Continuing a threshold-crossing theme, let's go over into a different edginess, moving from LCD Soundsystem's ironic music lists to amusing art anger and disturbing grief from the Bristol punk band. Both songs are from the band's debut album of 2017, Brutalism, although, driven by singer Joe Talbot and Adam Devonshire they had released EPs during the previous five years.
Stendhal syndrome, also known as hyperkulturemia, or Florence syndrome is a psychosomatic disorder that causes rapid heartbeat, dizziness, fainting, confusion and even hallucinations when an individual is exposed to an experience of great personal significance, particularly viewing art. It's named after Marie-Henri Beyle, real name of the 19th century French author known as Stendhal, who reported the condition of over excitement when visiting Florence. Of course Idles' tongue-in-cheek interpretation is disorientated male comedy-anger reaction to not understanding art, though it is mock ignorance of course, recreating something more akin to a psychological sketchbook of angry art reaction by famous violent British prisoner Charles Bronson.
Mother meanwhile not humorous, but a far more disturbing number, equally stark and shouty, and again driven by heavy bass, drums and guitar, seemingly of a grief-stricken narrator at a funeral who is letting his feelings flood out about his exploited mum, and a realisation of how to resist being that way by the ruling classes of the Conservative government. The answer is education, but the danger is just to watch TV looking at "pretty colours". Both songs are brilliantly cutting, channelling a punk anger in band form, in parallel to the work of Nottingham's Sleaford Mods.
[Verse 1]
Did you see that painting what Rothko did?
Looks like it was painted by a two year old kid
[Refrain]
Hot air
Hot air
[Verse 2]
Ignorance is bliss, yeah?
Well I’m not pleased
Because you spread your opinion like a wretched disease
[Refrain]
Hot air
Hot air
[Verse 3]
Did you see that photo what Billingham took?
He needs to take a leaf out the screensaver book
[Refrain]
Hot air
Hot air
[Verse 4]
If all photos were as you wanted them to be
There would be page three as far as the eye could see
[Refrain]
Hot air
Hot air
[Chorus]
Forgive me you sound stupid
Here lies the one I love
Forgive me you sound stupid
Here lies the one I love
[Verse 5]
Did you see that selfie what Francis Bacon did?
Don’t look nothing like him, what a fucking div
[Refrain]
Hot air
Hot air
[Verse 6]
Did you see that pink thing what Basquiat done?
Looks like it was drawn by my four year-old son
[Refrain]
Hot air
Hot air
My mother worked 15 hours 5 days a week
My mother worked 16 hours 6 days a week
My mother worked 17 hours 7 days a week
The best way to scare a Tory is to read and get rich
The best way to scare a Tory is to read and get rich
The best way to scare a Tory is to read and get rich
I know nothing
I’m just sitting here looking at pretty colours
I know nothing
I’m just sitting here looking at pretty colours
I know nothing
I’m just sitting here looking at pretty colours
Mother
Fucker
Mother
Fucker
My mother worked 15 hours 5 days a week
My mother worked 16 hours 6 days a week
My mother worked 17 hours 7 days a week
The best way to scare a Tory is to read and get rich
The best way to scare a Tory is to read and get rich
The best way to scare a Tory is to read and get rich
I know nothing
I’m just sitting here looking at pretty colours
I know nothing
I’m just sitting here looking at pretty colours
I know nothing
I’m just sitting here looking at pretty colours
Mother
Fucker
Mother
Fucker
Sexual violence doesn’t start and end with rape
It starts in our books and behind our school gates
Men are scared women will laugh in their face
Whereas women are scared it’s their lives men will take
Mother
Fucker
Mother
Fucker
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