Italy’s The Crooks Return With “Mediacracy” Concept Album

Italy’s The Crooks are coming off hiatus to celebrate their 25th anniversary, and have released a new concept full length, Mediacracy. The album marks an evolution in style with the band drawing from their passion for American power pop, along with the usual punk n’ roll, going for a markedly modern sound. Mediacracy revolves around the concept of how traditional and social media influenced people’s life and culture over the last few years, establishing a stark comparison with life before the advent of the digital era. Sensationalism, the obsession with clicks and numbers overcoming the focus on critical spirit within the media sector, overexposure for issues and topics that divided the population in different and irreconcilable factions are all changes that were brought about by the recent developments of the way we consume news and view the world around us, but deeper aspects that have an influence on personal behaviour also became evident: functional illiteracy, the diffusion of outlandish conspiracy theories and alienation from reality.

In the album’s storyline, these issues are dealt with through the viewpoint and the reflections of main character Tony, during the course of a very special day where he decides to leave everything and everyone behind (his lazy life, his job, his friends and girlfriend, his town) to go live on the road as a Woody Guthrie-style wandering musician, in order to find again on his own the positive feelings he used to feel when he was on tour with his band. The songs in the tracklist become pieces of a jigsaw that embody Tony’s thoughts, what happens to him on that day, and the people he meets: his boss who tries to persuade him about his conspiracy theories, his bandmates who are now more focused on social media than on playing music, his girlfriend Mary who supported his decision to change everything but cannot go with him.

Numerous guests helped the story take shape with their musicianship including Kevin Preston (Prima Donna / Green Day), Raldo Useless (Gluecifer), Ricky Rat (Trash Brats / Dead Boys), Lester Greenowski, Zebra (Boogie Spiders) and Nando (Senzabenza). Mediacracy is a celebration of the band’s 25 years together and is now available via Italy’s Maninalto! Records and US imprint ProRawk Records.