FC APATRIDE UTD
“Roots History Book”
Roots Reggae
(Urban Sedated Records, 2017)
Prepare yourself to hear the other side of history. The one you will never be able to see in school books.
It’s been seven years since last „firing of the truth“… Fc Apatride UTD, if not the most uncompromised reggae band ever, returns more armed with the truth than anytime before, ready to share fruits of its knowledge and work with those who truly seek for the real, untold truth. Pages of Roots History Book are written.
True reggae fans surely were delighted with this band from the first time they appeared. It’s hard not to love, or at least respect the band that has a strong stance and is ready to defend it absolutely unconditionally, regardless of other people’s opinion. The band that has made reggae music even more realistic and darker than any other reggae band before. Doing that with utmost modesty, along with only four instruments: bass, guitar, drums and vocals, FC Apatride UTD has become the true voice of oppressed, true voice of people.
Comparing to many other reggae bands around the world, Apatride consists of experienced men who felt and still feel the injustice of slavery system we live in on their own skin. Because of that, they are capable of identifying with the pain of sufferers from all around the system: Africa, Asia, Europe, South America, USA… Even though this band is led by love, who can think about love while unbearable stink is felt all around because of the shit we live in. Apatride are down-to-ground and aware that stairs cannot be skipped, it’s necessary to clean the shit first. Where to start from? From education, of course.
All three previous albums were educational, but with „Roots History Book“ they made one big step forward. You must know about famous Marley‘s definition of a reggae music as an educational mean: „Reggae music on the radio should not be part of a musical, but the educational program. People need to know they will hear something about the struggle of entire humanity. Struggle for life“. Well, Apatride not only fulfilled but gave completely new and concrete meaning to this definition.
Apart from personal experience, the equally powerful weapon of this band it’s their education. Not the education we get from the school, however, but the one which sees through a true functioning of the system and life in general. Instead of standard knowledge we get in schools, the band reveals to us many facts of unknown underground history which can be found out mostly in individual ways. Through their songs, we get to know facts about fearless rebels which confronted the colonialist and imperialistic system, rebels such as Nat Turner and Indian chief Cochise, or events such as Cuban intervention in Angola (1975-89) and Vietnam war (1960-76).
All songs are made in characteristic Apatride style, with simple arrangements in which the main dance is led by first guitar and vocals. Songs succeed to make overwhelming atmospheres which can take us directly to events places and periods of time that are being described. Bass lines simply get under the skin, the more you listen to them, it’s harder to get away from them. Vocal harmonies, as one of bands strongest characteristics, have become even more beautiful and striking. When it comes to songs, my personal favorite is dark „Nat Turner“, the one which makes me shiver every time I hear it.
If any album is worth having it in physical form, then it’s this one, before all because of a rich booklet that comes with it. Along with lyrics, there are appropriate hand-made illustrations of people, events or places that songs are dedicated to, as well as, additional information which can make further individual research much easier.
Someone said that man without knowledge of its history is like a tree without roots. Knowledge of history should make us capable of recognizing and detecting oppressive patterns which never completely disappear, but only change its shape. One of the patterns includes hiding and camouflaging the real truth in school books according to interests of ruling class. Breaking out the vicious circle must come outside of the system, through unconventional ways which include independent researching, self-questioning, and listening to bands such as FC Apatride UTD. “Roots History Book” reveals only small part of underground history and is the great starting point for further researching. Step by step.
Written by Nenad Pekez
Tracklist:
CD 1
01. Old Rebel School
02. Big Bang
03. Kingdom
04. The Rock
05. Noah’s Ark
06. Romans of Fire
07. Heavyweight Riders
08. Africa BC (Before colonialism)
09. Mysterious Power
10. Age of Darkness
CD 2
01. Nat Turner
02. Eyes of Cochise
03. Bushranger Blues
04. Apatride
05. Bail n’mBlah Letter
06. River of Blood
07. Trap of the Vietcong
08. Runnin’
09. Guns of Campesinos
10. Desert Lion
11. Made of Stone
Prepare yourself to hear the other side of history. The one you will never be able to see in school books.
