Album Review // Teenage Warhead // Fascists, Go Home!
4.5/5 stars
If you've missed the latest from Erie's Teenage Warhead, we don't blame you. Since the project's debut on Bandcamp in October of 2023, there have been 160 other tracks released by the artist, and that's not counting this new full-length album. Chaotic, intellectual, and often strangely beautiful, this latest collection is a perfect starting point for newcomers. Envisioned as a fundraiser for the ACLU by local musician and business owner Elliot Smith (not to be confused with the late legendary songwriter), Fascists, Go Home! showcases a new breed of protest music. Drenched in absurdity while still being rooted in honesty and urgency, this record parallels our current reality of inflatable, costumed frogs de-escalating demonstrations. As iconoclastic as one can possibly be, Smith is telling his story the way he wants to, willing to experiment with electronic sounds and literate lyrics and obscure reference points. Playing with jaunty sequenced synths, vocoders, and midtempo programmed percussion, Smith combines those with his off-the-cuff vocal delivery for a sound that's refreshingly difficult to pin down. Perhaps the closest point of musical comparison would be 1990s Beck – which in itself feels ludicrous. Fans of smart weirdness will be able to relish this upcoming release fervently. With songs rarely reaching two minutes the 13 tracks go by fast, a welcome fever dream with a mission.
