One distinguishing feature of FIDLAR is that they certainly seem to like their drugs. We’ll come back to that later, but first some background. FIDLAR are a punk-rock outfit from Los Angeles who have been garnering local acclaim since 2010. Since then they’ve been signed to Mom + Pop Records and graduated from playing house parties to touring with the like of The Hives and Delta Spirit. The band name, an acronym for ‘Fuck It Dog, Life’s a Risk’, is more than just a skater variant on YOLO – it’s a way of life for these guys, and it comes across immediately. The self-titled debut album is brash and chaotic, awash in fuzz, reverb and tortured vocals.

Opener Cheap Beer is a rousing anthem complete with rockabilly riffs and caustic aplomb. “I drink cheep beer. So what? Fuck you!” appears to be the main message of the song. By the time No Waves comes around, the drug reference are stacking up fast – “I feel, feel like a coke head, I feel, feel like I can’t get drunk no more cause I’m on the floor, looking for some magic just to cook up the score.” It’s brazen and melancholic all wrapped up together in just over two minutes with a catchy building melody. Ten minutes into the album and we’ve had 17 drug references – a cursory glance at Urban Dictionary would no doubt reveal more.

Max Can’t Surf has a more rock and roll feel. Simple percussion keeps a reverb soaked guitar in check as we’re told about Max, who can’t surf because he smokes too much weed and has no balance. Wake Bake Skate is all about waking up, getting stoned and skateboarding. A pattern is starting to emerge.

Drug reference count: 31.

Gimme Something is a swamp rock inspired number, with hints of early Creedence Clearwater Revival and tongue in cheek lyrics. “When you come over with your dirty spoon, you hang on my couch and you howl at the moon”. Though one of the more poppy songs on the album it retains the self-destructive undertones of the album as a whole. Current single Wait for the Man is a frantic head-banger with wailing vocals and screeching effects. It’s hard not to get caught up in the energy of the whole thing. Musically it’s simple and straightforward, yet brutal and uncompromising at the same time.  The album finishes with Cocaine, an angry punk number about – you guessed it – cocaine.

Drug reference count: 46

Although it’s rather narrow thematically, this is a cracking album that may hint at a return to great guitar rock in 2013. It’s honest and charming and delivers exactly what you want from a punk album…emotional mayhem. Oh wait…a hidden track! What’s this one about? Never mind.

Final drug reference count: 51