Grace Petrie, from the artist’s Bandcamp
This is your monthly recap of notable socially conscious music, which includes acts of reclamation and protests against genocide and colonialism.
Songs/Videos:
Red Future (feat. Electric Fields) – Snotty Nose Rez Kids
This is the title track of the Canadian Indigenous hip-hop duo’s upcoming album, slated for a June 2024 release. The tune is a collaboration with the Australian indigenous electronic duo Electric Fields.
“Red Future is about wanting to see our future generations thriving,” states the duo’s Yung Trybez. “We were inspired by Indigenous futurism and we see us, Snotty Nose Rez Kids, as a small part in opening doors and inspiring future youth to realize the vision for their own lives, whether it’s music, art or anything else.”
What I Learned from the Hasbara Trolls – David Rovics
Back in January, the veteran singer-songwriter released the album Notes from a Holocaust, which addresses the situation in Palestine. He continues to be prolific in composing new tunes. This latest song is a scathing indictment of the troll accounts that spew genocidal propaganda on social media.
Your Vote’s A Joke – Mat Ward
This is the 2nd single from the upcoming album Take The Rad Pill by the Australian electronic artist and journalist. The tune highlights the sad reality that voting for your politician of choice doesn’t always result in meaningful change. They may make promises to pander to voters but those promises are often quickly broken.
The World That Surrounds Me – Loose Puppet
This newly released video is for a tune that was originally released in 2023. I can’t find too much info about Loose Puppet, but the song juxtaposes a dreamy musical landscape with a lyrical critique of power and consumerism.
Albums:
Cowboy Carter – Beyoncé
The motivation for Beyoncé’s country album was partly due to backlash received during a November 2, 2016 performance of “Daddy Lessons” with the Chicks during the 50th Annual Country Music Association Awards. The album also taps into her Houston roots which included regularly attending and performing at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. She was also inspired by delving more in-depth into the history of the significant Black roots of country music. The existence of the album could be considered a statement of protest, but the album includes multiple socially conscious tunes such as the gospel-influenced bookends “American Requiem” and “Amen”. It also includes a powerful cover of The Beatles’ “Blackbird”, which Paul McCartney partly wrote in response to the black people’s struggles during the American civil rights movement. He also stated that he meant “Blackbird” to symbolize black women. In connection with this, it is appropriate that Beyoncé’s interpretation included contributions from black female country singers Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy, and Reyna Roberts.
The Great Bailout – Moor Mother
The latest album by the prolific jazz poet and experimental musician Moor Mother explores the British slave industry, including an indictment of the 1835 act that compensated 46,000 slave owners with £20 million (over £2 billion today) for their loss of “property” due to the abolition of slavery. “Think,” she states on the motive of the album, “not one of the enslaved received a penny in the form of compensation.” She continues to say: “Someone needs to tell the truth.”
ZWAARD – BEANS
The latest solo effort by the Antipop Consortium founder mixes poignant political critiques with an eclectic musical landscape that includes elements of 80s electro-dub with some futuristic experimentation.
New Monuments – Amirtha Kidambi’s Elder Ones
The latest album by the experimental jazz musician is a potent thesis statement on the evils of colonialism. In the liner notes Kidambi wrote about how she learned to play the alto saxophone while attending protest rallies. “We noticed that holding instruments and playing music, often raucously and even joyously, was an immediate diffuser of tension,” she writes. “I remember warding off arrest just by playing and singing, with an officer unsure of how to apprehend me with the horn in my hands.”
The True North – Peter Garrett
The latest album by the former Midnight Oil frontman includes strong denouncements of the ongoing ecocide that is perpetuated by colonistic practices.
The Collective – Kim Gordon
The latest solo project by the influential Sonic Youth co-founder Kim Gordon contains strong themes of female empowerment. This is best exemplified in “I’m A Man”, in which she said: “It was sort of inspired by Republican conservatives like Josh Hawley, going around saying that feminism destroyed masculinity, that it’s not fair and feeling like victims… It’s kind of hilarious to me that he feels like a victim, or that men are being victimized. Everything’s dominated by white male power. But up through the ’50s and into the ‘60s, when men still had the masculine role of protector and savior — you know, the John Wayne, Ronald Reagan era masculinity — when that sort of faded and the culture changed… they became consumers like women, they were marketed to. So it’s really capitalism that’s spinning things this way.”
