Confines

Confines - Mediocrity Rules

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• published: 15 Oct 2012
• views: 717

Artist: Confines Album: Some Sick Joke 7" Release: 2012 Label: Labor Of Love/Side Two Tracklist: 1. Some Sick Joke 2. Mediocrity Rules 3. Mission Creep Confines remains one of the most underappreciated of the many extremely quality bands that exist in Boston. I assume this has more to do with the fact that it took them two years to release this new 7" after their Withdrawn 7" from 2010 and that they barely seem to play shows than with the actual reception to their music. At least, I can't see why people don't love this band. If you haven't heard them before, the band sounds like an amalgamation of a classic peace punk aesthetic and ideology combined with the more guitar-driven SST hardcore bands (one in particular comes to mind...) I really enjoyed their last record, but this new release is absolutely phenomenal. While the two b-side songs are great, fast songs that are worthy of the Confines name, I want to focus on the four minute title track. "Some Sick Joke" is hands down one of the best hardcore punk songs I've heard all year if not the best. As the label states, the song is "a grueling critique of the state of war we live in and our best efforts to turn a blind eye." It should be no surprise after reading the essay included in their last 7" that the topic is tackled with aplomb. From my experience, the somewhat detached images of disfigured or deceased brown people at the hands of American missiles is either blocked out by the witness or the person is just "used to it" by now and feels nothing. Considering the victims of this violence tend to be "my people," I've never been able to exactly detach myself from it in the same way, and seeing how indifferent my punk peers are to it has always left me stewing in silent abhorrence for that. But, I digress... Musically, "Some Sick Joke" is a lurching beast of a song, truly passionate and truly affecting. My jaw dropped (figuratively) the first time I heard it. I'd have been moshing along in my bedroom (hoping the needle wouldn't jump due to my wild gesticulations not coexisting very well with the flimsy floor on which my turntable rests) had I not been so entranced with the lyrics I was reading on the back of the beautifully-printed inner sleeve. Definitely their defining moment as a band, thus far. One of the things that makes Confines truly special is the way in which they are able to actually be "political," as silly as that sounds. However, in both American society and the insular hardcore/punk world in which this band exists, "politics" are rendered useless or are just flat-out ignored. I, being of small mind, am not able to place exactly where this complacency comes from, but it is extremely disheartening to witness and experience, particularly in my punk peers. Not shocking, this concern is partially covered in both the aforementioned essay and in "Mediocrity Rules" on this 7". Bands are either apolitical, such as in the case of the chaos/spikey punk contingency, where obsolete punk ideas and slogans are co-opted for the purpose of creating some "authentic" image that is the furthest thing from authentic or relevant; there's nothing more embarrassing or sterile as hearing some American band from, say, Florida talk about the bomb dropping in 2012. As mentioned before, Confines has a certain peace punk aesthetic that might place them into this category, but in reading how intelligent, effective, and, most importantly, relevant the lyrics are, the band doesn't fall prey to the biggest ideological roadblock in punk in 2012: aesthetic over ideology. So, Confines pulls off what was thought to be the impossible in our day and age and write an extremely poignant political punk anthem. It is truly inspiring and I haven't felt that from a punk record in a long time. Hopefully, it compels something other than tepid rehashing. Oh, and you can really hit the pit to this 7", so why don't you do that too? http://icoulddietomorrow.blogspot.gr/

Confines - Mediocrity Rules

• Report rights infringement
• published: 15 Oct 2012
• views: 717

Artist: Confines Album: Some Sick Joke 7" Release: 2012 Label: Labor Of Love/Side Two Tracklist: 1. Some Sick Joke 2. Mediocrity Rules 3. Mission Creep Confines remains one of the most underappreciated of the many extremely quality bands that exist in Boston. I assume this has more to do with the fact that it took them two years to release this new 7" after their Withdrawn 7" from 2010 and that they barely seem to play shows than with the actual reception to their music. At least, I can't see why people don't love this band. If you haven't heard them before, the band sounds like an amalgamation of a classic peace punk aesthetic and ideology combined with the more guitar-driven SST hardcore bands (one in particular comes to mind...) I really enjoyed their last record, but this new release is absolutely phenomenal. While the two b-side songs are great, fast songs that are worthy of the Confines name, I want to focus on the four minute title track. "Some Sick Joke" is hands down one of the best hardcore punk songs I've heard all year if not the best. As the label states, the song is "a grueling critique of the state of war we live in and our best efforts to turn a blind eye." It should be no surprise after reading the essay included in their last 7" that the topic is tackled with aplomb. From my experience, the somewhat detached images of disfigured or deceased brown people at the hands of American missiles is either blocked out by the witness or the person is just "used to it" by now and feels nothing. Considering the victims of this violence tend to be "my people," I've never been able to exactly detach myself from it in the same way, and seeing how indifferent my punk peers are to it has always left me stewing in silent abhorrence for that. But, I digress... Musically, "Some Sick Joke" is a lurching beast of a song, truly passionate and truly affecting. My jaw dropped (figuratively) the first time I heard it. I'd have been moshing along in my bedroom (hoping the needle wouldn't jump due to my wild gesticulations not coexisting very well with the flimsy floor on which my turntable rests) had I not been so entranced with the lyrics I was reading on the back of the beautifully-printed inner sleeve. Definitely their defining moment as a band, thus far. One of the things that makes Confines truly special is the way in which they are able to actually be "political," as silly as that sounds. However, in both American society and the insular hardcore/punk world in which this band exists, "politics" are rendered useless or are just flat-out ignored. I, being of small mind, am not able to place exactly where this complacency comes from, but it is extremely disheartening to witness and experience, particularly in my punk peers. Not shocking, this concern is partially covered in both the aforementioned essay and in "Mediocrity Rules" on this 7". Bands are either apolitical, such as in the case of the chaos/spikey punk contingency, where obsolete punk ideas and slogans are co-opted for the purpose of creating some "authentic" image that is the furthest thing from authentic or relevant; there's nothing more embarrassing or sterile as hearing some American band from, say, Florida talk about the bomb dropping in 2012. As mentioned before, Confines has a certain peace punk aesthetic that might place them into this category, but in reading how intelligent, effective, and, most importantly, relevant the lyrics are, the band doesn't fall prey to the biggest ideological roadblock in punk in 2012: aesthetic over ideology. So, Confines pulls off what was thought to be the impossible in our day and age and write an extremely poignant political punk anthem. It is truly inspiring and I haven't felt that from a punk record in a long time. Hopefully, it compels something other than tepid rehashing. Oh, and you can really hit the pit to this 7", so why don't you do that too? http://icoulddietomorrow.blogspot.gr/