Nation of Ulysses – 13 Point Program to Destroy America LP

A raging collection of songs preaching an ideology of insomnia, teenage rebellion, and sharp dressing, the Nation of Ulysses’ 13-Point Program to Destroy America comes across as a blueprint for the complete overthrow of adult society in favor of one ruled entirely by the cool kids. Nearly every track on the album is played at breakneck speed, and the overall message is one of uprising. “A Kid Who Tells on Another Kid Is a Dead Kid” and “Cool Senior High School (Fight Song)” extol the virtues of kids sticking together to exclude those not fit for the glorious new society, namely grown-ups and squares. All the songs are punk gems, and after a couple of listens the revolutionary rhetoric starts to sounds pretty damn exciting, maybe because it’s not entirely clear whether or not the Nation of Ulysses is serious or just playing a joke on all the indie rock hipsters. Either way, it’s hard for anyone to not enjoy songs like “Look Out! Soul Is Back” and “Today I Met the Girl I’m Going to Marry.” The revolution might not be here quite yet, but when it comes, be sure to have this album as proof to your worthiness.