A City Dressed In Dynamite

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A City Dressed In Dynamite 

That Handsome Devil released its debut album, A City Dressed In Dynamite in 2008. The band has such a uniquely bizarre charm that always manages to draw me in. I loved quite a few songs on this album already so I decided to give the rest of it a listen. Almost every track includes little segments at the beginning or end that sound like they’re from classic 60s television or radio shows. After looking into it more, these samples originate from the 1967 education video Narcotics: Pit of Despair. This makes the primary themes of many of these songs blatantly obvious, being a more conceptual album covering the many struggles of drug addiction. The wide variety of instrumentation has always been something I’ve admired about the band. While it might not be for everyone, That Handsome Devil touches on multiple genres such as: jazz, rock, and experimental hip hop, which makes this album especially unique. 

Wintergreen is by far my favorite of this album, the intense groove of this track really distracts from the substantially dark lyrics of lower class struggles. The arrangement is something that I can’t compare to anything I’ve ever heard before and I absolutely love it. Every element in this song is a highlight, I’d argue this is the best song the band has ever made. Rob the Prez-O-Dent was the first song I’ve heard from this band and ultimately the one that got me hooked. I would recommend this song the most to first time listeners, it introduces the bands more experimental stylistic choices in such a distinct way. As the title suggests, the song is about the narrator taking back the tax money he gave the government. I think it’s really fun. Viva Discordia is one that took a few listens to really appreciate. I found the lyrics and ad libs to be pretty goofy but upon listening to this one more, I think it still has some whimsical charm. 


Squares was another standout track that I absolutely loved. His wordplay is so fun with lyrics like: Don’t bring your circle around here, they’re all a bunch of squares. The hook is incredible, I spent a majority of my time writing my review with this one on repeat. It perfectly appeals to me and my tastes. Mexico is vastly underrated, I almost completely wrote it off when I first listened to it. With a more orchestral arrangement that contributes to the mellower feel of this song. 


Tree Food ends the album on a somber note, covering how we’re destined to decompose and become one with nature. It's a song about acceptance in the face of devastation. While it’s not the most high energy track, I really enjoyed it for its melancholic tone. When looking into the album more, I found out there are multiple bonus tracks that weren't available on Spotify. I was disappointed to see this because a lot of them were really good and deserving to be on the official release. Atom Shell was a pleasant surprise. It’s extremely catchy and finishes the album out in an explosive way. Karaoke Burial and Powderbomb are also extremely fun songs that I wish were included. 


That Handsome Devil is known for their unusual songs and brilliant mix of many genres. A City Dressed in Dynamite fully delivers on that and more. With so much personality in this album, there were so many tracks I was absolutely addicted to. The strong vocals of front man Godforbid alongside an even stronger band behind him left such a lasting impression on me. A City Dressed in Dynamite is so damn compelling I can’t help but relisten to it. 


Comments

  1. Amaya GonzalezNovember 13, 2024 at 9:48 AM

    I thought this was super interesting and love learning about new artists and music. I definitely would have to say after listening to some that Squares was my favorite sound track.

    ReplyDelete

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