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The Armenian Weekly; Volume 73, No. 44; Nov. 3, 2007
Arts and Literature:
1. Tankian’s ‘Elect the Dead’ is Politically Powerful, Artistically
Pretentious
By Simon Beugekian
2. Morgenthau and War Clouds
By Kay Mouradian
3. Two Poems by Tatul Sonentz
***
1. Tankian’s ‘Elect the Dead’ is Politically Powerful, Artistically Pretentious
By Simon Beugekian
BOSTON, Mass. (A.W.)-American metal fans will always remember System of a
Down not as a band that raised awareness about the Armenian genocide (many
are little aware of the members’ ethnicity), nor as a band that made a
socio-political impact on the world (it didn’t). System was, simply put, a
very good metal band. Its fans were mainly 15-30 year-olds. When not
listening to System, most of them would be found enjoying Sabbath, Pantera,
Metallica, and generally speaking most of the bands that you would see on an
Ozz Fest stage, which System once headlined.
Last year, when it was announced that System was on an indefinite hiatus, a
collective sigh could be heard from its fans. After all, System of a Down
was one of the most innovative, original metal bands of the last decade,
taking musical risks few had dared to take.
Serj Tankian, the frontman and vocalist of System, has now released a new
solo album titled "Elect the Dead." Paradoxically, Tankian seems to have
abandoned his long-time System fans, and is instead trying to impress a
completely different group of people: politically conscious, liberal,
college-educated, alternative music fans.
No more aggressive, in-your face guitar riffs and drumming. No more
"Cigaro," no more "Needles." No more "My c*** is much bigger than yours,"
"The Kambuta mushroom people" or "I got a gun the other day from Sako." No
more incomprehensible screeching and growling that instantly creates mosh
pits. Tankian wants you to think about Iraq, globalization, oil, and
geo-political interests every time you listen to his album, as if we’re not
already over-saturated with the political opinions of every other person who
has any kind of platform. And that’s what either makes or breaks "Elect the
Dead" for most people. It’s very difficult to look past all the political
commentary and just listen to the music, because it seems like every time
you try to do that, Tankian stops you and shouts another anti-war,
anti-consumerist slogan in your face.
The album opens with the first single off the record, "Empty Walls." The
single has been circulating for a while now, and most fans of System have
already been able to watch the music video online and form their opinion on
Tankian’s efforts. It is a scathing, unveiled critique of the Bush
Administration’s handling of the Iraq war. (The video features children
reenacting the toppling of Saddam Hussein’s statue in Baghdad after the
American invasion.) The song is an eerie, haunting political anthem that
goes from soft melody to fast-paced drums to a memorable chorus-"Don’t you
see the bodies burning / Desolate and full of yearning / Dying of
anticipation / Choking from intoxication." Musically speaking, "Empty Walls"
is by far the best effort on the album. In fact, it seems like it’s one of
the very few songs on "Elect the Dead" that’s not trying hard to be
different, and still has an element of subtlety to it; the musical
arrangement, meanwhile, is close to perfect.
The second single off the album, which was also turned into a video, is "The
Unthinking Majority," another scathing critique of…the majority. And this
is where pretentiousness might interfere with your enjoyment of Tankian’s
music. If Tankian is trying to keep System fans interested, this is where he
starts erring. System’s fan base was not made exclusively of anti-Bush limo
liberals. Metal fans in general dislike politics, and they especially
despise artists who put themselves above the "majority." They want someone
they can relate to, who isn’t afraid to claim membership to the "majority,"
the kind of person who likes beer, not wine.
"Baby," the seventh song on the album, is a song that doesn’t somehow relate
to geo-politics. It’s a song that the majority of people can relate to. It’s
a soft/hard love song, with almost brilliant lyrics and a musical
composition that would make any System fan perk up-"Leave me alone / Leave
me alone / Now why can’t you see that you / Always perturb me so," screams
Tankian, hopefully realizing why songs like "Baby" appeal so much more to
System fans than songs that lambast the blue-collar majority of the United
States. But even in "Baby," Tankian can’t seem to resist adding a "lalala"
at the end of a few lines, which only makes me roll my eyes. "Saving Us,"
meanwhile, is just plain annoying. Really. The vocals are so over-the-top
and intentionally obnoxious that you might have to cover your ears.
