{"id":4141,"date":"2018-11-27T23:47:32","date_gmt":"2018-11-27T23:47:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carriagehousemusic.com\/440magazine\/?p=4141"},"modified":"2018-12-05T05:48:01","modified_gmt":"2018-12-05T05:48:01","slug":"should-modern-bands-be-apolitical-nation-of-language-doesnt-think-so","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carriagehousemusic.com\/440magazine\/2018\/11\/27\/should-modern-bands-be-apolitical-nation-of-language-doesnt-think-so\/","title":{"rendered":"Should Modern Bands Be Apolitical? Nation of Language Doesn’t Think So"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Carly Bush<\/a><\/p>\n

Ian Devaney\u2019s childhood sounded like \u201880s new wave: Kraftwerk, New Order, and Talking Heads. Today, in his band Nation of Language, he synthesizes his origin story into nostalgic songs that clamor frantically for the past while leading the revolution of the future.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Against the backbeat of modern Brooklyn, Devaney began crafting music inspired by the artists of his youth. Initially, Nation of Language was nothing more than a pet project. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI had been working on songs in a very casual way,\u201d Devaney explains, but ultimately he landed on his current lineup. \u201cAfter getting help from several friends who were unbelievably generous with their time, things settled with Mike on bass and Aidan learning synth.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Devaney prides himself on being anti-commercialism, and Nation of Language has DIYed itself to the front lines of the post-punk scene without ever dreaming of selling out in the traditional sense. <\/span><\/p>\n

The ironic thing is that the world, nonetheless, is taking notice: Nation of Language has been reviewed favorably by mainstream publications and appears on Aritzia\u2019s in-store playlist, alongside similar trailblazers of the post-punk revival of the mid-aughts, The Wombats, Arctic Monkeys, and The Vaccines.<\/span><\/p>\n

Is it such a surprise? Everything old is new again. The sounds and styles of the \u201880s now saturate much of our media. Perhaps millennials, the oldest of which were born in the 1980s, are disillusioned with the current state of things\u2014or maybe the new wave movement, which first shook up the music scene thirty-plus years ago, is experiencing an exciting revival.<\/span><\/p>\n

Whatever the case may be, the torch has been passed, and Devaney is successfully keeping the spirit of the \u201880s alive. Far from making a parody of the genre, he treats it with loving care and sincerity. Interestingly, he blends the vocal and recording techniques of the new wave era with a distinctly modern existentialism to write innovative songs that speak to a new generation of rebels.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The name Nation of Language isn\u2019t suggestive of any particular musical genre, which Devaney appreciates. It stands on its own, confident and self-assured. On the other hand, the name is <\/i>subversively defiant; language, historically, is the first weapon fascists use to disorient and confuse the people, making their message more palatable. <\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s more, Devaney has had a long-standing fascination with the far-left political punk rock band Nation of Ulysses, who formed in 1988 and developed a controversial reputation as radicals before disbanding in the autumn of 1992. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSomething about their name pulled me in, so when this project needed a name I chopped off Ulysses and searched for a concept that I found compelling. When \u2018Nation of Language’ popped into my head it just seemed to make sense.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Devaney is quick to acknowledge his love of contemporary music, those treading the same uncertain path as his own. He\u2019s just a bit selective about which careers he chooses to follow. The common thread that links his favorite artists is a shared willingness to disrupt the status quo. One of his favorite artists is Alex Cameron, \u201cwho makes really excellent music that is just relentless social commentary.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Devaney clearly does not subscribe to the belief that modern musicians should be apolitical. Though it has worked for some, certainly, he is solidly art-over-commerce. Those looking for commentary in Nation of Language songs will surely find it.<\/span><\/p>\n