First Listen: Bad Religion - The Empire Strikes First
I just listened to the first half of the new Bad Religion cd and I have to say I was impressed. This is definately much better than the last few albums they have put out. The tunes are catchy and the politics are urgent and relevant.
The first single (which probably won't get much airplay anywhere) is Let Them Eat War. So far it is easily my favorite track on the disk. Here is an excerpt from the lyrics...
From the force to the union shops
The war economy is making new jobs
But the people who benefit most
Are breaking bread with their benevolent hosts
You never stole from the rich to give to the poor
All he ever gave to them was a war
And a foreign enemy to deplore
Let them eat war
Let them eat more
That's how to ration the poor
Let them eat more
Let them eat war
Definately worth a listen.
The first single (which probably won't get much airplay anywhere) is Let Them Eat War. So far it is easily my favorite track on the disk. Here is an excerpt from the lyrics...
From the force to the union shops
The war economy is making new jobs
But the people who benefit most
Are breaking bread with their benevolent hosts
You never stole from the rich to give to the poor
All he ever gave to them was a war
And a foreign enemy to deplore
Let them eat war
Let them eat more
That's how to ration the poor
Let them eat more
Let them eat war
Definately worth a listen.
posted by Mike at 10:10 AM
2 Comments:
Yes. I love this album too, and it's not just a political CD either. Some of the stuff on this CD ****OMG SPOILER**** has to do with religion and philosophy and other abstract things.
I must admit, I like Bad Religion not just because I agree somewhat with their views, or that they sound cool. Some of what they have to say is simply not like the standard SoCal punk ethic (ie. social change, OMG politicians suck, but not necessarily anarchy). Very few bands throw in discourses on belief and religion without getting into the cliched "Christianity is for the narrow minded" schtick that spews out of academia everywhere.
I disagree with Mike. Their last CD (The Process pf Belief) was quite good, and fell in line with the Bad Religion-ish sound. Their CDs with Atlantic Records, other than Recipe For Hate were pretty mediocre jobs. New America was a bit above mediocre-ness, but I felt it was slightly over-produced. Now don't get me wrong, I have nothing against a punk band actually sounding clean and produced well. I do have a problem when a punk band doesn't sound like a punk band.
Anyhoo, I'm tired.
One additional comment: Very few 80s/early 90s punk bands have good singing. They do. Dead Kennedys did. Pennywise at that time did not (now they do, although Pro Tools may be involved).
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