on 2010-02-01 pablofunky Said:

Jesus Was A Socialist is a rousing, stylistically diverse and passionately delivered collection of songs but one wouldnt know it from listening to its first moments.

The opening lines of the first song are run through a creepy filter effect as fragmented instrumental passages lurch about in the background. Its disorienting and you may think somethings wrong with your stereo, until the main riff and blunt lyrics of 'Revulsion' drop onto the impressionistic soundscape like a one-ton weight.

So begins David Marxs explorations of the agonies and ecstasies of love, a longtime staple of rock nroll storytelling thats brought to vivid extremes here. The hard-charging approach of 'Revulsion' is accelerated in 'Fellatio NRA,' a roaring, sarcastic take on gun love thats followed by the equally cheeky (right down to the sucking on an Uzi reference) 'Ten Rembrandts,' which foregoes the heavy guitars in favor of snaky violin riffs.

But theres more to the album than edgy rock songs, as Marx gloriously forays into the most easy-to-flub territory of modern music  the three-minute romantic pop song. Odd that the guy whos been comparing gunplay to foreplay would go on to wistfully ask, Do you still love me like you did last Tuesday? but youll be glad he did if you have any appreciation for crisp, catchy songwriting.

The influence of the Beatles emerges with the sparsely-arranged 'In My Time of Dying,' one of several songs whose agenda, here set forth with double-tracked vocals, acoustic guitar and front-of-the-mix drums, is purely melodic. 'Forever,' perhaps the albums most compelling romantic statement, also references the Beatles without mimicry, ending with a Sgt. Peppered horn arrangement that appropriately cuts out as if being transmitted from a cheap transistor radio.

Instrumental flourishes like these demonstrate Marxs workman-like approach to music  his band truly delivers the goods for your money, spicing up his songs with well-played violin, horns, piano, accordion, harmonica and organ. Plus banjo on the country-fried 'Boy Around the Corner,' and damned if it isnt funky as hell.

For more contrast, theres the abstract-experimental 'Cherries,' while 'Love Without Tears' expresses the dark side of romance in Marxs most impassioned and ultimately anguished vocal performance. 'Celebrate the Cause' closes the album, reflecting its title with its sung/shouted last line, Whatever your cause is, its not worth taking somebodys life.

Not that the killers would listen. And the slow-burning guitar solo that ends it all does indeed sound tortured.

Memorable stuff, all of it.

Daniel Mintz

Rating: 9/10

Review:

on 2010-01-31 Christopher Nosnibor Said:

David Marx might have his roots in punk, but he's evolved into a much more complex proposition these days. As a multi-faceted musician and individual, he comes in from all angles at once. While the album's title might suggest some ultra-leftist slogan-merchant, a Billy Bragg for the new millennium, the pictures in the CD booklet feature some moody poses and you could be forgiven for expecting Richard Marx. He's got the haircut, that's for sure. Never judge a CD by its cover or creator's name is the lesson to be learned here.

'Revulsion [In the Name of Love]' slams in with the cabaret sleaze ratcheted up to eleven and comes on like Foetus circa 'Bedrock' or Marc Almond's 'Flesh Volcano' project. There's no stopping for breath before the schizoid psychobilly rock-out that is 'Fellatio NRA.' Imagine The Screaming Blue Messiahs with bigger, fuzzier guitars and a saxophonist wired into the mains against his will (and if you're unfamiliar with the Screaming Blue Messiahs, I'd strongly recommend checking out 'Gunshy'). The fact that said saxophonist is Anthony Thistlethwaite of Waterboys fame is quite something.

It would be hard to sustain such an assault, and the pace does slow a little for the songs that follow: 'White Trees' sounds strangely like The Housemartins, only cool, and 'In My Time of Dying,' 'Forever' and 'Last Tuesday' are similarly jangly in tone, with the latter displaying a hint of Elvis Costello.

'Cherries' sees Marx begin to whip things up again, screaming his way maniacally through a list of things he wants no more talk of, which include Communism, The Khymer Rouge and Burning Babies. Hardly surprising, of course, from a man who took the title for his album from a quote by Mikhail Gorbachev.

The last two tracks, 'Love Without Tears' and 'Celebrate the Cause' are segued together. In many ways, they serve to represent the two leading aspects of the album, with the first of these songs beginning as a mid-tempo soul-filled toe-tapper that churns itself into a frenzy toward the end, and the second being a rabble-rousing stomping rockout, complete with epic guitar breaks. It's a fitting conclusion to a satisfying, diverse collection of songs.

Rating: 8/10