On Bandcamp, Chris Canipe opens the notes of his new solo album Monuments with a quote from Russian activist Alexei Navalny: “Everything will be OK. And, even if it isn’t, we’ll have the consolation of having lived honest lives.” Navalny was a political prisoner of the Putin regime, thrown into jail for uncovering its corruption. And although he had little chance of surviving his 19-year sentence, he maintained optimism and strength, giving hope and power to all who continued his work.
The United States faces its own moment where opposition faces an uphill battle against fascism, corruption, and chaos. And in this moment, yes, there is distrust and fear. But there is also community, especially in the most terrible times. Neighbors have looked out for each other during ICE raids in Minnesota, Los Angeles, Boston, and beyond. New voices with progressive ideas have taken power, especially in New York. And friendships have mattered more than ever, with people beginning to see the value in putting down their phones and spending time with each other.
Canipe’s Monuments, therefore, drops at the right time, distilling the current state of America into ten tracks of solid indie jams. Canipe, of the great state of Missouri, has played with his band Malone for many years, but has released two solo albums of his own prior to Monuments. And though he recorded much of the album at home in Kansas City, he brought in most of his Malone bandmates, other musician friends, and family members to add some of their own inspiration, further cementing the spirit of community into the record’s grooves.
The leadoff track, “Barely Stitched,” paints a picture of the current horrendous American landscape: The rich tearing down journalism to protect their own interests, wannabe cops threatening their neighbors with Punisher skull stickers on their windshields, memorials to victims of racist police brutality, wildfires, spam texts, and the constant battle for our attention. Canipe sings: “Fifty stars all hang together, worn and barely stitched/If it all goes up tomorrow, I’ll remember you like this”. This could have two meanings: Canipe could either refer to America and remembering its cruelty, or he could refer to a friend and their companionship in dark times.
Regardless, the lyrical expertise shines, and such good writing continues on “Lies”, a track dedicated to Navalny and referencing his 2021 return to Russia after spending time in Germany for medical treatment. The song asks Navalny why he went back to Russia, where the administration would imprison him for certain, before addressing the reasons: “For country or convictions for the things you know are real/You’ve got to look it in the eye/You’ve got to steel away the fear”. “Lies” exposes the weakness of the supposedly unbeatable administrations that seek to stamp out the public voice, as well as the importance of using that public voice at maximum volume.
“I Am Not Afraid” leans into a Dylan/Springsteen vibe with harmonica present throughout the track, and a simple lyric: “You say you’re not afraid, so I am not afraid.” It explains how standing up together against brutality – even when it seems futile – is more important than ever before. The sentiment continues on “Middle Distance”, where Canipe sings that no matter how far away a source of support seems, it’s never beyond reach: “I’ll meet you in the middle distance/If you need me, you know where I’ll be around.”
Monuments takes a turn for the romantic with “Take Your Time” and “Let Tomorrow Be”, both paeans from Canipe to his wife. “Take Your Time” is more jazzy and playful: “With the windows open in the afternoon/In an empty house when it’s just me and you/What do I gotta say, what do I gotta do/To get you into the other room?” On the flip side, “Let Tomorrow Be” takes a slower, more reflective approach: “All I ever wanted is to be afraid to lose/To live a thousand lives just to end up back with you.” Both songs have the same meaning: No matter what happens or what worries come up, being together is all that matters, as Canipe expresses in one of the more poignant lines on “Take Your Time”: “If I’m mostly there, then you’re the missing piece/Take your time, and I’ll take mine.”
“Long Division” equates complex mathematical operations with doing the work of building community and figuring out the issues with the world. But regardless of how hard the problems seem, they are not impossible, and they’re worth doing: “You might question the premise, you might question your faith/But you keep coming back after walking away/It’s just long division and changing times/Keep doing the work, keep fighting the fight.” And on “Hey Hey”, Canipe sings that sometimes it’s okay to step away and take care of yourself: “Hey hey, hey hey/It’s okay if you’re not okay.”
The title track, “Monuments” sums up the meaning of the album: Living with joy and making beautiful things from it, despite the darkness. “Be curious, be kind/Don’t leave your friends behind/Build monuments to the things on your mind.” The final song “Fires in the Rain” carries a similar tone: “Everybody’s fighting something you can’t see/It’s easy to be decent, even easier to mean it/It’s all we ever needed to be free/Find a way to keep your fire burning in the rain.” Despite the overwhelming storms, the weapon of cruelty, and the slow starts, no time is a bad time for creating light in darkness.
For anyone needing a spark to their heart – whether they live in America or any nation undergoing a dark age, or just need to hear something to uplift them – Monuments stands tall as a record for the current moment. And as Navalny expressed his hope for people to carry on the work of change for the better, Canipe expresses his in his Bandcamp notes: “I think it begins with you and me. Make things and engage with everyday art. Write your own emails. See movies in the theater. Cook dinner and listen to jazz. Be curious, be kind, and keep showing up for the people around you. Courage is contagious.” Navalny would be proud.
Written by Will Sisskind
