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 Empire Builders

Reno Gazette Journal
16 September 2004

A critical eye on political music
In a trend that is long overdue in some ways, several musical artists have decided to make political records that speak to the current climate.

“Patriotic Country” (1 1/2 stars out of 4, BMG), a charity record where a “portion” of the sales goes to the USO and families of soldiers killed in action, is almost all surface level. The music is only noticeably country when a fiddle or pedal steel is brought into the mix. Mostly it sounds like ’80s Aerosmith in power-ballad mode or the Seger/Mellencamp axis of heartland rock. The stars represented here are Brooks and Dunn, Lonestar, Alabama, Hank Williams Jr., Martina McBride. Most stick with the typical country lyrical template: common themes are celebrating soldiers who died, Christianity, pride in your hometown, flying flags and soaring eagles.

When they do touch on modern topics it’s either inept (Charlie Daniels’ creepy “This Ain’t No Rag, It’s a Flag”) or muddled (The Warren Brothers’ “Hey Mr. President” urges for peace in the chorus and then supports the current war.). There are only two songs approaching excellence. Phil Vassar’s “American Child” is a subtle, mandolin-spiked country rocker that ties together hometown pride and fatherhood; and David Ball’s “Riding With Private Malone” is a well-told story song about a late soldier’s link to a modern one.

Other than those high spots, only Williams and Aaron Tippin provide songs with anything contentious. It’s almost as if the compilers of “Patriotic Country” were afraid to offend.

Steve Earle has no such problems. His “The Revolution Starts . . . Now” (2 stars, Artemis) has one tune called “F the CC,” loaded with more f-words per minute than most rap tunes. It’s also half-baked and repetitive, so it — unfortunately — fits well on this CD.

Earle’s made this record already: the topical “Jerusalem” from 2002. But this new CD doesn’t have “Jerusalem’s” spark. Acknowledged as rushed out, “Revolution” feels like it, apart from the bracing, catchy title track (strangely repeated at the end) and a stunning mercenary portrait called “The Gringo’s Tale” with an awesome string part.

Missteps abound. “Home to Houston” has a good concept — a truck driver in a war zone — but its cartoon-country delivery could be interpreted as sneering. “Warrior” is a spoken-word tune that’s embarrassingly stilted. “Condi, Condi” is a fluffy piece of reggae that’s a joke without a punchline.

Where Earle stumbles, fellow country-rocker Jason Ringenberg succeeds. His “Empire Builders” (4 stars, Yep Rock) is closer to actual country than anything on “Patriotic Country,” and it’s more daring than Earle’s record.

Layered in dark humor, the songs that comment on modern times (“New-Fashioned Imperialist” “American Question”) mostly speak to misplaced American pride and unchecked greed. Ringenberg balanced this with great songs about American heroes pushed into the margins, from the Tuskegee airmen to American Indians to cultural icons such as guitarist Link Wray. It’s a smart, subversive way to make the point that not all Americans think alike. Plus, Ringenberg’s self-effacing liner notes and humor are nice antidotes to the bluster of some political pundits.

Mark Earnest