The great, brainy folk-punk Chad Matheny, who performs as Emperor X, has not released a new full-length since 2022's fantastic The Lakes of Zones B and C, but he's kept busy touring and releasing EPs and other arcana such as a Christmas record in Ukranian for his friends besieged by Putin, and his own reclamation of an AI bot's stolen use of his own album Oversleepers International. One of his most beloved records ever was a literal list of improvements for public transportation in cities he's toured set to music.
So while usually he goes for headier, high-concept stuff, his new anthem goes for the jugular, to the point that some of its fat-shaming ("middle-aged sacks of asthmatic ham") lyrics could probably use a scrubbing.
But nevertheless, it's called "Renee Nicole Nicole Renee" and it goes after ICE for obvious reasons, particularly agent Jonathan Ross fatally shooting protestor Renee Good, which has led to deserved national outrage.
The tune is catchy, well-harmonized, and (when it's not attacking "overweight slobs") well-put. "They see themselves as victims who can't explain why they're so happy when someone dies". Or "Minnesota law prohibits shooting unarmed moms in the face." And "so scared of the Muslims, so scared of the gays that they're body slamming grandma". All choice bits.
You can listen to and purchase the song via Emperor X's Bandcamp below.
Bandcamp New & Notable Feb 21, 2021
Matheny also just announced some tour dates in March supporting Brian Sella of the Front Bottoms, listed below.
03/13 Chattanooga, TN @ The Parlor
03/15 Baton Rouge, LA @ Chelsea's Live
03/17 New Orleans, LA @ Parish at HOB
03/19 Charleston, SC @ Music Farm
03/21 Huntington, WV @ The Loud
What do you think?
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