Fronzoli
Aptly named after the Italian word for frippery, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets’ sixth album leans into high-impact flourishes at every opportunity. Such hectic maximalism has long been the Perth act’s signature, but *Fronzoli* proves especially intricate and madcap. After the joyous prog-rock pummeling of opener “Nootmare (K.I.L.L.I.n.G) \[Meow!\],” the band locks into rapid-fire angularity on “(I’m a Kadaver) Alakazam” before running just as eagerly through Beatles-esque melodic uplift (“Cpt. Gravity Mouse Welcome”), glam swagger (“All Aboard the S.S. Sinker”), and even placid acoustic balladry (“Illusions of Grandeur”). If all of that sounds too disparate to really gel, a key uniting factor is songwriter/vocalist Jack McEwan, whose darkly debonair vocals recall Arctic Monkeys’ Alex Turner even when his lyrics reach their most absurd. The entire band handles every sharp left turn with aplomb, rivaling fellow Aussie exports King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard for pulling off abrupt scene changes with untroubled cool.