I said I'd be posting something different this week, and here it is.
Desaparecidos was a short-lived punk band started as a side-project by
Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes. As opposed to the personal nature which
colors much of Oberst's other work, Desaparecidos contains a more
traditional punk critique of capitalism and consumer culture. The
sound of their single full-length release, Read Music/Speak Spanish,
is raw and aggressive and contrasts with the folkish and more
experimental sounds of Bright Eyes.
This is an album that sat around in my music collection for a while
after I downloaded the bulk of Conor's music. Once I listened to it,
though, I was extremely impressed and it worked its way into my
regular rotation. I especially enjoy the fact that in the wake of so
much self-censorship among artists in the immediate aftermath of 9/11
they released something so critical of the United States. The lyrics
are well-crafted, as is evident in songs such as "The Happiest Place
on Earth":
Our freedom comes at their expense
It makes sense, does it? Dollars and cents
They're stretching barbed wire across the picket fence
That is surrounding your housing development
Just in case you lack the confidence
Oh God my God give strength to thee
These amber waves purple majesty
Are nothing but backdrops for Disney
Nothing like some middle-class angst to get the day started. While I
love Bright Eyes, this is a refreshing change in sound. Unfortunately
Desaparecidos appears to have been a one-time project and we will
probably not see anything more from them. Enjoy this one, though.
Especially good tracks: The Happiest Place on Earth; Man And Wife, The
Former (Financial Planning)
Download here!
Enjoy!
1 comment:
I listened to this out of respect for you,Anarchon, but I'll be blunt: I didn't like it. I just can't get into the punk aesthetic as it's presented here. I tried to pick out a single track I enjoyed, and for that purpose alone I singled out "Manana", but only the first minute and a half; before he starts really doing his scremo-ish stuff. I find his vocals to be a big turn off personally, though I can recognize him as someone who would be popular with people who already like this kind of thing.
Post a Comment