Music On My Mind #16: Viagra Boys, Lucius, Flume & JPEGMAFIA
Plus: Ten More Perfect Songs
I hope everyone had a great weekend! I know I sure did. Callie and I got out for a lovely picnic at a park near our home on Saturday, and it was the perfect temperature where you could wear either shorts or long pants and still feel comfortable. If I really think about it, though, I didn’t spend too much time outside other than that. I was too busy working on a song that, if I do say so myself, is really good. I may even post a clip of it on here this week – who knows?
So much music, so little time – especially this week, when it seemed like everyone was releasing an album. Here are the highlights of my listening.
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viagr aboys by Viagra Boys
The award for the best band name of all time goes to Viagra Boys. This semi self-titled release is the Swedish post-punk outfit’s fourth studio album, and is handily one of the best modern punk albums I’ve heard in a long time.
I’ve never listened to the band’s music before this record, so a little history might be beneficial. Viagra Boys formed in Stockholm in 2015, growing out of the city’s garage rock scene. Singer Sebastian Murphy is the only non-native Swede in the group, originally hailing from San Rafael, and the California hardcore punk culture shines clearly in his witty, often politically-charged lyrics and sarcastic drawl. Since securing a Swedish Grammis award for their 2022 album Cave World, Viagra Boys have cemented themselves as one of the most exciting rock groups to come out of Sweden today.
According to Murphy, viagr aboys sees the group toning down the political references in their lyrics and making an album that is “a bit simple and stupid.” (DIY, “Viagra Boys Announce New Album ‘Viagr Aboys’”) Without having a clear reference point to compare to, I will say that this album certainly does feel, at times, silly – but it’s certainly not a stupid album. In fact, in my opinion, hiding beneath such lines as the instantly-quotable “I found a crouton underneath the futon” is the same kind of absurd intelligence that permeates the humor of Monty Python. Not to sound like a Rick and Morty fan, but this album is so stupid that it’s smart.
My favorite song on here is the opener, “Man Made of Meat.” The riff is really fun and simple, catchy enough to get stuck in your ear on the first listen. But for me, Murphy’s lyrics and vocal performance are what stand out the most. First of all: I’ve never heard a singer burp while delivering a line in a song, let alone the very first line. It caught me so off guard that I couldn’t help but laugh, but in a way, that made me feel like I was laughing with them. If the band had omitted the burp from the final cut of the album, this song would not have had the same looseness that makes it so incredible. Second of all: that chorus might be one of the best hooks of the whole year. Much to Callie’s chagrin, for the past week, I’ve been going around our apartment singing over and over again, “I am a man who’s made of meat/you’re on the internet looking at feet.” It’s so surreal, yet so memorable – my favorite kind of hook.
Other highlights include “The Bog Body,” a straightforward punk tune with a raucous saxophone solo; “Dirty Boys,” which has Murphy sounding like a rabid dog, screaming his brains about smoking meth under a bridge over a rumbling bass line; “Medicine for Horses,” which, by contrast, is slow, melancholic, and sees Murphy singing with a rather beautiful, folky croon; and “River King,” a plaintive, experimental tune with Murphy crooning again in a manner similar to Tom Waits during the Swordfishtrombone era.
It’s safe to say that I’m a Viagra Boys fan now. viagr boys has given punk rock what I feel is a much-needed shot of adrenaline. In an era dominated by corporate-approved pop punk acts like Machine Gun Kelly and the recently-reunited Blink-182, Viagra Boys shine through as an act that feels truly dangerous.
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Lucius by Lucius
It seems like this was the week everyone released self-titled albums. Much like Viagra Boys, I’d never encountered Lucius’ music before, but after listening to this new album from them, I’m highly curious to listen to more.
Lucius is the Brooklyn indie-pop group’s fifth studio album, and I must say, this album cements in my mind that 2025 is a great year for indie music. The sound of this album is lush, peaceful and serene, dripping with gorgeous vocal harmonies, stunning acoustic guitars and delicious drum parts. Singers Jesse Wolf and Holly Laessig are shining stars – it’s no wonder they’ve been tapped for vocal harmonies on records for rock stalwarts like Ozzy Osbourne and Roger Waters. I realize that makes it sound like they are better served as backup singers, but that’s not the case. Rather, while they are undoubtedly great lead singers, their harmonies are so beautifully stacked that I often found myself listening to the intricate melodic motion they were creating. It’s this attention to detail that makes this album a real winner in my book.
Some favorites in the track list include “Do It All For You,” which has a peaceful yet dance-oriented feel, and makes me think of wildflowers spread across a serene meadow; “Stranger Danger,” a rather brooding, synth-driven track with the best lyric on the album (“Losing touch with Mother Nature/Who is gonna be her savior”); “Old Tape,” an energetic piece of heartland rock with a rudimentary-yet-effective guitar solo; “Orange Blossoms,” with it’s spacious chorus and echoey synthesizer lines; and “At the End of the Day,” a beautiful, folky finale.
