Review Summary: The music charges along at a brilliantly frantic pace, blasting through genres such as pop punk, ska rock n roll and thrash. Jeff Rosenstock’s incisive sarcasm, and bleak world view shine through with cheery drunken sing-along’s about life being terr
''Well, let the great experiment begin!!''
David Cross is the perfect choice to introduce this record, with a distinct anti authoritarian and anti commercial stance, alongside a great sense of humour and nerd tendencies. He has more in common with the band than you might think.
Bomb the Music Industry! Are quite possibly music's last great hope. Not in the sense that they are reviving an earlier vibrant scene (although in some ways they do). No! They are the band that tell it like it is, albeit with a big smile on their face, while sticking to their guns / roots by retaining a very strict DIY attitude.
Bomb the Music Industry! Is more than just a witty and unforgettable name for the band, it is a motto, mantra and statement of intent for the band and their fans. All of their records are released as free downloads, from band leader Jeff Rosenstock’s website www.quoteunquoterecords.com which is a fantastic bonus, as you can download all of their stuff, they don’t mind and its completely legal (except maybe some of the sample use), so however you feel about music downloads, kazaa, limewire et al, and no matter how much of a moronic fanboy of metallica you are, you have very reason not to check this fantastic band out for yourself!
Of course this wouldn’t mean much if the music was a load of bollocks, I would still give them a nod of respect for having their heart in the right place, but I wouldn’t listen to them for most of the time I spend at my computer and hum their catchy tunes most of the time at work. They write exceptional ska/punk/pop music, with catchy horns, danceable guitars and bass and noisy old school 16 bit synthesizers.
The music charges along at a brilliantly frantic pace, blasting through genres such as pop punk, ska rock n roll and thrash. Jeff Rosenstock’s incisive sarcasm, and bleak world view shine through with cheery drunken sing-along’s about life being terrible. Might sound like a depressing proposition, however, the way the lyrics will draw parallels’ with ones disappearing youth, and anxiety about growing up will strike a chord.
The record was recorded on Rosenstock’s laptop computer for a few hours a day because he lived in an apartment full of families and old age pensioners. It was also recorded with a single microphone, which has lead to a fantastic collage of different instruments creating a fantastic texture of layered samples, this abrasive technique makes the production more like a hip hop record, with home made samples. The Bomb Squad would be proud of this work.
Standout tracks include the agit, furious disco punk of “From Martyrdom to Sar(tyr)dom’’ which transforms from a start stop rant to a raging pop punk anthem that critically scrutinises his own work and lifestyle. We doubt ourselves all too often, and this fantastic anti-statement of intent captures the sense of apathy that spending a lot of time trying to create can manifest. Writing about his feelings towards his own record make for one of its definite high points.
Rosenstock is also just as adept at writing introspective acoustic songs, such as “Grudge Report” a touching song about losing touch with your friends, and having to deal with your own company. Going from the sarcastic and yearning chorus of “Take my chances and go it alone, I hate people anyway” which builds up with the chant of “Don’t give up on the first thing you believe” into a rocking final chorus which gives a more positive meaning to the chorus.
The high point of the record definitely has to be the two concept segments titled “King of Minneapolis”. This was originally intended to be released as a tape Rosenstock was going to claim was found on the beach and had survived a shipwreck from the cold war. This plan probably would only have worked with the strictest anonymity, since it draws such obvious parallels with his own life. I enjoy these songs especially as they pretty much tell my own story of last winter, which was the lowest time in my life so far. The subject matter tends towards loneliness, self doubt and alcoholism, however, never losing the anthemic power found throughout all of BTMI!’s records which make the songs sound more like life affirmations than mere statements of depression.
