Empired – Spite
You may laugh and call me crazy, but the time when punk-rock music is integrated fully into the medical system is coming. It would only make perfect sense. Either join a punk band, or be advised to become a fan of one! It’ll do you better than a fistful of pills and a weekly visit to a bored shrink. It’ll greatly reduce incidents of people kicking over garbage cans on their way from work.
Bands like Empired would surely get included for the test program. But, in truth, it won’t be anywhere near as eccentric as what I make it out to be as I am writing this. Consider that, for example, when you buy alcohol in Northern Europe, you may get a friendly talk from the store clerk. Or, imagine that in some countries, those convicted of white collar crimes are sentenced to take Uni classes and, eventually, serve society in a different way.
But there’s no denying the fact that there’s not only great power in songs like “Spite” by Empire, or that the poppy hooks of the tune are matched by the righteous anger brought in by the dynamic players. The fact is that this is medicine. It’s music for everyone who routinely feels frustrated because of the things that they need to do or the people that they need to be with. And just how long does it take for the music to make you feel better? See? Perfect medicine!
Verticoli – Milk & Honey
It wasn’t merely the age of the musicians who formed the most famous grunge groups of the 1990s that made them cynical. While the press focused largely on the fact that the majority of these musicians came from broken homes, living in an ever-soaked by rain Seattle, and had been dealing with the low-paying jobs prior to becoming rock stars, these weren’t the most important things that inspired those songs.
Those songs were written by people who had had enough of a look at the world in which they were stepping to know that they didn’t want to hang around for long. It’s no wonder that younger groups, like Verticoli, take inspiration from those sounds and attitudes. The world hasn’t changed for the better, and the rat race to become successful is, once examined closely, built to be a losing game.
You’ll know just what records are in the collective musical collection of Verticoli’s musicians and just what kind of ideas inspired “Milk & Honey.” With a guitar groove and the apt distortion that brings to mind Nirvana’s debut record, “Bleach,” Verticoli talk about freedom that is determined by the size of your wallet, and thrills that can only be obtained by those powerful enough to be able to order them. All of these could be theirs, but Verticoli isn’t falling for the trap and neither should you.
