Greetings, comrades! Welcome to the final edition of the Beat for this year. It’s been a long journey, a labor of love for me and for everyone who has worked on this zine. I’m moving on to other things, but putting together the Beat has been the highlight of my year, and I will cherish my copies forever.
Anyhow, capitalism bad!! Rather than enjoying our limited time on earth, perhaps enriching the lives of those we love with our time and energy, we focus on the damn rat race, working for The Man. If you haven’t heard, the world is headed for disaster because nobody is willing to stop burning oil (especially not wealthy Western countries whose economies are so dependent on fossil fuels). What is to be done?? I don’t have all the answers. All I know is that I don’t want to wake up one day wishing I had done more to fight for a cause I believed in. So I go out! I organize, dammit! I do it for those who are struggling, I do it for those who can’t, I do it because it’s the only thing we can do. All I can say is that if you have a cause you’re interested in, odds are there is already a group organizing for it. So join! Fight! Win! Unionize your workplace!
I often daydream about being able to flip sandwiches for a living. That isn’t a joke. Shut up about the femme labor paradigm for just a second. Sure, I’m getting a degree in something so that I can add a line to my resume; sure, I guess you could say I’m good at whatever the hell it is I do here. But at the end of the day, nothing beats flipping a beautiful sandwich on a grill, sweating in the kitchen during a rush, or palling around with fellow sandwich-artists during the lulls. But since this labor (which produces value and profit for my boss at the sandwich shop) is considered to be worth less than the so-called-work of writing some words on paper, I have to prioritize honing this second skill set so that I don’t end up starving. This, uh.. sucks. Capitalism makes us do things that suck. I wish we didn’t have to suffer for a buck. Is that too much to ask? Join us in this last issue as we explore all things leftist music, media, and more. See you next year!
solidarity forever! <3 vanessa bartlett
^ leftist folk & rock
leftist rap ^
The Communists Have the Music - They Might Be Giants Down With the King - Run DMC Roaches Don’t Fly - Armand Hammer Threatening Each Other re: Capitalism - illuminati hotties Big Business Monkey - Daniel Johnston Oh Bondage Up Yours! - X-Ray Spex Crimson Wave - Tacocat Strange Arithmetic - The Coup Propaganda - Dead Prez You Don’t Do Laundry - Dev Lemons Apeman - The Kinks 9 to 5 - Dolly Parton Rent I Pay - Spoon Nickel - Flipturn Wage Slave - Psychic Shakes communist love song - soltero Punch a Nazi - The Muslims Bus Money - The Chats
<3 annika morris
My mom was in town, and she loves herself a good museum, so, naturally, we made sure to visit a museum while she was here. MIT List is at, shockingly, MIT, and it’s free. One exhibit there right now is Robota, which discusses capitalism as well as its intersections with colonialism, racism, and the human attachment to objects. I almost had to check my very normally sized purse because there was a concern that it could knock something over; the guy at the front desk described the exhibit as “precarious.” Despite the danger of my purse, the pieces are pretty cool, involving a variety of textures with diverse materials and backgrounds. The pamphlet I got so I could write about this same exhibit for class extra credit discusses the dehumanization of labor and how Harrison combined this idea with symbols of robotics in his pieces as a way to hypocritically combine the subjective medium of art with mechanization. Harrison used to work for Ford as a clay modeler, so now his artwork is sculpture, and in this exhibit, they’re objects like labor strike signs and gloves and masks encased in resin. It’s engaging work with interesting ideas behind it, so I think it’s worth a visit if you happen to be getting off the Kendall Square red line stop.
