Referendum 2015

I’ll start by saying, like good auld Chomsky, I’m probably a sort of libertarian socialist (and a contrarian one at that). I don’t even think we should have countries. I’m like someone arguing about the finer points of theology while being a bona fide atheist - you can disregard me!

Granted 35 is a a pretty silly threshold for presidency. But then so is 21. The rationale of bringing it down to 21 is IMO a general zietgeisty inclination toward equality and liberalism. I think this is a positive, albeit futile, motivation. As far as I can see it's just the government flashing a progressive, reformist liberalism to get young voters on board for the election. Instead of actually doing anything that is going to have a real socio-political impact they get their kudos for a smidgen of clerical alteration.

{tangent!}To be honest I feel similarly about the marriage referendum. I’ll be voting YES but I irritates me that Fine Gael assholes get to wring their hands on Tv and radio about equality and civil rights all the while propagating a system that protects the rich. At the end of the day allowing gay marriage doesn't affect anyone's pocket and the good Christians in Fine Gael won’t be exposing the conservative members of their electorate to two gay men kissing in a church. {end tangent!}

With the presidential age limit I have no major issue with either result. I think it’s unlikely that any individual in their early 20’s having the profile, statesmanship, or charisma to win a presidential election. The only (horror show!) scenario I can think of where this could occur is if some celebrity (sports star, pop star, reality TV contestant) threw their hat in the ring. I’d also be as cautious about letting 16 year olds vote for one of those morons as I would a full grown adult and I’m not sure I have enough faith in CSPE class and the Irish education system to meet the challenge.

Actually as I write this I’m worrying myself. 

Remember Sean would-have-won-if-it-wasn’t-for-a-rogue-tweet Gallagher? Remember that T-shirt he wore with his grinning baldy head emblazoned with the slogan ‘AS SEEN ON TV’S DRAGONS DEN’? :) Ok.. That bit never happened, but you get my drift. All's fair in love and satire.

So, as I see it, the argument for lowering age limits in this area is as follows.

(Q) Why lower voting or candidature ages? (A) So that more people have a say.

Ipsy facty! in order to placate my own liberal ideology and to follow the kernel of this argument to its conclusion the age limit should just be removed. If you take it that far, rather than simply choosing another arbitrary figure - 21 (it's a societal convergence and could just as easily be eleventyone) - the sensible conclusion would be to just forget the candidature limit even exists. If the electorate of Ireland think a presidential candidate is too young.. Fair enough don’t vote for her/him. There’s no need to legislate for it. Basically if I were the boss I would allow heuristics to take care of it. Rhetorically - Would you like pragmatism to be enforced as a law (age limit) or to exert itself in the wild?

{tangent!}Voting age limits are far more difficult and thinking about it raises a whole slew of philamahsopical issues. If there was no limit children could vote. If heuristics we’re to reign a lot of kids wouldn't bother or would be manipulated by their parents (to be honest we’re all manipulated regardless of age, advertising aka propaganda wins elections and 9/10 times the crew with biggest war chest prevails). Worst of all I can imagine a dystopian future where kids are being canvassed by the teletubbies.. Dipsey says NO! :)

So if you want to philosophically support a progressive agenda in terms of voting age you don’t have many options. How about we employ a mass of neuroscientists and behavioural psychologists (we could round ‘em up backstage at a TED conference or something) :). They could convince us of the cognitive thresholds required for suitably independent decision making. You could then have a weighting system based on age. For instance 5 year old's could get a fraction of a vote. Of course the brain is markedly less plastic after about 26 or so depending on which faction of our specialists win maybe after 26 your vote weighting begins to taper off as your mature IQ begins to drop. Hold on! that sounds like another dystopian nightmare.. Dammit. {tangent end}

Maybe there is a cosy middle ground but I don’t have the imagination or optimism for it. As it stands I’d say most western governments would be happy to footer about with voting ages till the cows come home, ‘whatever you wants guys..’ they’ll earnestly purr . I don’t think it’s going to improve our societies while they remain in their currents models of capitalism and faux democracy.

