The Descendents’ ‘Merican
In anticipation of the first honest-to-god Descendents’ album in almost
eight years, the band has released a four-song EP to provide long-time fans
with the sound of the band circa 2004. With two songs previewing the upcoming
Cool To Be You, and a couple of non-LP tracks, the ‘Merican EP
stands well on its own. “Nothing With You,” from the new album, is a nifty
slice of guitar-driven power-punk that explores the familiar comfort of
sitting around and doing nothing with the one you love. Watching TV and
joyfully proclaiming “I’m not lazy, I’m in love,” the tune name checks pop
culture touchstones like The Simpsons and Seinfeld while
delivering domestic bliss with a riff-happy soundtrack. The bittersweet “Here
With Me,” exclusive to the EP, shows the other side of the coin, the forlorn
vocals evincing melancholy for a love lost while strong, deliberate fretwork
is embroidered on top of a steady beat.
Another non-LP cut, “I
Quit,” is a scorched-earth dismissal of those who would criticize the band as
“sell outs” or, worse yet, “not punk enough,” the venomous lyrics empowering
the musicians to make their own choice of the music they play and the lives
they lead. Stephen Egerton’s six-string work is stunning, roaring over the
edge into metallic overdrive as Bill Stevenson’s explosive drumbeats and Karl
Alvarez’s massive bass line support Milo’s clever lyrics: “What'd ya think, I
wanted to be Mick Jagger or something/Playing the pixie at 50 or 60?/Gimme a
break!/I mean, I don't wanna grow up and all that, but/The time has come for
me to say – I quit!” An untitled “hidden” song, drifting in after the end of
“I Quit,” seems like nothing more than the fab four having a bit of fun after
the previous song’s statement, sounding all the world like Metallica or some
other metal-edged arena rockers. Showcasing the band’s collective talents and
extending its sound beyond the confines of the punk genre, the tune is a real
eye-opener to this outfit’s chemistry and musical potential.
It’s
with the title cut of this long-overdue EP that the Descendents, much like
labelmates NoFX recently did, take a 180-degree turn. Sure, Milo and his mates
have always been cynical, angry young punks, but I don’t remember the band
ever making as powerful a political statement as it does with “’Merican.” A
jaded observation of American history delivered with machine-gun vocals and
staggering three-chord prowess, the song begins with “We flipped our finger to
the king of England/Then stole our country from the Indians/With god on our
side and guns in our hand/We took it for our own.” Milo continues to spit out
rapid-fire lyrics with an equal measure of pride and horror as he outlines the
good, the bad and the ugly of America. Every verse is punctuated with the
chorus “Listen up man, I’ll tell you who I am/I’m just another stupid
American/But you don’t want to listen, you don’t want to understand/Just
finish up your drink and go home.”
The Reverend’s Bottom Line
Much like NoFX’s wonderfully wry “Franco American,” the Descendents
deliver a potent commentary on society without the cliched rhetoric that
plagues many political-punks, the band punching its thoughts home with maximum
amplification in a mere minute and fifty-one seconds. Another preview from
Cool To Be You, the Descendents leave the listener eagerly awaiting the
band’s first album in almost eight years. Something tells me that it will have
been worth the wait… (Fat Wreck Chords, released 2004)
Review originally published by Alt.Culture.Guide™ zine
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