Reubin X – THE ACTIVIST
We’ve all been tricked, but we were helpless to stop it. The moment that they brought in the radio, the television set, the smartphone into our lives we thought we were just getting the opportunity to access cutting-edge technology. We thought we’d just use it for entertainment, that it would make us smarter or, at least, more informed.
We ended up being scared, getting molded by political propaganda, demanding violent, aggressive action. It’s hard to find a person who doesn’t have a political opinion nowadays and just as hard to find someone whose opinion is not radical. What would they think of a young Bob Marley or John Lennon singing about peace? What would they do to Martin Luther King or Mahatma Gandhi preaching non-violent resistance?
Yeah, we need to talk about politics. But we need to blend our anger with love and understanding. And we need to understand that politicians are after servitude. This is what Reubin X has understood and brings to “The Activist.” Inspired by the righteous words of American freedom fighters and modernizing the rap-rock sounds of the likes of RATM, Reubin X has set out on a mission. Most importantly, the music isn’t just rousing. It’s a fiery sound, but one that calls for unity, not division.
A Deer A Horse – Beehive
I don’t know if it’s true that all life is a struggle. Looking at office workers getting Starbucks in the morning on the way to work, I start to doubt that this is a universal question. But, being in a band and trying to make that work certainly is pain and misery, sprinkled with the odd moments of incredible satisfaction. The carrot drives out asses, but you wouldn’t advise it for people who prefer to avoid stress.
It’s easy to make a record sound loud nowadays. Just twiddle those knobs to the right, why don’t you. It’s hard to make them sound genuinely aggressive or scary. This is why, perhaps, most of the people who make aggressive music for all of their corpse paint and leather jackets lead the comfortable life of accountants getting coffee in the morning. It’s a shtick, sure, but one that’s hard to believe.
A Deer A Horse is a band formed in NYC in 2010. They are determined to live with the struggle and are willing to accept all of the discomfort that comes from it. “Beehive” sounds like the music played while soundtracking an illegal fight club in Belgrade. Little of it is pretty; all of the music is good. It’s heavy, aggressive and it’s to believe that this is made by people who won’t return your holiday greetings message.
