In Planet B’s world, an acoustic guitar, or even an electric guitar, is a passe choice for a punk instrument because the “machine” that is supposed to kill fascists—and by association, fascism—is being wielded BY said opposition now. So, the logical thing would be to use more technologically (and chronologically) sound and disturbing forms of audio fury in what is supposed to be “The Future™.” Everything is broken, everyone is broke, and America, if not the entire world, has imploded into fire, toxicity, and violence. That’s just the scene set by Fiction Prediction’s opening track “Dick on the Dancefloor.” Your childhood is long ruined by the reality behind the scenes (“Shoot Mickey Mouse at Dopey’s low-key drug store”) and reports of meat-eating turn even more deadly—at least deadly enough to warrant it a threat (“eat some guts, and for an encore, eat more”).
It isn’t like this scene is all new for Justin Pearson, the manic punk rock preacher behind Planet B, and plenty of other bands on his Three One G label; Deaf Club, Retox, Satanic Planet, and even the sorely missed The Locust. In general, to listen to a punk project is to listen to a dystopian future spat back at a world that either is willfully ignorant of the hell within or for those feeling helpless to change it all. For years, Three One G was a label that housed many memorable avant-garde punk, metal, folk, and downright noise acts. After all, chaos is a sense of emotional and spiritual catharsis. Pearson specifically likes to approach his projects with a mix of futurism, surrealism, and/or raw frustration that threatens to put even bands that graduated from the label (Blood Brothers, The Plot to Blow Up the Eiffel Tower) to shame. But there’s one question: how does this fit in a hip-hop context?
However, this idea wouldn’t feel odd, if you have heard your share of futurist rap, especially some of whom emerged from the Los Angeles area, and thought of it as a logical (or, maybe, illogical) progression. Just imagine if alongside Refused, Atari Teenage Riot, and The Screamers, you also listened to Giovanni Marks, El-P, Orko Eloheim, Dälek, and plenty of artists who have graced The Low End Theory nights on a regular—some of that underground shit—and you get the idea. Fiction Prediction, Planet B’s second full-length, continues this on a larger and darker scale while attempting to mix other genre styles in the stew.
In lesser hands, “Clogged Sync” blending synthpunk grinder with blaring elements of free jazz using enhancing saxophones and alien keys would sound like a mess waiting to happen, but Planet B blends in a way that is damn near expert-level. “The Baader Review,” a track joined by experimental artist CrowJane, sways with a reggaeton rhythm while tackling the topic of capitalism, false patriotism, and America’s contempt for the living poor. Indie rapper Ric Scales holds his own on “Terrible Purpose” by playing the cool, conscious yin to Pearson’s wild, town-crier yang. Kent Osborne transforms the waltzing static punk reminiscent of The Locust of “Rack More Brains” into a goth rap rager a la Ho99o9 with a chorus that begs to be repeated amongst an active crowd (“Fucked up every night / USA ain’t right / Count my days, do or die / Built a name from sacrifice”). Somehow in all of this, they involved Josie Cotton of “Johnny, Are You Queer” fame on what would also be the last track to feature fellow Locust drummer Gabe Serbian: “Let Me Explain This Again.”
Not a single moment of calm or hope is possible on Fiction Prediction. No breather, not even a glimpse of light. In the world we live in, such things either hardly exist or hardly last anyway. Thankfully, the project holds up long enough to avoid running out of steam without it. So, if tip-to-tail fiery punk is your thing, Fiction Prediction is an album you should check out, but if you are looking for optimism… you realize you’re dealing with music helmed by Justin Pearson, right?
