The American Dream. The holy grail of capitalism. Achieving prosperity and success through hard work, determination and initiative. Upward social mobility, available to anyone should they only want it hard enough (“It’s up to you!”). A price eagerly pursued by so many and obtained only by the chosen few. Tales of success told and retold many, countless times through idealized stories, real-life and fictitious, replicated ad infinitum through Hollywood’s movie machine. And everything is made even more appealing through an added love story (one that last forever, naturally) and/or a good dash of religion a.k.a. profound meaning.

Is there any truth to this all-encompassing paradigm tale from the Land of the Free? Or is it rather an example of political kitsch, more common and easier to identify as such in places like, say, North Korea? And what is kitsch anyway? The easiest, best and fool-proof definition comes from Milan Kundera. Kitsch, he says, is the absolute denial of shit, both literally and figuratively, an aesthetic ideal where everyone acts as though shit did not exist. What is sold as the American dream most definitely falls under that category. Therefore, if someone is trying to sell you something that is too clean, too polished, too pink, too nice, too shit-less, don’t buy it. You are being conned.

Which brings us to the American Nightmare – a tale on the other end of the spectrum, involving much less perfection, dumpsters and partial homelessness, gambling and guns, road trips and small-town America, death and destruction, love, too, but maybe a slightly twisted kind. Money is made not through “honest” work, but through robbing and murdering, and religion is taking a sick turn (as religion tends to do). However, the emotions displayed are more credible, more authentic, and the music is much, much better.

Blood Moon Wedding: An American Nightmare is the debut album by Blood Moon Wedding, a trans-Atlantic project involving Steve Lake of legendary English anarcho-punk band Zounds and Mia Dean, an American opera singer from Oakland, California; two people who artistically at first glance seem as far apart as the US and the UK are geographically. Yet they have created something fruitful and outstanding together. If you have an affinity for post punk, a neo-gothic atmosphere and a bit of murder folk, this compilation of ten duets will delight you.

In snapshots, the album’s songs tell the story of an unholy union between an Englishman and a Californian girl: from the first days of their relationship, to their murderous adventures across the US, and to them leaving this planet and this plane of existence for another place. The story is one we are familiar with to some extent and also includes real-life and fictitious examples: Bonnie and Clyde, Mickey and Mallory Knox, Pumpkin and Honey Bunny. All of these couples have one thing in common: their union is as bad for them as it is for their surroundings, yet they cling to each other, because each other is all they have. The American dream didn’t come true for them, and here they are, living the American nightmare.

If you are a Zounds fan and hoping that this project sails in similar waters sound wise, your wishes won’t be fulfilled. But that does not mean that there is no English punk involved in the American Nightmare, on the contrary. There is, loud and clear, Steve Lake’s distinctive voice and accent, including some English cheekiness and also an instance of English humour glands activating in the most inappropriate situation. Fans of Mia Dean and her band Antler Family also can expect something new, but not completely unfamiliar sounding. The singer gets to display her vocal capabilities, maybe not to their fullest extent, but certainly in a most impressive, unforgettable way.

The album’s central, longest and most unusual track is song number 5, Murder Ballad. It tells the story of one unfortunate, dynamic-changing, fateful incident during the couple’s road trip. Guitar riffs sounding like doomsday bells and percussion resembling a heartbeat accompany the spoken word, and there are also repeated references to a classic American anthem – Be Bop A Lula by Gene Vincent. The track’s finish is my favourite piece of music on the album: Mia Dean sings a requiem in Latin to goose bumps inducing effect, Libera me, Agnus Dei, Domine, while Steve Lake wails along, disturbing the perfection. Excellent.

Sure, you can continue listening to the same old, same old, but I suggest you give this a go instead. It’s only April, but I already know that I will put this on my albums of the year list.

(8.5/10 Slavica)

https://www.facebook.com/bloodmoonwedding

https://bloodmoonwedding.bandcamp.com/album/blood-moon-wedding-an-american-nightmare