MP3 Steven Brant and the Phantoms - Sometimes a Great Nation

Acoustic music with electric instruments: An off-center fool takes on the world, the administration, domestic love and violence, poverty, frogs, and those who wrap themselves in the flag.

15 MP3 Songs
FOLK: Power-folk, ROCK: Folk Rock



Details:
Steven Brant has been kicking around the music business for decades, and the business has been kicking back. Bruised but undeterred, he and the Phantoms are giving you the business with a terrific new CD of acoustic music with electric instruments.

This time around, he foolishly takes on
- Spousal abuse (Run for Your Life);
- The guys in charge (Slow Motion Coup dâEtat; The Frog; Going, Going, Gone);
- The Guy in Charge (Mr. Perfect; Micahâs Song);
- Deceitful lovers (We Lie; Goodbye Song; Something, Something);
- Steadfast lovers (Iâm Still Here);
- Phony patriots (Wrap Yourself in the Flag); and
- The economy of illusion (Slipping Through the Cracks; Look Away);

There are also a salute to the courage of Christopher Reeve (No Cane, No Cape) and a shout-out to departed friends (Promise).

And now a word from our sponsor: The Phantoms insist we tell you transparently theyâre a band beyond belief, though I think thereâs something fishy about the whole setup. Thank you. We now return you to our regularly scheduled hype.

Oh, yeah, some of these tunes are pretty darn funny, though itâs occasionally hard to tell whether Stevenâs putting us on or not; he looks too darn serious all the time. I mean, these are serious times, but itâs going to take some humor to get us through. If enough folks buy this CD, two things will happen: theyâll be entertained and moved, and Steven might stop scowling on his CD covers.

By the way, weâre selling the sucker cheap (the CD, not Steve, though we might consider offers if he doesnât stop reading over my shoulder). The economics of the music business are royally screwed up, and except at the top all the moolahâs in touring rather than CD sales, and besides plastic just doesnât cost that much.

Finally, two warnings.
- One: Neither Steven, the Phantoms, nor I will be responsible for any injuries incurred attempting to get the dang shrinkwrap off the CD once you buy it. Someone probably has a cool patent on invulnerable plastics, but we still donât understand why the shrinkwrap is stronger than the jewel case!
- Two: Slipping Through the Cracks has a nasty word in it.

Youâve invested in reading this far; now go invest a few bucks in a cool CD. This one. And remember, past performance is no guarantee of future results.
-- George