It’s a truth universally acknowledged that Australian bands love to take the piss out of themselves. International groups may try, but there’s something about the larrikin spirit that seems to win out. From band names like TISM (This Is Serious Mum) to groups singing about Animals, Sweaters and Pussy Town (Jebediah, Eskimo Joe and Machine Gun Fellatio, respectively) to just about any song by Custard, you know there are a lot of local artists that aren’t in danger of taking themselves too seriously. We now have another addition to this illustrious list in the form of Big Scary.

The Melbourne duo’s latest single is “Gladiator”, the first one from their forthcoming debut album, Vacation. In the film clip, singer/guitarist, Tom Iansek dreams of rock and roll stardom and suffers from the same kind of megalomania as Billy Corgan. He shows partner in crime, Joanna Syme how to drum and sees delusions like their name – but mostly his – in lights. Perhaps the funniest scene is when he signs autographs that are really a dole form. Shortly after we get some rock star sunnies added to a wardrobe of shiny Lurex suits and plenty of posing and then we’re home before you can even yell for an encore.

The guys produce the kind of blues-infused, garage rock that catapulted Meg and Jack White to international stardom. The boy-girl line-up and guitar and drums combination will no doubt see many people draw similar comparisons between The White Stripes and these guys, but there’s no denying that Big Scary are Aussies through and through. Oi oi oi.

Review Score: 9/10.

Watch the video here: