Anger

Anger is the first reaction to bad news. You can't contemplate angry music without paying due attention to the punk rock movement, but punk anger is usually pretty aimless. Punk is about rebellion against social norms. If punk is angry, it is angry at a conformist system that rejects studded leather and safety pins as jewelry. Hold onto your seats, folks: because of this, punk is simply not the right style for the perfect angry song. Aimless rage has its places, but grief anger is all about blame. No matter what has been lost, a grieving person can almost always find a logical way to point the finger at a person. You can blame your family, you can blame the paramedics. You can blame a bunch of politicians, or nameless engineers, and you can even blame God Almighty, but in the end you're blaming someone. There is meaning and merit in the perfect anger song.

We can't completely reject punk, but we can't just stop at a cagey guitar riff and call it a day, either. Billy Idol may sound ticked when we sneers "Shock to the System", but when he penned "White Wedding" he was actually pretty fuckin' livid. Ryan Adams was fuming over his break-up with Becky Baxter when he sang "Cry on Demand", but the melody makes me wonder whether he's mocking her or mourning her. There are plenty of songs about being mad, so the perfect song is likely a combination of a hard beat and some heartfelt lyrics. Nine Inch Nails, anyone? Even if you believe that Punk's Not Dead, you have to admit it's currently on life support: there is currently one living Ramone and Joan Jett is going to be eligible for Medicare any day now. NIN gave a new, synthy spin to the eternal font of teenage angst and despair. Whatever Trent Reznor sings, he sings it raw and bleeding, and some of his songs make me think I need a tetanus shot. Still, I can't go with a Nails tune because every time I want to coronate Trent Reznor as the king of suffering, I remember that he's a former computer programmer from Ohio and the most agony he's ever felt was probably back in college when his 14th level sorcerer failed his saving throw and got diced by a Balor in Advanced Dungeons and Dragons.

No, Nine Inch Nails is not the way to go. Too poseur. Instead, there is but one musician who I not only believe has felt real anger, but who is likely to feel it again should I ever meet her and fail to tell her how hot her ass is in those pants. I speak, of course, about Shirley Manson.

"Shut Your Mouth", Garbage

Welcome
We love you, we hate you
We love you, we want you
We need you, we wish we were like you
They say you're a saint
You're a whore, you're a sinner
That he had you, made you
Can't live without you

Would you confess if we asked
That you nurture the urge
To declare that it's time
To settle down with a man of your own
You want a baby, a family
A piece of security

Shut your mouth, try not to panic
Just shut your mouth, if you can do it
Shut your mouth, try not to panic
Just shut your mouth, if you can do it
Just shut your mouth

What's your opinion of the dire situation
In our land here a guest here
Of course you'll be nice here
How do you feel about God and religion
Are you good people, bad people
Guess it doesn't matter people

Your place, my place
Make her bring the famous face
You got some, you want some
You want to let me get you some
We know your music but of course we never buy it
It's too fake, man, right, man
We don't give a fucking damn

Shut your mouth, try not to panic
Just shut your mouth, if you can do it
Shut your mouth, try not to panic
Just shut your mouth, if you can do it

I hear you say it, play it smart, girl
Win the game, love
Give 'em what they want
What they want to see and you could be a big star
You could go far, make a landmark
What have you been reading, you smart girl
Win the game, love
Give 'em what they want
What they want to see and you could be a big star
You could go far, make a landmark
Make a shitload

And the world spins by with everybody moaning
Pissing, bitching, and everyone is shitting
On their friends
On their love
On their oaths
On their honor
On their graves
Out their mouths
And their words say nothing

Shut your mouth, try not to panic
Just shut your mouth, if you can do it
Shut your mouth, try not to panic
Just shut your mouth, if you can do it

I waited to say something
Oh shut your mouth
I wanted to say something
Just shut your mouth
I waited to say something
Oh shut your mouth
I wanted to be something
Just shut your mouth