Cynic The Old Man-Various Lyrics

Yes, you read that caption right. For the first time since I started writing for Heavy Metal Time Machine I have been approached to do a lyrical review from a band. I suppose this really wasn't the first time I had been asked to do something like this. Back in my college fanzine days a spoken word/ free form jazz/post-punk act asked me to comment on not only their music (which was weird even for a college town like Kent, Ohio) but also their various ramblings. The whole thing was rather surreal and as I approached this article I'm reminded that words can be a powerful force. Whether they are wilded for good (Martin Luther King) or evil (Adolf Hitler) words alone can inspire and change our viewpoint of he world. Now while I don't expect Cynic The Old Man to have such an impact on the world around us I will give them props for working outside the box with their lyrics. The worst thing in the world is to hear great music and be let-down by insipid lyrics. Great music and great lyrics should go hand in hand. Sure there are plenty of songs from everyone from singer-songwriters to grindcore bands that the music is grand and then when you read the words your left heartbroken by the seemingly lack of effort on the part of the artist to challenge you. The opposite is true also when you hear great lyrics and then the music leaves you scratching your head. So it cuts both ways honestly. With Cynic The Old Man I haven't had a chance to listen to their music. They asked me to review their words so that is what I am going to do. Sure enough as I stated earlier here is a group that writes outside the box. The lyrics are often surreal and somewhat stream of consciousness in their output. They capture dream like qualities where anything and everything can happen as they shift from odd objects to even more odd segments. In a way it reminds me of the way R.E.M. would create a song only with more of an LSD slant. I love the openness to explore a part of subconscious where chaos reigns. Sure for many the seemingly strange way in which the words roll around will be a turn off. For those that like their lyrics all neat and pretty Cynic The Old Man are not going to sit well. But for those that see the world as a magical landscape of different colors and shapes and live with a sense of adventure at all costs then Cynic The Old Man should be moved to the top of your list of acts to look into. You can read for yourself just how interesting their lyrics are at the link below.
http://www.negb1.com/profile/CynicTheOldMan