Interested in checking out some new psychedelic, funky, poprock sounds? Look no further. The Lazy Eyes’s new album SongBook has got you covered. Featuring amazing bass lines, woozy guitar, and twelve amazing tracks, the album will have you bobbing your head to the groove. Start with the song Fuzz Jam off their new album and you’ll soon find yourself working your way through all of their discography. The Lazy Eyes are an upcoming, Sydney-based band that will soon take over the indie psychedelic scene. You will enjoy The Lazy Eyes if you have a particular liking for the band Khruangin, and Tame Impala. Definitely give them a listen! <3 nicole levitsky
AN INTERVIEW WITH SINCO. MP: How long have you been making music? What got you interested in it? S: I’ve been making music for about six years now. My freshman year of High School, I was experimenting with my voice and trying different ways to illustrate sound. I did poetry in high school and was trying to convert that into something musical. MP: You’ve experimented with a lot of different sounds so far, especially with styles like new atlanta and memphis rap. Where do you get your influences from? S: My influences derive from a lot of different people. Obviously the greats - Kanye, Eminem, Lil Wayne, things of that nature. I grew up around all these different environment like Soca, Reggae. I liked people like Burna Boy who would hop on afro beats because that’s really my culture, or Bad Bunny who are really big influences for the Latino community. I derive inspiration from all these people cuz that’s really my people cuz that’s really my background. With my music, I really want people to know that theres something to love about all cultures. MP: So you’re from New Jersey and came to Boston for school, what has your experience with the Boston hip-hop community been like?
S: Boston’s community has been very different from Newark, in general. Back home, they’re not really supportive. It’s always a crab in a bucket type mentality. Here, it’s a lot more supportive. Peo ple are flocking to
the scene. I’ve only met a few artists around here who actually do hip-hop, but there’s a lot more rock bands which has inspired me to try out different styles as well. MP: Why do you think Boston feels more supportive than your hometown? S: I was born and raised in the projects of the neighborhood, so people from there have the mentality that not everyone is supposed to succeed around you. They think, “if you’re succeeding, it means that I’m not succeeding.” So they try to bring you down, make sure you’re not doing good. I’ve gotten to the point where people have threatened me, like saying if i keep doing this they’re gonna have people pull up on me and fuckshit like that. I’m just like, I’m gonna keep doing my thing so stay doing yours. MP: How long have you been performing? S: My first show was actually last summer, I was 19 at the time. I performed at a house party for my cousins. After that I got a couple performances at BU, then it was off to clubs, philanthropy events, and now opening for bigger artists like Jay Critch. MP: Do you have a favorite moment from a show you’ve done you can tell us about? S: Okay, so we were performing this song, which was unreleased at the time, Bora Bora, me and my friend Des. We’re expecting no one to really know the lyrics. The second time the hook comes around, everyone is screaming out the exact same thing, going nuts. I was like “wow, that’s a vibe. That’s the energy I’ve been looking for the whole time.” The inspiration of people who are energetic and want to be there, that’s what I try to put into my audience at all times, captivating you, making sure you’re having fun. <3 max posciask
Hailing from “a pregnant city, with a Catholic mind” (AKA Dublin, Ireland) is Fontaines D.C. Named after The Godfather character Johnny Fontane, they pack a similar punch with their James Joyce-inspired lyrical poetry and heavily accented vocals provided by frontman Grian Chatten. Formed in 2017, the alternative indie rock/punk band has seen major success in the UK, winning Best Band in the World at the NME awards, and rightfully so. The young band released their first album Dogrel, in 2019, peaking at number nine on the UK album charts and snagging a nomination for the 2019 Mercury award. Dogrel is washed in rebellion while also masquerading as an angry love letter to the city of Dublin. The album jumps onto the scene opening with the lyrics “Dublin in the