The cover art pastiche of Husker Dü’s Zen Arcade (the two central silhouettes are now brawling), and the album title itself, leave you in little doubt that Citric Dummies don’t take themselves entirely seriously.

This is the Minneapolis’ trios third full-length and continues to build on the band’s trademark qualities.  Musically, we are talking raucous melodic punk delivered with a healthy hardcore aggression and a dash of rock’n’roll swagger. Highlights include the burly I’m Gonna Punch Larry Bird, Drugs In The Snow with its squalling saxophone, and the decidedly catchy Die Alone.

Lyrically, we have a swirling melting pot of the nihilistic on Everyone I Know Will Forget Me (‘Told my doctor I want to die, Asked my lawyer if he’d kill me’), the cynical on Being Male Is Embarrassing (‘Are these lyrics real, or am I just virtue suh-suh-signalling’), and the knowing on I Don’t Want to Live [Anymore] (‘This riff was lifted from The Fall, Just thought you should know’).  And while some of the songs are immersed in satirising pop culture, darker themes of depression and anxiety shape many of the tracks, such as My True Love Is Depression and I’m Gonna Kill Myself (At The Co-op), even if the handling remains firmly tongue-in-cheek.