It’s all too easy to underestimate the importance of music; to disregard it as a bit of fluff, a bit of entertainment, something that sits in the background without much impact. However, at every stage of our lives and in every era of human existence, music has mattered. In these times of global conflict, increasing hardship and government-engineered division between people who share more similarities than differences, it can be songs that give a voice to these challenges. That’s very much the mission statement of Naarm-based outfit Rich Webb & The Liars who want to remind listeners that rock music still counts for something.
The five-piece band, comprised of Rich Webb (vocals/guitars), Matt Dixon (pedal steel/lead guitar), Alics Gate-Eastley (bass/vocals), Jim Carden (drums/vocals) and Henry Webb (keys), put forward their modern protest song ‘Peace With Bombs (No No No)’. It’s a timely release that channels a true rebellious spirit of rock’s bygone years, yet with a keen eye on the troubles of the present day.
From the first few seconds, this track sparks up with a vibrant indie-rock energy that’s built on high-drama guitars, relentless rhythms and a raw, live-wire performance. Webb‘s controlled front-man vocals continuously examines the contradictions and consequences of violence presented as a path to peace. The lyrics are startlingly perceptive, such as “all your wild loving times and clear future, somehow you forgot them along the way,” which directly addresses those who peddle the “peace with bombs” lie.
As the track progresses, the band’s lively rock enthusiasm is brought into sharper focus. At the crescendo, the guitars feel sharper, the drums are more forceful, the bass providing a dynamic hinge-point and the keys colouring in the gaps. At the helm, Webb’s commanding vocals deliver the track’s urgent message. In the end, ‘Peace With Bombs (No No No)’ is a powerful, rock-fuelled pursuits of the truth and a rallying cry for change.
You can also listen to ‘Peace With Bombs (No No No)’ in our Indie Rockers playlist.
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