“Prophecies of War” is a kind of musical interpretation and discussion of modern warfare in experimental jazz format. In the booklet, composer Andrew Hanna points out that, “The reality of war is horrific, gruesome and deadly,” a sentiment which he and the others in Outward Bound try to express through the record in a variety of ways, combining cacophonous saxophones, wild drumming, the regular guitar/bass combo and some bits of poetry interspersed here and there. Unfortunately, while the record has a noble intent and is an experimental, potentially innovative concept which I support in theory, “Prophecies of War” comes across as both awkward and trite. Rolling musical lines which don’t seem to in any particular way reflect their thematic descriptions as I was expecting when reading the booklet are alright, but then not very impressive. There’s nothing wrong with the music, but then again there’s not much right or really exciting either. To be honest, the “poetry” is quite terrible as well in a pretentious liberal arts college kind of way, particularly on the final track “War” (I feel like scum). The words “bad” and “sad” are actually rhymed (sigh) – the obligatory reference to “America” as being the “Land of the free” and “Home of the brave” makes “Prophecies of War” come across as the same old embittered, resigned stuff I’ve come to expect from the radical youths of the United States when it could have been so much more.

(more…)