fatdan_138's Full Review: Onwards & Upwards by Culture Shock
Culture Shock Lineup:
Dick - Vocals
Nige - Guitar
Paul - Bass
Bill - Drums
Culture Shock were the band directly descending from the legendary Subhumans, and the predecessors to Citizen Fish. That probably doesn't mean anything to you, so I'll try to elaborate. The Subhumans were a pretty wild, heavily Crass-influenced British punk band from 1982-1986. Now, don't be fooled by that punk label: The Subhumans fused elements of jazz and ska into their songs as the years went by. I've always found it amazing how these incredible punk bands from the early to mid 80s never got commercial attention... the music is a lot better than most people give it credit for. Anyway, back to the history... when The Subhumans broke up, Dick Lucas formed this band, called Culture Shock. These guys played 200-ish shows from late 1986 - 1989, before guitarist Nige and drummer Bill left and Citizen Fish was formed.
Allright, enough crap. What do they sound like? Glad you asked. Culture Shock were one of the rare pre-Operation Ivy ska bands, and it really shows. This is ska music, all right, but it's not quite as bouncy and poppy as the ska we're all familiar with. This is a bit darker at times, much looser, filled with reggae elements and a bit of jazz here and there. It's quite an interesting musical experience, and to top it all off, you've got Dick's vocals.
You're probably not too familiar with The Subhumans' vocals, so I'll explain a little bit... Dick, the lead singer for both bands, also wrote lyrics for both bands. He comes up with some really fascinating social-political commentary, which he sings (more like talks) with a thick working-class British accent. Throw that in with the punk stylings of The Subhumans and you have a Crass-ish sound.. but put that together with a crazy ska band like Culture Shock and you have something really different, something that I've never heard before. It's one thing to hear fast and loud songs about social reform, but it's another thing to hear lighter ska songs about social reform... it sort of catches you off guard, when you realize what he's talking about. Dick's lyrics are kind of socialist in nature when it comes to governments supporting their citizens (and restricting trade and other protectionist strategies... he's a "voice of the people", I guess), but when it comes to war he's strongly against government intervention... so it's an interesting blend, an ideology that I don't think has a "title".
Anyway, so there's Culture Shock. So what about this album? In my opinion, Onwards and Upwards is Culture Shock's most accessible record. Their first album, Go Wild was more of a transition sound from the older punk stuff, whereas their last album, All The Time! was a really progressive, artistic reggae album. So Onwards and Upwards kind of fits in the middle of those two, if that makes sense.. it's accessable ska, mostly stuff that you can bounce around to and easy to sing along with. That's not to say that it's "stupid" or "pop" or anything like that, though... it's just easier to get used to.
Anyway, enough jabbering on. Lets get to the music.
TRACK BY TRACK LISTING with Lyrical Examples for those of you who are curious
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1)Pressure --
Pretty bouncy, light ska song to start this album off. From what I can tell, it's a reflection on the social pressures that we find in day to day life... really nifty song. It gets a bit "heavier" as the song goes on, but it's nothing that will hurt your eardrums or anything like that.. really pleasure listening.
Now you're on your own and it's getting too much
You could always look but now you've lost the touch
Asking favours on the telephone
You know how it feels to be alone
2)Colour T.V. --
"The fear now is the reality of disinformation" leads us into this dark reggae track about seeing reality in color. It's got a pretty apocolyptical feel, sort of like songs from The Day The Country Died by The Subhumans, if you're familiar with that album... Basically, slowish ska with a pretty dark undertone.
The country is at war, the news is at ten
Our boys are out there being turned into men
Being turned into corpses by human greed
Being turned into heroes, the flag's on the screen
But wouldn't it look better on a Colour T.V.?
3)Fast Forward --
Definate reggae song here... very bass driven, pretty slow. This is what "punk" ska is all about, in my opinion... a kind of in-your-face, hold-nothing-back approach to light feeling music. If any of that makes sense...
Memories cannot be severed
But nothing lasts forever
So I must and will endeavour to forget
I'll forget the airs and graces
Re-arrange and fill the spaces
It may look like I've been beaten, but - no! - not yet!
4)You Are Not Alone --
Probably the most positive song on this album. This is a quick, light ska tune about how none of us are alone in feeling alone. This has more of a slow Operation Ivy feel than the rest of the album, and it's really entertaning. Very easy to sing along to... You'll start singing, trust me.
Prise out the answers
Swap queries and glances
It starts off a friendship and even romances
And if you get the words thrown back in your face
Then you know that that was not the time, not the place,
Not the person you might need to fill up that blank space
5)Joyless --
How quickly we go from positive to negative... This is a much darker sound than anything thus far, certainly. This song is pretty reggae intensive... it's among the least "accessible" tracks on this album. I'm not saying that it's bad or anything: I'm just warning you that you're not going to listen to this and fall in love with it the first time.
So take my words and fill your ears
And understand it can happen for years
Or just a second but it stays the same
Instantaneous total change
6)If You Don't Like It --
Very slow beginning, very strung out and progressive... and then the ska beat comes along and it picks up. Pretty cool, upbeat song about speaking what you really feel and not what's acceptable or anything like that.
