I didn't understand why you were running for President again this year until I heard Chicago hardcore group Rise Against. Their major-label debut is called Siren Song for the Counter Culture, a title which seems to share your present level of subtlety and humility. As with you, their over-the-top bloviating for true believers is matched only by an eagerness to please their new corporate paymasters. Which reminds me: Do you think Ben Stein and his Republican friends could sponsor these guys, too?
I'm sure you're already quite familiar with the lineage of punk rock. Nevertheless, indulge me for a moment. My Pitchfork colleague Rob Mitchum once wrote that punk split into two camps: the "goofy" punk of Green Day and Sum 41, and the political punk of Bad Religion or Propagandhi. It's a two-party system, see? That said, Rise Against are the Optimus Prime of modern punk, combining the adolescent yearning of Blink-182 with the self-righteous snare drums of Minor Threat, or something. You'll love it!
Rise Against are Political! That much is clear. You can tell because the first track is called "State of the Union". A blistering hardcore number it is, too, with vocals reminiscent of the last time I forgot the all-important "liquor before beer before all-you-can-eat Chinese" rule. "Please secure your place in Hell," one of the band's two singers helpfully puke-sings. On the next track, "The First Drop", Rise Against earnestly remind us just how Political they are, with lyrics that always seem to end in exclamation points: They scream until their voice is gone! They've had enough! "Can't you listen to what we have to say?"! I'm sure somewhere in there they actually say something, but it's hard to tell.
Of course, Rise Against are also Lovers! They can play the wounded adolescent just as skillfully as Saves the Day or former Fat Wreck Chords labelmates The Ataris. "Never have I felt so cold," they emote. Since you no longer have a party, Mr. Nader, I bet you're feeling lonely, too. You can imagine the sheer catharsis of "Paper Wings", with its soaring pop/punk chorus over the usual four chords from "Dammit". Apparently, there's this girl, the train isn't waiting for her, "and neither am I." The cheap teenage anguish is enough to make me want to break out my old MxPx records, until the Cheap Trick solo and gratuitous acoustic guitars remind me this song must be The Single. Nothing like greenbacks to wipe away your tears, whether caused by the green-eyed monster or just the Green Party.
Rise Against are so multi-dimensional they offer a Jars-of-Clay-fronted-by-Gavin-Rossdale moment that proves what Chris Carrabba does actually takes talent: "Swing Life Away", a drearily unpoetic acoustic weeper about minimum wage and holding hands. How fucking hardcore is that, man? "Rumors of My Demise Have Been Greatly Exaggerated" swipes the perfect Morrissey song title to proclaim, "It's life that scares me to death." Whoa. But the band's true "siren song" is "Give It All", which sums up their big problem (and my main question about your candidacy). "There's a reason why I sing," they sing. "And it's these reasons that belong to me."
