Today, alternative hip-hop band Flobots celebrate the 10th anniversary of the release of their breakthrough debut album Fight With Tools. Released ten years ago during the frenzy of the 2008 election season, the album defied categorization, weaving conscious hip-hop lyrics and classical viola solos over live instrumentation, their anthems captured attention from all directions. The album featured platinum single, 'Handlebars,' which was the fastest charting song debut by a new artist in a decade, and saw the band grow from playing local clubs to selling out tours internationally, performing on late-night television, signing a major label record deal, and receiving constant rotation on alternative radio. Today, Flobots' original call to envision "another America," which resonated with a generation experiencing a sense of profound political and social awakening, is just as poignant and timely as ever.
To celebrate the anniversary, Flobots have created a limited amount of exclusive 500-piece puzzles featuring the Fight With Tools album art. These items are exclusively available for the band's Spotify fans until October 11th or while supplies last. Additionally, Flobots will perform on October 13th, 2018 at the McNichols Event Center in Denver, CO for a special Fight With Toolsset, to benefit Youth On Record, the non-profit they formed in 2008. Youth on Record (formerly Flobots.org), is a nationally recognized and award-winning arts education and youth development movement, whose mission is to empower Colorado's underserved youth to achieve their academic, artistic, and personal best by employing local, professional artists as their educators. The vision is for youth to discover how their voices and value can create a better world. For more information and tickets for the event, please click here.
Most recently, Flobots released the NOENEMIES album (May 2017), to acclaim by critics and fans alike. Their most ambitious and sophisticated statement to date-both lyrically and musically-the music on NOENEMIES is undeniably Flobots, but it's also assuredly music made by artists who have matured and expanded their horizons. The release was highly-anticipated and shot up the Billboard Independent Album chart, where it debuted at #12.
Influenced by stories shared by the late Dr. Vincent Harding, a Southern Freedom Movement historian and professor and longtime band friend and mentor, and inspired by the band's recent grassroots community work hosting workshops, classes and keynote speeches about using collective song to build social movements, NOENEMIES is a body of songs that speak to the urgency of the current moment.
With three critically acclaimed albums under their belt, Flobots are still dedicated to creating and performing anthems for a better world. And in 2018, amidst a nation taking to the streets, for Flobots that means delivering a unique brand of protest songs. From Fight With Tools to NOENEMIES, Flobots remain committed to bringing the songs back to the people.
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