This Is My America

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SKU: 4324801292017611

Description

If you considered their debut quot;Worthless Lessonquot; album a slap upside the head, you better duck. Route .44s sophomore release is a haymaker. The album, called quot;This is My America,quot; can be likened to Russell Crowes first big line in quot;Gladiatorquot;… quot;Unleash Hellquot; or Gerard Butlers, as Leonidas in quot;300quot;… quot;Prepare for Glory.quot;Yeah, quot;…My Americaquot; has just that kind of ferocity. The current lineup of Route .44 came together just under five years ago, with stand up bassist and production guru Eric D. joining in 05. In 2007, they earned a Motif Music Award for Breakthru Band of the Year. In 2008, they were dubbed Alt-Rock Band of the Year by local music junkies. Here at Motif, Roots music columnist John Fuzek first noticed Route .44 as an upstart roots outfit throwing together crazy elements of various genres into a richly-saturated oblique tour-de-force. The debut work, quot;Worthless Lessons,quot; leaned mainly on the bands roots foundation, coming across as much gospel as roots-rock at times. Despite the fact that band leader and lyricist Ian Lacombe peppered the album with hard-edged lyrics in songs such as quot;Addictionquot; and quot;Worthless Lessons.quot; The sound, vocals, and arrangements are an acquired taste, to some degree. Youre not likely to catch Route .44 on mainstream Clear Channel stations like WHJY, or corporate alt-rock such as WBRU. Theres an oblique power and beauty, admittedly not for everyone. quot;This is My Americaquot; demonstrates a clear maturation into more forceful songwriting and an uncompromising social critique noticeably absent in this time of war and crisis. quot;Music has always been a mirror of the times. This album is a continuance of that tradition,quot; songwriter Ian Lacombe says. quot;I have always been a fan of music with a conscience from Anarcho-punk bands like Crass and Conflict to Woody Guthrie and Country Joe and the Fish. quot;I think we are living in a time when we need more social commentary in music. I dont think people really want to be spoonfed the latest Britney Spears song about how difficult her comeback has been… I mean,do we really give a f&%$k about that.quot; One of the more pertinent and in- your face tracks, My America, indicts American apathy, political deceit and the dark cruelty harbored by human souls. Referencing the albums title, My America could double for Johnny Depps big quot;Sweeney Toddquot; number. A blend of breathless harlequin and burning disdain, Lacombe continues his raw wordsmith excellence. My America would be like Jim Morrison joining Disturbed and bringing his poetic psychedelia on a Warped Tour. Vocalists Jess Powers and Teri Pimley conflate an angelic foil to Lacombes demons. But with the new Route .44, halos tarnish fast in an anti-harmony of vice: Take my money, give me pain. Put me out on that train. Again, the way you use me. I thought I was forgiven, but I cannot stop my sinning… I dream of a catastrophe, already in the making. In which we are like insects, tryin to build a hive. Like drones we all operate without the ability to think for ourselves till the day we die. And our queens will just make more of us, as we succumb to thoughts of lust… perpetuate our existence to further make us slide. This is my, this is my America. This is myAmerica. quot;As far as the darker imagery in the lyrics goes, I think thats simply a sign of the times,quot; Lacombe says. quot;The world is getting darker, wars are raging, our economy is shrinking, and resources are disappearing. quot;In a nutshell, the world shapes

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