Powerful with a point

Javier Zazueta

Rarely do movies or music move me in a profound way. There is a scene in the 2004 movie “Crash” when a storeowner shoots a little girl. Another night, the combination of a thought of a girl and the song “The Reason” from Hoobastank playing on the radio touched me.

But listening to the Flobots is such a powerful feeling that the words, poetry and music are heartfelt and have real meaning.

The cocky rockers, who have become popular with the song “Handlebars,” which is a rap about humankind and the end of the world in a holocaust, can also ride a bike with no handlebars, no handlebars, no handlebars. They are a pleasure to listen to.

“Fighting with Tools” is the reissue of their second album, originally released in October 2007. With such beautiful lyrics, another 10 albums wouldn’t be a surprise.

The Flobots are not a typical three-men-with-guitars-and-a-drummer combo. The band includes a viola player and a trumpet player, which makes the music feel more meaningful – especially on such songs as “Stand Up” and “Rise.”

With simple lyrics like, “Lost hope and found need/Grounded by our surroundings/Did the walls scream universities,” from “Rise,” the song is a testament to people working together in bad times to bring everyone up and rise together.

“Stand Up” is similar to “Rise,” but with a stronger theme. The song makes reference to the terrorist attacks from Sept. 11, 2001 and July 7, 2005 in London, as well as Hurricane Katrina and the war in Iraq, saying, “We will overcome.” But the real meaning of the song is more about something smaller that’s moving, like a kid with no socks or shoes, a woman dying because of a lack of food and a freedom fighter bleeding.

Listening to the popular music of today often feels meaningless and worthless, but the Flobots surely do rock with something incredible and fresh.

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