Rock Monsters Romania

Walking To The Moon recently released a live studio recording of their new song, called “Hoața” (“The Thief”).

The song title, matching the theme of the song’s lyrics, is an obvious reference to a classic moment in Romanian politics and meme culture. In said moment, a notorious far-right politician had a meltdown and started screaming insults from the top of his lungs at a bailiff. Of course, the bailiff had no real fault in that situation. But it’s not like far-right-oriented people are known for being reasonable.

In the context of the song, this reference comes as both satire and social commentary. Some people may find this combination to be in bad taste, especially if they are deeply affected by the current state of politics in Romania. I believe that there is no reason to find this kind of social commentary off-putting, but I will elaborate on this later in this article. First I’ll tell you about the music, then I will approach the message from an ideological standpoint.

I have seen Walking To The Moon perform live twice. The first time I saw them live, I had never heard any of their songs before. The second time was very shortly after, because I became very interested in their music. What really popped out to me was the instrumental aspect of their performances. I vividly remember when, at the first concert, before their actual performance began, Tea (the bassist) and Sabin (the drummer) were jamming. I knew then that these guys don’t play around. 

They are all highly skilled musicians who can play many different genres. Even when they choose to have simple instrumental parts, the choice is purely stylistic and not one of necessity. They are true masters of their particular crafts. This reflects a lot in their music, but more so in live performances. While I almost always enjoy the musical element of the shows I go to, not often do I get the chance to be stunned at the sheer ability of the musicians. Take these paragraphs as an encouragement to go see them live. I’m doubtful you will be disappointed.

During both of the concerts I attended, they played “Hoața”. While I got the main idea and the general message of the song, you know how it is with hearing lyrics for the first time in a live performance. I got most of them, but not all of them. I could form a valid opinion about the song from a musical standpoint, though. The melodies and rhythm go hand in hand with the message. Their rapidly paced ska-like verse part does play a big role in the overall vibe of the song, ska being a genre strongly tied to antifascist messaging. 

The live recording they released sounds a lot like the way they play it in a concert setting. Which is a good thing, considering my opinions on their performances. When I listened to it, I could more accurately understand the lyrics and what every particular verse was trying to convey. While they do have some more subtle puns, the main points get across very easily. The band positions themselves against homophobic, misogynistic, and bigoted ideological viewpoints in general. Basically, they speak up for human decency.

I told you before that the lyrics are both humorous satire and a serious statement on their political and social viewpoints. This might be interpreted poorly by some people, as I mentioned earlier. I can see why some would say, “This subject is way too serious to be joked about, and it requires full seriousness.” I do not really think that such a remark is applicable here, though. The lyrics are clearly not mocking the seriousness of misogyny or homophobia. They are mocking the people perpetuating such miserable nonsense. That, I think, is a respectable act.

Far-right politicians have been pushing discriminatory discourse and policy for the longest time. Recently, the battle against this rhetoric seems like more and more of an uphill battle. The statements of public figures are not just some words thrown into the air. Those words instigate. They build their statements so that they resonate with the social groups most likely to believe in their hateful ideas. And when these groups start to believe their existence is being threatened by one scapegoat or the other, violence rises. Especially hate crimes.

The band obviously understands these issues. That’s why you don’t hear them mocking or downplaying the effects misogynistic discourse has on society. What they do is laugh at the people engaging in this discourse. Especially the public figures doing so. Because of this, I don’t think it’s valid to say that their mixing of satire and social commentary is bad for the cause. I think the very least we can do as a community is make fun of the people orchestrating this propaganda. Should we do more? Probably. But we can laugh at some clowns along the way.

I recommend you listen to the song and draw your own conclusions. I enormously respect the band for addressing issues like this, and I think all bands should take their example. Thank you for reading and see you at the next Walking To The Moon concert!

Review by Eduard Istrate