Propagandhi
Failed States(Single)
Ok, so it may be slightly ridiculous to review a single song, but a while back we reviewed a 2-song Fucked Up release and no complained, so why not? Plus, this is really just an excuse to gush over Propagandhi and what a monumentally important and incredible band they are.
First off, "Failed States" is the title track of the new Propagandhi full-length that comes out in September (also called Failed States). For many, Propagandhi was a Fat Wreck punk band with catchy little tracks like "Ska Sucks" and "Anti-Manifesto". While those songs still hold up, I know many people who didn't give them much thought after they had grown up a little and decided that ska-based fatwreck punk wasn't for them any longer. While I find that sentiment understandable, in the case of Propagandhi it was a mistake to say the least. Rather than sticking with tongue-in-cheek ska punk, Propagandhi slowly became masters of thrash-influenced punk, trading their teenage tirades in for expertly crafted and intelligent songs that appeal to any politically-minded music lover.
In this regard, "Failed States" fits right into the evolution of Propagandhi. Even more thrash-influenced than many tracks off of Potemkin City Limits or Supporting Caste, this song melds metallic riffs with Chris Hannah's signature voice, using time signature changes and samples to fill out an already incredible song. As always, Hannah's lyrics put most other band's to shame. Writing politically meaningful songs isn't the easiest task, as many come off sounding juvenille, preachy, or an ungodly annoying combination of the two. Propagandhi, on the other hand, have figured out a way to sound earnest, honest, and well-informed without having to sacrifice content for the sake of making lyrics fit or sound 'right'.
In short, listen to this song and get very excited for the release of their full length on Sept. 4th.
Listen to the song "Failed States" here.
Pre-order the Failed States LP here.
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