Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Review: Tom Morello & Boots Riley, Street Sweeper Social Club

Posted by Eric Snider on Tue, Jul 7, 2009 at 6:27 PM

It was fated that one day they’d collaborate. Audioslave (and former Rage Against the Machine) guitarist Tom Morello and Boots Riley, rapper for the Coup, are two of the most stridently radical musicians to ever plug in. Get ’em together and you get Street Sweeper Social Club, 11 songs and nearly 40 minutes of unremitting agitprop set to thunder beats and monster guitar riffs.

click to enlarge sssc.jpg

Every song rails against something: bosses, politicians, capitalism, materialism, the System. Virtually every song advocates the violent overthrow of oppressive forces, the gathering of guns, the whole ain’t-taking-shit-NO-more thing.

Unless you’re planning to cause trouble at the next G8 summit, this kind of rhetorical and musical onslaught can wear your ass out. But give Morello and Riley big ups for commitment — and big up Stanton Moore for providing the crushing funk-rock grooves.

Rap-metal is a worn-out subgenre, and to some extent the Morello/Riley team (along with drummer Stanton Moore) sags under the weight of stylistic orthodoxies. There are only so many new ways to approach a heavy guitar riff, only so many variations on funk-rock beats.

It’s Riley’s singlemindedness of purpose and the strident and often clever barrage of his rhymes that redeems the effort. "World poverty has just gone platinum/ Unemployment checks need to come with a gat in ’em,” Boots bellow on “The Squeeze,” just one example of the many punchy turns of phrase that run throughout the album.

The most engaging track is “Promenade” — built around a springy slam-beat, it’d be the perfect tune for a line dance at an anarchists rally. “FBI comin’ round the outside/ Which one of us is finna die tonight?/ Is we finna fight over crumbs to bite?/ Or make a whole muthafuckin’ world ignite?”

If you get a mind to spark some violent revolution, load Sweet Sweeper up on the iPod before you grab your gun and go. (SSSC)

[image-2]

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Comments (14)

Showing 1-14 of 14

Add a comment

rc toys your hobbies ,welcome to order .big discount http://www.rctoys2you.com

report   
Posted by rc toys on May 10, 2010 at 10:59 PM

Really good article, thank you for sharing, I will always look at the future.I like it very much.

report   
Posted by christian louboutin on July 5, 2010 at 3:45 AM

Good article, Each and every point is good enough.Thanks for sharing with us your wisdom.

report   
Posted by Christian Louboutin Boots on August 18, 2010 at 9:02 AM

I was actually looking for this resource a few weeks back. Thanks for sharing with us your wisdom.This will absolutely going to help me in my projects .

report   
Posted by ugg boots on August 23, 2010 at 10:27 AM

Intimately, the post is actually the best on this laudable topic. thanks !best regards

report   
Posted by gucci belts on August 24, 2010 at 11:04 PM

We have been banned and have a considerable amount of money owed to us. http://www.anfworld.com/abercrombie-and-fitch-jeans.html http://www.anfworld.com/ruehl-no-925.html

report   
Posted by nike on September 1, 2010 at 11:00 PM
Posted by oxpdffr on November 23, 2010 at 5:00 AM

you can enjoy the sports in winter with columbia outerwear and you can find one columbia jacket for yourself.

report   
Posted by columbia jackets on sale on December 14, 2010 at 9:09 AM

DllErrorsFix is an dll errors fix tool.DllErrorsFix can repair and fix dll errors easy, safe and fast. DllErrorsFix will not collect or use any information about the visitors to the Web Site and your visit to the Web Site is anonymous.

report   
Posted by Dll Errors on December 29, 2010 at 11:25 PM

EXErrorsFix is your complete one-stop resource for EXE error related information and solutions.Unwanted or problematic applications which cause program freezes, system lock-ups, slow performance.Fix exe error & boost speed by up to 200%, safely clean, repair and optimized your computer.

report   
Posted by EXE Error on January 13, 2011 at 4:53 AM

Thanks for writing this blog post, it was informative, enjoyable, and most importantly - a good length!

report   
Posted by Solid State Relay on February 21, 2011 at 10:31 PM

I tried to think so, but I found it was not as the same in the actual process. As you mentioned, I still have doubts, but really thank you for sharing!

report   
Posted by Quick couplings on February 21, 2011 at 10:47 PM
Posted by chanel totes on March 25, 2011 at 10:23 PM
Posted by chanel totes on April 7, 2011 at 3:49 AM
Subscribe to this thread:
Showing 1-14 of 14

Add a comment

Latest in Tampa Calling

Author Archives

Search Events

Recent Comments

  • Re: Top 10: Bob Dylan lyrics

    • "Darkness at the break of noon
      Shadows even the silver spoon
      The handmade blade the…

    • on February 6, 2012
  • More »

© 2012 SouthComm, Inc.