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(international) noise conspiracy: a new morning, changing weather
When you think Sweden, you might think of Bergman movies and IKEA—a land of brainiacs who get all excited about icy existential despair and streamlined furniture for the masses. You might not typically think of dirty mod revolutionaries rocking out a rabid manifesto dance party—but the Swedish folk behind the (International) Noise Conspiracy are working to change that. Their newest album, A New Morning, Changing Weather (a title inspired by '60s radicals the Weathermen, of course) builds on their previous agenda of sexy anarchist garage grooves, but by exploring new avenues of song-writing and instrumentation, the record takes their militantly melodic message/noise to a whole new level.
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The (I)NC play "political punk," but with a distinctly Euro-art-school flavor. The politics: name-checking esoteric critical theorists; the punk: feverish '60s garage rock instead of three-chord hardcore clichés. Not your average American safety-pin anarchists (they've even traded in the mohawks for Beatles-y mops), but their intent is the same: to subvert the system, damn the Man, and generally (as the title of their first single demands): "Shake It Up!"
"A Northwest Passage" starts the riot off right: insistent drums and an itchy bass line give an ominous backdrop to vocalist Denis Lyxzen's sultry invitation "Hey my comrade/Strike a pose for me." But if this is typical T(I)NC fare, "Bigger Cages, Longer Chains" and "New Empire Blues" show them experimenting with new instruments and more ambitious orchestrations of their staple guitar/bass/drum/organ combo. A few tracks end up overwhelmed by critical-theory cheese ("A Body Treatise" about semiotics and self-mutilation), or predictable songwriting ("Last Century Promise"), but they're a small price to pay for the album's centerpiece, the sublime "Capitalism Stole My Virginity." On this bratty soul-punk anthem, a pinch of humor helps T(I)NC's pouty-preaching find balance with the sheer ecstasy of naïve teenage revolt—guitars and electro-organs rampage through the streets while Lyxzen howls that "We're all sluts/Cheap products," and the sweaty, sarcastic energy is infectious.
Pretentious as hell? Sure. But at least they know how to party while they politick. Modern quasi-revolutionaries could learn a thing or two from these rowdy Swedes—if only the "Battle of Seattle" crowd would adopt an (International) Noise Conspiracy sound track, we might actually get a revolution worth showing up for. (Burning Hearts)
—Samanta Culp
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