Customer Reviews

13 Point Program to Destroy America

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Indicative of a time when the punk rock DIY spirit was in decline, N.O.U breathed life into an otherwise dead genre. Pulling from various gospel influences (if not musically, then in tone and intention), 13-Point Program was a wake up call to get off your ass and do something. Self referencing high school dilemmas and the realities of being a kid (exemplified in 'A Kid Who Tells On Another Kid Is A Dead Kid' and 'Today I Met The Girl I'm Going To Marry'), the youthfullness of N.O.U comes through with such passion that you almost want to relive the torture of high school all over again.

Instead of going the predictable route with yet another gloomy emo retread, DC's Nation of Ulysses instead put together a volitile mixture of gospel, jazz, and punk. The result is startling and frenetic, unlike anything before them. Combine the music with the surreal and cryptic propaganda in the liner notes, and you have the classic that is their first album.

These youths came crashing out of the Fugazi dominated DC punk scene unexpected and overwhelming. Ian Svenonious delivery of a mysterious propogando laden youth gospel is at times screamed then whispered into the ear. The band takes its hardcore energy and channels it into a jazz structure leaving the whole mess busting at the seams with intensity that if not prepared can be off putting. All together one of the most compelling albums of the decade and the premiere of a new voice that can still be heard preaching over the hot rodded soul of the Make-up.

The propaganda of The Futurists movement was a big influence on their liner notes and lyrics and album packaging. They looked like G.I. Joe dolls or gang kids from West Side story during this phase of their career. The cover has the band standing in front of a clever collage of kung fu kids, race horses, and some dame getting dolled up. They wrote songs about over the counter household drugs and The Peoples Republic Army of the Philipinnes.

They had an incredible concept and wrote dynamic songs with the most original lyrical content of their day. They made you want to dress like Jack Lord and be plotting to blow up something institutional.

The title of this album insures that their records will never be sold at Best Buy or Walmart alongside label mates Fugazi's cd's. I almost expect it to get banned these days.

I'm writing this late but the cd was in great condition and came in less than a week. great service!

i bought this because i love the make up, and n.o.u. has at least two of the same members, most importantly the awesome i. svenonius, known for his crazy baby-like singing. while not as good as the make up, i think this is a great cd in its own right, and definitely has a more old school punk feel than the make up, who are truly original and defy easy description but rock like theres no tomorrow basically with some of the most original riffs ever. i really like this cd because the punk songs rock without sounding corny or contrived, and they do some bold original things that really work, like adding crazed trumpet playing to some of the songs, and it never sounds gratitous or uncalled for. plus, some of the song writing is great.. check out diptheria especially. while most songs are punk, which is great in itself, they mix it up a lot showing signs of what the make up will eventually sound like, especially the aforementioned song, diptheria. i. svenonius's singing is a little more restrained on this cd, but hes still great.

Well, NOU are a very great, totally underrated band, particularly in relationship to the Refused, which is an OK, but not totally great band. This band is better then the Make Up. This is their best record.

NOU emerged and collapsed with the same sonic synchronicity belying each song of their plan. America could only crumble so beautifully and then re-emerge in splendor when playing pretty for baby. Although I favor their second album, this one should not be overlooked. The personify the postmodern age while ultimately deconstructing with their songs. If Derrida were a musician, this is the band he would join.

The NOU was tighter than a Republican a-hole. Great beats, great grooves, great singing, great lyrics, great production. What more do you want in your post-hardcore?