Thoughts on Rage Against the Machine

I mostly listen to alt-country and bluegrass these days (which as a teenager, I would've never believed could ever fucking happen). But every once in a while, like tonight, I'm reminded of how much I used to like Rage Against the Machine. You know, before they broke up. Tonight I was listening to their last studio album, Renegades, which is a collection of cover songs. A terrific and wildly diverse collection of cover songs. It is without a doubt my favorite Rage album. I dug all their stuff beginning with their 1992 debut, but looking back, too much of their original material seems a tad sophomoric and at times pretentious. But Renegades is just pure fun. It's an inspired grouping of covers that all showcase guitarist Tom Morello at his most wildly inventive. Unfortunately, I didn't feel the same about any of the Audioslave material that followed the dissolution of Rage. Perhaps in part because Chris Cornell's voice reminds me of someone trying to sing after they've been up all night vomiting. In other words, I'm not a fan. Not that Rage vocalist Zack de la Rocha is all that golden-throated or really even that great of a rapper. But nevertheless something about the combo worked. For me at least. So basically what I'm saying is, Rage, I miss you. I know you're supposedly working on a new album. Here's hoping it's your best yet. Regardless, I'll be listening.

Now back to my Flatt and Scruggs.