"If you believe in redemption..." Flobots Shatter Rap Stereotypes

Once upon a time not too long ago, I was quite the ignorant audiophile. I would listen to rock, ska, metal, some pop and maybe even a little country but never rap. Rap was the music that was only good for dance parties and watching promiscuous girls grind equally promiscuous guys; rap was good for those who wanted to shake their car and everything in a three-foot radius around them with their bass lines; rap consisted of synthesized looping beats and a ‘vocalist’ deadpanning about how many women he’d raped, how many drugs he’d done and sold, how many he’d killed and how many bullet wounds he’d taken and lived. Basically it was primitive—nothing that anyone with an IQ above seven could tolerate. Or so I thought.

Along came Flobots, and everything changed. I was introduced to them via the single “Handlebars”, and I was hooked to its catchy flow and politically charged lyrics. Soon the rest of the album was mine, and I was floored. Every stereotype I had was shattered. I can think of few songs that would fit the stereotypical ‘grind-ready’ mold; the music was performed by real live instrumentalists, and the bass takes a backseat to the viola and trumpet; and, oh, the lyrics! Bands with a political message are nothing new. Bands with a political message so skillfully and powerfully delivered are quite rare. The liberal dose of guitar gives helps make this album accessible to even the most devout haters of the genre (like myself). In short this album is absolutely phenomenal.

The album starts with the dreary interlude There is a War Going On for Your Mind, detailing the media’s assault on the listener through a simple rant and excellent string work. However this introduction is entirely overshadowed by Mayday!!!, a brilliant showcase of the band’s talent. The layered chorus and Mackenzie Robert’s viola work are impressive, but the verses truly shine thanks to Jonny 5 and Brer Rabbit’s masterful lyrics and flow, peaking late with a rapid-fire staccato break: “These lightning times are trouble who/ can’t count the strikes that punished through/ the bonds we thought would never break…there is the rage of losing you to their mistakes!” Following that is Same Thing which nicely details the band’s political platform: “We need money for healthcare and public welfare/ human needs not corporate greed/ drop the debt and legalize weed…bring the troops back to the USA/ and shut down Guantanamo Bay!” The music is a bit simpler here but still skillfully executed (particularly Joe Ferrone’s trumpet work).

Stand Up tops all three of these strong tracks, led by haunting viola work and a brilliant chorus fueled by excellent drumming and outstanding lyrics: “Stand up; we shall not be moved/ unless we’re taking a route we have not pursued/ if you’ve got more to give, then you’ve got to prove/ put your hands up and I’ll copy you!” And then, Handlebars. I could write an entire review on this song alone. The song starts with a kid bragging “I can ride my bike with no handlebars” and slowly evolves into a much darker tale. Appropriately the music starts gentle and gradually becomes edgier, peaking in a trumpet solo that leads to a furious verse. Of course the real star of the show is Jonny whose lyrics are utterly incredible from beginning to end.

I can tie a knot in a cherry stem; I can tell you about Leif Ericsson
I know all the words to “De Colores” and “I’m Proud to Be an American”…
Movers, shakers and producers, me and my friends understand the future
I see the strings that control the system; I can do anything with no resistance
I can lead a nation with a microphone…I can split the atom of a molecule
I can hand out a million vaccinations, or let ‘em all die in exasperation
Have ‘em all healed from their lacerations or have ‘em all killed by assassination…
I can end the planet in a holocaust!

Throw in some impressive drumming, courtesy of Kenny Ortiz, and you have a truly magnificent song.

Never Had It allows a female vocalist to take stage for an impressive, mostly gentle semi-ballad (with a great solo from Andy Guerrero) before two of the album’s most upbeat tracks kick in. Combat is a mostly nonsensical ditty based on two simple lines and a simple rhythm, but one listen will have the song permanently wedged in your ear. The Rhythm Method (Move!) is another extremely catchy, dance-ready song with an addicting chorus (“Throw your body on the dance floor/ whether you’re beginner or advanced or/ whatever you’re doing, it’s okay (like this)/ so everyone, do it your own way (like this)…” There’s plenty of typical rap arrogance (spelling the band’s name, counting '3-2-1-4-5-6', general shout-outs), but overall the song is great for the amateur dancers among us.

The tone shifts abruptly in Anne Braden which tells the tale of a white Southern woman who fought against racism. In telling her struggles the band creates a positively chilling atmosphere, particularly such lines as these: “The flesh on their hands was tainted with sin/ she faced this every day: people she saw on a regular basis/ people she loved in several cases/ people she knew were incredibly racist…” The song is thought provoking and powerful. We are Winning is considerably more optimistic, fueled by motivational spoken words. Careful listeners might think the song sounds familiar; that’s because the instrumentation is borrowed from the title track’s chorus which greatly helps the flow. Finally Rise closes the album with a simple but still powerful anthem. The chorus of “Together we rise!” won’t win any Pulitzer Prizes, but like much of the album it succeeds being inspiring without being corny. And I cannot get enough of Brer’s fiery line “We switch the consonants; change the sword to words and lift continents!” It wraps up this stellar album on an excellent note.

To those who like me had no hope for rap I cannot recommend this album heartily enough. Few albums have been both so inspiring and so skillfully executed. Without a doubt this is one of 2007’s best albums.

Final Scores
1. There’s a War Going On For Your Mind-90%
2. Mayday!!!-93%
3. Same Thing-87%
4. Stand Up-96%
5. Fight with Tools-88%
6. Handlebars-99%
7. Never Had It-90%
8. Combat-87%
9. The Rhythm Method (Move!)-91%
10. Anne Braden-95%
11. We Are Winning-89%
12. Rise-97%
5 Stars

(Due to my total lack of knowledge of the rap genre, I can’t offer my typical recommendations of other bands with any credibility. I apologize for my ignorance.)