Summerland

Album Review

In the Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy's "Music and Politics," Michael Franti laments about his inability to focus on anything other than those two subjects. The Herd have a slight dose of the same problem — it's track six before there's a song about any other subject — and thank God for that, because the denseness and quality of their political content is what makes Summerland an exceptional album. These unsettling anthems for troubled times come from a variety of points of view: a terror suspect; a troublemaker student; an Israeli soldier; a Palestinian worker. Every one of them makes its points without ever becoming a lecture. All of the criticisms their choice of dominant subject matter might attract have been anticipated, confronted, and defused in "When You Escape (Music vs Fashion)." Over a sleepy beat, Urthboy casually dissects the escapist tendencies of pop music and finds them wanting, while simultaneously admitting with refreshing honesty that "I'm not so tragic I think this music is our savior." He's helped by Jane Tyrrell on the chorus as she smoothly makes the transition from her previous guest appearances to become a full-time member of the group, singing most of the album's hooks. When they're not in full-on campaigning mode, the Herd do find time on Summerland for less serious fare like "Zug Zug," a catchy catalog of their touring adventures and misadventures with handclaps and guitars, and "A Few Things," which is another one to add to the long list of hip-hop songs about not having enough time in the day to get everything done. When the Herd are at their best, though, is when they're like Howard Beale in Network: mad as hell and not going to take it any more. That's what makes Summerland such a breath of fresh air in an all too stagnant scene.