Children On Stun - Overland (CD)

Capitalism is perverse in its ability to provide blind-alleys down which to lead you with alluring promises of wealth and choice. These double-play promises often deliver, and that is why it is such a cunning system, as the delivery is never quite how you thought it would be: you will always be competing for wealth and you will have no choice.

The market. Aaahhh, the mythical market. It reeks of cheery sellers shouting prices over the hustle and bustle of people going from stall to stall haggling a bargain. In modern terms it means the competition of the market will drive down prices for you, the consumer. Surely that can only be a good thing? This would give rise to an expectation that one would have a large number of companies, offering any given service, to choose from.

But what you end up with is takeover after merger after takeover after merger until that competitive market you were anticipating is reduced to a few players. The gas and electricity markets in the UK are an example - there are a relatively small number of wholesalers who largely own the retailing side as well (E.ON for example) - and the recent bank mergers are another. It may be more newsworthy at the moment but it goes on all the time and it gives rise to price fixing and market dominance (Think Tesco, BT or Virgin).

Not only that but in an effort to keep costs as low as possible, thus increasing profits, you can expect there to be competition in the wage market - downwards. You can expect goods to be sourced as cheaply as possible - yes, food as well. You can expect to be both worker and consumer within this great money churning bonanza which promises little and delivers less.

The sting is that you do get a lot of choice, but only from the one or two sellers. Tesco have a bewildering array of ketchup, most of it completely unnecessary.


Children On Stun - Overland (CD) (M&A Music Art MACDL942 1994)

1. Intro
2. Tortured By A Sense Of Humour
3. Celebration (Rejoice)
4. Crawl (R.I.P.)
5. Overland
6. Desperate Miranda
7. Phoenix
8. Celebration (80's Revival Mix)

Underground Overland - pwd: c4ctusm0uth