Album Review: More! by Dead Billionaires
If punk rock has always been about giving voice to the voiceless, More!, the new EP from Dead Billionaires, takes that principle and sets it ablaze in the glow of late capitalism’s burnout. Across four tight tracks, the Richmond trio delivers not just a shout into the void, but a unifying call to everyone who has ever felt stuck, small, or exhausted by a system that keeps promising “more” while giving less. It’s a snapshot of the human condition told in four daring tracks. Proof that even on the brink of collapse, surrender, or defeat, we keep moving forward, whether toward progress or simply to the pulse of an infectious rock song.
While each of its songs has plenty to say about power and inequity, More! is not a political manifesto. It’s a record of universal truths: the relentless grind of survival, the heavy cloak of exhaustion, the intrinsic yearning for connection, and the stubborn flicker of hope that refuses to be snuffed out. All those truths add up to that little spark within us all, a defiant ember that never fades. Through the music of Dead Billionaires, that spark is intensified into a roaring bonfire of shared dissent, unifying in its rebellious insight.
As was the case on the trio’s 2023 record, Disaster Preparedness Coloring Book, that bold clarity comes through in a familiar yet crafty fashion. Some of the record’s sharpest moments arrive not through sweeping political statements, but in the simple, cutting honesty of frontman Warren Campbell‘s words, reflections on how it feels to live inside the problem rather than how to solve it. On the opening track, he turns inward, stepping back from the gritty details of how we got here to focus instead on the shared exhaustion that defines our present (“If I think about this too much\ I won’t be satisfied with what’s in my cup“). It’s not about searching for answers or pretending there’s an easy fix (“Cause that kind of control\ Is only for the lonely ones at the top“), but rather about learning how to keep your head above water as the water continues to rise (“And I don’t wanna drown\ With my feet square on the ground“).
Call it biting wit or acerbic charm, More! soars on its lyrical precision, with plenty of radical gems sprinkled throughout. Campbell threads sharp humor and incisive critique into even the smallest moments, from sly jabs like “cause the goodwill has been misplaced” that come after name-dropping Richmond landmarks to blistering jabs at power like “to certain fascist cowboy astronauts” aimed squarely at those “who feel no shame.” Yet even beyond its political charge, plenty of lines resonate deeply on a personal level, grounding its fury in humanity and striking a balance between feeling galvanized and genuinely inspired.
In “Busted Sideview Mirror,” a clever line subtly combats the need for a life full of conscious activism (“Do you think that we pay\ For collective sin?“) allowing listeners the grace and space to indulge in everday comforts even as the means to enjoy them continue to shrink (“Cause we won’t need those cigarettes\ To fill our lungs all up with smoke“). On “Dead Billionaires,” Campbell captures the core tension of working just to make ends meet so you can carve out your own space in this world (“And working my hands to the bone\ For a place that I can call my own\ With the people I love so much”), while still finding time to wink at the absurdity of the 1% and their endless spectacle (“Cause you know it won’t be the last time you see\ Dead Billionaires on the cover of People Magazine“).
All of this builds on the lyrical brilliance first showcased in Disaster Preparedness Coloring Book, making More! yet another endorsement of Campbell’s status as one of Richmond’s premier lyricists, even if his insights come wrapped in crunchy riffs, pounding drums, bobbing basslines, and ragged bar chords. But More! also shows how versatile that insight can be, coming through just as strongly in a laid-back strum as in a breakneck dash. Each shift in tempo or tone feels purposeful, reinforcing the band’s restless energy in a world that never stands still. It’s a reminder that Campbell’s songwriting thrives not only on what’s said, but how every musical choice deepens the conviction behind it.
While the record maintains a cohesive message, each track does a great job of finding its own distinct pace and tone, from the singalong cynicism of “Hopes & Dreams” and romantic resignation of “Dead Billionaires” to the searing critique of incrementalism on “Slowly Shifting Change” and the rollicking abandon of “Busted Sideview Mirror.” Musically, the band leans into their signature blend of melodic punk and folksy grit, anchored by Nick Trbovich‘s pulsing bass work and Kevin Vorhis‘ percussion that swings between punchy exclamation and gentle grace. Despite its crisp production (recorded and engineered by Brendan Castle at Murphy’s Pocket Studio and Chip Hale at 6807 Studios), there’s a slight looseness at play within the music, a subconscious reflection of real life where the rhythm is always just a little off, even if the feeling is dead-on. And the feeling of More! is everything.
Running just under twelve minutes, More! is tailor-made for today’s bite-sized media appetite, where film and music are consumed in thirty-second shorts and lengthy reviews like this are swapped for snappy blurbs. Still, despite its truncated runtime, the record delivers not only immediate impact but layers of nuance. It holds up a mirror to daily life, cracked and imperfect in the same way our own reflections often are, reinforcing that sense of connection amid chaos. Ultimately, it reminds us that even when the world seems like a cruel joke, there’s meaning in laughing together, singing together, or even fighting together when the moment calls for it. As the opening song says, if all our hopes and dreams are just fleas on a ragged beast, Dead Billionaires make the case that at least we’re all scratching in unison.
More! is out now on all streaming platforms. You can catch Dead Billionaires in concert next on Friday, October 17th at The Camel in Richmond for their album release show alongside Rikki Rakki and Flora & The Fauna (purchase tickets here) as well on Saturday, October 18th at Book Club in Charlottesville with Pinkish and Human Worm.
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