EastScene

I’m not going to lie – I love Kevin Devine. He’s matured tremendously over 4 albums, yet still remains upbeat about life, and has easily been involved in some of the most amazingly hilarious videos ever [just look on YouTube]. But with the Brooklyn based artist’s recent release “Another Bag of Bones” – a two song EP, available through Academy Fight Song on blue vinyl, or at Amazon.com – Devine has raised the bar on his own writing.

“Another Bag of Bones” comes just in time. With politics roaming about on previous albums, “Bones” takes a hard look at the issues that are affecting the United States, and the World, in current times. Devine has always made his feelings known about the current war overseas, whether on his 2nd, 3rd or even 4th full length, or about the political landscape in general in modern day America. But this time, he’s not playing nice. The title track is a haunting recreation of our current disillusionment with reality; the heavy cost of war, the environmental crisis, invading countries. Ultimately, Devine paints a loaded picture; the end of the world, at least, as we know it today. The building of the song makes delivery that much harsher; like a quick punch to the gut as we realize exactly what we’ve done to ourselves.

But that’s not to say the Devine is without hope.

The second song of this album is a cover of Phil Ochs’ “Love Me, I’m A Liberal” with a modern twist. Using current events as the War in Iraq and the current presidential election as talking points, Devine still believes that change is indeed possible; however, not as it’s being portrayed in the news. Almost bitingly sarcastic at times, much like the original, Devine takes the view of a hardcore democratic participant, who will agree with almost everything the party does. But reading between the lines, Devine’s not sure that it’s any better than the current Republican way, and rather, believes that until we move away from the commercialized and corporate entities, and return to our roots, neither America and even the world, will ever shape up and return to it’s once glorious position.

“Another Bag Of Bones” is real. The problem exists and needs to be fixed, and Devine is forcing those that keep a blind eye to stare.