Thursday, September 27, 2007

You Are the War That I Want EP angry, clever, good

By Katie Libecco

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You Are the War That I Want will have a CD Release Party Sept. 28 at Cedar's for their debut self-titled EP.

The six-song EP was recorded at Ampreon with engineer Pete Drivere. It couldn't be described as pretty, but it's good. The recording was done well, but there's no denying YATWTIW's grittiness.

Lead singer Leonard Crist's aggressive vocals and drummer Joe Rafidi's straightforward rock style give the band the edge of a laid-off steelworker.

And their music addresses that, too. They're politically and socially-conscious. YATWTIW songs address current issues found on front pages of national and local newspapers, and maybe bring light to some issues not being discussed, too.

Crist's lyrics aren't for those politically or socially squeamish. The EP begins with Crist singing, "Another thousand soldiers dead," in "Bad Day for Brides." In it, the song addresses soldiers going overseas, young brides and coat-hanger abortions. It's followed by the more melodic, "Fahrenheit vs. Celsius."

Musically, "Hive of Wasps," the EP's final song, is something around a musical feat. The song has several complex melodies winding around each other, intertwining until becoming almost a war chant with intense drumming by Joe Rafidi II at the end.

The obvious standout song among the six is track four, "Fuck You, Bruce Springsteen." The fast-tempo song could appear to pop before understanding the song. It's back-handedly Pro-Yo. The chorus is, "Well here in Youngstown/ Here in Youngstown/Well, fuck you Bruce Springsteen/We ain't sinking down." Obviously, the song is a rebuttal against Springsteen's painfully depressed view of the city.

"Fuck You, Bruce Springsteen" could be an anthem for young people of the area, or a slap in the face. Either way, it's a great song for going out and getting spirits up.

"We got Al Bundy and Jim Trafficant, OK/Yeah, Youngstown was their home/ Sure they ain't that great/ But they're proud of this town/Yeah, Youngstown is their home/ There ain't much to do but drink and do drugs/ So what? Youngstown is our home."

While one could dismiss the song as a pop-punk anthem, it's something that hadn't been expressed musically. While many musicians in Youngstown's recent history probably said they hated Bruce Springsteen, or loved Youngstown for what it is, no one could've conveyed that message quite like Crist.

YATWTIW isn't like anyone else playing out right now, and they should certainly get credit for making original politically-focused music. They might not be the best, but their music is definitely worth a listen. Start by picking up their EP.