Nick Carver & the Mean St Butchers Unleash Sophomore Album ‘ANIMALS’ Out July 1

Combining rough-edged rock and soulful blues with wallopping Americana folk roots, Nick Carver & the Mean Street Butchers are unleashing the beast with their eagerly anticipated sophomore album ‘ANIMALS’ – out July 1.

With outlandish singer-songwriter Nick Carver leading the charge, the Melbourne-based (Inverloch, VIC) rock/ roots outfit has been showcasing their class in the lead-up to this ultimate body of work, serving up singles ‘Two-Legged Dog’ and ‘The Way That You Walk’ earlier in the year.

Now, Nick Carver & the Mean Street Butchers are bringing it all together with an 8-track collection of artistically crafted tunes that reflect the band’s camaraderie, Nick’s home life and the long country drives where his inspiration is uninhibited, and his imagination is free to roam wild.

“The live vibe of four musicians smashing out live takes has always been at the heart of The Mean St Butchers,” Carver says.

“Lyrically, the album deals with the raising of my son, leaving my old city life, the beautiful ugliness of abandoned swamps, loss, love for music, love for my loved ones and a call to men to be decent fucking blokes.”

Opening with foot-stomping rock single ‘Two-Legged Dog’, there’s barely enough time to reach for the cowboy boots before heroic slide guitar solos and lightning strong riffs speak of the warmth of returning home.

Next, ‘Let Me Go’ emerges with a swinging rockabilly/ blues rhythm, washboard percussion and moody melodies, building up to an epic explosion of jamming instrumental prowess, representing a release of negativity and just letting it all go.

‘The Way That You Walk’ saunters in with dark keys, resonating drums and seductive bass, using ominous alt blues-folk with a psychedelic tinge to call out men who believe their words and actions have no consequence.

Then, ‘My Baby’s Eyes’ arrives as an ode to Nick’s son Teddy, using melancholic guitars and vulnerable vocals to convey the conflicting emotions of entering fatherhood, followed by ‘Slow Dance’, inspired by Nick’s love for The Stooges, delivering a raw, fuzz-fuelled blues-rock track that screams to be experienced live.

‘Pony’ saddles up on a steed of slow-burning blues, a pensive track about saying goodbye to a loved one, featuring intricate guitar techniques, before ‘Jimmy Wilson’ arrives as a serious bluesy ballad, acknowledging the unfairness of indigenous incarceration in our country.

Closing out the album is title track ‘Animals’, an epic six-minute alt-rock amalgamation of grunge and garage-rock elements, moving steadily with moody melodies before bursting apart with an instrumental epiphany in the form of an organ solo, uncovering the beauty one can find in a seemingly ugly and uncurated stretch of coastline.

The band’s previous releases have seen support from Triple J, Double J, Glide Mag, The AU Review, Countrytown, Beat, Scenestr, Amnplify, AAA Backstage and more, with the band also having performed at NYE on the Hill, Inverloch Sounds of Summer Festival and Folk Rhythm and Life Festival, as well as supporting artists like Ash Grunwald, Custard, The Fauves and The Tea Party.

Nick Carver & the Mean St Butcher’s sophomore album ‘ANIMALS’ is out on July 1 and they have a handful of shows upcoming. This includes a mini-festival in San Remo, AROCKALYPSE NOW, which they curated themselves to celebrate the launch of the album with friends Millar Jukes & the Muscle, Two Last Names and many more.

Upcoming Shows
July 16 – Arockalypse Now Festival, San Remo, VIC | Tickets
Aug 13 – The Retreat Hotel, Brunswick, VIC
Sept 30 – George Land, St Kilda, VIC
Nov 4 to 6 – Inward Goods Festival, Briagolong, VIC | Tickets
Nov 19 – Caravan Music Club, Archies Creek, VIC
Nov 26 – Live at the Park 2022, Drouin Civic Park, VIC | Tickets