Viet Cong: Viet Cong (Jagjaguwar) First of all, the band name. Most of the older bands people are comparing the controversy to do not fit the discussion at all. Compared to Viet Cong, the name Joy Division shows a considerable—if somewhat uncomfortable—historic knowledge of Nazism on Ian Curtis’ part and, while I rarely feel inclined to defend Dead Kennedys, at least they kept their attempt at poor taste in their own country. By naming their band Viet Cong, they’ve undermined themselves, combining a frustrating ignorance with cultural insensitivity, which would make them just another awful punk band with an awful name if it weren’t for the fact that they’re not half bad. This noise has been done before, but it’s good noise and they pull it off well. Even when the songs go on too long, which they often do, they still work as background music. But then there’s the lyrics, which absolutely read like they were written by a bunch of white guys who would name their band Viet Cong because it sounded cool. B
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