Read Between The Frets: The Philosophy of Rock Music

The RX Bandits don’t play ska any more. Their newest album, …And The Battle Begun, is probably more “progressive rock” than anything else. But it really goes beyond a simple term. The eclectic yet powerful sound of the new Bandits album is more reminiscent of “21st Century Schizoid Man” than any Specials or Less Than Jake song.

Unlike most modern albums, …And The Battle Begun, was recorded live rather than with each instrument being recorded separately.¹ This is important to keep in mind when listening to the album, as you can really hear the musicians working together in interesting ways. It’s also impressive as hell, and makes the idea of seeing these guys live very attractive.

This album’s central themes are apparent immediately with the first track. “Untitled” is only 45 seconds long—entirely a cappella—yet it is more than a simple intro tune. The vocals are haunting and they really seem to resonate for the rest of the album (which is perhaps aided by the repetition of the same lyrics at later times during other songs).

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Continuing the epic build up, self-titled track two comes in from complete silence. The drums slowly fade in, followed by the melodic vocals, before breaking through to a crescendo that symbolizes the end of the beginning of the album. Pacing was clearly foremost in this track, and it does not disappoint.

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While every song deserves a listen, some of the standouts include “Tainted Wheat,” “To Our Unborn Daughters,” “Epoxi Lips,” and “Apparition.”

“Tainted Wheat” is a very dynamic song in its structure. It fluctuates between sections of very heavy beats and softer sections. This ebb and flow goes beyond the sound, however, as the lyrics change in intensity to match the music. The chorus is dangerously catchy as well.

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“To Our Unborn Daughters” begins with slow, ethereal chanting and echoed guitars, but eventually culminates into a very strong and punchy chorus. The song’s lyrics are also quite strong: as the title suggests, this song is a speech to young girls. The lyrics encourage women to keep a strong sense of self-worth in spite of living in society that tries to degrade them.

They thrust you their products
By making you feel insecure
The matriarch was murdered
And now woman is a four letter word
Put a price on your body
To convince you that it’s all you’re worth
They are afraid of the power they lose
And the gift of creation
So don’t you ever listen!

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“Expoxi Lips” is one of the most powerful songs on the album. The music at times gets quite complex—bordering on overly so—with several instruments being played loudly at one time. The guitar is fast, the drums are hard, and horns are there too. Yet in spite of this chaos, the sound that emerges is one of total control. “Epoxi Lips” also continues the motif of society’s fascination with aesthetics and materialism.

Numbers keep climbing gotta keep up the pace
Uproot the lines as they grow on your face
Career is over time to take of your clothes
Feel the drip as it numbs all you know
It’s only skin, oh it’s only skin
And you can’t stop the reaper
From the sythe that she’s swinging
A cut, a shot, the heat of her thighs,
Eyes that are crazy cause you can’t find a friend

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One of the slower songs on the album, “Apparition,” really takes full the ghostly sound hinted at with the opening track to full force, truly removing itself from the norms of rock music to produce a unique sound that has come to symbolize the recent Bandits music. The lyrics read just as this song sounds:

I know she’s lurking the streets tonight,
Sound like silence, slink like a drifter
Between the darkness and the flickering light
She’s just a wandering soul, oh I can’t let it go,
Tell me it isn’t so tonight

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The musical talent in this band is not to be underestimated. Aside from the evocative vocals, the drums are what really make the music stand out. For particularly intense sections primary drummer Chris Tsagakis is assisted by the ever-talented Chris Sheets (who also plays the trombone) on a second pair of percussion drums. The power of the two drum sets together is utterly commanding.
Overall …And The Battle Begun is an amazing album from start to finish. There are no bad songs; only a few which fall short of the captivating and immersive nature of the majority. While somewhat similar to their previous album, The Resignation, this album stands on its own as a hallmark in the progression of the RX Bandits.

¹ http://www.rxbandits.com/about.html