|
|
|
BANDS: Punk
& Ska INTERESTS: Venues ETC... About
LOTD
|
Trans Am:
Liberation
Trans Am, DCs wonderboys of electronic indie rock, has something to tell you: they dont like George Bush. Got it? Ok, then you can skip almost half the tracks on the bands newest LP, Liberation. Which is not to say that this is a disc you should skip. Not by a long shot. But Reviewing this disc comes as a huge task for this reviewer. My only previous experience with Trans Am is their mellow, laid back and reasonably impressive Futureworld LP. Futureworld, full of tripped-out electronic musings on the state of affairs of modern America, always left me with an optimistic, appreciative love of life carried out in dream-like repetitive ballads. DCs own, the title track of the album brought on the sampling of the DC Metro, a running-speed percussive flip into the fast-paced drumline of the track. And I was hooked But that was a softer, mellower, happier Trans Am of years ago, celebrating their DC-ness and their music. And then something happened. Liberation, first and foremost, is one of the darkest albums Ive heard in years, breaking away from electronic and into a more guitar-laden, rock out cynical attack on todays Bush America. Tracks of Bush quotes, twisted to make Bush discuss blowing up schools and children, and leading the charge of American Imperialism in Iraq, come straight out the gate running, smacking you in the face. And here is the major problem with the newest Trans Am album: no subtlety. The band tears apart as much of DC as possible in their ranting fit of childish, emotional reaction to the war in Iraq. And as a self-proclaimed half-intelligent person, I must say that the band treats its listeners as if they are idiots. But despite these blaring fits of ignorance and screaming, the band still has quite a few tricks up its sleeve when it comes to making music. Tracks like White Rhino, with its fast-paced, monotone recording of the (gasp) DC weather, somehow makes the listener disregard the sound-bites for the much more interesting and fun where the fuck is/my white rhino of the chorus. Perhaps reacting to the despairing lyrics of tracks like Uninvited Guest, I found the instrumentals of each track halfway brilliant, and I was more than a little sad about the state of Trans Am affairs. I recommend this album to Trans Am fans first and foremost. In discussions of this disc, I found myself solitary in my dislike of the high school political messages. Others they were just willing to disregard the muck. Trans Am, as a band, shows off their impressive style of music making with signs of change over the years. But in the end, I cant separate the easy-answer politics from the great music. But I guess thats what the skip forward button on my CD player is for.
About LOTD Contact/Staff Advertise Home All content © LEFT OFF THE DIAL 2001-2003. All rights reserved. |
