Track Listing

1. Man And Wife, The Former (Financial Planning)
2. Manana
3. Greater Omaha
4. Man And Wife, The Latter (Damaged Goods)
5. Mall Of America
6. The Happiest Place On Earth
7. Survival Of the Fittest/It's A Jungle Out There
8. $$$$
9. Hole In One

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #68675 in Music
• Released on: 2002-02-19
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

Amazon.com
Like their labelmates Cursive, Desaparecidos are an Omaha act with a taste for shaking up indie rock with volatile mood swings and jagged guitar rhythms. But while Cursive's songs are often deeply--sometimes painfully--personal, Desaparecidos strike out at modern complacency more than they vent personal vendettas. Led by Bright Eyes mastermind Conor Oberst, Desaparecidos use Read Music/Speak Spanish to attack public schools as halfway houses, criticize corporate culture, and refuse to pity fools and their money. Oberst's outlook on society is definitely cynical, as he spews lines like, "There are no more art forms now only capitalism," yet he defies his own words by creating music that is both thoughtfully agitated and artistically interesting. The lyrics put up only part of the act's fight, though, as the drums pound like swarms of angry fists against the machine, the guitars are their own sharp, noisy weapons, and sprinklings of commercial ads offer satirical reasons for Oberst's musical rants. Combined with Oberst practically snapping his vocal chords screaming above the buoyant racket, the effect of Read Music isn't stagnant aggression but a fervent call to both social action and physical movement, as expressed through one turbulently uplifting album. --Jennifer Maerz

Customer Reviews

Fantastic album.
Do not listen to any review that refers to this band as emo. This is an independent band with socio-political lyrics. There's not self-examination here. The music is great and the singing is inspiring. Do not listen to this if you are going to bitch about Conor Oberst's voice; you are probably not the type of person who would enjoy it. Personal highlights: Greater Omaha and The Happiest Place on Earth. This is a great album overall.

This is it.
I'm sick of cheese pop like Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake. I'm sick of grunt rock like Limp Bizkit and Puddle of Mudd. I'm sick of faux punk like Avril Lavigne and Blink 182. Thank god for Desaparecidos, the Conor Oberst-fronted rock band which has the guts, talent, and intelligence to make music that actually matters. This definitely is not slick, commercialized, studio-produced music. Read Music/ Speak Spanish is loud, raw, angry, and intensely political. Oberst spews vitriolic lyrics in his distinctive tremulous voice, alternately sounding like he's ready to cry or go crazy with the force of his message. His heartfelt rants against commercialism, suburban hell, and modern politics have the intensity, conviction, and incisiveness to give them weight and relevance. In the pre-9/11 attack on American militarism "The Happiest Place On Earth" he sings, "I got a letter from the army so I think that I'll enlist. I'm not brave or proud of nothing, I just want to kill something. Too bad nowadays you just point and click. Swing Lo satellite, hot white chariot! In the computer's blue glare, bombs burst in the air. There was a city once while nothing's there. Our freedom comes at their expense. It makes sense, doesn't it? Dollars and cents." In "The Man and His Wife, the Former (Financial Planning)" the target is middle-class American Dream, with lyrics like "I just think and think until my head hurts of the payment plans I'm making. I just want to provide for you. But if you want to make a run for it my love I'd cover you. And if you need money for bills, my lover, I could cover you. Cause I sold some sh*t. I'm saving up. We can get that house next to the park. I'll get more hours at my dad's shop, yeah we'll plan for everything. And we'll enroll in that middle class. Get a compact car full of discount tags. If you're feeling trapped or too attached remember we wanted that." Desaparecidos has renewed my faith in the idea that music can make a difference. Their targets may not be new, but their passion sets them apart from the crowd.

5 stars not enough
this album is so amazing i don't even know how to tell you how great it is. fevers and mirrors is one of my favorite albums of all time but read music/speak spanish gives me the same lyrical intensity and genius with more rock and roll. if you love fevers and mirrors there should be no reason why you won't love this album. if i could write a poem/song as beautiful as conor oberst i could die happy.