Sometimes records are accompanied by press releases that just beg you to listen to them. One such record is the latest from the Iowa-based hardcore band Modern Life Is War. It is titled Midnight In America and was described as “A modern hardcore masterpiece from the first note to the last,” and also as “The most passionate and intense hardcore available for consumption by the public.” Before I heard a single note of Midnight In America I was expecting greatness. I expected brilliance. Perhaps something on par with (for example) Jane Doe, The Shape Of Punk To Come, or even some lesser (but still good) albums. I didn’t get that, but I was left in awe with my mouth open.
As much as I wanted to like Midnight In America I just couldn’t. And while it isn’t the worst hardcore I’ve ever heard, it is nowhere near classic. There are no breakdowns, no catchy melodies, nothing really heavy, and uninteresting instrumentation. The vocalist is about as generic as they come and just adds another level of grating annoyance to an already uninteresting album. I admire the band’s attempt to get straight to the point with the lyrics but they sound like they were taken straight out of a rebellious junior high kid’s notebook. Lines like “The grass was never green/There was never purity/Some say it’s all over/Stupid fucking jaded burnouts” are bad enough but the album’s song that most other reviewers are praising (“Stagger Lee”) takes the cake. It begins with “My name is Stagger Lee/And I’m walking through the ice and snow/And my girl threw me out last week/And I’m fucking broke/Nothing but this dollar in my pocket and my Colt .45/Don’t look at me the wrong way/Cause I got nothing to lose tonight.” Wow.
I like more hardcore and metal that probably 98% of other music bloggers but I just can’t get into this. I hate writing negative reviews and think that they are a waste of time, but this just had to be done. This album is probably not as bad as I’m making it out to be, but certainly isn’t better then sliced bread. Sure, I might be jaded, old, and hard to impress, but anyone with the balls to promote their album as a “masterpiece” had better be able to back it up. Listen to the two tracks below and make your own judgment. I’d be interested to hear your opinions. Modern Life Is War’s latest, Midnight In America is out now on Equal Vision Records and is probably one of the only sub-standard records they’ve ever released.
MP3 | Modern Life Is War – Screaming At The Moon Midnight In America
MP3 | Modern Life Is War – Fuck The Sex Pistols Midnight In America
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I haven’t heard Midnight in America, but you might dig their previous one, Witness.
I’m not hearing much magic from it…agreed on the pretty average vocals…”we don’t care what you say…shut up…shut the fuck up.” pretty blah on the lyrics too…jeez.
this stuff has more in common with older drive like jehu, it’s just far less interesting, complicated, technical, or rockin’….and a decade and a half too late.
This is no good. It’s not, “not a masterpiece.” It’s not, “not as good as their earlier stuff.” It’s not good. This band takes a weed whacker to the ankles of music. Boo-urns to Modern Life is War.
Honestly, this album isnt hardcore. and whoever thinks that hardcore music is heavy, it isnt. Hardcore music, TRUE hardcore music, was based more on melody then “heavy music” and “breakdowns”. theres a common misconception in alot of the cross over genres today. MLIW is an artistic punk hardcore band. the thing that truly makes me mad is people doing reviews on subjects they know not of. if you cant take the time to look up musical history or at least have an idea of what certain genres are, do not review that type of music. MLIW might be a plain band, but, like every band, they have important messages in their music, no matter how blatent the lyrics are.
we don’t care what you say…shut up…shut the fuck up
It’s rude and blatent, BUT, how much better could you tell someone that they will never change you.
thanks.
bye.
Anonymous, thank you for taking the time to comment. You mention that the album “isn’t hardcore” but go on to say they are an “artistic punk hardcore band.” Wouldn’t that be a convoluted sub-genre of hardcore?
You also imply that I don’t know anything about hardcore and, thus, shouldn’t review it? Wow. Even though much “old school” hardcore music is very melodic, this album is devoid of melody as well as any other elements I’d look for in a good hardcore record.
You also state that “every band” has “important messages” in their music. Not necessarily so. MLIW may have something to say and that may appeal to younger listeners with less discerning tastes, but it does nothing for me.
I think it is great that you can comment and interact via the comments on this blog. Anyone that reads this blog would also know that 99.9% of the reviews I’ve ever written are positive. When the press release for an album is as misleading as this one, I just have to call someone out on it.
MLIW is a very melodic band and their energy is great.
No, they don’t really do the breakdown shtick. There are plenty of crappy, generic hardcore bands out there doing that already.
No, Midnight In America may not be a “masterpiece” and no, it may not be “the most passionate and intense hardcore available for consumption by the public,” but such is the language of a press release.
Reviewer is absolutely cornball. The Shape of Punk to Come a classic? Really? Even though later Refused (including the insanely overrated SOPTC) was an absolute ripoff of Snapcase? Stick to reviewing emo records and/or bands on Facedown, if you’re really looking to act super pretentious/pull off some serious hXc dAnCiNg.
wow just reading this review has put me in a bad mood…
1. The song stagger lee is based off of a blues song. I feel like the lyrics were written to reflect that. I dont really understand how you could bash them, the lyrics are pretty bluesy to me but not so bluesy that its not punk. In my opinion mliw did a great job of making that song their own.
2.You are right the album isnt as bad as you make it out to be. It not bad at all. The album flows great, the guitar tracks are incredible (The way the band uses both of the guitars and very little over dubbing). The record also has a lot of variety of tempos and intensities the make it very interesting to listen to.
3. I’m tired of people arguing over what the music should be labeled instead of just trying to listen to the music. I’m tired of people using the word “Heavy” to describe music.
“Modern Life Is War’s latest, Midnight In America is out now on Equal Vision Records and is probably one of the only sub-standard records they’ve ever released.”
Circa Survive, the Color Fred… MLIW and Bane are about the GOOD releases from Equal Vision, overall EVR’s catalog is whiny pop-emo garbage. Its no wonder the reviewer didn’t like this album if that is the type of music that he is praising.
Listen to the lyrics of the title track or Humble Streets.
it might not be classic… but its better than Coheed & Cambria or whatever else EVR is putting out.
Wow. I didn’t expect this much criticism when I wrote this review. I kinda like it though. Everyone is entitled to their opinions and mine is that this record sucks shit.
fuck all of you… this CD is amazing.
Anon – Feel free to think whatever music you want to is amazing. I’m not going to stop you. I just don’t really like this album at all.
“only sub-standard records they’ve ever released.”
I think it’s pretty generally accepted that EVR’s catalog is almost entirely shite.
That said, I don’t typically go in for stuff like this, but they have a bluntness and groove about them that gives them a real unique sound.