#47 - Rage Against the Machine

#47
Artist: Rage Against the Machine
Album: Rage Against the Machine
Year of Release: 1992
Label: Epic

In high school I worked in the summer school office as part of my work-study.  One responsibility of the job was teaching a math tutoring class for junior high kids.  My best student was an incredibly sweet girl from the richest school in town whose favorite band was Rage Against the Machine.  So from time to time when I am down I like to imagine her screaming "Fuck you I won't do what you tell me."  Never fails to cheer me up.  Anyway she told me I would make a great teacher so clearly she had awful judgment in every area other than music.

I forget where I read this take but I once saw someone say RATM's music was "cheesy."  Not the lyrics mind you but the actual songs themselves.  Which upon further listen is...not inaccurate.  When the main goal of every song is to lay down a propulsive riff, there's really no need to mix it up or stray from your formula.  And while the band did stretch their arms slightly more in later albums, nothing holds up quite like their debut.  The land of the free?  Whoever told you that is your enemy.