Consolidated were a seriously essential hip-hop band from San Francisco. Their album “Friendly Fascism” stormed out in 1991 and set the agenda for their brand of revolutionary left-wing politics. Unashamedly white, but more self-consciously male, these three guys took their main cue from the style and passion of Public Enemy. They expanded the Chuck D’s black power tirades into the realms of feminism and vegetarianism on behalf of a wide social equality platform. Coming out at the time of the first Gulf War, their furious assaults on George Bush (snr.) and his war on Iraq are unnervingly contemporary. Consolidated used their live shows as a space for public debate, opening up the mic at the end of their set, taking questions from the audience, and responding to their comments and (sometimes) abuse. Some of these live dialogues find their way onto this album (and indeed their other albums – also notable is 1992’s “Play More Music,” the title coming from the rant: “I Reckon You Should Shut The Fuck Up And Play More Music”). The arguments which finally get included on the LP are, unsurprisingly, the ones in which Consolidated’s views prevail, but you have to admire the eloquence and wit of some of their sharp responses. You can tell that’s there’s a real belief in the words that they speak, and that their lyrics are borne of more than just an attempt to be fashionable and alternative. The songs speak out for equality and respect, and against oppression of all kinds, including sexism, war and meat-eating. Their argument that all these evils are linked and inevitable in our western patriarchal society is compelling. The liner notes quote the source of their title, “Friendly Fascism”, a 1982 book by Bertram Gross, and you get a glimpse of where a lot of their ideas spring from. Words such as fascist, white, male, government, environment, murder are abundant. These are pervasive themes throughout the record. But it’s not all bleak and humourless. “College Radio” breaks from the hip-hop beats and treats us to a knowing pastiche of a classic ‘alternative’ American rock song. It is such an accurate take that you wonder if these guys have alter-egos playing the indie-rock circuit. Based on the sound of a million boring guitar records, it is incredibly funny and hits home with deadly accuracy. The self-deprecating “Crusading Rap Guys” also shows that this lot know how to laugh at themselves. Their music is stripped, straight hip-hop which still stands up against its peers even in such a fast-dating genre. The sparse, tough beats and tight rhythms facilitate acres of landscapes for their sprawling polemic to breathe and take shape. It is difficult to contradict their points of view, and you begin to feel that maybe their opinions on domestic violence, sexism, oil, war, big business and the meat trade are worth listening to. I am amazed at how well this record, especially a hip-hop record, has stood the test of time. It is definitely worth listening to today.

Reviews Index