The sudden onslaught of political energy in Madison has brought forth something that’s not often so visible in the city of eternal gray winter, at least not outdoors: passion. People are excited, angry, shouting, smiling and congratulating each other on identical politics. It’s a cool thing to be a part of – so much so that it seems some students are forgetting to be angry because they’re so taken with the idea of political involvement.
There’s room for a musical viewpoint amid all the rallies, rancor and hyperbolic comparisons to countries that are in far greater disarray than the majority of us comfortable college students can even imagine. But it’s hard to know how to use music to protest.
After all, this isn’t the ’60s. Musical taste is fragmented now, compartmentalized to the nth degree; there’s no great musical uniter, no Bob Dylan or Beatles. It would be so easy if there existed a Pandora station that was solely dedicated to protesting Gov. Scott Walker’s existence, but all I could find (thanks to AV Club Madison) was a station dedicated to sound-alikes of the musician who bears the same name as the bile-inspiring governor.
The counter-culture anthems of yore are obsolete; if the times do change it will be for the worse, and overcoming doesn’t seem like an option when protesters cheerfully adhere to every rule and regulation of civil disobedience. But as I mentioned before, there is something raw in our city these days, a primal Promethean flame, which, if fueled, could at least result in something slightly more interesting than a visit from The Daily Show.
So let’s agree to forget the folksy acoustic ballads and all the tried, true and utterly tired tropes of yesteryear. Let’s look for something more aggressive, maybe even a little scary – a head-turning reason to remember these February days as something other than a miniature retread of something our parents have romanticized since we were old enough to pretend to understand.
Let’s turn on some songs that are getting some attention, maybe cause a little fear (and loathing). After all, chanting will only get you so far, but as Jimi Hendrix reminded us, “If there is something to be changed in this world, it can only happen through music.”
Odd Future – “Sandwiches”
To attempt to make a difference, you first have to make people notice you. And that’s exactly what Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All did when they performed this song on the otherwise overwhelmingly docile Late Show with Jimmy Fallon last week. Most impressively, they turned a bunch of heads with most of these lyrics censored.
I can’t imagine what would have happened if people had heard what they actually say in this song, the most innocent of which involves leprechauns with leprosy, killing any kids who are lucky enough to be happy and all manner of nauseating references to genitalia that you’d be better off without. The thing is, this is what it takes to get noticed today. And any attention is good attention. Right?
Gemmy – “Bass Transmitter”
Dubstep is still a relatively new musical genre, and as such it has the potential to upset a lot of people who are unfamiliar with the dark, shifting electronic chaos that confronts a first-time listener. However, this is probably the most harmless song on the playlist.
Gemmy is one of the genre’s original prophets, and the circling synths of this song precede the gigantic bursts of bass that power most of his music. It’s the sound of positive change, and thus a perfect litmus test to figure out who’s interested in something innovative and who’s willing to put up with the same old crap under a different name.
Danny Brown – “Dick Suck”
If you couldn’t figure it out from the title, this song is pretty offensive. It’s masochistic, stupid and very reminiscent of another Detroit rapper who used to be this funny and dangerous before he recovered.
It’s a song that recaptures the subversive edge rap has been missing since someone who’s only about five-foot-five and raps about lollipops declared himself the best rapper alive. So sure, it’s offensive. And that’s exactly what we need right now.
LCD Soundsystem – “Dance Yrself Clean”
James Murphy starts this standout track from This is Happening being polite as all get out. Every statement he makes is negated immediately when he sings, “Present company excepted.” And then suddenly, about three minutes in, things change – the synths start blaring, the drums get administered a beating and Murphy starts shouting earnestly about what needs to be done in order to get clean. It’s a case of necessity overcoming civility, a simple (and relevant) transformation that makes an enormous difference.
Nirvana – “Radio Friendly Unit Shifter”
The story of In Utero is told pretty frequently, but it’s a story worth telling. The no-frills version goes a little something like this: Kurt Cobain was pissed about the co-optation of the group’s previous album, Nevermind, by the obnoxious jerks that make up a significant amount of the population of the world.
So with the next album, he tried to make something that would alienate all of his previous fans, ? la Dylan’s shift to electric. Unfortunately for Cobain (and fortunately for the rest of us), the guy was talented enough to botch an attempt at botching a record, and produced something that’s arguably better than anything he did before. Yeah, the name’s ironic. But that doesn’t stop this jam from being loud, raucous and compulsively listenable.
Tyvek – “Future Junk”
Guitar solos are often described as blistering, but you might want to invest in some salve for your eardrums before you throw on this hair-raising track by brave new punk act Tyvek. First comes the guitar, then come some half-mumbled, half-shouted lyrics. I have to confess, I have absolutely no idea what’s being said in this song, but I do know that it’s fast, loud and short – a companion for revolutionaries and anarchists who are willing to make a little noise.
