Extradition Order – Kennedy

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“Talking Heads as performed by The Stooges. Warped genius”. 8 out of 10 for Extradition Order in Whisperin’ and Hollerin’ http://www.whisperinandhollerin.com/reviews/review.asp?id=12091

“Delves into New Romantic dance with the same rebellious attitude that makes Mark Stewart and The Pop Group the phenomena that they are. ” Loud And Quiet http://louderthanwar.com/extradition-order-kennedy-album-review/

“Although I’ve written three books about John and Robert Kennedy these marvelous, insightful lyrics illuminated aspects for their lives and characters that had previously escaped me. Congratulations on creating a moving tribute to these extraordinary men that deserves a wide audience.“  Thurston Clarke, author of ‘JFK’s Last 100 Days’, ‘The Last Campaign’ and ‘Ask Not’.

 

 As their name suggests Extradition Order are an extraordinary band.

They started out like many bands, singing about themselves.

Their debut, ‘Since the Bomb Dropped’ (2010) was a collection of garage rock modern folk songs.

‘Our Thoughts on Failure/Our Thoughts on Revenge’ (2012) their second album, traced the angst of realising life may not be as interesting as one hoped and resenting that fact.

 

By contrast, their new album, ‘Kennedy’ – produced by Ian Button (Death in Vegas / Thrashing Doves) – is not self-reflective, chronicling instead the band’s shared passion for an iconic period of American history. It’s about real people in powerful places and it includes probably the only disco anthem about Lyndon Johnson’s failed attempt to win the 1960 democratic nomination.

Reading Robert Caro’s ‘Passage of Power’ sparked an interest in mid-twentieth century America power and prestige; in particular Jack and Bobby Kennedy’s cynical obtaining of power, which was then unusually applied to noble, less corrupt ends. The brothers went from being affluent layabouts, friends and colleagues of Joseph McCarthy, indebted to a powerful father’s ambition, to founding a personal passion for civil rights in step with the great work of Martin Luther King. The older and more powerful they were, the more decent they became.

The album tells about ‘Eyesore’ – how LBJ presumed the 1960 Democratic nomination was in the bag simply because it was his turn.

 

It tells about ‘Rosemary Kennedy’, the forgotten Kennedy sister whose father agreed to her having a frontal lobotomy in 1941 and who was hidden from the world from then until her death in 2005.

 

And ‘Bobby’ and his reaction, sat by his swimming pool, to being told by J Edgar Hoover that his brother had been shot in Dallas.

 

Bobby Official Video 

I Love An Eyesore Official Video

Extradition Order are originally from Warrington, home to a decent  American comic shop and where  Joseph Priestley worked on the discovery of oxygen in the eighteenth century.

Now based in London they started out as a garage rock band, with an oil can guitar and some drums, but now boast a bigger line up, a danceable organ, an altogether more powerful sound with an impressive reputation for live shows.

 

Extradition Order are supported at BBC 6 Music and have performed with Jeffrey Lewis, David Cronenberg’s Wife, Darwin Deez and Florence and the Machine.

All songs are written by Alastair Harper, Ian Button, Radhika Aggarawal, Nick Boardman, Jeremy Walton and Matthew Bergin. All lyrics by Alastair Harper.

Cover art is by illustrator and radical,  Clifford Harper

“Nick Cave meets Toms Petty… a remarkable band.”  The Sunday Times

“Extradition Order is awesome!” Jeffrey Lewis

“Stylish and dramatic.” God Is In The TV

KENNEDY” – EXTRADITION ORDER (Jezusfactory Records): Bags of style, originality and black humour on this third album from the six-piece garage band from Warrington Together they have created a remarkable tribute to John Kennedy and his family. 8/10.