Chain and the Gang Down With Liberty ... Up With Chains!
Ian Svenonius has the uncanny ability to reinvent himself with each new incarnation, while maintaining the provocative lisp and satire that has defined him since his days with Nation of Ulysses. Down with Liberty... finds the D.C. humorist/antagonist exploring muffled and slow punk/soul grooves that evoke genius in subversive ways. The album’s opening line, “I see progress in paint peeling...” sets the tone for a poetic poke at post-George W. Bush frustrations. Like modern slave songs, “Reparations,” “What Is a Dollar” and “Deathbed Confession” embrace paranoia and blue-collar burdens with a literal read of Fox News’ vision of freedom and all of the absurdity it has wrought. 5 out of 5 stars