Another powerful song is "Beethoven’s C***." Though still filled with
electro-pop keyboard arrangements, it also shares something with all those
powerful System songs. The title alone is reminiscent of System’s weird,
sometimes non-sensical lyrical and musical arrangements. On the other side
of the spectrum, there’s "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition," a messy
mixture of electronica, weird vocals and lofty statements by Tankian about
prophets and the meaning of love. Sounds more like a Nine Inch Nails parody.
Perhaps if the other members of System were still around, they would’ve made
Tankian think twice about this song. The same can be said about "Lie Lie
Lie." You might be the most imaginative, most original artist in the world,
but if you make a song where the vocals are peppered by lines of
"Lalalalalalala," most fans of System are not even going to give you a
chance.
And this is the problem with "Elect the Dead." It’s not, by any means, a bad
album. It is innovative, original, some might even say powerful. The problem
is that there’s such a huge contrast between what Tankian created and what
System of a Down created. Regardless of how musically innovative it is,
"Elect the Dead" just stinks of pretentiousness. Tankian seems to think that
he knows something we don’t. He seems to imply, like he writes in the liner
notes, that he is "the child of the sirens of knowledge, a warrior for truth
in a world of washed perspectives and harsh realities." (Yes, he wrote that
about himself!). He comes across as one of those French artists who think
the U.S. is culturally inferior and most people "just don’t get art."
————————————— ————————————
2. Morgenthau and War Clouds
By Kay Mouradian
May 29, 1914
"A telegram from the consulate at Smyrna just arrived," Phillip said as he
entered Morgenthau’s office. "They are requesting a war ship or the SCORPION
to anchor by their coast in case Americans need protection."
Morgenthau recalled his recent conversation with the attorney from the
American licorice root dealers in Smyrna. There was a possibility they would
be forced to discharge thousands of Greeks in their employ, and the Turks
were boycotting the American company. "I knew the pending sale of the
dreadnoughts to Greece would create problems."
"The Scorpion is out to sea," Phillip said. "Should I radio and tell the
Captain to go to Smyrna?"
"Yes." Tapping his teeth with a pencil, Morgenthau studied his First
Secretary. "Can you go to Smyrna? I’d like your grasp of the situation."
"Of course. I’ll take the evening train." Phillip quickly left.
Morgenthau immediately telephoned Talaat. He hoped his cordial relations
with the Minister of Interior would be influential in protecting the
Americans in Turkey from growing danger.
Later that afternoon in Talaat’s office, Morgenthau smelled the stale smoke
that permeated the room. A lit cigarette rested on butts in a dirty ashtray
on Talaat’s desk.
Sitting across from the huge Turk, Morgenthau waited for a response.
"Is there something special you want to talk about?"
"Yes. There are problems in Smyrna."
"I know. But it’s the Greeks who are the problem."
"That antagonism is spilling over onto the Americans."
The expression in Talaat’s eyes changed. He banged his fist on the desk.
"You should not have sold the boats to Greece!"
"Talaat, I did not sell the boats to Greece."
"Yes, I know." Regaining his composure, Talaat said, "I ought to thank you
for your attempts to block the sale." He leaned forward. "It’s your
President I blame. Tell him the Greeks must guarantee they will not use the
dreadnoughts for war against us!"
Morgenthau spoke carefully, measuring his words. "Your ambassador in
Washington should express that stipulation to President Wilson directly. The
situation is serious. I’ve heard reports Greeks are being forced out of
Smyrna."
"Why should that concern you?" Talaat crushed out his cigarette.
"Some Greeks have been killed!" Morgenthau responded.
"Not so many. Only forty, I believe. It’s better they leave peacefully." He
reached for another cigarette and lit it, blowing out the smoke, some of it
seeping through his nose. "We prefer the coasts of the Aegean and the
Dardanelles be populated with Turks." He took another long drag. Not able to
hold back his anger, Talaat’s voice grew louder. "Ottoman Greeks donated
money made on Turkish soil for the purchase of those American ships. I find
that intolerable!" He stood and raised his hands in the air. "Let them go to
their homeland!" Then, almost as a matter of fact, he said, "You know, the
Greek government is encouraging them to emigrate."
"I’d like to give you a bit of advice, if I may," Morgenthau said.
Talaat sat down again. "You know I trust what you say, Morgenthau Pasha!"
"Talaat, I am a Jew, so when I tell you it is better the world not see this
as the triggering of an anti-Christian movement, you know I am being purely
objective. Such a campaign will hurt Turkey."
"Why?"
Morgenthau was dumbfounded. Was Talaat wearing blinders? Did he not see the
long-range effects? "The European Christian countries will not take the
antagonisms lightly," Morgenthau responded. "And America will back them."
