Average Life Complaints – Wealth Gap
Genre: Punk, Post-Punk, Indie Rock
It may seem like people in Westernized countries complain a lot. And, yes, they most certainly do. Their problems are not the same as those of the majority of the world’s population. They rarely suffer from a lack of food, shelter, or security. But, it won’t do any good to mention that.
The purpose of life is to live it. And, people live theirs in accordance to the trials and tribulations they have been given. The implied goal in Western countries is to become rich. Naturally, this makes some raise questions about this purpose, or, ask questions about why few ever reach it.
Post-punk, a genre that is based around great basslines and general grumbling, is the temperature tester in some parts of the world. Average Life Complaints are one of the assistants operating these instruments. On Wealth Gap, singer Charlie Weight talks about the never-ending pursuit of purpose. It’s a soundtrack to a maze, and Average Life Complaints orchestrate the confusion well.
Samantha Dagnino – Money
Genre: Grunge, Pop Rock, Alternative Rock
Similar artists: Nina Hagen, Garbage, Nirvana, The yeah yeah yeahs, HMLTD, Nine Inch Nails
The first time you get involved with any of the things that your parents warned you against, it all seems like some bizarre conspiracy to keep you away from something lovely. Your peers might nod at these suggestions.
However, none of them will tell you what to expect the second time. Or, the diminishing results of every other time after that. Happiness can’t really exist, because we’re not built for it. We get addicted, fat, or simply die from any kind of overstimulation.
That’s not what you’re going to hear in your pop culture though. Samantha Dagnino’s Money is a great bit of art. I hesitate to call it a song. It’s amazingly funny as it ironically chants “Money!” as a mantra to relieve all problems. And, it sounds like it was made by an unsupervised toddler. It’s like soundtracking a realistic version of Rugrats. Rugrats learns to obey their corporate overlords is what I’m sure they’d call it.
