Though not terribly dissimilar from the brute simplicity of a number of other Australian outfits that have preceded them --
Radio Birdman,
Angel City, and
Rose Tattoo, the Cosmic Psychos nonetheless carved out a rip-roaring niche for themselves in the punk rock underground. Perhaps the band's most full-realized album, Self-Totaled doesn't deviate from the band's formula of hard driving rhythms, fuzzed out guitars, humorously sneering vocals, and true-to-the-bone working man's attitude. In fact, it builds on that formula: The melodies show better craftsmanship, the band is tighter, and the engineering is perfect. Like
AC/DC, the Cosmic Psychos have always kept things simple and stuck lyrically to what they know, and on this album, they seem to know a bit about shooting the neighbor's cat, S&M, psychotic girlfriends, drinking, and fighting.