Tag: America

A (not so) subtle new number from Amy Rigby and Wreckless Eric sums up what’s on pretty much every thinking American’s mind at the moment: “Vote That Fucker Out.”

The song is more of an empowered motivational anthem than it is a protest song per se. Call it what you will; with the 2020 presidential election looming on the horizon we all know who and what this song is about. And really, it’s all about common decency at this point. Rigby, however, eschews the obvious in such a way that her words can remain relevant come election time circa 2024, 2048, 2100—if humanity still exists. The point is: evil is timeless, and evil will always find a way to sabotage the Executive Office.

Like when John Doe and Exene Cervenka sang X’s “The New World”—“It was better before / Before they voted for what’s-his-name / This was supposed to be the new world”—a timeless song is forever in order when it comes to rising above the recurring nightmares of American politics.

When morale is low, a song like this provides a good bit of cathartic musical therapy, and with it comes a much needed bit of relief on the old heart valves. Still, the message is urgent. The republic, the environment, humanity, and a whole lot more are on the line. 

Beyond the message, both Rigby and Wreckless Eric are in excellent form here, belting in unison as they wield their voices and guitars like combat-ready machines that kill fascism. The fuzz on Wreckless Eric’s guitar draws out the nuances in Rigby’s voice for a psychedelic yet powerful and direct treatment of lyrics such as “I never want to see his stupid face again / I never want to hear his name. Except for January 2021 / When I yell shame shame shame. Goodbye.”

For the visual accompaniment, Rigby and Wreckless Eric craft a potent distillation of their mutual aesthetics. The flashing illustrations recall the cover painting featured on Eric’s 2015 album amERICa, adding color to this gloriously ramped-up expansion on the sentiments that Rigby delivered with her 2017 single, “The President Can’t Read.” 

The incoming administration may not be perfect, but this is America. No politician is perfect. However, when applying the basic principles of logic to the situation the solution is simple. We’ll all be a lot better off if we just vote that fucker out!