Purple’s 2014 debut album, (409), was a burst of party punk straight out of Texas that deftly avoided crass clichés while letting the good times roll. Sophomore effort Bodacious won’t disappoint those who were bitten by the Purple bug the first time around and might even entice new listeners along the way. In particular, a hefty dose of the funk has been added to their exuberant groove, with Joe Cannariato giving his bass a good seeing to where previously he might have sat back. While this means that things may have slowed down in places, this is still music with a beaming smile and a beer in each hand – just with more of a groove and slightly less of an adrenalin rush.
Drummer Hannah Brewer and guitarist Taylor Busby again share vocals, adding rapping to the yelping and screeching to which we’ve become accustomed. There’s still nothing that’s particularly challenging about Purple’s sound but when there’s a keg of beer, a bag of weed and a load of people enjoying themselves, that’s fine and that’s the kind of situation that this album is firmly aimed at soundtracking. From Hannah’s tales of shy boys that need a bit of a push in “Backbone” and “Bodacious” – “You want it? You ask it!” – to redneck tales of cruising for the ladies in a minivan – “I love you like a bag of that good green” – these songs are aimed at fun times. Even when the outside world intrudes with “Money” – “We’re all the same whether we’re winning or losing the game” – everything’s still groovy and the sun is shining.
Finishing off with the high-octane party punk of “Feel The Low”, Bodacious is a righteous accompaniment to silly, drunken times in the summer heat. We should all indulge while the temperatures are up and the sun is bright.
