MP3 Metric - "Succexy"
While it came out at the end of 2003, Metric's Old World Underground, Where Are You Now? has been one of my favorite & most played albums of this past year. Frontwoman Emily Haines & bandmate James Shaw are also members of the Broken Social Scene collective, which would typically be enough to make them aces in my book. Metric creates a smart & thoughtful blend of dance rock, getting topical while still rocking your ass off & moving your body. It doesn't hurt that Haines is such an energetic & charasmatic lead singer, who it's hard not to crush on just a little. With her & Leslie Feist, Broken Social Scene sure knows how to pick the ladies.

Given my somewhat lefty leanings & constant frustration (to put it lightly) with the unfortunate element currently sullying the presidency, and the relatively lazy media that "covers" them, I was obviously drawn to the subject matter "Succexy" tackles. I vividly sitting around my apartment in Williamsburg on 9/11/01, thinking out loud that Bush was going to react to the WTC attacks the wrong way, bullheadedly attacking other countries with big military because it would be showy, just what the American public seems to like & logically an inefficient method to combat terrorism IMO.

Haines & company's lyrics perfectly zero in on the "mission accomplished" attitude of those in power & cowed press core that simply follows along, taking dictation. Of course "invasion" is "succexy" & nothing "beat[s] denial." The constant barrage of lazy 24 hour news, assisted by their obnoxious & ineffective punditry ("All we do is talk, sit, switch screens as the homeland plans enemies") has turned so much of the general public into zombies ("we're waking up so slowly") that this disaster of a president actually managed to get 51% of the November 2 vote.

During such a politically volatile 2004, I cued up "Succexy" quite a bit. Over the next four years, this song is likely to stay fairly relevant in regard to current events, so it's a good thing you can also dance & rock out to it.


Metric's Emily Haines struts her stuff during a May performance at the Fine Line.

Track 01: The Arcade Fire - "Wake Up"
Track 02: Frou Frou - "Let Go"
Track 03: The Walkmen - "The Rat"
Track 04: Interpol - "C'mere"
Track 05: Franz Ferdinand - "Jacqueline"
Track 06: The Killers - "Somebody Told Me"
Track 07: Junior Boys - "Bellona"
Track 08: Kings of Convenience - "I'd Rather Dance With You"
Track 09: The Go! Team - "Bottle Rocket"
Track 10: Belle & Sebastian - "Your Cover's Blown"
Track 11: TV on the Radio - "The Wrong Way"

This entry was posted by mr gilbert at 12/15/2004 11:55:00 AM.