Free Market Music from IdiotHead starts slightly disturbingly with the lead singer slightly bruised and bloody lying on a gravelly concrete floor. You'd be forgiven for thinking that this was going to be a hardcore metal song with lots of rock and roar. Instead within a few seconds you realise that this is something truly unique and original - that defies genres while creating something truly distinct, weird and original.
Stylistically it’s a curious blends of styles. There's a hint of metal, a hint of industrial, a hint of punk, a hint of rock and then a hint of dance and dub. It's like nothing we've ever really heard before but still playing homage to a lot of the best music of the last few decades - there's flavours of Nine Inch Nails, Tool, Scars on Broadway, Marilyn Manson and a plethora of other bands and DJ's. But it is only ever flavors there's nothing copycat or generic about any of the styles or sounds. Instead we have a beautiful, intriguing and complex song that is pushing plenty of boundaries.
The vocals offer an interesting blend of genres and the lead singer has a truly interesting voice that is partly poetic, touched with classic modern rock, Indie and nu-metal touches. His fantastic range crosses boundaries and redefines them in equal parts - providing a story as much as a song. Lyrically there's some stunning talent here. Free Market Music itself is a sub-theme but it's got a mixture of things going on. There's personal development, personal loss, destruction, capitalism, identity, mass culture you name it. It all blends together perfectly to create a tableau of images and emotions that is fantastic.
Then there's the music. So much going on it's untrue. The guitar work is generally soft and tone-full with some strange distortion, walks and slightly faster alt-rock guitar in places. The drums play the piper's tune throughout pushing the song but also providing a strange backdrop to the vocals and lyrics. Then there's the bass and piano (played by the same person!). The bass and piano again form part of the mis en scene and it is dark and gloomy with patches of more lively. Finally we have the array of synth sounds and effects that are there emphasising and complimenting throughout. There's so much going on for the song and it's amazing to see so much fitting together so completely and so well.
Finally then, we return to the video itself. It captures the song perfectly and takes three parts. There’s the band trussed up and dragged along the streets and the grass bloody and bruised, there’s a club scene where the singer seems to be half crazy half talking to the club upside down and then there’s the band playing in the countryside. It forms an incredible odd tapestry that seems to fit the song perfectly. It’s as much a commentary on modern culture and life as anything else and adds even more depth and complexity to this incredible song.
IdiotHead are a truly interesting, exciting band that are really pushing musical genres. In an age of rampant commercialism it’s great to see these bands that are trying something eclectic and new – so what are you waiting for go and watch Free Market Music now!