rain is mine / A pregnant city with a Catholic mind,” in the opening title track “Big.” Lines like this and, “You know I love that violence that you get around here / that kind of ready, steady violence,” in “Liberty Belle” demonstrate the band’s mixed emotions about their hometown. While inspired by the culture and history of Ireland they also demonstrate anger at that history and current state of affairs in many of their songs. The battle between love and anger is what creates the feeling of rebellion and affinity that makes the album incredibly potent. They wasted no time in releasing their sophomore album A Hero’s Death the next year. The album beat out Dogrel by peaking at number two on the UK charts and received a Grammy nomination for best Rock Album. A Hero’s Death finds itself encased in more profound lyricism which helped it garner more success than Dogrel. The tracks take a more poetic approach to songwriting with lyrics like, “I heard him serving as a soldier / In the annexe of the earth / Threw himself before a bullet / And threw the medal to the dirt,” in “I Don’t Belong to Anyone.” However, the album balances its heavy lyrics with repetition in their songs which allows the songs to remain catchy and approachable. Their third album was released on April 22, 2022. Titled Skinty Fia, which translates to “The Damnation of the Deer,” the album is an even deeper dive into their Irish heritage. They released their first single “I Love You” in February which is described by Chatten as “the first overtly political song we’ve written.” Lyrics like, “And they say they love the land, but they don't feel it go to waste / Hold a mirror to the youth and they will only see their face / Makes flowers read like broadsheets, every young man wants to die / Say it to the man who profits, and the bastard walks by,” openly call out the Irish government for its past crimes and its mistreatment of their youth. More songs like this can be expected on the album, which solidifies Chatten as a poet. Chatten has discussed the effects of isolation during Covid on his writing which forced him to confront his Irish identity. Now living in England he describes “Skinty Fia” as a love letter goodbye to the influences he once took from his homeland. <3 Josephine Best
<3 James Buckser
If you like protest music, enjoy witty lyrics and have a singing range of 5 notes (generously), then you’re going to love Phil Ochs. This guy was a legend in the 60’s for his memorable critiques of both the Vietnam War and his dear frenemy, Bob Dylan - Dylan once said of Ochs, “I just can’t keep up with Phil.” Dylan also once pushed Ochs out of his car. “You’re not a folk singer. You’re a journalist!” was Dylan’s parting barb, and it wasn’t far off the mark. Ochs said he considered himself a “singing journalist”, and often drew inspiration for his songs from the morning paper. His work is melodic, sharp, and hummable. Some of my all-time-favorite Ochs songs include “Love Me, I’m a Liberal,” “Ringing of Revolution,” and “Outside of a Small Circle of Friends.” Ochs met an early demise, but he remains in the minds of many, and his songs are, to this day, absolutely electrifying. Ochs’ impact on the leftist-folk world is undeniably immense. Rest in power, Phil!
<3 vanessa bartlett
If you’re on your way to a protest and you wanna listen to something that will ignite the fire in your belly, the Coup is the hip-hop group for you. Their front man, Boots Riley, has a direct and energetic style that will bring you to your feet. He and the Coup have been writing their brand of activist music since the 90’s, and the quality of their work has never lost its potent, angry edge, nor its bold iconoclasm. Songs like “Piss on Your Grave,” from their 1998 release Steal This Double Album are the perfect mix of groovy beats and cultural commentary. My current favorite song by the Coup is “Strange Arithmetic”, off the album Sorry to Bother You. The song focuses on how the current education system comes up short on a few key lessons. “Physics is to school you on the science of force/‘Cept for how to break the fuck out the ghetto, of course./Home Ec can teach you how to make a few sauces/ And accept low pay from your Walmart bosses./If your school won’t teach you how to fight for what’s needed,/They’re teaching you to go through life and get cheated.” If you’ve been wondering where all the good lefist music has gone, I promise you, The Coup has had the answer for decades.
