As you see the name Slow Faction, you know exactly where this review is headed. If music with a political conscience either bores or annoys you, read no further. Slow Faction doesn't write songs about bubblegum and pretty girls (And for the record I am very much a proponent of songs about bubblegum and pretty girls). "Culture War", the London outfit's latest track, is vintage Slow Faction. It's the punk rock sound of 1977 U.K. updated with lyrics that speak to the serious issues of our modern-day world. In particular, "Culture War" addresses the media's role in the spreading of misinformation and divisiveness - which ultimately benefit those holding power. Any time I hear a Slow Faction song, I'm struck by the similarity between what's going down on their side of the pond and what's going down on mine. References in this song to cult of personality and gaslighting the people might even make you think this was coming from an American band! The line "So what are we going to do now?" is a clear callback to The Clash, and I applaud Slow Faction for carrying on the fight. "Culture War", like all of Slow Faction's anthems, is so tuneful and rousing that it would be a great song even if they weren't singing about political issues. But come on: what fun would that be?
John Youens is such a great lyricist
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