Battle, The

Rock/Electronic. AKA solo artist Jon Ragel of Portland, OR; songwriter, producer, singer, turntablist who plays the saxophone, guitar, synthesizer, organ, and several percussive knick-knacks. “Conscious” lyrics. 70s soul influence. Soulful yet thin voice, not the best singer really. Lots of audience sounds (though no end-track clapping). Faves: 5,8,10 ~eme o.

1. Royal Countess (3:38) Mid-tempo. Soul sounds, saxophone. Abrupt end.

2. I, William, Your Ex-Lover (3:05) Mid-fast. Flute, audience sounds (claps, whoops). Slight Caribbean sound.

3. Devil Hands (3:38) Mid-fast. Audience sounds (talking), strong beat, synth sounds, then the other instruments enter. Slightly Western guitar.

4. Speak For God (5:38) Mid-tempo 70s. Depeche Mode quality to this one. Audience gets a whooping solo. Earnest lyrics. Rock guitar, semi-solo. Possible FCC: “Goddamn”

5. Brother, Amen (4:17) Mid-tempo. Ambient aquarium sounds lead off, beat follows. Harp, flute, percussion, a moment of turntable scratching. Light on the singing.

6. The Battle (3:19) Mid-slow. Strings, staccato rhythm alternate with fuller rock sounds.

7. Election Drinking Song (2:30) Mid-tempo. Audience/party sounds. Funky beat, synth arpeggios.

8. The Devil’s Wheels (2:51) Mid-slow. Moody. Almost a dance beat. Abrupt end.

9. Destroy Imagination (4:20) Mid-tempo. Clatters in with bouncing synth beat and metallic percussion.

10. Oh! Little Brother (5:27) Slow to mid-slow to rock. Piano, synth sounds to start. Then a nosing beat enters. Theremin(?) enters at points.

11. Every Man (3:14) Mid-tempo. Opening is a mix of slightly Latin drumming and surfy guitar. Drumming normalizes, surfiness remains alternating with a funkier strum of chords, bird sounds.

12. 100 Tanks (3:53) Mid-fast. Stuttering beat. Vibey guitar. Brief strings solo. Track ends ~0:45 early.