<3 vanessa bartlett
You’re not just a any man, you’re a Mantrepreneur, and today, you need just that modicum of skill to take your business from a ten to a seventeen, the goal number for all businesses. With these five great tips,you too could be the next Elon Musk or whoever you people are tweeting about today Number 1: Diversify your portfolio Your portfolio is so homogeneous. Absolutely thick with homogeneity and ubiquity. Buy real estate and maybe a bar of cursed gold to increase the diversification of the profits in your portfolio Number 2: Get up Early The early bird catches the worm and boy do I love worms. All rich people are constantly fueled by the acquisition and consumption of worms, and you should be no different. Wake up before you go to bed. Set an alarm 2 minutes before every alarm you set. Whenever you get tired chug a gallon of the flattest monster energy drink you can find. Is monster energy drink carbonated? I don’t know Number 3: Put your Whole Fist in your Mouth Hahahaha you look so stupid Number 4: Take Cold Showers Being happy while cleaning yourself is for poor people and those people are worse than you,Mr. Businessperson. Your life is dedicated to business, and that means every step of your day is just fuel for getting and eating some juicy worms. The hustle and grind ceases the moment warm water hits your body, so make sure all your showers are so cold you’re just standing in a block of ice like that cave man from Scooby-Doo Number 5: Cultivate a Following A business is only a business once it has customers, because a business is something that gives people stuff for money. Or maybe that’s not true I don’t know. Start an Instagram account with pictures of Lamborghinis. People will see the stock photos of Lamborghinis that you have never once owned or even licked and think man this guy sure is business. I will exchange my currency for his goods and or services because that’s probably what a business is and also look he posted that picture of Leonardo DiCaprio you know the one no not that one but yeah that one also Number 6: wait it was supposed to be 5 Follow these 5 tips today and soon you too will be slurking down worms with the boys on a luxury weekend in Dubuque, Iowa. Stay tuned for our upcoming list for business people who are not men, which is the same except all the pronouns are changed and also large swathes of it are openly plagiarized from the descriptions of effectless Yu-Gi-Oh cards
<3 James Buckser
<3 toby pannone Jamaica Plain is one of my favorite neighborhoods in Boston. Hosting the gorgeous Jamaica Pond and Olmstead Park, the always incredible Boomerangs thrift store’s biggest location, and absolutely decadent ice cream from J.P. Licks, I didn’t think I could ever love the area more. That was until I grabbed sandwiches at The Real Deal. A 45-minute bus ride or roughly 1-hour walk from campus, The Real Deal lives up to its name, serving up a broad array of authentic concoctions slapped between two slices of bread and served on a plate for $8-12. From melts to burgers to panini to wraps to even pizza, everything is made-to-order in the open kitchen that gives you a clear view of your food being made from any seat in the restaurant. There’s nothing to hide here. The menu is covered with gluten-free and vegetarian options, and the cashier even asked if I wanted to make any adjustments to my meal before ringing me up. And yes, this isn’t a fancy sit-down affair, it’s an order-at-the-counter and listen-for-your-name place with plenty of indoor seating. I got a Meatball Melt, the less-messy younger brother of a meatball sub (also on the menu) for $9.50, and my companion for the day ordered their Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich for $10.50. Within 10 minutes, our names were called and we chowed down. The Meatball Melt excelled in its ratio of cheese:bread:sauce:meat, with the sauce giving flavor and some nice moisture without drenching the bread into a soggy mess. I would have liked the cheese to be more melted, but along with chips and a drink, I was decidedly satisfied. My companion, on the other hand, had quite the experience with his Hot Chicken. Don’t get me wrong, it looked (and reportedly tasted) unbelievable, but it was falling apart left and right. Spicy and aromatic sauce covered his plate, and at least a dozen napkins were used on this monster of a sandwich. Needless to say, he didn’t touch his chips, and we left full, happy, and fully happy. If you’re heading to Jamaica Plain, walk down to The Real Deal at 736 Centre St. The menu is so vast that you very well might find both the sandwich of your dreams and the sandwich of your nightmares here, but it’s all made fresh, simple, and the way you want it. Listen to All You Can Eat on Wednesdays from 6-8 am for more of Toby’s food recs on and around campus.
- great intro to how fucked up the US is - howard zinn = former BU faculty !! - this whole damn system is rigged >:(
- absolute classic, very straightforward and SHORT - did you know that profit is theft and that labor creates value? so crazy man you should seriously learn about that
- also pretty short, but extremely informative. - critique of reform-oriented activism in the feminist movement - wait omg women bear the brunt of imperialist violence? and they always have? - if you like spicy takes, you’re going to love this
- literally what it says in the title - rosa luxemburg was super cool you should read about her
- lenin really popped off when he said “imperialism is bad” - exploitation is inherent to capitalism? Capitalism naturally generates a wealthy oligarch class who use financial institutions to dominate colonized nations? go off!
- yes - angela davis is one rockin lady i tell ya - if you’re into dissecting how criminsal justice in the west is fundementally broken, this is the book for you!
