The ABCs of Anarchism

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"Who can say what it isn't, who can say what it is?" This question, in regards to anarchism, is answered by the Weatherman. In a 13 minute track filled with a broad arena of samples (from Teletubbies to M*A*S*H to the Spice Girls and Ice Cube), he attempts to explode many untruths and explain his views of anarchism, peppered by quotes from Alexander Berkman (author of a book by the same name). Unfortunately, Chumbawamba's 15 minutes of fame has ended, so this will probably prove of little use than to preach to the converted. However, along the way they create a most excellent track that will bring a smile to many a face. "Fun" and "Listenable" being the keywords to describe the track. The second track is a bit less hyper, entitled "Smelly Water". While the catalyst behind this track is a bit less outspoken, the story within the liner notes will make its meaning quite clear. Rounding out the ep is a shorter, more mass-audience consumable remix of the title track. It would make for quite the dance number, however it falls apart around the end due to some seemingly unrelated telephone conversation. In summary, the whole Ep is quite fun and avoids the pitfalls of being so clogged with message that it losses its enjoyment factor, a pitfall found often in politicaly charged music. One final note: Many of my North American friends have been quick to either A) dismiss the ep, or B) assume it is simply the work of Negativland looking for a lawsuit from Chumbawamba. This is due to the latter being known over here simply as the "Tubthumper people", without much regards or knowledge of their past history. I encourage those who share these views to take a look at Chumbawamba's website (http://www.chumba.com), and learn about the history of this group who were around for a decade or so prior to their top 10 hit.