Nation of Ulysses - The Embassy Tapes
(Dischord)

The Nation of Ulysses were five D.C. lads, all claiming to be 18-years-old, who comprised a revolutionary sect of musical propagandists. They heralded the benefits of fashion as a revolutionary tool ("pajamas . . . a bold new uniform for . . . fighting against the nauseous prospect of the ethical workday"). They decried the evils of sleep ("the greatest thief, as it steals half one's life") and candy ("the road to hell is paved with chocolate treats"). They played loud, sloppy punk rock. Then they broke up. (Three members reformed, briefly, as the Cupid Car Club--for one 7" on Kill Rock Stars--before finally becoming the gospel trash combo the Make-up).

The Embassy Tapes is the dying breath of Ulysses. 10 tracks recorded on a four-track recorder in their practice space before they disbanded. It's not a pretty sight. It's a muddled, often incoherent recording, obviously not one that was intended to be released. The band, while never really all that together, is particularly "loose" on these recordings.

The real problem, however, is with the songs. The Nation of Ulysses, for the most part, always kept it pretty simple. Their music was pure punk: short, fast, and barely held together. They played with an urgency appropriate for their revolutionary rallying cry, personified in singer Ian Svenonious' distinct croon, cries, and yelps. Those elements are all present, but the songs lack the hooks and the inspiration that made all thirteen points on their 13-Point Program to Destroy America essential tracks. A band that is as based in persona as Ulysses was can only burn brightly for a short period before extinguishing itself. By the sound of The Embassy Tapes, it is obvious that the time for Ulysses had ended, and the time for Cupid Car Club had arrived.

For those who have never heard the Nation of Ulysses, I highly recommend their 13-Point Program to Destroy America, which features such classic tracks as "A Kid Who Tells on Another Kid is a Dead Kid" and "You're My Miss Washington D.C." After all, Dischord records are cheap and the extensive liner notes/manifesto that are included makes the record worth buying even if you don't like the music (you will learn, for instance, the Nation's mantra is "Ulysses, Ulysses, little flower, beloved by all the youth"," and that James Canty has the "smoothest skin in show business"). For those who love the Make-Up and are unfamiliar with the Nation, definitely check out the 13-Point Program for the proto-Make-Up track "Look Out! Soul is Back."

The Nation of Ulysses is dead. Long live the Nation of Ulysses.

dave christensen 2000 dec 20