Propaghandi Review

Artist: Propagandhi

Title: Potemkin City Limits

Genre: Political Punk

Stars: 4

It’s rare that a band can put out an album that is able to match its powerful musicianship with genuine, quality lyrics. However, these Canadian activists have done exactly that, and not for the first time. With their fifth release, the members of Propagandhi have once again struck out on a powerful left-wing crusade against almost everyone imaginable, from the US government to their own record label. And, unlike predecessors such as Crass, Propagandhi manage to complement their raging lyrics with equally compelling music, creating songs that will resonate in both your bleeding political heart and your rhythmic tapping toes.

The first track, A Speculative Fiction, hooks the listener’s interest immediately by posing a hypothetical war; Canada vs. the United States. They angrily attack the US, from our patriotic sentiments to FOX’s control of National Hockey League broadcasting rights. While it may seem that they are defending Canada’s supposed innocence, in Bringer of Greater Things they turn against their own countrymen, chastising members of the Saskatoon Police Department for the 1990 deaths of three teenagers they failed to rescue from the deadly Canadian wilderness. Following their anti-Canadian tirade, they return to focusing on the US government, accusing them of brainwashing America’s youth into joining the armed forces in Die Jugend Marchiert.

The real surprise of this album comes on Track 7, entitled Rock for Sustainable Capitalism. In the song, Propagandhi berates music corporations of all sizes, ranging from the conglomerates that dominate mainstream music to smaller labels, including Fat Wreck Chords, the label on which this album was released. Now, call me suspicious, but it seems a bit hypocritical to reprimand the label that you signed on to, especially when you’re accusing them of “selling out”. While their Canadian label, G7 Welcoming Committee, may in fact be the antithesis of corporate music, their American counterparts at Fat are far from it. In fact, a number of Fat bands are major players on the Warped Tour, the very festival that Propagandhi upbraids for having “gone green”, their proverbial way of saying “sold out and lost every ounce of punk rock street-cred they ever had.” Keep this in mind as you pick up a copy of Potemkin City Limits at Tower Records (or Black Dog Music, for that matter).

While they may seem hypocritical and pretentious at some points, it’s the honest truth that the boys of Propagandhi have remained loyal to their roots and fans over a 12-year lifespan, which is far more than many “punk” bands can say. Their unique blend of traditional punk and thrash rock may not appeal to everyone’s music tastes, but their lyrics will speak to anyone who disagrees with the current political situation. Not recommended for the for those with conservative or faint hearts, Potemkin City Limits speaks to a world of free-thinkers who believe that there is some hope for the world if we work together for change.