Mutha Falcon at Midway Craft House 2017 | The band has gone through changes since then but have a solid voice and are playing shows. The Denton TX group has played in and around DFW for the past 2 years. Photo Credit: Erin Devany of All Hallows Production.
By: Forrest Cook
Mutha Falcon is a Denton band for fans of Public Enemy and The Beastie Boys. Their music is reminiscent of aspiring young (and my favorite) North Carolina band, The Muslims, except far less derogatory, and they have the feel of our own up-and-coming local favorite Punk Rock Bowlers, Noogy.
Mutha Falcon has made a pretty big splash in the DFW scene, having played Deep Ellum Arts Festival amongst others and being a featured act in NPR’s Tiny Desk Competition. The band is Phillip Thornton on bass, Chia Hammill playing drums, keys/accordion player Matt McNabb, Landon Markle on guitar, and the incomparable Diya Craft on vox and inspiration. They’ve recently released what is their second EP, “The Book of Falcon Vol. 1”, which plays like an up-and-coming band learning the ropes, aspiring to write catchy, simple and sophisticated rhythms bound by politically conscious lyricism and the expression of a young black woman letting her voice be known in what is traditionally a white-male dominated punk rock scene. Self-released by the band, production quality isn’t the best, however the tunes are infectious and the music itself leads one to believe that here’s an interesting band still in its early stages that is definitely worthy of following.
“Waste of Time” is a great opener and a lot of fun. Showing off their punk rock roots, the band formerly known as Millennial Falcon launches into a fast and raunchy brouhaha airing out the personal grievances of singer Diya regarding a past relationship, or what in the end was a lack-there-of. The song comes well-equipped with a dab of barroom pian-ey applied euphonious by McNabb in the upsweep of what makes for a damn fine drinking song about time wasting loser exes.
Mutha Falcon’s Diya Craft | Photo Credit: KMWirth Photo
“The 7th Level” jumps! “Rise Up! React! Take the Mother f***** power back!” Mutha Falcon gets flippin’ hardcore! They are bringing it back to the overlords, showcasing a jumpin’ beat with witty, comedic lyrics.
Just another day in Nazi-occupied America,
Targeted like the ads and the products that they’re selling ya,
What the fuck’s equality?
Can I get it on prime?
Hey Alexa,
Don’t you know revolution is nigh?
Mutha Falcon merges funky rap vibes with punk rock well on The Book of Falcon. They manifest a chilled hip-hop sound copasetic with “Lando’s” rock and roll guitar and McNabb’s spacey keys, bringing hip-hop back to the days of “hardcore” and an activism perspective. Thornton and Hammill keep the beat locked and the groove bouncing throughout The Book of Falcon, with “Great Depression” highlighting Thornton on bass in the upbeat synth fueled party punk song which starts to formulate a pattern of positivity even in tragedy. And master of ceremonies, Diya (Die-uh) elects to talk herself out of the dread as opposed to sinking further into it.
Mutha Falcon | KMWirth Photo
“State of the Union” takes a darker tone lashing out at indifference and the juvenile assertations of the highly-exploitable privileged ignorance – as well as arrogance – of the consumer class. Blood for blood. Rise up. React. Take the Mutha Falcon power back! Craft delivers a haunting chorus, “Millions die without a sound, voices buried under ground” and foreboding, “Listen to the streets and open your eyes, because hidden in the dark is where your freedom dies.” “State of the Union” wrecks.
What you get with the rest The Book of Falcon Vol. 1 is a healthy slice of politico hip-hop with a hearty portion of punk music and a little bit of funky fixin’s to bite down into early in the morning with your bacon and eggs, some hot coffee, and a comprehensive take on life as a working class 20/30 something millennial, from rude customers to government protest songs and,
I’m through with being a toy,
for thirsty fuckboys,
It’s Diya not Deeya,
Don’t wanna be ya,
If you need me, I’ll be drinking La Croix
Don’t burn your la crotch on it. It’s a hot record.
