Straw Man Army - Age Of Exile

  

  I'm going to start today's update with a short tale from my school days. It's not particularly interesting so feel free to skip to the next paragraph (or indeed to the music if you don't usually read my song intros). I was on my way home from school one day and as I often did, I popped into my local indie record shop and whilst I was there the Crass song Nagasaki Nightmare came over the speakers. My mate from school who was with me smugly declared, "I liked Crass but this one's shit, it's not proper punk." No idea what he was complaining about at as it was a brilliant punk song and still remains a favourite to this day (an opinion which the record store owner backed up by chirping in "I wouldn't listen to him, he wouldn't know a decent punk record if it bit him on the arse!"). 

  Anyway, the reason for than trip down memory lane? Today's song reminds me of Crass and with it's intro, it's not a million miles away in structure from Nagasaki Nightmare. It's from Owen and Sean who are better known as New York band Straw Man Army. Are they a Crass soundalike band? No not at all, they're not really anything like them (except maybe in spirit). But they are collecting loads of well deserved compliments for their Age Of Exile album. 

  The band say this about Age Of Exile; "This is one small attempt to make something of the bewildering history of these 'united states,' and the long age of exile that follows in the wake of this colonial project. An attempt to become better students of the land we occupy, and the long resistance of its stewards to cultural and ecological decimation. A vehicle for histories that won't sit still." 

  I'll just add that it's an album that utilises a considered pace and inventive instrumentation to compliment thoughtful and intelligent lyrics. An album you can sit down with and let it seep it's way into your consciousness. I'd recommend you check it out. It's available from D4MT LABS INC https://d4mtlabsinc.storenvy.com/products/31079815-straw-man-army-age-of-exile-lp with all profits going to the Red Nation in solidarity with their efforts at building a future worth living (https://www.jacobinmag.com/2019/08/red-deal-green-new-deal-ecosocialism-decolonization-indigenous-resistance-environment). 

  You can get the digital version here : https://d4mtlabsinc.bandcamp.com/album/age-of-exile 

  This is the title track, it's called Age Of Exile...