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Cheap Nothing

The Politics of Existence/Women's Body Parts

(The Sunshine Protection Front; US: 4 Nov 2008)

Oh dear me, what have we hear? Is Cheap Nothing living up to its name or trying for some jazzy, beatnik poetry garbage? Well, sadly it sounds like a bit of both. On “Class Warfare” the band sounds like they’re still in the garage and hoping to play outside on the sidewalk sometime soon. “The Future Business Leaders of America” is a mild improvement but hits its stride halfway through. Fortunately “Not My Fault” and “Die Live or Die” also comes across better than initially expected. Meanwhile “Death Tax” is a hokey but happy ditty that could come off the rails at any point. And “I Wanna Die” and “Nothing to Live For” do just that, sounding incredibly arty and asinine. If there’s a saving grace, songs from Women’s Body Parts are tighter and better, especially the Bowie-leaning “Go Bulls”, the funky “Taffy” and the David Byrne-ish “Chlamydia” but “Glenda” is an acquired taste. “The Better Bobby” also shines with its slow but moody framework.

Rating:

Originally from Cape Breton, MacNeil is currently writing for the Toronto Sun as well as other publications, including All Music Guide, Billboard.com, NME.com, Country Standard Time, Skope Magazine, Chart Magazine, Glide, Ft. Myers Magazine and Celtic Heritage. A graduate of the University of King's College, MacNeil currently resides in Toronto. He has interviewed hundreds of acts ranging from Metallica and AC/DC to Daniel Lanois and Smokey Robinson. MacNeil (modestly referred to as King J to friends), a diehard Philadelphia Flyers fan, has seen the Rolling Stones in a club setting, thereby knowing he will rest in peace at some point down the road. Oh, and he writes for PopMatters.com.


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