TSFR: THE BRONX

The Bronx have to be one of my favorite bands of the modern age. I say this not only because of their electrifying music and live shows, but because of their business model. This is a band that after a handful of local shows had labels begging for a record deal. Not wanting to become slaves to the industry, the band declined and instead built up a fanbase by way of self-financed and operated touring and eventually put out their first album The Bronx (2003) on their own label, White Drugs. After signing with Island/Def Jam, the band put out their second album also titled The Bronx in 2006 in an agreement that required little inference from the label. Disliking major label support even more than they thought they would, The Bronx departed from Island/Def Jam and produced their third self titled which came out last year, soon to be followed by a mariachi (that's right, mariachi) album this year.



Now normally I don't do biographies for bands, but The Bronx deserve it because they stand it out in an industry built on deals with the devil and trend-based music. The band's unique blend of punk rock dares its listeners to pigeonhole them, only to be defied by the next release. After all, how many bands are bold enough to do a friggin mariachi album? The Bronx (who by the way are from Los Angeles) are band without fear or limitation and continuously impress me with their music.

The song featured is "White Guilt" from their second self-titled album. I use this song because it really stands admist the rest of their music and because i just think the video is really, really, really cool. I encourage you to check out the rest of their catalouge though. With clever lyrics, solid riffs, and enough collective energy to power a small city, THIS SHIT FUCKING ROCKS.

The Bronx - White Guilt
Uploaded by UniversalMusicGroup

-Brien



"I wanna be original, I wanna be surrounded by art / but everything is digital, the formulas are falling apart" - The Bronx, "Knifeman"

It's lines like that that make me love this band. I wanted to use that song for this post, but oddly enough there's no music video for it. Go look it up anyway n00bz!