If you think hyper partisanship only occurs in the vacuum of an election year, you haven’t been paying attention. Politics are seared into every aspect of who we are to the point that these ideologies have crossed the rubicon into religion. But, what are the faithless yearning to practice their political nihilism in this civic landscape of grandiose demigods to do? Nashville rocker Nick Noon’s latest single, “Who Needs Who,” aggressively confronts the messiah complex domineering over our current politics.
Aside from the song itself, Noon’s lyric video for “Who Needs Who” features footage of vapid partygoers dancing to their heart’s content interspersed with cuts to political figures such as the Clintons, Obamas and George W. Bush living it up themselves. In turn, images of riots in the streets, precision airstrikes and concussive, bunker busting blasts serve as a stark dose of reality. Meanwhile, “Who Needs Who,” the single, does not namecheck nor target any one side. Its primary objective is to point out how engrossing our current political climate has become.
The three “Rs” of “Who Needs Who” are rambling, ragged and rugged. Gritty and jangly to the core, a series of whiny, strung out chords ring out during the midway interlude as well as in rapid fire style during the percussive finale. Altogether, “Who Needs Who” makes the progression from bluesy romp to all-out raucous rage.
At the center of “Who Needs Who” is this idea of politicians self-appointing themselves as saviors. “It’s the way that you need me, when I’m not there” alludes to the fact that prophets are nothing without a flock to lead or an audience to preach to. However, their latest sermon will fail to reach those newly emerged from their own ideological awakening. All in all, the parting missive of “who needs who…who needs you” captures the full circle reversal from subservient sheep to a free thinking citizen.
As opposed to the garden variety protest song, Nick Noon’s “Who Needs Who” isn’t aligned with a certain counterculture or cause. All it wants is to ask yourself where the power in this world actually resides.
Written by Travis Boyer
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