I’m really excited to dive further into Lucius’ discography. While I’m not sure if this will wind up in my list of favorite albums from this year, at the very least, it will get an honorable mention.
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We Live in A Society by Flume and JPEGMAFIA
I haven’t listened to Flume since I was in high school, when the Australian producer shattered the electronic dance music world with his groundbreaking sophomore LP, Skin. This EP, We Live in A Society, is the first joint release Flume has done with innovative American rapper JPEGMAFIA, a natural progression from their previous collaborations. Together, these two work like peanut butter and jelly.
We’ve only got four tracks here, so we’ll break them down one by one. “Track 1” is basically a six-minute-long skit, which shows the two musicians working on a song, with Peggy giving Flume shit for showing him beats he doesn’t like – until they get to one that catches his interest. The resulting beat makes up the final three minutes of the song, with catchy chords, off-kilter drum patterns and a gorgeous vocal sample. It’s a fun tone-setter for the EP.
“Is It Real” sees Peggy contributing a simple hook over an anthemic chord progression with bizarre sound design and gorgeous vocal chops, while R&B singer Ravyn Lenae delivers an angelic guest verse. It’s a style that reminds me quite a bit of Flume’s sound on Skin: eccentric yet accessible. “AI Girlfriend” follows, this time with Peggy delivering melodic bars about…well, an AI girlfriend. His lyrics are a little silly, but it’s a fun reminder that Peggy and Flume don’t always have to take themselves too seriously to deliver a banger. Finally, “The Ocean Is Fake” closes the EP with a mostly-instrumental cut full of washed out chords, robotic vocals from Flume, and a short verse from JPEGMAFIA at the end. This one is probably my favorite track on the EP. It’s very tranquil in its own, twisted way.
Is it the most essential release in either musician’s discography? No, not really. However, I would like to see JPEGMAFIA and Flume work together again on a longer release in the future. After all, there’s nothing better than two weirdos bringing out the best in each other.
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Ten Perfect Songs, Part 2
It’s been a while since I gave did an installment of my Ten Perfect Songs series, so I figured I’d give us another short list of some great tunes.
“Adagio in G Minor” by Remo Giazotto: More famously known as “The Albinoni Adagio,” this piece, which has gained a reputation for being a musical hoax, is nonetheless beautiful, and is one of the most-used pieces of classical music in film for a good reason. Its haunting melodies provide the perfect backdrop for any melancholic scene.
“Midnight City” by M83: “Doo da doo doo da.” Come on, man. That melody is engrained in my DNA at this point. One of the best pieces of modern synth pop ever made.
“Champion” by Kanye West: Back when Kanye made good music, he rarely ever had tracks that were underrated. This one, to me, is an underrated Kanye tune. The Steely Dan sample, that dance-oriented beat, the lyrics about how his parents made him feel like the man – it’s guaranteed to make you feel good no matter what.
“Blue In Green” by Miles Davis: Kind Of Blue may be the equivalent of “baby’s first jazz album,” but it’s regarded as the greatest in the genre for a reason. Davis’ melodic choices, the backing band he put together, the emphasis on the spaces between notes, makes this song and the album it comes from an American classic.
“Since I’ve Been Loving You” by Led Zeppelin: The best track off Led Zeppelin III by a mile (even better than “Immigrant Song”). Robert Plant’s vocal delivery is on point, the twelve-bar blues riffs are sparse, and Jimmy Page’s solos are electrifying. This was the sound of a band showing why they were the top of the heap in their heyday.
“Caroline No” by The Beach Boys: The final song on the groundbreaking Pet Sounds album is hauntingly beautiful. For an album that was generally very upbeat, to end it on such a sad note makes it stand out among the rest of the tunes in a way that had to be intentional.
“Money Trees” by Kendrick Lamar: Kendrick has many perfect songs in his discography, but this one is probably my favorite. His bars about chasing money as a youth paint a vivid picture of the dangerous life he once led, and the production from DJ Dahi serves that lyrical backdrop well.
“Chameleon” by Herbie Hancock: One of the funkiest jazz riffs ever written, on one of the most innovative jazz albums of all time. No wonder this one became a jazz standard.
“What A Fool Believes” by the Doobie Brothers: Another band I have to thank my dad for introducing me to. One of the most iconic songs in the late 1970s rock canon, Michael McDonald’s composition and singing on this one is nothing short of flawless.
“Time To Pretend” by MGMT: A song whose deceptively-happy composition masks the tragedy in the lyrics. It’s a track that, like many MGMT tunes, will get stuck in your head on the first listen.
You can check out all these songs in the playlist below, and see if you agree with my assessments.
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Thank you again for reading Music On My Mind! If you liked what you read, perhaps consider pledging a subscription, leaving a comment, or giving me a like. Whatever you do, I really appreciate you taking the time. As always, links to the albums reviewed are below, and remember: keep your ears tuned and your minds open.