Political Rock Is Not Dead! Flobots Fight With Tools

If you haven't met them yet, please let me introduce you to Flobots. These Denver natives have not just an interesting story behind their rise to the public eye, but an interesting lineage behind their music. The two vocalists/emcees have a very distinct style that can be easily compared to Eminem with a touch of Schleprock from Gym Class Heroes. The music is very dry, reminiscent of Cake or Violent Femmes. The combination is a refreshing change of pace from standard back-pack rap and indie rock.

While the sound is a newish one, it's really the lyrical content that sets them apart. Not since Rage Against The Machine has a band been this overtly political in their lyrics and general presentation. They follow in the footsteps of giants like RATM, the Clash, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Marley, Asian Dub Foundation and others.

Let me just pause for a moment and say that no, I am not comparing this band to those listed. I am not saying they are as important, or that they will be as big. I'm saying they are just as political. I'm saying that those bands are more than likely listened to a lot by members of Flobots. Back to the review...

If you listen to radio even a little, then you've probably heard Flobots' song "Handlebars". An interesting song without a refrain that I wouldn't have ever thought would do as well as it is in Alternative and Rock. The very fact that it doesn't sound like anything else out there today (how many bands these days have a violin?), and that it doesn't follow the formula (no verse-chorus-verse for these guys!), is why it is working so well. Radio is so stale right now that a change of pace like this is so refreshing that people gravitate en masse to it.

The band formed in Denver and won a radio competition hosted by KTCL and won it handily. The station, due to the overwhelming support for the band, put "Handlebars" into rotation and it has been spreading like a virus ever since. Flobots signed with Universal Music Group and their song now appears on more than 70 stations nationwide and ranks 11 (yes, with a bullet) on the Alternative chart.

Here's the video (this is the original, early mix of the song):


Their album Fight With Tools is out now and features their hit "Handlebars". (Download the song from The Pop View.)

Political Rock Is Not Dead! Flobots Fight With Tools