Real Enemies

Darcy James Argue is a Brooklyn-based bandleader and composer who leads his 18-piece big band Secret Society to victory in their third album, Real Enemies. Real Enemies is a 13-chapter exploration of conspiracies and America's fascination with them. The work was composed by Argue, and includes chapters based on the Red Scare, the Illuminati, Edward Snowden, as well as alien sightings. The score meticulously examines these theories in a dazzling way. The title, Real Enemies, is based on Kathryn Olmsted's 2009 book Real Enemies: Conspiracy Theories and American Democracy, World War I to 9/11. This project relies heavily on 12-tone techniques, reminiscent of the work of Arnold Schoenberg, but with a much more contemporary disregard for Schoenberg's stringent rules. Expertly woven into this provocative score are pieces of spoken text from American figures such as JFK, Frank Church, George H. W. Bush, and Dick Cheyney. The concluding voice-over narration is provided by actor James Urbaniak.