Viagra Boys: Viagr Aboys (digital outlets)

Set aside the silly band name, because here is a band which is part rocking Beck in slacker-punk mode, part Beastie Boys, part political comedy act and probably a bit more of other things.

This Swedish outfit – fronted by US-born singer-writer Sebastian Murphy – are frequently described as dance punk and garage punk.

They seem adequate descriptors for a band big on energy, driving beats and smart, mouthy assertion.

This fourth album is major step up into both commercial success and a more coherent direction – or more correctly, directions – with reference points in all the above but also Sleaford Mods and, in the deranged delivery of The Bog Body, John Lydon's early PiL.

At one end of the spectrum is Murphy's absurd narratives (the meandering surreal Zappa-like humour of Best in Show Part IV) but at the other is angry socio-political comment (Man Made of Meat).

The spirit of the young Beck and Beta Band arrive in the slacker folk beat of Pyramid of Health which skewers alternative medicines and New Age health practices (“cactuses for breakfast”).

They also bring in commanding reductive synth-rock (Dirty Boyz and Waterboy which tap into Iggy), a cracked ballad (Medicine for Horses) and braggadocio rock (You N33d Me).

And right at the end they drop the mic after a lovely piano ballad River King.

Viagra Boys on Viagr Aboys give you a lot to chew on and enjoy.

This should be their breakout album, it's just (mostly) a whole lot of clever fun. With a point.

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You can hear this album at Spotify. It is also available on “painfully elegant classic jet-black vinyl” or blue and white marbled vinyl through Southbound Records here.