Reinstate your ego as part of what you are
Become the dream you dreamt of
Don't watch it from afar
If you don't like it, say you don't like it
Nothing will change if you sit there and take it
7)Civilization Street --
Get this... this is a song about how we've closed ourselves off from eachother in our society, and it's an upbeat tune. I thought I'd never see the day... That's just the sort of band this is: they're a bit different from what you'd expect. Anyway, this is one of those songs about how we should talk to eachother and speak our mind and all that... good message, good music.
Here we all are in Civilization Town
Where the shops are closing down
And the people rush around
No time to stop and talk
While the clocks are going round
Keep your head down
8)United --
This really isn't much of a ska or a reggae song... I mean, it's got elements of that good, light stuff that we all love, but it's focus is much heavier. Good to hear variety, and it sounds really good.
There's something wrong with the mental lighting
Can you no longer see who you're fighting?
That person next to you just stands there staring
But does it really matter what he's wearing?
He only wants to feel Liberated
How can he do it when he thinks he's hated?
9)Catching Flies --
My personal favorite track off this album. This is one of those songs that starts off slow, speeds up, slows down, and so on... it's cool, because it goes from kind of dark and looming to really light and bouncy. One actually forgets what the song is about as the song moves on... the music's just captivating that way. I'll let this example of the lyrics speak for themselves:
You were too radical, cynical, political
Stopping the disease before it got critical
Marked out as 'dangerous' (words are so ridiculous)
'infordiagnosis' - a government process
Bits of legality thought up by the ministry
Making it necessity to cancel your activity
Telling judge and family about 'national security'
Make it sound worse than it ever was or could have been
10)When The Fighting's Over --
A more off-beat ska song.. sounds like it could have come from Rancid's Life Won't Wait, if you're familiar with that album. I'm not even going to try to analyze this song... the thing about this album is that the songs really have no defined chorus, so to figure out the overall message you've got to read the entire thing pretty closely... I just haven't put enough time into this song to figure out what I'm supposed to learn from it. Anyway...
We say we are united, but the truth is hard to hide
We'll never change the outside world until we change ourselves inside
We talk and say we're listening, but our egos rule our minds
The answer is before us, but the problem makes us blind
11)Open Mind Surgery --
The most progressive, odd song on this album, by far. It's a slow reggae beat, pretty relaxing, with all sorts of crazy percussion instruments in the background... a real Jamacian feel, I suppose. There's a little bit of whistling thrown in the bridge for good measure, and all sorts of crazy mixing jobs... And then, when you think the song is over, they break off into a really interesting jam section... Kind of reminds me of early Pink Floyd, except with a reggae feel. Long, too: almost 6 minutes.
Ignorance is bliss?
Blew it away with a kiss
Threw it away with a fist
Live and learn
Watch the innocence burn
And the naivety turn
12)Don't Worry About It
You know, it's about time for one of those light ska songs, and this one really fits the bill. This is another song about speaking your mind, about questioning the status quo and people's inherant beliefs and all that. There's a pretty cool modulation thrown in, too, so those of you who are music theory nuts like me have something to look forward to. Great short song, under 2 minutes.
Why wait for an answer? You've already got one
Stop thinking you have to be socially strong
Looking to others is just what they're doing
Cos nobody likes to be told that they're wrong
13)I-S-D
"Now you've reached the end of our second LP, we hope you've enjoyed it" and "Smile, you'd be surprised how good it makes you feel" come out of both speakers at once at the beginning, setting the mood for the song. This, I think, is sort of the summation of the concept behind the entire album... the "moral" behind this song is for us to rely on our "Instinctive Spontaneity Drive".. hence the songs about speaking what's on your mind, speaking up in society, and all that. It's a good message... while it's not something that I completely agree with (I've got some issues with a lot of the stuff that Dick says, actually) I like the concept behind it... take a message and put it in a song where it "doesn't belong", I guess. I mean, you just wouldn't expect ska music to be about much more than running around in parties and hanging out with friends, especially if the only ska you've heard comes from the radio. That's probably where the name Culture Shock came from. Anyway, yeah, this is a ska song, really long, too... over 6 minutes. Think a mini-From The Cradle To The Grave, if you're familiar with that.. it's REALLY good. Read all the words to this song, if you get a chance: you'll be surprised. An example:
Someone's ability to lead you along
Does not make him more than a writer of songs
But if you really want to sing it then yeah! sing along!
But don't think the end result is making you strong
Do what you want when you want if you can
It's oh so much better than having it planned
If countries were run on spontaneous thought
Then maybe we'd base things on love a bit more
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So there you have it. Culture Shock at their finest. Personally, I can't recommend this album highly enough. This is great music with insightful lyrics... everything that people say they want in music. If you folks would only look "underground" and listen around, you'd find all these great bands with great messages in places you wouldn't expect to find them. Go buy this album... do yourself a favor.
So where do you get this? Ummm... well, it's temporarily out of print, but there are copies floating around all over the internet. If you want to learn more about these bands, or see a full list of CDs and tapes or whatever, go to http://www.citizenfish.com
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