When the American ambassador left the office of Turkey’s Minister of
Interior, he knew that Talaat desperately wanted America’s support, but he
agonized that his efforts may not have been sufficient to change Talaat’s
mind. He soon learned his apprehension was accurate.
Talaat made no effort to stop the boycott in Smyrna. In addition, he decreed
that all foreign companies, even those in Constantinople, had to replace
Christian employees with Muslims.
The tension against Americans did wane, but Turkey did not hide from the
world her animosity toward the Ottoman Greeks. More than one hundred
thousand were forced out of Smyrna and its surrounding coast. Plans were
also in progress to attack Greece as soon as their British dreadnoughts
arrived in Turkey.
But President Wilson anticipated that the sale of two American battleships
to Greece would defuse Turkey’s aggressive war stance. It did.
June 29, 1914
Morgenthau placed the newspaper on his desk. "Archduke Ferdinand and his
wife were shot in Sarajevo," he said to Phillip.
"After this nothing will be the same," Phillip responded as he sat in a
chair by Morgenthau’s desk. "I just got off the phone with the Austrian
charge d’affairs. They say it was a cowardly act and they are wildly upset."
"They have good reason to be. They’ve just lost the heir to their throne."
"There will be a high mass in the city for the Archduke on the 4th," Phillip
said.
"Where does this leave our July 4th celebration?"
"The mass is scheduled for nine in the morning. We can still schedule the
celebration later that afternoon."
"Good. I’ll go to the Austrian embassy and offer America’s condolences to
their ambassador. Call and tell them I’m on my way."
* * *
When Morgenthau and his wife arrived at the Austrian Catholic Church in
Constantinople, hundreds of onlookers gathered in front of the neoclassic
building. Austrian flags waving in a gentle breeze marked the entrance.
Two Austrian attaches escorted the American ambassador and his wife from
street level to the portals, down 50 steps lined with taut faced Austrian
soldiers and sailors who were smartly dressed, displaying their gold braids
and multi colored ribbons. The atmosphere was somber.
They were brought to the front pews, where other foreign ambassadors were
already seated. Morgenthau, in a plain black suit, was the only one among
them not wearing an elegantly decorated uniform.
Performing the requiem mass was a robust archbishop wearing a rich black
robe inlaid with gold threads. Bishops and monsignors, in colorful purple
and white robes, sat together and joined the monks singing Gregorian chants.
Every Catholic priest in Constantinople was present for the somber memorial
service.
Morgenthau noticed that the Austrian ambassador appeared to be crippled with
grief, the very picture of loss, deep and wrenching. Had he been that close
to the archduke and his wife? And then he understood. The ambassador, in
this moment, wasn’t a person. He was Austria mourning the loss of its son to
a Serbian assassin.
In August, Austria declared war on Serbia, a prelude to the world disasters
that were about to unfold as European leaders fanned their national pride.
It was the beginning of the Great War.
***
Author’s Note: This is the last in the series of the Morgenthau
novelizations. I’ve often heard writers say that the best part of writing is
the research, and I must admit I got "hooked." I spent several years
researching and reading about events that occurred in the Ottoman Empire in
the early part of the 20th century for my novel, A Gift In The Sunlight.
That’s how I came to came to know Ambassador Morgenthau so well. He was a
great human being with a compassionate heart, and I wanted to share what I
knew of him. For those of you who want more, I suggest you read or reread
Ambassador Morgenthau’s Story. You may be surprised how much deeper his
story will now resonate.
For more information on Kay Mouradian’s novel, visit
——————— ————————————————– –
3. Two Poems by Tatul Sonentz
Cyber Spiel
Lately
You pop up
and fade away
like a sales pitch
in busy cyberspace
leaving a trail of bold
gothic typefaces and
a disturbing palette
of colors and hues
surely not those
of Modigliani
Pollock or
Renoir.
Furthermore
all your e-mails
concise or verbose
leave nothing behind
but a deep longing
for your touch
in real space
and time.
Tatul Sonentz,
October, 2007
***
Starbucks
"I could use
a cup of coffee"
she said,
as we drove down
Main Street
"Is that all?" I asked
"Is that all you need?"
She stared at me
and said nothing
in a loud piercing
silence.
In the distance
behind a grey row
of two-deckers
the sun set
equally silent
amid screaming
colors.
We had our coffee
at Starbucks.
Tatul Sonentz
2007