In the book of Revelation it is written, When God was done laying down the law from Dan to Beersheba, He needed a place to kick back and yodel and a place where His infinite riches could earn 20% and where He and His family could be spared the wrath of the Nazi war machine. It was on that day that God created Switzerland.
Electric Six from Detroit is a collective of spiritually bankrupt people. But they found meaning in the above biblical passage. They understood that God, love Him or hate Him, knew how to make a heck of a country when He wanted to. Electric Six loves to yodel, loves to make money and loves to sit on the political fence. So it was inevitable that their next album would be called simply... Switzerland.
Switzerland offers up thirteen songs of all styles, sounds, genres and themes. Wanna have a good time? We can do that! Wanna wallow in regret? We can do that! Wanna get real deep and examine why we are here and who God is? We can do that!
We can do that!
From the bouncy, peppy "I Buy the Drugs" to the Def Leppard / Journey-esque "Night Vision" to the super-smooth "Infected Girls", old school E6 mavens will find just the right amount of puerile yet groovy (and vaguely intellectual) concoctions that make them want become one with their aggression. Sex is still there to be had, skulls are still there to be smashed. Its all good.
But life is more than just a 24-hour party. Just ask Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity. There comes a time when you inevitably ask Why am I here?, Is there a heaven and a hell?, What happens to me after Im dead? and Are you my mother? The answers may or may not be found in the tracks entitled "The Band in Hell", "Pink Flamingos", and "Theres Something Very Wrong With Us So Lets Go Out Tonight". Electric Six is not afraid to explore the unknown and publish the results. And the results sound good, baby. Real good.
Switzerland, like its predecessor Señor Smoke, was recorded at 40 oz. Studios in Ann Arbor, Michigan. At some point during the recording, frontman Dick Valentine was asked what he thought of the recording so far. It is said that he simply nodded and said, Id like to do a video for every song on this our finest record to date. Get me my manager. At which point he told his manager, Let us do a video for every song on this our finest record to date. And if we are to fail in this endeavor, let us be brave in the attempt.
To summarize, Switzerland is Electric Six's finest record to date. It is a feel-good, drive-around-in-your-car-with-the-top-down summer staple. Thats why its being released in September.
