Eclectic, lo-fi, and intensely political: Oreaganomics' And Introducing…..shane!!! is an excellent display of genre-bending.
Before their 2019 album, Hand Turkey, Oreaganomics had been experimenting with lo-fi and underground music for almost a decade and a half. Without a website, social media, or public appearance to be seen, the group is very much an endearing mystery. However, we do know they got their start in rural Kansas in 2005, moved to Chicago in 2009, and some of them "are wanted for victimless crimes, domestic and international AND having to work several jobs."
The 10-track album is a response to the cost of living crisis experienced all over America, drawing on the long tradition of protest music. The tone and style of the album deviates quite distinctly from previous releases, a choice the band views as necessary rather than aesthetic, stating: "We decided to make it as pop as we can stand so people would listen. It's our most successful album so far."
The political content can be seen even in the title, the lowercase "shane" potentially indicating the disappointment that those who are billed to be important or inspiring may instill.
"Everything is Legal" kicks off the album with a laid back, reggae inspired groove. This genre choice paired with the song title are unsubtle nods to drug usage, but with a twist: the most repeated line in the song is "Everything is legal so we gotta find our way," a reflection on the lack of direction and inability to move forward felt by many. The drug allusion, then, could easily be considered a commentary on the use of drugs to make disaffected people complacent.
"Prism Scheme" leans hard into the big band sound, with dark piano and brass chords underscoring aggressive and passionate vocals. A scathing rejection of the state of the modern economy, the lyrics repeated near the conclusion of the song highlight the frustrations many can feel when engaging with this subject: "Better than money is peace of mind."
"Open Is the Ban" utilises tight, lush harmonies and sultry jazz instrumentals to hammer home broader themes of disillusionment and repression. Lines like "The revolution won't be streamed," a play on "The revolution will not be televised" by jazz and soul artist Gil Scott-Heron, highlight this overarching message. One must move outside what is considered normal to truly be free, but the band warns that this is becoming increasingly difficult: "open is the ban on anything outside."
Oreaganomics' history and mystery in the underground music scene infuses a refreshing creativity and drive into their work from the first to the final track.
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