(International) Noise Conspiracy
Armed Love
American/Warner
You say you want a revolution? The (International) Noise Conspiracy want to provide the soundtrack. And on their fourth full-length, they're out to bring down the system from within.
For Armed Love, these radical Swedish garage-rockers have joined forces with superstar producer Rick Rubin and global conglomerate Warner Music.
So naturally, this 47-minute set (which came out last year in Europe) is their most polished and poised production to date, with a dozen fist-pumping counterculture anthems fuelled by hip-shaking soul grooves, thumping tomtoms, surging guitars, swelling organ lines (courtesy of Billy Preston and Benmont Tench) and the rabble-rousing vocals of former Refused-nik Dennis Lxyzen.
But even if all that professionalism pushes them close to Hives territory, it hasn't dulled their political message. Armed Love is probably the only major-label album you'll find this (or any other year) that advocates guns for everyone, dancing on the barricades and sharing our dreams under a Communist moon.
"To have rhythm and revolution," says Lxyzen, "seems like an easy solution."
You said it, comrade.
Track Listing:
1. Black Mask
2. Way I Feel About You
3. Let's Make History
4. Armed Love
5. Like A Landslide
6. A Small Demand
7. The Dream is Over
8. This Side of Heaven
9. All in All
10. Communist Moon
11. My Star (Bonus Track)
12. Guns for Everyone (Bonus Track)