Finally! After 3 years of waiting, the new album from Viagra Boys, Viagr Aboys, has hit the shelves. Here are our first impressions of this new post-punk baby. And believe us, we’re not done hearing him scream yet.
We’ve been eagerly waiting for the return of Viagra Boys, a wild and irreverent band straight out of Sweden, that magical land of incredible rockers (seriously, whatever they’re feeding musicians over there, keep it up, it’s working).
You know us, being the impatient types we are, we rushed to the listening party the night before the release, just for the joy of hearing it a little earlier. And yes, it was totally worth it.
Who are the Viagra Boys?
If you haven’t had the chance to discover this band yet, here’s a quick recap. Viagra Boys formed in Stockholm in 2015, led by frontman Sebastian Murphy, a man who has turned being chill into a full-blown lifestyle, so much so that he has the word Lös (« Loose » in English) tattooed right on his forehead.
When we think of “Swedish”, we often imagine tall, blonde, blue-eyed perfection. Sebastian Murphy is none of that — he’s got scraggly hair, he proudly flaunts his beer belly come rain or shine, and he’s covered in tattoos (we didn’t check how far they go). Tracksuits are his go-to look.
But don’t be fooled by the sketchy appearance: Murphy is sharp, sarcastic, and full of insight, with a wicked sense of humor that drips into his biting lyrics, sparing no one. He’s like a modern-day Trent Lane fronting a punked-out Mystic Spiral.
Alongside Murphy, you’ll find co-founder Henrik Höckert (bass), Benjamin Vallé (guitar), Tor Sjödén (drums), Oskar Carls (sax & guitar), and Martin Ehrencrona (keys). Together, they bring serious firepower, both on stage and record.
Viagra Boys regularly battle for the crown of Swedish punk royalty with their frenemies, the aging but still kicking The Hives. Their rivalries are legendary and laugh-out-loud funny. Go check out their antics on social media — you won’t regret it.
So, how good is Viagr Aboys?
A few months ago, we got our first taste with the lead single Man Made of Meat, an energetic banger with a hilarious, art-world-skewering music video.
We absolutely loved how effortlessly Murphy switches from crude, cheeky lines (“I’m subscribed to your mom’s OnlyFans, I spent five bucks a month to get pictures of her flappy giblets”) to more jaded but spot-on reflections (“If it was 1970, I’d have a job at a factory”). That alone made the album feel promising.
Tempted by a gorgeous special edition from our favorite Bordeaux record shop, Total Heaven, we hit up the listening party, snagged some sweet merch, and rushed home to discover the full album. And wow, it hits hard.
Viagr Aboys a perfectly crafted album, moving between full-blown punk outbursts and unexpected crooning moments, between bitter disillusionment and laugh-out-loud absurdity. Everything comes together in a wild, controlled chaos that doesn’t hold back.
We especially loved Man Made of Meat, as well as the punk as hell The Bog Body, Uno II and Waterboy, the chaotic You N33d Me, the gloriously gritty Dirty Boyz, and the dreamy Medicine for Horses. The second-to-last track even ventures into jazz-fusion territory, complete with a trippy sax solo.
Viagra Boys paint a vivid portrait of society with a playful twist, softening the weight of some arguably outdated themes. This isn’t music for brooding. It’s music for purging, like some kind of punk rock laughter yoga. And the core message, as timeless as it is, rings loud and clear: love is still the cure for this tragic, broken world.
Viagr Aboys is turning heads and rightfully so. Critics are eating it up, praising the way the band balances gnarly punk aggression with flashes of real tenderness. Viagra Boys are definitely one of the most vital voices in today’s post-punk scene.
While British bands like IDLES have quickly earned their place in the post-punk hall of fame, we’re left wondering why Viagra Boys haven’t yet gotten their due. Maybe with their grittier, messier approach, they just don’t care.
But they absolutely deserve the crown… and a cake.
