Category: | Review - Internet | Publish date: | 10/8/2010 |
Source: | wiux.org | ||
Synopsis: |
The Dissent Of Man
by Jeff LaFave
wiux.org, October 8, 2010
Longevity in the punk rock scene can be hard to come by. With The Dissent of Man, SoCal-based Bad Religion not only releases their fifteenth studio album, but also crosses the milestone threshold of 30 years in music.
The Dissent of Man, released on September 28, continues with Bad Religion’s sharply political wit and narrative, while abstaining from targeting specific individuals or groups in their lyrics. A passionately-liberal band, this is Bad Religion’s first album since the Bush administration ceased and President Obama took office. As a result, the mood of TDOM contains a more mature feel of acceptance, resistance, and united growth, as compared to their earlier years of assault. It can be directly suggested that the election of a democratic president has changed their mood to one of optimism, not anger (though their music remains just as aggressive as ever).
In addition, frontman and lead vocalist Greg Graffin admitted that the widespread, violent disagreements of American politics (such as the bitter nature of the healthcare debates) in recent years shaped the new album to unite their audience as one, not divide them along party lines. As Graffin put it, “Faith in your partner, your fellow men, your friends, is very important, because without it there’s no mutual component to your relationship.”
As far as the music goes, TDOM kicks off with “The Day the Earth Stalled,” the shortest and fastest song on the album at 1:27, the only track under two minutes. If one closes their eyes and listens, they can practically feel that relentless 1990s sound. “The Devil in Stitches,” a song about love at all costs, sounds strangely folksy, and the riffs of “Cyanide” are perhaps the heaviest on the track. “Where the Fun Is,” has a straight-up mean bass line break.
Calling frontman Graffin an intellectual would be an insult – he has a master’s degree in Geology from UCLA. The quality lyrics and questions he poses in TDOM’s lyrics make this ever-apparent. “Wrong-Way Kids,” a song about initial teenage rebellion, resonates strongly with Bad Religion’s punk fanbase: “Did you ever want to take bad advice?/Did you ever want to go and take it twice?/Do you remember when the world began to put up its thorny fence?/Right you are my friend. So what’s wrong with them?/There go the wrong way kids.
While fans dedicated to the punk rock scene might hail Bad Religion’s newest album like the beloved friend they know and love, those outside the alternative rock scene can still dip into Bad Religion’s moderately-aggressive sound without getting scared away. Yet, those looking for an intensely groundbreaking Bad Religion tone won’t be wooed over. This is the same Bad Religion that has been around since 1978 – though that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
9 / 10