Fight With Tools

This album is definitely not without highlights, but it's too bad there aren't more of them. There are some genuinely enjoyable songs on this album, and it's nice to hear lyrics that have a purpose, even if they aren't too far from the mainstream of discontent. It's very well produced, and the genre-blending is handled quite well on many of the tracks, but in some places it just feels a bit crowbarred in, and on more than one occasion (such as the female vocals on Anne Braden, "she always knew there was something wrong") some things just felt awkward and out of place. Overall, I enjoyed Fight With Tools, and will continue to listen to the entire work to see if some of my less favorite tracks grow on me, but I'm really left with the sensation that this is a prelude to a future album that will knock my socks off.

"Fight With Tools" is one of the best albums of the year based upon the instrumental arrangements on display. It mixes classical viola with live bass and drums to produce a unique sound. After being signed to a major label deal, the Flobots are taking rock radio by storm with the hit "Handlebars"--and rightly so. The song is only one highlight among many. This isn't the rap-rock of Limp Bizkit; "Fight With Tools" is rap-rock for the next generation.

The lyrics are fairly militant: Think Rage Against the Machine or the rap group the Coup. Corporations are bad, governments lie, etc. etc. Sample lyric: "we need money for healthcare and public welfare...drop the debt and legalize weed." If you're a fan of Howard Zinn, Greg Palast, and similar leftist contrarians, the Flobots will be your new favorite rap group. Although I don't agree with all of their politics, I still found the music captivating and worth repeat listenings.

At first I hated this album but once you listen to it about five times it is preety good I mean its a cool kind of music its kind of a rappishy jazz thing the only down part is it has so preety stuipd parts in so songs like in Mayday theres this dumb part where this girl does this wierd solo but other wise its a good album.I LOVE HANDBARS!

I like Handlebars and Never Had it because of the beat and sound. The lyrics are just too harsh for me. I didn't realize what this band was like. When I heard Handlebars on the radio, I thought they sounded a lot like Cake. This band is NO Cake. I don't share any of their views AT ALL. This kind of attitude is bad for America. I've tried to listen to it several times to see if I would change my mind. I didn't want to judge it unfairly. Stand Up is probably the most annoying song I've ever heard. The lyrics are also lame in this song and There is a War Going On For Your Mind. I'm sure other reviewers will just say that I don't understand it. I DO understand what they are trying to say, I just don't agree with it.

If you do some searching you'll find rap/hip hop is making a comeback or a throwback to when it said something. Rappers like Flobots, Eyedea & Abilities, Dead Prez, and many others are rhyming about issues, politics, and making change like the man in the mirror. Switching it up from bling bling to something with meaning. Rappers like Flobots aren't just fighting for your right to party but are fighting for your rights.
Checking out the oil in your Cadillac spilling isn't cool anymore it's just Ludacris.
The sweat dripping from people around the world isn't from skeet skeet skeeting but from stress stress stressing from watching the news we are one nation under a groove we might as well get down just for the funk of it.
Flobots aren't hardcore or negative their stuff does have a message, is honest, and not crazy complex. Wolf Blitzer will not have them on his I pod. They also follow these lyrics with good beats mixed in with some instruments via violin in some instances.
Very highly recommended.