Thee Faction — Reading, Writing, Revolution

It wouldn’t be quite accurate to say that I saw Mad Max. It’s more like the movie happened to me. After our heart rates lowered and we stood on line for ice cream, I turned to my date and asked, “So…do you think it was art?”

I mean, at the end of the day, it’s a pretty mindless action movie. On the other hand, it was so lushly detailed and I cared about the characters way more than in most movies that actually have, like, dialogue. But the story is as simple as they come: a hero on a quest for identity and redemption, who finds out they’re one and the same. (And flame-throwing guitars.) Did the movie say anything new? No. But it also told the world’s oldest story in an entirely new way. And isn’t that art?

Much like Mad Max, Thee Faction tells us a familiar story with familiar elements. They’re a punk/ska band with some of the smartest anarcho-socialist songs I’ve heard. They’re a little too much fun to be angry, but they’re too earnest to be a party band. Thee Faction is not exactly subtle. And when you stop and take a listen, you realize there’s a lot behind those trumpets and group chants. In particular, this album focuses on the nexus of education, capitalism, and imperialism, a cause that is near and dear to this history teacher’s heart.

But don’t take my word for it. You have to hear them tell it for themselves. Like Mad Max, you’ll be surprised when you find yourself stopping and thinking — and it’s very much worth the ride.

 

Thee Faction — Official, Store