Welcome to another edition of “It’s The Art’s Stupid” – The public radio themed podcast where we discuss the latest contributions from the arts, theater, cinema and music. Today’s episode dives into the new single “The Great Refusal” from the band Motihari Brigade’s new album “Problematic.”
The chorus of the song contains the following words – “There’s one little problem. One little hitch. The Great Refusal is upon us. Karma’s gonna be a bitch.” And the question that we have before us is – can that be played on the radio? Does it violate FCC guidelines for offensive content? Or does it fall under the precedent established by Elton John’s 1974 hit “The Bitch Is Back” – which was played extensively on the radio, and became a massive hit. And joining us for this discussion are some truly unusual guests to comment on this topic. Arguing in favor of playing Motihari Brigade’s “The Great Refusal” on the radio, we have with us the Ancient Greek Goddess of Love Aphrodite. And arguing against the proposition, we have Mike, an automated chatbot.
Motihari Brigade’s new album “Problematic” is here to restore a defiant spirit of independent critical thinking in this age of artificially-curated digital algorithms. Feel vibrato electric guitar strings shake loose a world of illusions with lyrics inspired by the ideas of Orwell, Huxley, and Socrates. There is hope that Motihari Brigade’s brand of “Rock-n-Roll Thoughtcrime” can still save us – perhaps.
“Problematic” is Motihari Brigade’s third album, and the invention of guitarist, singer, and songwriter Eric Winston. The band derives its name from Motihari, India, birthplace of their truth-seeking spirit animal George Orwell.
Problematic is scheduled for release on June 25, 2026 (George Orwell’s birthday) and will be available through popular digital streaming and download services, and on compact disc. Keep asking questions. Be problematic.
