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Public Serpents

Feeding of the Fortune 5000 (2008)
Tent City

Reviewer Rating:

Contributed by: dicklegz
(others by this writer | submit your own)

Published on June 17th 2008

Evil is as Evil does.

Surely, these men with functioning brains couldn’t believe in such a misanthropic statement, right? Well, this suggestion is purported throughout Public Serpents' debut full-length, Feeding of the Fortune 5000 (paying heed to Crass) and evil has never been sexier.

Anyone that enjoyed the Crack Rock Steady (fast punk, hybrid ska, hints of dancehall/reggae, etc…) back catalog shouldn’t be disappointed with this new outfit. Public Serpents are seasoned veterans in this trade and here they explore new ground musically. I would best describe the recordings as gritty, organic and stable. The songs here aren’t transparently polished but every instrument/vocal is given a proper enough balance in the mix, so all the players have proper recognition. The prime example is "Serpents Eye." It’s equipped with a very killer remaster that brings out the thunderous bass and additional guitars that were once hidden in the demo.

Another reason this album is extraordinary is the lyrics are more heartfelt than any other punk band I’ve heard in ages. Take for instance lyrics like "Humans are parasitic in nature, my anger lies in the abuse of others, who profit nothing from the actions of these fucking demons." Skwert lashes out (rightfully so) in the hard-hitting title track. "Watch out -- they’re coming for your rights again. Looks like -- another bloody fight again." Skwert decrees in the poignant ballad "The Killing Jar," "The city's dark, they’re back again, the streets are littered with the bodies of broken men / … / can you hear the noise, closing time is here, for the era of the timeless nothing.”

Other prominent tracks on the album also vary in musical directions. There is a hip-hop duet with Chris Tray of No-Cash / Mad Conductor fame titled "Driller Killer" about evil hygienists and fluoride. Another staple is the aggressive rock song "Today," talking about the importance of free thinking, standing up for yourself, your rights and your family, and lastly, "Suburban Dreams" is a sad tale of how suburban youth will never realize their full potential and how this world truly operates.

You see, Public Serpents have substance. A lot of bands would sell their family to even attempt to gain such a vital character trait for their band to be taken seriously. If you’re open-minded and want to experience a mélange of music with a mixture of socio-political information, then check out The Feeding of the Fortune 5000 and/or check them out on tour.

Because the serpent's eye is already watching you!

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dicklegz (June 24, 2008)

Chris Tray was the lead singer of No-Cash and is one of the vocalists for Mad Conductor.

INDW (June 19, 2008)

score is for the response you would have gotten from feeeding5000 if you had referred to this band as 'crust'.

from the myspace i'm backing this; not reinventing the wheel but that is fine with me.

SloaneDaley (June 19, 2008)

score is for Sharks Keep Moving. that is all.

feeeding5000 (June 19, 2008)

Guess who is not fucking stoked. The entire CRS family of bands sucks. They're a bunch of uninformed, childish drunks that make irritating music. Fuck 'em.

dlangl4 (June 18, 2008)

Good review. I'm going to check this CD out when when I stop being poor.

Is Chris Tray the lead singer of No Cash and Mad Conductor? Or is that someone else?

icapped2pac (June 18, 2008)

Score's for Nas' and DJ Premier's "NY State of Mind". I love that song so much I wish I knew how to hack the site and make this 5 1/2 stars.

dicklegz (June 18, 2008)

I want to thank everyone for their comments (good or bad). I really do appreciate them. This is my first music review and I'm glad, there are some responses.

As for the heartfelt part, I was a little sarcastic about the lyrics. Either way, I did respect the lyrics being a lyricist, myself. Socio-political lyrics throughout an entire album is hard to stomach (for me personally) but that is why I mentioned towards the end of my review (if you dig that sort of thing), you will probably like the points Skwert tried to get across. Since, they aren't pandering to left or ring wing mindsets.

I like Choking Victim but I don't like Leftover Crack. Weird? Yes. Oh well.

R3venge Therapy, I actually listen to a lot of genres of music. I admit punk doesn't always get much play over here but it's enough for me to skim this site from time to time.

So, I'm not trying to come off as egotistical or omniscient but here is my latest playlist and you can debate whether I'm being honest about my above comment.

Agoraphobic Nosebleed - Doctored Result
Beatles - Anna (Go To Him)
Black Crowes - Locust Street
Burning Airlines - Everything Here Is New
Chris Botti - Venice
Fugazi - Foreman's Dog
Fugees - Cowboys
Hella - 1-800-Ghost-Dance
Herbie Hancock - Sweet Bird
Husker Du - The Biggest Lie
Melvins - Joan of Arc
Municipal Waste - Unleash the Bastards
Mico - To Prove Men Fools
Nas - N.Y. State of Mind
Over the Rhine - Trouble
Peter Tosh - Vampire
Public Serpents - The Killing Jar
Red Hot Chili Peppers - So Much I
Rush - The Pass
Streetlight Manifesto - The Saddest Song
Steely Dan - Show Biz Kids
Ten Years After - 50,000 Miles Beneath My Brain
This Will Destroy You - The Mighty Rio Grande
Witch Hunt - Desperation
Yes - Heart of the Sunrise

inagreendase (June 18, 2008)

Those are "heartfelt lyrics"?

I get the feeling he was being sarcastic.

Could be wrong, of course.

R3vengeTherapy (June 18, 2008)

Those are "heartfelt lyrics"? If that's the best you've heard in awhile from a band, I'd say you're not listening to enough different bands.

Score is for Leftover Crack.

meesta3k (June 17, 2008)

Better than the latest Leftover Crack, but doesn't quite compare to Choking Victim or Mediocre Generica. Still, the use of dancehall is welcomed and keeps it interesting. I quite enjoy it.