Straw Man Army - Earthworks

New York-based duo Straw Man Army ante up once again with a third LP of highly evolved anarcho experimentation that doubles down on both their infectious sloganeering and interest in the outre. Owen Deutsch and Sean Fentrix have always sounded more than a little pissed at the state of play, but their true allure lies in their ability to align that rage and disdain with an almost incongruous attraction to an energetic hook - these guys are preaching their truth, and they'll do it in a manner that has a tendency to stick around long after the needle has lifted. The press release describes Earthworks as forming part of a trilogy with the previous two records, and it's easy to see why, as these are clearly sonically connected records, evidence of a band absolutely in full understanding of who they are and how they want to express it. But don't equate that with having stood still. See it more as the ongoing refinement of, of a band that keep finding new ways to communicate the same message: the world is a bin fire, the culture industry is a poison, hey ho let's go! Early Total Control still comes to mind, and you'd imagine there's a mutual appreciation for Greg Sage's undoubted genius, but with the unexpected intros/outros/middle eights and subtle sonic flourishes, it's actually No Age they remind me of most now in their ability to unite their righteous dude energy with their more than decent record collections. Straw Man Army continue to play hard and smart as well as anyone.