Some of America’s most beloved and influential musicians were born in Mississippi, from Robert Johnson, B.B. King and Muddy Waters to Elvis Presley, Charley Pride and Bobbie Gentry. And crucially, Black sharecroppers from the northwest sliver of the state—the Mississippi Delta—spawned a sound known as Delta blues, an essential precursor to rock ’n’ roll and a beautifully raw art form in its own right. One of the city’s most exciting bands is MSPAINT, a fiercely political and self-described “pseudo-hardcore” group who are set to release their debut album “Post-American” on Convulse Records.
Raw emotion is at the heart of MSPAINT’s music—so much so that it practically explodes out of them. Their lyrics and album title, “Post-American”, refer to a post-apocalyptic world that’s succumbed to grave threats currently posed by capitalism, state violence, religion, misinformation and technology. The title track describes a “cursed wasteland” of “broken glass beaches” and “powerless plants,” while “Free From the Sun” paints a scene of “densely set fog,” “bleak street lights” and “dead flower smell.”
But these images aren’t nihilistic, they’re urgent wake-up calls. “Post-American” suggests that it’s imperative to grasp just how horrific things are in order to make change, and to keep the beauty that power brokers rob from people at the front of one’s mind. Deedee’s stream-of-consciousness poetry is rather artful, mixing imagery from the natural world with seething political critiques, allowing listeners to interpret their tracks as both personal emotional awakenings and broader societal ones. But that doesn’t mean their political messages are subtle, as they spout lines like “Guillotine will decide who’s separated in classes” and “Burn all the flags and the symbols of man.”
Raw emotion is at the heart of MSPAINT’s music—so much so that it practically explodes out of them. Their lyrics and album title, “Post-American”, refer to a post-apocalyptic world that’s succumbed to grave threats currently posed by capitalism, state violence, religion, misinformation and technology.
MSPAINT formed in late 2019 around the sole concept that no guitars were allowed, which is ironic, given that three-fourths of the band are seasoned guitar players. However, they eventually grew disillusioned with the instrument and wanted to be challenged. Panella, in particular, has been playing guitar for over a decade, having studied jazz at school and taught students everything from blues to Metallica.
MSPAINT may not win over the hearts of every hardcore diehard, but “Post-American” is a vehement document of Hattiesburg, Miss., DIY and an invigorating call to prioritize love and justice in a time when virtually every part of society and culture encourages robotic mindlessness. And if nothing else, they’ll continue to turn heads when they unleash their oddball electro-punk dirges
The Fat Angel Sings 