“Welcome to the hell we’re living in.”
While it’s not a sunny sentiment, this lyric in “Brainrot” really encapsulates grandson’s new record, Inertia. The album is Jordan Benjamin’s own rage against the machine- the machine being the government, capitalism, war, greed, corruption, etc. It’s also the first of his albums that lacks any noticeably hopeful undertones, as grandson’s anger bubbles at the forefront of every hard-hitting riff and venomous lyric aimed at the systems that bind us.
There are moments of near-humor on “Autonomous Delivery Robot” that have grandson delivering his lines in a style akin to Bo Burnham’s Inside– and if we don’t laugh, we’ll surely end up crying. This moment at the top of the record is just a bit of relief among the 10 songs that do not hold much space for any other emotions than righteous anger and frustration.
Inertia pulls straight from years of headlines that grandson has not been quiet about outside of his lyrics and he really took the time to bottle that fury and unleash it across every second of the album’s 29 minutes. Longtime fans of grandson will not be surprised by the passion behind his voice- grandson has long been an advocate for the causes he believes in and a fierce anti-government, anti-capitalist, anti-war activist within his hometown community and on stages around the world. These themes are the focal point of the album, going from the abstract anger of past albums to a targeted barrage aimed right at the current American political administration.
One of the most notable spots on the album arrives at the end of “Who’s the Enemy” with the only feature coming from British punk rap duo Bob Vylan. The controversial performers landed in hot water across the festival circuit this year with their vocal pro-Palestine speeches and have since been denied entrance to the U.S. to join grandson on his fall tour. Ever the ally, grandson kept the feature on the album and expressed his derision for yet another system that allows this censorship to continue.
Grandson has always been a force all on his own, but his influences are vast and can be heard woven into the fabric of Inertia– and the album is stronger for it. Listeners may hear his affinity for friend and collaborator Tom Morello in the guitar licks scattered throughout the album or even a Green Day-esque vocal delivery on the undeniably memorable chorus of “You Made Me This Way”. With so much music under his belt and no shortage of things to say, Inertia is a body of work that will stand on its own and stand the test of time. Today’s world contains so much uncertainty, fear and obstacles and it’s comforting to hear grandson giving voice to those fears and driving his listeners to action. Play this record loud and often- it will get us through whatever comes next.