On All My Friends – Aoife O’Donovan
Not generally known as a political singer-songwriter, on her latest album O’Donovan is inspired by the passage of the 19th amendment and the words of suffragist Carrie Chapman Catt. She explores the historical developments of women’s rights in America.
Build Something Better – Grace Petrie
The latest album by the UK singer-songwriter Grace Petrie features her trademark insightful observations on societal ills. She balances the negativity that can come from facing a tide of political upheaval, with a sense of optimism about the possibility of rebuilding something better.
Social Grace – BRAT
The debut album by BRAT features a sound that they describe as “bimboviolence” or “barbiegrind.” The subversive album challenges the status quo.
There Goes The Neighbourhood – Kid Kapichi
Discussing the 3rd album by the UK punker, lead vocalist Jack Wilson stated: “We’ve seen the laws around protesting being tightened, and that’s terrifying. Four or five people were having a peaceful protest for Palestine in my hometown of Hastings recently, and they got manhandled and arrested. It’s sickening, but then you look at the comments on social media and people are saying things like, ‘Stop wasting police time.’ The police are wasting their own time! How can you be against people wanting to stop the death of others?”
Soundwalkscapes – Viv Corringham
For over five decades, Viv Corringham has pursued field recordings and vocal improvisation. Often her work involves recordings of walking. On this album, she decided to take a walk on the first Monday of every month in 2023. During her wanderings, she adds vocals that include singing, humming, and narrating. The six tracks here find her strolling in New York and London. This allows her to explore past histories and current realities. “Nearly 200 years ago, Central Park’s landscape near the west 85th street entrance was home to Seneca Village, a community of predominantly free African American property owners,” she reveals. Elsewhere on the album, Corringham reads a sign: “Notice: 24-hour video surveillance. Residents and guests only.”
United Tribes Of Bass – Mokotron
The remix album by the electronic Maori musician Mokotron, is a response to how his people were historically impacted by colonialism, including the constant battles against the controversial 1840 Treaty Of Waitangi.
HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES – Ministry
The latest album by the industrial metal veterans finds them as political as ever. Lead vocalist Al Jourgensen aims at several targets including toxic masculinity, racists, climate change deniers, and corporate greed.
A Self Portrait At The Stage Of Totalitarian Domination Of All Aspects Of Human Life – Industry
This is the debut album of the Berlin-based band. With tracks titled “Extract Wealth and Die” and “Apathy is Violence” there is no question about their intent.
Sledgehammer Songs – Joe Solo
The latest album from the English protest singer effectively employs folk idioms such as the symbolism of the hammer. On one of the album highlights “City Of Sanctuary”, Solo sings: “You’ve got food here. You’ve got shelter. You’ve got a home from home. You’ve come half way around the world, my brother, and there’s no more need to be alone. If you’re a refugee you’re alright by me. If you’re a refugee you’re alright by me. If you’re a refugee you’re alright by me, in this city of sanctuary.”
Důl Lazy – Stanislav Abrahám
This album is culled from eight hours of recordings of the Lazy coal mine in Orlová, Czech Republic. The coal industry was responsible for both sustaining and killing Orlová. In the ‘60s, the structural damage caused by mining wreaked havoc on their schools, railway station, and several buildings The mine finally closed in 2019 amidst a shrinking population, and rising unemployment. The recordings include the miners talking in their Ostrava dialect and the machinery destroying the earth.
Songs Against Colonialism – Frank Waln
On the latest album by the Native American rapper, he makes his intentions clear. The oil industry and the breaking of treaties are included as prime targets.
Vermin – Jeremy Serwer
This three-song EP is a blend of introspection and social commentary. Serwer composed the title track “Vermin (The Con Man Devoured)” a few months before Donald Trump made his comment comparing leftists to vermin, giving the song a prophetic feel. In the tune the rats rise and conquer, deposing the world of the con man that exposes the world to reality TV fascism.
Battle Songs of the Damned – Mr Irish Bastard
The latest album by the German Irish folk punks deals with Irish life in America. Along with embracing their Irish heritage they also express solidarity with the oppressed, such as on “No Justice, No Peace”.
Check out the ongoing playlist of 2024 protest music.