Otherwise known as the foursome from Athlone who ruffled Hugh Hefner’s marabou feathers (when they adopted his famous Playboy logo as their own), Bunny’s debut single ‘Fearless’, released last year, gave listeners an interesting taste of things to come. The good news? Slick Corporate Music delivers on this promise.
The title of the album is loaded with a certain irony – Bunny are almost more competent at nailing the nuances of American teenage angst than the Yanks themselves. Despite this, there are hints of authenticity on display here that many fledgling rock acts tend to overlook amid their adolescent posturing.
As is the way with erstwhile labelmates The Revs, Bunny do a rather fine line in effervescent, exuberant-sounding punk rock. Unlike The Revs however, Bunny are buoyed by a certain sense of weighty urgency and angst, preferring to eschew silly lyrics about Louis Walsh in favour of a more resonant, meaningful statement of intent.
With plenty of classic air guitar moments and earnest lyrics stitching Slick Corporate Music together, Bunny are a welcome addition to Ireland’s all-ages scene. Don’t let that fool you though; Bunny’s appeal reaches beyond the ranks of our disenfranchised youth. ‘Think America’ is sure to become a live favourite, while ‘Altamont’, an accomplished slice of pent-up energy, makes me wish I was 17 again. Almost.
With the release of Slick Corporate Music, Bunny are all set to make friends and influence people. So what if Hef isn’t one of them?