Album Review: Misbehaviour

Back in 2016 Jared Wrennall stepped out from behind the tub thumping pop/rock masterpiece that was Steriogram, picked up the guitar and got to work on putting together New Zealand’s next chart bothering Rock n Roll machine.

Now after 3 years and 3 singles we finally have the full-blown debut album Misbehaviour.

Produced by Shihad’s Tom Larkin expectations are high, but do Dead Favours have that extra edge to stand out from the current crop of soundalike radio friendly unit shifters that are on constant Radio play in NZ?

Thankfully the answer is a massive hell yeah. The collection of songs on Misbehaviour come across with an attitude and integrity that is completely believable. This is an energy driven mix of pop/punk/rock that has genuine soul. Of course, the production is great and the Shihad influences are as much in the mix as Jaz Coleman/Killing Joke was on Shihad’s FVEY, but those influences and Tom’s production skills have resulted in something special.

This harder edge, driving riff mentality makes this album stand out but the real genius is in the songwriting. The melodies are catchy without being cliched and there are so many little glimmers of light, unexpected twists and turns during each track that keep pulling the focus back to the song itself.

This isn’t music to just bounce along to. It builds, drives, slams and spins in all the right places. On Your Own has the kind of punishing riff that hits hard with its simplicity but is countered with a chorus that actually gave me goose bumps. JW can scream and howl with the best of them. He also knows how to come up with a killer melody. Play this at full volume and if it doesn’t make you move then you are already dead.

There is an often relentless pace to the music, it envelops as the riffs and pummelling rhythms swirl around a core of steely melodic bursts It’s not all bombast though Luxembourg is a trippy tune with a laid back but dark vibe full of atmosphere and the result is like listening to Radiohead and the Beatles jamming with Filter.

The brilliantly titled Noise Beers is another stand out. It spits with venom and bile. A spiky bastard of a song that is over all to soon

Tracks like Disposition add even more depth with its thoughtful lyrics and another huge chorus it chugs along steadily brooding and exploding in equal measure. Dead Favours have managed to put together a collection of songs that capture all the energy of rock and punk but are knitted together with a pop sensibility. There is passion here. You can feel it. The best artists write songs for themselves not for radio or what they think other people want to hear. This is why Dead Favours stand out.

They also happen to have made one of the best rock albums I have heard this year.