There is a startling disparity between the Rx Bandits' 1997 debut Those Damn Bandits and ââ¬Â¦And the Battle Begun if you listen to them back to back, yet the progression makes perfect sense if you listen to their discography in order. In just a hair under a decade the band has reinvented themselves numerous times over five albums; a feat that few bands accomplish while managing to keep an identifiable sound that transcends the stylistic changes from album to album.
It is amazing that a simple ska-punk band could evolve into the progressive beast they are now, showcasing different facets of their tremendous talent with each release. The Rx Bandits' last release, 2003's masterpiece The Resignation, felt largely organic, blending punk with a flavor of ska and acid jazz that matched the nearly flawless hooks and sweeping choruses belted out by vocalist Matt Embree.
To put it simply, however absurd and terrible the idea may be, ââ¬Â¦And the Battle Begun sounds like At the Drive-In playing with Sublime; a combination that sounds like it would be an absolute disaster. Yet the Rx Bandits do more than pull it off - they nail it perfectly, striking a balance between the technical and melodic aspects, seemingly playing them off one another.
ââ¬Â¦And the Battle Begun retains elements of The Resignation but the music no longer has an organic feel. Rather, it has an angular and acute bite, taking the technical aspects heard in The Resignation, such as the solo in "Decrescendo," and fleshing them out into entire songs. This album is bouncy, mathematical and can stop on a dime to change gears all while providing the vocal melodies and reggae-ska delivery that is characteristic of the Rx Bandits.
Like laying a mattress over a bed of nails, Embree's voice counters the often jagged and sharp nature of the music. His style of singing has not changed, and has perhaps even improved, but the most noticeable change in the vocals is the way the band harmonizes with him and becomes one voice instead of backup at multiple points in the record, including the entire 46 second intro track. My only gripe with the vocals is a matter of preference: the massive choruses that have often populated the band's earlier songs are a bit toned down and at times misleading. For example, when the music begins to build in the first song "ââ¬Â¦And the Battle Begun", it is expected that a huge chorus will erupt - but never does. After getting used to it, it does not bother me, but the opportunity for a potentially fantastic chorus was there and it completely threw me off when he sings in a softer voice instead of at the top of his lungs.
Lyrically, the record is just as good, if not better than, previous albums. "Tainted Wheat" is one of the most well-written songs I've heard all year, particularly the second half: We weave a tale of our stark heroics / Swaying the public from our bully pulpits / Create illusions for imperial schemes / poor against the poor for democracy... And that is just part of it as Embree continues to let loose an eloquent arrangement of words criticizing our government.
Overall, even though I prefer the organic and sometimes epic feel of their last album, the Rx Bandits' ââ¬Â¦And the Battle Begun is a very worthy follow-up. It is a sound that cannot be heard from any other band, bringing together prog and ska, two genres that no one would expect to sound good when mixed together, all while doing it with ease and style.