Lower Dens - Escape From Evil

Along with their Baltimore peers Future Islands, Lower Dens have been peddling a compelling retro-futuristic sound and shtick. Their latest release contains the cerebral lyrics, sparse guitar, and motoric synth rhythms that you’d expect. However the lyrical content has moved in a new direction from that of their acclaimed 2012 release - Nootropics. So before getting into Escape from Evil we need some context! Let’s talk about Nootropics. 

Thematically Jana Hunter, as the band’s chief songwriter, was exploring transhumanism (think Kraftwerk’s Man Machine) and the outlandish academic and futurist Ray Kurzweil. Kurzweil is the poster boy for the hypothesis of the technological singularity. ‘What in the name of dear science is that?’ I hear you say. In a nutshell it’s the idea that all of our tech-advancements will culminate in humans and artificial intelligence converging in a Philip K. Dick style melange of pharmaceuticals, silicone and, um.. wifi. Now, I don’t know about you, but this is exactly the kind of cyberpunk wet dream that I want from krautrock inspired futurists! In summary Nootropics was a robotic and euphoric exposé. It charmed with its uncanny and, at times, dark overtures (check out their track “Brains” on youtube). So, as you can see, it was always going to be a tough act to follow.

As such, the first Escape From Evil track to mark Lower Dens evolving sound is “Ondine”. Jana Hunter opens up the tune with a languid and sincere vocal delivery over a catchy stock bassline that you’ve heard before. Following this the songs moves into a genuinely earnest and pleading refrain ‘I will treat you better’. Emotive and sentimental, this is commercial synth-pop and Lower Dens do it very well.

On the other end of the scale is the brooding “I am the Earth”. It comes on slow with a lazy sci-fi menace that puts Pink Floyd in mind. Lyrically she works an ambitious metaphor where it seems Hunter is a disinterested planet Earth while her lover is the orbiting debris and organisms living on the surface. Heavy stuff. Sounds to me she’s been reading James Lovelock’s Gaia theory (If you feel like nerding out take a trip over to wikipedia). Basically his theory holds that Earth is an orgaism and humans are a parasite on it’s surface. Crucially the Earth will still be spinning long after Homo sapiens have kicked the bucket. Cue Hunter’s lyric ‘Just like so many things I will still be spinning here long after you’ve gone’. Maybe I’m on the wrong track here and Lower Dens will have a hearty belly laugh or head scratch when they read this, but hey, what are reviews for but a bit of interpretive guess-work? 

After that “To die in L.A” has to be mentioned and not just for the glossy and stylish video. The song itself is catchy, kitsch and aloof; an odd mix that works well. A verse of solid bass being circled by some keys and cloying guitar makes way for a strong chorus - big chords juxtaposed with some guitar licks that carry a whiff of Johnny Marr. Hunter delivers a nice vocal hook on top as well: ‘time will turn the tide’ where the word tide is stretched across four chords like a surging tidal swell. Despite being rooted in major scale the tune retains hints of a dark atmosphere and a character that suits Lower Dens. Hunter also appears in the video reading a copy of Charles Duhigg’s ‘Power of Habit’ as such we could refrain ‘habit will turn the tide’. 

The last stand out tune is “Non-Grata”. Rhythmically this is the one to dance to (in my case provided no one is looking). There’s a swagger to the vocals and a staggered amodal guitar riff that gives the tune a sweet edgy groove. As for the chorus ‘Baby lets roll up to heaven, lets make a getaway’ - Imagine an Elvis style lip curl with Bowie or Nick Cave’s posturing and you’re half way to the kind of charisma Jana Hunter is channelling. If Lower Dens were playing in my town I’d go to the gig for that alone. 

All in all for me Escape from Evil is definitely a grower. The catchy tunes have legs and the darker ones are rich enough for multiple listens. Perhaps the relative evils of transhumanism with its cognitive enhancing pills and sinister riffing has been exorcised. Despite my teething misgivings this seems to be no bad thing. Lower Dens have snared a more commercial sound while maintaining their artistic integrity. 

Release: 30th March 2015, Ribbon Music

Originally published here