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Dan Bern
My Country II
(Messenger)
First Appeared in The Music Box, September 2004, Volume 11, #9
Written by John Metzger
Regime change begins at home. That’s the overriding theme behind Dan Bern’s
latest effort My Country II as well as his upcoming Fall tour, but just
in case there are any lingering doubts as to what his intentions are, he
concludes his new eight-song endeavor with a mantra entitled Bush Must Be
Defeated. Granted, he’s probably speaking to the already-converted — let’s
face it, the bulk of his catalog is likely too offensive for the humorless,
right-wing idealogues running America — but his objective has less to do with
swaying anyone’s opinion than it does with getting like-minded folks to get off
their asses and go to the polls so another election isn’t decided by the Supreme
Court.
Of course, it’s an extraordinarily simple task to mock a President who utters
absurdly misspoken statements — or are they the honest truth? — such as this
nugget: "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never
stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do
we." Yet, Bern leaves the easy targets for the late-night talk show hosts and
instead utilizes his caustic wit to unleash a diatribe about American policy,
both domestic and foreign. Indeed, those looking for the biting sense of humor
that filled his early works will find it employed in full-force throughout much
of My Country II. Within the span of 30 minutes, he delivers his plan to
change America’s course (President); opines about the kind-hearted, if
befuddled American public (Ostrich Town); and echoes Nick Lowe’s (What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding? on a scathing
indictment of the Bush Administration’s imperious rule (Tyranny). Perhaps
the finest track on My Country II, however, is After the Parade, a
story told from the perspective of a man hailed as a hero after a fierce
firefight in which he kills several enemy soldiers, but loses his companions.
The tale itself is somewhat sketchy, yet the surrounding music combined with
Bern’s heartfelt vocals fill the tune with a bittersweet grace that precisely
captures the conflicted emotions of the youthful veteran’s situation. No matter
on which side of the debate one happens to stand, this song is undeniably a
powerful and moving masterpiece.
For certain, Bern isn’t happy with the current state of America, and although
he probably will have problems with virtually anyone who has even the slightest
shot at ousting Dubya from office, like many real liberals — as opposed to the
Republican-lite politicians posing as Democrats — he knows this isn’t the time
or the place to vote his conscience. This country simply can not survive four
more years of George W. Bush’s destructive policies, and no one — be it Ralph
Nader and Clarence Thomas — should be allowed to stand in the way of his
objective. Simply put: Bush must be defeated.  ½
My Country II is available
from Amazon.com. To order, Click Here!
For Canadian orders, please
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For UK orders, please
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Ratings
1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!
Copyright © 2004
The Music Box
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