I'm not American. I never will be, even if I moved there. I don't understand the place enough, how somewhere can hold such normal mellow people and such absurd caricatures, the fictional and non-fictional riding the bus together every day. I don't know if it is a place that I would like to live in, but goddamn if it isn't fascinating to watch from some nearby safe haven. Like Canada.
You only have to go so deep to realise the place isn't really completely full of zealots and dumbasses. Some of the music coming out of there is pretty fucking incredible, even if their TV is a little bit shit. Blindfold random grab, reach down into New Jersey and pull out Titus Andronicus, specifically their second and newest album The Monitor.
This isn't even music, it's straight up education. It's taught me that whatever happens, I can never wake up feeling as truly, deeply disappointed as an American can. And it's taught me that a disillusioned American is the angriest motherfucker on a mission you ever did see. There's some kind of civil war allegory in here somewhere, as if American history itself has got both its middle fingers all up in your face. How about that, a glorious 'Fuck You' from Abraham Lincoln himself.
And of course let's not forget the most important historical American of them all. Yep, even God's in on it.
The angst drips off the album, seeps through the speakers and puddles on the floor in a disgusting mess until we're all swimming in it. A rage packed cannon shot straight into the Atlantic ocean. So what the hell do I care? Well it makes for some entertaining music, that's for sure. You'll learn a lot. The comedown is a real chill out. It's good to let it out, otherwise who knows what's boiling up inside us. The whole thing burns itself down in flames quite spectacularly.
Oh and there's bagpipes at the end. Awesome. Give me more. Give me liberty or give me another fucking whiskey.
I'm American.
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