The Sinking Ship

Fuck Buttons “The Lisbon Maru”

The Lisbon Maru was a Japanese freighter carrying Allied prisoners of war that was sunk by a US submarine in 1942. The ship should have had some kind of marker to indicate its cargo, but it did not, and so the US ended up killing hundreds of its own men. There’s a metaphor in there, but it’s only hinted at in this instrumental by the Fuck Buttons. The piece centers on a steady marching beat, but the emotional charge is in the waves of guitar and keyboards that hit like pangs of regret. It would be sad and moving without the context of the title, but with the suggestion, it opens up considerably. It feels just like being upset about a misguided, confused act of hostility that hurts yourself far more than your nemesis.

Buy it from Amazon.