Each week, The Hard Times reviews an album of our choosing to make us feel like we did something productive. This week we’re taking a closer look at the album “Otherness” by post-hardcore phenom Alexisonfire.
This record has it all. A little bit of screaming, a little bit of singing, and a little bit of screaming and singing at the same time. Exactly what you want in a piece of art. The only negative thing I can say about this album is that I can’t say this band’s name out loud without triggering my Alexa.
As we all know, Alexisonfire came out long before Amazon’s home virtual assistant technology. But you try explaining that to your Alexa after it asks you what you want because you accidentally set it off while having a conversation with your friend about Alexisonfire.
The last time this happened, my buddy Jake and I were shooting the shit and talking post-hardcore. When I brought up Alexisonfire, my Alexa thought it kind of heard its name yet also heard the word “fire.” And it just so happens that this company has a product called Amazon Fire. Hoo boy, did this lead to a communication kerfuffle.
Not only did dozens of Amazon Fire packages show up at my door the next day, but this damn company also sent me a few Amazon Echos after Jake just so happened to bring up the band Echo and the Bunnymen three or four times. Like, what the hell? Can’t in-home technology differentiate between bands and products anymore?
I’m just glad I didn’t mention Primus and have Amazon inadvertently sign me up for a handful of Prime memberships. Really dodged a bullet there.
It’s kind of funny that people are worried about Amazon listening in on our conversations through their devices. I’m more worried about their products not fully grasping the content of my conversations. Artificial intelligence, my ass.
But good news. I was able to explain the whole story to one of Amazon’s customer service bots and I got a full refund for my troubles. But after reiterating several times that I meant to say “Alexisonfire” and not “Alexa Fire,” they straight up sent me dozens of copies of “Otherness” to evidently “atone for Alexa’s mistakes.” Amazon got me again.
Long story short, that’s how I came to review all 36 personal copies of this album. You’re welcome.
SCORE: 10 out of 10 same-day shipping charges