2022 – Howler, Melbourne
23 January 2022 – Sooki Lounge, Belgrave
28 January 2022 – Old Bundy Tavern, Bundaberg
29 January 2022 – The Leichhardt Hotel, Rockhampton
5 February 2022 – Solbar, Maroochydore
17 February 2022 La La La’s, Wollongong
18 February 2022 – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
19 February 2022 – UC Hub, Canberra
Images used with permission from Good Intent