One Black Lung
Bushsongs
Despite an intriguing patina of subtle, snap-sharp pop-tones, One Black Lung’s 11-song diatribe against life in the Bush regime suffers under the weight of its own indignation. The local duo’s sentiments, neatly summarized in their sophomore effort’s opening salvo, “Leader of the Free World,” lose potency with repetition. After all, even Neil Young couldn’t sustain an album-length Bush bash. Bushsongs strives for a toned-down variant of Zappa-style excoriation, but songs like “The Way of the Dodo” and “Are You Tired” are more smug than savage. That said, the quirk-studded musical side of Bushsongs prompts a closer listen. Part irreverent prog-rock, part catchy power-pop, and part New Wave dystopia, OBL’s eclectic bag of inspiration produces a sound that trumps their subject matter. Here’s hoping they outlive the current administration to sic their chops on something else.
This article appears in February 2 • 2007.
