Microcosms announce new single “Great Country”
Daily we get emails and links from PR companies introducing us to new artists, which is a privileged position to be in, and every so often you come something exceptional that you can’t put down, and that’s the case here. We just had to share news of a new single with you from US punks Microcosms called “Great Country”, which will be out on 2 August 2023.
I think it’s fair to say, Microcosms are not your run of the mill punk band, kids from a deprived home striking one against the overlord. Microcosms was the brainchild of Andrew Tschiltsch. Coming from a comfortable upbringing in Southern California, he headed off to business school, which then led to a job in finance in Chicago. The stage for the next stages of Andrew’s life was set out ready for him, but he decided to change the story.
Andrew was keenly aware of the advantages society had given him, being an educated white guy. He struggled with the knowledge that the doors he walked through would remain closed to so so many others – especially given the constant state of disarray in the world. Having become radicalized against corporate life and the power structures in society, and craving a change that would allow him to act upon his values of justice and equality, Andrew made plans to quit his job a year in advance. During that time, he readied himself to take the plunge and begin what would become Microcosms.
Taking on guitar and vocal duties, the bands lineup was completed with the additions of Bryan Emer on bass, Jered Piepenbrink on drums, and Ronn Richardson on guitar and keys. In their time together, they’ve performed at iconic Chicago venues Metro and Empty Bottle, organized, hosted, and performed at a Bernie Sanders fundraiser (“Berniefest”), and Tschiltsch has gone on to become the founder of HAZ Cooperative Studios, which makes pursuing creative careers more accessible for artists.
They released their debut single Know My Body in 2017. You can check out there 2022 single Flytrap here:
Great Country is the lead single from their forthcoming new EP “Crying Laughing Here With You”.
I think we’d all agree, it’s not going great right now. Of course the “it” in question is the general state of, well, pretty much everything.
Regardless of wherever one may be in the world, a near-uniform set of societal issues splatters itself across the world like spilled ink. Those who are meant to lead – lie. The rising cost of living has ground people down, and the myriad of structures that work against justice remain firmly in place. In short, it’s a darker world today than it was yesterday.
This state of things weighs heavy on Andrew Tschiltsch, and the result is Great Country into which they have channelled all their frustrations and anger at the world to create a seething beast of punk anthem, a searing attempt to hold America to account for failing to deliver on its credo of being “the land of the free".
The lyrics are full of anger for an American system that doesn’t work to make people’s lives better, whether it’s the fraudulent profiteering stock market, the lack of access to what should be basic human rights, and blatant hypocrisy at the highest political levels, all of which leave their mark on the track’s core DNA.
“It’s the saying one thing but doing another that drives me crazy,” Tschiltsch says on the track. “A lot of these lyrics serve as a general referendum on most of the shit I think is wrong with this country.
With lyrics examining mass incarceration, excessive military funding, and a lack of free healthcare, Tschiltsch leaves no stone unturned. The cocktail of inspirations means Great Country is a meatier alternative to the general bread-and-butter “mad at the world” punk track. Tschiltsch lets the listener in on specific key issues that lie close to his heart, painting a clear portrait of what inspires his art and activism alike.
The level of candidness that’s shared with the listener in Great Country aligns with the ethos of Microcosms as a whole: They’re a true DIY band, and the inherently hands-on and personal approach yields lyrics that truly come from the heart.
In true punk style, it’s a riot of sound right from the off, with heavily distorted fuzzy guitars leading us off with powerful riffs while Jered pounds out a heavy drum beat, with cymbals crashing throughout. What’s interesting, is the pace of the track.
The lyrics are truly powerful, with one section describing someone risking their life overseas and returning home to nothing from this “Great Country”. Adverts telling him to join the police and fight the war at home. That your neighbours are far more dangerous than you know. The line continues with “killing some kid for stealing some candy, it’s the only way to make sure we’re living free…. In the Great Country.
It made me think of classic stuff from a different era, like Dead Kennedys, and the amazing movie soundtrack “Terminal City Roccochet” (featuring Jello Biafra, D.O.A., NoMeansNo & the Groovaholics. BUT, in a very different form. Most protest punk is fast and furious, but Andrew’s vocal style, draws out the lyrics in an almost sarcastic form. It’s most effective.
What is very unusual about Great Country, and Microcosms in general, is that it is punk, but from a perspective of acknowledged privilege. You just don’t see that. Andrew acknowledges the boost he had, but in a way, that position helped him to see the inequality of opportunity unlike so many of his peers. “As a cis white man making songs about how shitty the powerful people of society treat everyone, I often feel like the meme of the guy in the hot dogsuit like 'we're all looking for the guy who did this,'” Tschiltsch shares.
Tschiltsch goes on to say that “I feel like if more people in my position could acknowledge the big head start we've had in life, then we can begin to make real change to make life better for those who don't.” AHEM TO THAT !
It’s punk, but it’s different. Microcosms has a vibe all of it’s own, and stands proud from the crowd around it. I LOVED this one and I can’t wait for the release of the EP “Crying Laughing Here With You” too.
Brilliant – A well deserved 9.0/10 from LiveWire Music.
Great Country is out on 2nd August2023
