New Album Stream ep. 1: Every Crisis Is a Moral Crisis
In this first one of 12 weekly episodes, we present the first song off our new record “Start From Scratch!”: Every Crisis Is a Moral Crisis, with lyrics, liner notes and a sneak peek of the artwork. Greg Rekus, singer and guitarist of Winnipeg Canada’s High Five Drive and day job sound engineer, is our guest this week. The first time I (Riekus) met him was a midnight encounter in a Paris gay bar, don’t ask! We got to know each other better when High Five Drive and Antillectual toured the UK, Belgium, France and our home country this April. In this week’s episode, Greg talks about the sound of our record, veggie beef and Uma Thurman. Confusing, isn’t it? Read on, figure out what Greg is about, enjoy the song and give us your feedback.
Skip to: Special Guest / Lyrics / Liner Notes / Artwork preview / Confirmed labels
Greg Rekus says
One of my favourite elements of Antillectual is the guitar work. This song is packed with tasty little riffs and guitar parts that ignite the impulse to reach for a guitar and attempt to decode the combination of fingering, palm muting, picking and other assorted tricks Willem hides up his frayed hoodie sleeves. The lyrics hit you right away like an anthem you had on the tip of your tongue but just couldn’t spit it out. “Bring it on! Let’s start from scratch!”. Hear it once and you are singing it immediately. The recording is big. Huge guitar tones, gritty, beefy (veggie beef of course) bass sounds, nice crack to the snare. Riekus’ drum sounds are killer. They don’t have the super triggered, robotic sound that some people were sure was the key to good records several years ago.
High five drive played with them live a bunch this past April. Many bands just aren’t the same live as on record or vice versa. Either the record is lacking the energy of a band losing their shit on stage or the live show is missing the precision and polish of a good recording. Antillectual is one of those rare bands that straddle that line of energetic live performance while maintaining the tightness usually reserved exclusively for wet knots and Uma Thurman costumes. I’m super pumped on this recording and can’t wait to share the stage with them again!
Lyrics
Bring it on
Let’s start from scratch
We need a reality check
Armed with second opinions
Not afraid to use them
Now it is time, time for plan B
My First Crisis
This is not a drill
Too true to be good
Think outside the box, it’s time for plan B
Every crisis is a moral crisis
Now we can become what we want to be
Let’s start from scratch
The system broke
Repairing is not possible
Replacing the only option
Recycling what is useful
Now the dust has settled
It’s up to us
We want regime change
Let’s start from scratch
Liner Notes
We have reached another breaking point in history. The current financial crisis has made an enormous impact on so many people that it seems things are going to change. If things are going to change, we have to make sure they change for the better. Political and financial systems are extremely slow when it comes to change. People, on the other hand, can change their ideas and behavior overnight.
Whether a crisis is about the financial world, immigration, the role of the media and youth culture, how to treat whistle blowers, animals, political themes in general, or the upcoming influence of “new” powers like China and India; all crises should lead to an evaluation of how we deal with these topics in the future. What we think is right and wrong about it. What moral standards should apply for any of these topics. Every crisis is a moral crisis.
Now that the old balance is unstable it is time to tip it over and install a new balance. This is the time where people are up for trying new, better ideas. Now we can be the architects of our own world. For real change to occur, we need more than just a new messiah. We need people to believe in themselves and each (each!) other instead of a new president or a new financial system to improve the quality of life.
We should not be afraid to take a closer look at things when it gets hot under our feet. There is a lot to improve in the world. If we want this crisis, and more importantly the reaction to this crisis, to be fruitful, it is up to us to give directions. So bring on these crises and take those chances. Let’s start over, let’s start from scratch.
Artwork preview
Artwork by David Finke of FairTradeMerch
Confirmed Labels so far:
Discos Rayados Records (Spain)
Effervescence Records (France)
Infected Records (Portugal)
Lockjaw Records (United Kingdom)
Shield Recordings (Benelux)
Square of Opposition Records (USA)
No Reason Records (Italy)
5 Feet Under Records (Scandinavia)
That’s it for this week’s album preview. We’ll be back next Monday with the second song: Buyer’s Remorse. Expect some candy-sweet guest vocals and another Special Guest.
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