I’m at the point where I recognize a band name, know I’ve heard them before, but need to press play to know for sure. A quick look at the album covers in their discography, I discovered I know Perth’s Verge Collection for their Flaneur (2018) album, especially for the opening track on said record: Feelin’ Old — a slacker anthem for anyone over 30. I lost touch with the band after that, but I’m thoroughly enjoying their latest release (their third LP), A Real Miserable Cunt, and let’s be honest, that title rolls off the tongue rather nicely with an Australian accent!

The title also fits perfectly with Verge Collection’s new record. While their guitars are clean and polished, their songs carry plenty of grit. The lyrics are full of dark, self-deprecating humor and existential dread — in the ’90s this one would have come with a parental advisory sticker. Take Cocaïne, for example, one of the slower tracks on the album. Personally, I prefer their more upbeat slacker pop songs like album highlight Live Like a King, which nails that “is this it?” existential crisis with gut punching lines like, “I want to rewrite my whole experience, and relearn how to pretend.”

Another favorite track is All The Little Devils, the album closer. It’s got a rockin’ vibe with a Bob Dylan Rolling Thunder Revue influence, and it’s a perfect way to end the record.

A Real Miserable Cunt is out now on LP.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp