ANOTHER review of america'd!

A great, thoughful review of my album america'd from Raffaela Berry over at DPRP:

Though American artist Ben Sommer labels his music as "edgy, political prog rock", most of those who will listen to his debut album America'd may end up wondering about the prog part of this statement. A self-described curmudgeon who employs music as a vehicle to vent his anger and frustration at the current state of American society, the image he projects throughout the album has more in common with punk and post-punk than progressive rock - even if, lyrically speaking, our favourite genre is far less airy-fairy than its critics would ever be willing to admit.

Personally, I have never shared the view that punk and prog are like the proverbial twain that shall never meet, and believe that injecting some of the raw energy of punk in the often staid compositional schemes of progressive rock can do a world of good, as proven by The Mars Volta, undoubtedly one of the most exciting acts of the last decade. However, on America'd Sommer adopts a conventional song format - complete with occasionally catchy choruses, as in the case of opener Adult Children - following the example of Rush (one of his favourite bands), rather than the sprawling, psychedelic approach of Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and his crew.

Sommer is clearly an omnivorous listener, and his eclectic tastes are one of the factors that generally bode well for anyone engaged in the making of progressive music. His eclecticism is evident from even a cursory listen to America'd, a short, snappy effort clocking in at a mere 32 minutes, quite unusual for these times. While the more conservative prog fans will balk at the obvious punk references in the majority of the songs, as well as the overt nod to rap in closing track Kill The Oestrogen Queens, it is undeniable that the diversity of the influences adds interest to the musical texture.

The main problem with America'd lies in the fact that the music takes a backseat to the the very bluntly in-your-face lyrics. While I tend not to judge albums on the basis of their lyrical content, in this particular case the latter is clearly not meant to be ignored, and also not particularly palatable to quite a few categories of people. Now, as a woman and an immigrant to the USA, the message of both Speekie Engrish and Kill The Oestrogen Queens tends to rub me the wrong way (not to mention the vicious attack on public schools in Little Hitlers, seen as I was a teacher for about 15 years). Moreover, I am not particularly keen on conspiracy theories, nor on what I see as outpourings of anger for its own sake. The modern world may not be a very nice place, but I do not believe that wallowing in hatred and resentment are a very effective answer.

From a musical point of view, if you do not concentrate too much on the prog tag, America'd is quite an entertaining listen, and Sommer a more than capable artist. Out of the album's 8 tracks, the one that is most likely to appeal to dyed-in-the-wool prog fans is Sumerian Proletarian, with its somewhat absurdist lyrics and moody atmosphere enhanced by the exotically mournful sound of the duduk (an Armenian flute). The Rush influences surface evidently in the rockier, more riff-driven numbers, such as Henry Kissinger, with its surprisingly low-key ending, or Little Hitlers, whose chorus references Iron Maiden's The Trooper. Sommer plays guitar and bass, assisted by drummer George Arsenault throughout the album, plus a handful of guest musicians. His vocal style is more influenced by punk than prog, and has drawn comparisons to the likes of Jello Biafra (of Dead Kennedys fame), which emerge most clearly in the anthemic, perversely hummable Right Wing Fiend.

For all the time-honoured tradition of music informed by strong social and political awareness, I believe that it takes an uncommon talent to pen lyrics that sound like more than just a vitriolic rant against everything and everyone. Sommer, however, is definitely no Bob Dylan or Donald Fagen, or even Frank Zappa, and his more controversial lyrics ultimately come across as offensive rather than thought-provoking. Since he seems instead quite talented in the musical department, I believe he should concentrate more on the music and less on conveying his distaste for the undeniably sorry state of his home country's affairs.

Needless to say, America'd is a difficult album to rate adequately. Sommer clearly knows his musical stuff, and his singing is expressive as well as surprisingly melodic (provided you like that particular style). However, though the album allows frequent glimpses of potential interest, it is also an effort that has limited appeal for hardcore prog fans, and the distinctly abrasive nature of the lyrics is likely to put off a good many listeners.