- one of vanessa’s per-
- as a result of the demands of capitalist society, women typically do more unpaid labor than men. this does, in fact, suck ass, and they should be compensated!
sonal faves - do you want to know more about the Black Panthers? do you want to be shaken to ur core by how similar their demands are to those of the BLM movement? - written simply with a lot of 60’s slang
- what is the role of the state? - what is the role of the proletariat? Oh.. revolution? okay dope thank u mr lenin - social democracy is bad - government by workers, for workers is the only based path.
- okay, nerds, here’s the in-depth explanation of the labor theory of value that you’ve been looking for. - bro where did the surplus value of my labor go i stg i jUST had it..
- angela davis back again, this time with takes on Palestine, Ferguson and more. - intersectional activism af - prison abolition is so slay
- this just in: climate change disaster is iminent and big oil companies are cool with it. but we should not be cool with it! - critique of passive/ pacifist climate activism - takes so hot they could melt the polar ice caps
<3 michael walsh & vanessa bartlett
<3 james buckser <3 mari barcelata
<3 josephine best
<3 katie allbert
Haikus Buy every product Your life will be better now Modern solutions
Purchase with credit It’s like having free money! Just don’t question it
The CEO cares The company is my friend We are family <3 Natalia Vega-Munguia
<3 nicole levitsky
ARIES: You are Wednesday by Just Mustard. This month you are encouraged to not wait for the weekend to live your life to the fullest. Find something exciting to look forward to every day of the week!
TAURUS: You are Two Hands by Big Thief. This month you are encouraged to pick up a hobby that requires you to use both your hands. Try out a new craft like sewing, knitting, painting and allow your creativity to blossom this month!
GEMINI: You are Clean by Soccer Mommy. This month you are encouraged to do a deep clean of your living space. You have probably been putting it off for some time now, but now that it is spring, it’s about time!
CANCER: You are Our Love To Admire by Interpol. This month you are encouraged to step out of your comfort zone and talk to people who you have been secretly admiring from afar. This is your time to shine!
LEO: You are Feeding Seahorses by Hand by Billie Marten. This month you are encouraged to spend more time with animals. Go hug your home pet or visit the local zoo or aquarium to get in touch with animals!
VIRGO: You are Kept It Like A Secret by Built To Spill. This month you are encouraged to watch what you say and make sure that if someone tells you something that needs to be kept private, it stays private.
LIBRA: You are This Is All Yours by alt-J. You have many talents that you may not even be aware of. This month you are encouraged to study your interests and embrace all your natural talents.
SCORPIO: You are A Hero’s Death by Fontaines D.C. This month you are encouraged to quit a bad habit that you have been thinking about quitting for some time now. It will allow you to become your best self.
SAGITTARIUS: You are Bottle It In by Kurt Vile. This month you are encouraged to take the time to reflect on your feelings and emotions. Speak to someone who may understand what you are going through and will give you good feedback.
CAPRICORN: You are Careful by Boy Harsher. This month you are encouraged to think more before you speak. Be more careful with what you say to others, as you may hurt people with certain things you say.
AQUARIUS: You are Shoals by Palace. This month you are encouraged to talk to more new people. Get yourself out there! Join some new clubs that spark your interests and potentially find some new friends!
PISCES: You are Twenty Something Nightmare by Vista Kicks. This month you are encouraged to take at least an hour out of your day to detox from everything that stresses you out every day.
<3 sophia gaunt
content comrades josephine best michaela patriacca james buckser max posciask vanessa bartlett nicole levitsky toby pannone michael walsh annika morris jillian martin editorial angels vanessa bartlett editor in chief nicole levitsky managing editor nat vega-munguia graphics editor mari barcelata content editor michaela patriacca social media coordinator
graphics gems mari barceleta katie allbert michaela patriacca vanessa bartlett nicole levitsky josephine best cover by james buckser back cover by sophia gaunt layout loves nicole levitsky vanessa bartlett max posciask james buckser josephine best thank you to everyone who contributed to the Beat this year. I love you with my whole heart. Live, Laugh, Beat, baby!!! <3 from the beat