Bang Bang Bart’s New Track ‘Skull And Boning’ Is A Searing Country Rebuke Of George W Bush

Bang Bang Bart. Photo supplied.

A country song about the war crimes that George W. Bush committed while U.S President isn’t necessarily the kind of thing you’ll come across every day, but in Bang Bang Bart’s case, that’s exactly what their latest single Skull And Boning is about.

Hailing from Perth, Bang Bang Bart has flirted with releasing music in the past, and this current iteration of their musical outputcame about after an 8 year gap between releasing music. They had two albums prepared for release this year - Republicans and Bali 9 to 5 - before a global pandemic put a halt to those plans. Bang Bang Bart told me, “Sadly, they're all stuck mid mix atm, I really wish I could just get them out but Covid has held up production, which was being done by my mate/roomie in Brooklyn.”

Skull And Boning comes from Republicans, and its alt-country vibes belies the lyrical content. Switch your brain off, and you could be excused for thinking you were listening to a much happier song than one singing about how George W. Bush gets a pass for being a war criminal, which is an all-too unfortunate reality (but holding George to account would involve America looking at their past with a critical lens).

Part satire, part rocking country tune, Skull And Boning is a re-imagination of what a country song should be. There’s the twangy vocals, and the guitars holding up the track, but rather than using the genre to celebrate America, some core tenets of country music are used to critique the very country that popularised it. It’s a welcome flip on what is often an undeservedly patriotic genre.

Bang Bang Bart told me a bit more about Republicans, and it’s an intriguing idea to say the least. I can’t wait to see how they pull it off when the album is finally able to be completed. “This album is all about the Republican Party in America, and is themed around cowboy imperialism, so each song, by design, is riffing on a particular country sound (although the other singles are leaning a bit Modern Lovers / Billy Bragg).

“I have a Gene Autry type song about private military contractors, and a Bob Dylan 'Pat Garret and Billy the Kid' soundtrack song about Pat Nixon (Dick's wife) at opening the California/Mexico border fence peace park in the 1970s.” Behind the bite of their lyrics is a genuine love for country, both past and present, and while it might upset some country music lovers, it’s also a great way to get some more progressive listeners into the genre, and give them a reference point to explore.

Check out Skull And Boning below. Bang Bang Bart has a lot more music in the can, all of which is set to be equally critical of some of the most powerful figures of our times, who often get given a free pass once they’re out of the public spotlight. If nothing else, you’ll want to watch the music/lyric video for the track, it’s absolutely a work of art.