 
"O bailan todos, o no baila nadie!" - "either everyone dances or no one dances," is the first thing I saw when I opened up the insert for the (International) Noise Conspiracy's fourth album, Armed Love. The mantra is more than fitting for the band. Be it a social commentary on the dance floor mentality (no one wants to dance by themselves right?), or the conformity of society (no one wants to be left out right?), both sides of the coin are strangely appropriate, but perhaps that was the band's intention all along. Like the Billy Bragg of the rock and roll dance floor the (International) Noise Conspiracy have been mixing love, politics and catchy punk rock way before anyone claimed to be "an American idiot". (I)NC (clever no?) first flirted with mainstream success during the height of the "garage rock revival", but unlike their contemporaries the Strokes, the band's music was full of anti-capitalist sentiments. While the other bands were singing about "last night" the Noise Conspiracy was singing the gospel of revolution. Armed Loved makes no exception and no apologies, and social awareness never sounded so catchy. Aided by producer extraordinaire Rick Rubin (everyone from the Run
DMC/Aerosmith collaboration, to Johnny Cash, to Slayer), the album sounds
powerful rather than slick. Infectious beats and primal rhythms cause
movement in the head and neck areas, while the catchy repetitiveness
of the chorus' encourage sing-alongs. Upon first listen, "Guns
For Everyone" comes across as an invitation to a good time or first
date. After a good listen or two, it's apparent singer Dennis Lyxzen
isn't just asking his sweetie out for dinner and a movie ("if you're
down with me/we'll meet out in the street/ we got guns for everyone/
we got love for everyone"). The entire album follows suit. "Communist
Moon", "This Side of Heaven" and the title track all
prove why the (I)NC is the thinking man's answer to Jet. -Bobby
M
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(International)
Noise Conspiracy