Since forming in 2014, Soul Glo has established themselves as a force to be reckoned with. Being a black hardcore band already made the simple act of making music a political statement. Added to that is the radical rhetoric of their music. They recently released the stunning new album Diaspora Problems, their debut on the known punk label Epitaph.
One of the album’s many highlights is the incisive “Fucked Up If True”. It is the perfect synopsis of 2016-2020, where there seemed to be an increase in political awareness and activism, but much of that was focused on anti-Trump sentiment and a left vs. right mentality.
This is highlighted in lyrics such as “Fuck I look like wearing emotions like an ankle-weight or ball-and-chain and wading in the four-year blue tide just to have a side?” and “So we just gon always vote in false elections and accept each result and it’s effects as though people were powerless Do you feel supportive care? How do you wake up everyday? What enforced yr belief that you can vote their power away?”
Even though the collective relief of voting Trump out of office is understandable, how much has really changed in the 2+ years since? Soul Glo highlights that lasting change won’t come by only voting for the supposed lesser than two evils on a ballot, it comes about by concrete action.