CD Odyssey Disc 377: Rage Against The Machine

A crazy day is winding down. Our psychotic cat, Vizzini stole our dinner (steak) even as it was marinating in the sink. By the time he was done with it, it could not be salvaged, and so we retaliated in the only way civilized folk can: we went out for dinner. Take that Vizzini.

And now, a music review.

Disc 377 is...Renegades

Artist: Rage Against The Machine

Year of Release: 2000

What’s Up With The Cover?: It is pretty basic, but I love it. An iconic, made for CD design that over ten years later is instantly recognizeable.

How I Came To Know It: I was already a fan of Rage Against The Machine, but it seems like everyone I knew bought this album. It's awesomeness went through our group of friends leaving few unmoved. In any case, I've had it since shortly after it came out.

How It Stacks Up: Rage Against The Machine only made four albums before their break up, and I only have two - their first (reviewed just over 100 albums ago, at Disc 276) and this one, their last. Of the two, I slightly favour their debut, principally because it is original material (see below). Other than that there is little to separate them.

Rating: 4 stars.

It is rare that a remake can rival an original song, which makes "Renegades" that much more amazing as a great record entirely consisting of remakes. This record is clearly a labour of love, as RATM pays homage to some of their favourite artists and influences; a rogues gallery as disparate as Bob Dylan and Cypress Hill.

From the opening notes of the opening track, a remake of Erik B and Rakim's "Microphone Fiend" it is clear they are not interested in simply re-recording other people's songs, but intent on making each one their own. The original track is a brilliant example of early rap, just a sample, a simple beat and the rhythmic rapping of Rakim. The RATM is a reimagining of the sample and beat into a Tom Morello guitar riff.

Of course in the hands of Zach de la Rocha, the angriest lead singer in rock, the rap becomes a violent fusion of Ice T-style spitting with the angry edge of metal.

And so the whole album goes, taking the laid back gangsta groove of Cypress Hill's "How I Could Just Kill A Man" and adding heavily reverbed guitar over top of that groove, then later converting Bob Dylan's light guitar jangle on "Maggie's Farm" into a bass guitar groove, twice as long, five times as heavy and just as spirited and nasty as the original.

This album has been huge in my life since I first heard it. It isn't just that it stays in steady rotation after all these years, although that is certainly true. It is that it helped me discover a number of other artists. For this I can thank my friend Spence, who took the time to track down the originals of every song on this record, and made an 'originals' set list out of them matching "Renegades."

As a result of listening to those originals, I got into Erik B. and Rakim and Cypress Hill when I was amazed to hear their originals were just as good as RATM's remakes. Even the RATM version of "Kick Out The Jams" is amazing, almost matching my personal favourite, Blue Oyster Cult's live version on "Some Enchanted Evening."

Whichever version of these songs you prefer, RATM helps you appreciate the original just as much as their homage to it. Some of original artists honoured I have yet to explore properly. Covers that bear further investigation into the original include Volume 10's "Pistol Grip Pump" , and EPMD's "I'm Housin':

I have no idea what "I'm housin'" means in hip hop culture - but a quick check of the urban dictionary lists about six different things. The song seems to focus on the one that involves carrying a concealed weapon (hardly a surprise remake for Rage Against the Machine - the world's angriest band). For me it has become a frozen expression taken out of context, that I use to indicate that I'm staying home and deliberately skipping something more social or exciting. As in, "Would love to see the show, but I'm housin' this weekend, dude." Less exciting perhaps, but no one gets hurt in my version.

I could say more, but it has been a long day, so I'll just sign off saying that this could easily have been a five star album. The only reason it isn't is that I can't give five stars to an album made entirely of remakes, no matter how incredible it is. If that seems unfair to you RATM apologists, just remember that I did the same thing to Steve Earle's masterful tribute to Townes Van Zandt back at Disc 28. If I can do it to Steve Earle, I can do it to anyone.

Best tracks: Microphone Fiend, Pistol Grip Pump, Renegades of Funk, I'm Housin', How I Could Just Kill A Man, Down On the Street, Maggie's Farm