Written by Matilda Elliott
Australia’s Body Type are a quartet of badasses who provide unapologetic, nostalgic and lyrically entrancing music to the listener, not to mention they have an incredible live set. After a couple of EPs were put out into the wild, Body Type were driving cult fans to their live shows across Australia. Following this buzz, Body Type released their debut album ‘Everything Is Dangerous But Nothing’s Surprising’ last year, two years after the band intended as with many other things, their album was delayed due to the pandemic.
Following their well-received first album, Body Type are back with an incredible suite of tracks in the tongue-in-cheek titled album, ‘Expired Candy’. Which serves as a reflective and deeply personal slew of tracks that not only resonate deeply with the group but has the ability to connect with us as the listener. Overarching lyrical themes of disconnect and frustration are integrated with vocal and instrumental resonances of unity and harmony to create a perfect dichotomy of feelings. A plethora of emotions and experiences are so personal yet achieve the ability to connect across the human, particularly the non-male experience.
I am currently hot off my travels and the European Summer of a lifetime, returning to the Southern Hemisphere and Australia. So when Body Type released the music video for their track ‘Summer Forever’ I couldn’t help but feel a connection already.
‘Summer Forever’ as a track, alongside its music video encapsulates what I love about ‘Expired Candy’. Visually, the idealistic Australian coastal views are placed with the reality of the situation of what so often happens to unique places (in the literal and metaphorical sense) with the example of a small town rocked by city slickers who are trying to find a sense of tranquillity in the newest kitschy neighbourhood.
The mass experience and consumption of a precious commodity can warp its sense of identity and influence new views on a wide scale. I love how eloquently this idea is portrayed visually with neon lipstick and yellow lyrics starkly standing against the natural blue skies and pristine waters of the Australian coastal landscape.
For me, this song and video hold such a special place in my heart. Body Type ooze an impressive amount of muscle with their abilities to create such an eloquent resonance on ideas that looms in the back of our brains but often we can’t place the words or phrases to express such thoughts or feelings.
This album hammers in exactly who Body Type are, and what we can expect, which feels like a dynamic journey. I for one, am ready to continue to see what is next for the band.
Image by Ellen Virgona.
Keep up to date with the Australian punk quartet on their Instagram @bodytypeband.