Don't be scared. Seething with righteous anger, Every Day Life comes on like a reprimand from the Old Testament prophets. The band laments how far the standard in America has fallen morally, socially and spiritually. With a hardcore mix of metal and rap (which some compare to Rage Against the Machine), and with producer Michael Knott (who knows a few things about angry music himself), EDL intends to convince us of our need for sorrowful repentance as a nation. "Ten Little Indians" indicts those who have destroyed other cultures and slaughtered innocents in the name of Christ and "missionary" work. The song "Touched" is written from the perspective of a girl who was molested, spitting anger at her attacker. "Tempest" demonstrates the growing unrest of neglected children, as the frustration builds over time. "Closure" is about the destructiveness of church politics. "Electric Starter" details the loneliness of an impersonal society where the phrase "How are you?" is only a greeting, but not a question (You don't know the pain I have inside/ I keep my feelings bottled up inside). With "Transcend," the members of EDL make it clear it's not just finger-pointing, but confession, as well: We're all guilty and in need of forgiveness (Change can only come through the heart of the sincere/ sincerity without change is never made clear). No matter how righteous your anger is, they're saying, your anger needs to be resolved in a healthy, Christian manner. Every Day Life has a heart for the hurting and a hand reached out to the disenfranchised. In the process, they aren't afraid to call the American church onto the carpet for its inability to be salt and light in our culture, and for its crimes against its own members. It's a hard sermon to be sure, but American Standard would make Elijah proud.
Other coverage for this album
The Lighthouse November 1997Reviewed by Dave ListerAmerican Standard is the second effort from Every Day Life, and man, am I impressed. This is a big-time improvement over their first album, Disgruntled. With a much heavier musical sound, this album rocks from beginning to end. Throw in a lot of hardcore-styled vocals on many of the songs, and you have a true hardcore/hip-hop delight. Don't get me wrong-it is definitely EDL pounding out these…Similar sounding releases
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