About Sound

Do you remember when the primary target of punk band’s scorn was the government? Well, now the government we thought we wanted are in. And they’re shit. The main opposition is a whole other level of shit. Real scary shit. But Ai is some scary shit as well and perhaps the biggest threat to songwriters, musicians and the integrity of the industry since it was suggested video had killed the radio star.

The Violent Hearts are a punk/post-punk band from Newport who flew under my radar for a while, too long actually, but their second album Songs of Madness and Violence (produced by Richard Jackson) was one of my favourite’s from 2024. It is fast, furious & fun, and packed full of melodic tunes that meet somewhere between British and US punk/new wave from the 70s/80s/90s. I’m aware of how broad that sounds!

So, about Ai. It is a bit of a problem, isn’t it. Most of us utilise it, and it undeniably makes life easier, but at what point does it become problematic? When is too much? Well, we’re probably past that already. And it’s fucking up the environment too. Oh and the first Ai song has just reached number 1 in Spotify’s “Viral 50” songs in the US. I don’t know what that is, but it doesn’t sound good.

Ai Song is a modern protest song, a fuck you song. Angry and rebellious with a cause. It’s a full out attack as James Mattock sings with venom “Ai can write a song, can it? Better write my own one just to spite it, someone do something about it! It can’t go on, go on can it? We might be dumb”.

I think we are dumb. Not specifically me, or you, or The Violent Hearts, but as a society, we are definitely collectively dumb and getting dumber. Will Ai “music” win in the end? You’d like to think not. After all, video didn’t kill the radio star, and MTV was eventually killed by the rise of YouTube and at the fingertip media. But it is a concern right now, and this track by The Violent Hearts absolutely nails it.

”Ai Song” is out now on all of the usual streaming platforms. The band encourage you to download it from their Bandcamp page

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Gavin Facey – 18/11/2025

Lyrics:

IN THE FUTURE THEY WILL OWN US
DO OR DON’T BELIEVE – IT’S HAPPENING
WE GAVE THEM TOO MUCH ROPE
AND THEY HUNG US WITH IT
THEIR DEVICES HAVE FRIED MY SENSES
DROP A BOMB ON MY NERVE WIRING
THEY GAVE US TOO MUCH HOPE
THEN PUNISHED US WITH IT

AI CAN WRITE A SONG, CAN IT?
BETTER WRITE MY OWN ONE JUST TO SPITE IT
SOMEONE DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!
IT CAN’T GO ON, GO ON CAN IT?
WE MIGHT BE DUMB

WHERE’S THE MOTHERFUCKIN’ PUSHBACK
AGAINST BECOMING COMPLETELY OBSOLETE
THEY ALL JUST WANT THEIR DOPE
AND A BLANKET FOR SLEEP
IN THE FUTURE ALL IS NOT WELL
IT’S A LIVING HELL
WE NOW JUST GUINEA PIGS
WITH LIKE, PUPPET STRINGS ATTACHED

AI CAN WRITE A SONG, CAN IT?
BETTER WRITE MY OWN ONE JUST TO SPITE IT
SOMEONE DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!
IT CAN’T GO ON, GO ON CAN IT?
WE MIGHT BE DUMB

EXTRA TERRESTRIAL LIFE CONFIRMED
DID ANYBODY GIVE A FUCK?
NOTHING’S AS SURREAL AS REAL LIFE ITSELF

AI CAN WRITE A SONG, CAN IT?
GONNA WRITE MY OWN ONE JUST TO SPITE IT
SOMEONE DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!
IT CAN’T GO ON, GO ON CAN IT?
WE MIGHT BE DUMB