Meryl Streek, from artist’s Bandcamp
Here is a sampling of some of the political albums released in October.
NO TITLE AS OF 13 FEBRUARY 2024 28,340 DEAD – Godspeed You! Black Emperor
The title of the 8th studio album by the Canadian post-rock band is a reference of those who died during the Gaza genocide between October 7, 2023-February 13, 2024. Musically, the album is a chilling soundtrack to global suffering and societal neglect. Like their previous releases, there is a cinematic feel that embraces feelings of beauty and despair.
Heavy Lifting – MC5
This is the first album by the influential proto-punk band in 53 years. Sadly, the last two remaining from the classic line-up, guitarist Wayne Kramer and drummer Dennis Thompson died a few months before the album’s release. As with their previous albums, it is explicitly political, best exemplified by the track “Barbarians at the Gate,” written in response to the January 6, 2021 mob attack by Trump supporters on the United States Capitol Building. Featuring several musicians influenced by the band, such as Tom Morello, Slash, Tim McIlrath, and Vernon Reid, the album is a fitting swan song.
Blues Blood – Immanuel Wilkins
The latest album by the saxophonist is a blend of the personal and political, and it explores themes of heritage, struggle, and resilience. The title track is a reference to an incident of police brutality in 1964, which led to the unjust arrest of the Harlem Six, a group of young black boys who were wrongfully accused of murder in 1964 and beaten by prison guards while awaiting trial. Unfortunately, history keeps repeating.
Cartoon Darkness – Amyl and The Sniffers
Amy Tayor, the lead vocalist of the raucous Australian punk band, stated that their new album is about the “climate crisis, war, AI, tiptoeing on the eggshells of politics, and people feeling like they’re helping by having a voice online when we’re all just feeding the data beast of Big Tech”
REVELATOR – ELUCID
The latest album by the underground rapper is a potent exploration of personal and societal themes, intricately weaving narratives that challenge the status quo. Also, in the poignant closer “ZIGZAGZIG,” he confronts the bloodshed in Palestine.
The Red Album – Carsie Blanton
With tracks such as “Ugly Nasty Commie Bitch” and “You Ain’t Done Nothing (If You Ain’t Been Called A Red),” the indie-pop singer-songwriter wears her politics on her sleeve on her latest EP. Also, just in time for US election season, on the track “The Democrats,” she scathingly indicts both of the major political parties. The Republicans will “shoot you in the head” while “the Democrats will shoot you in the back.”
Songs For The Deceased – Meryl Streek
The explosive sophomore album by the Irish electro-punk artist is the perfect blend of the personal and political. On the album’s Bandcamp page, it aptly states “Songs For The Deceased isn’t just a statement about Ireland, it’s a call to arms around the world.”
Jabaliya – David Rovics
The veteran singer-songwriter and activist continues to be prolific. Along with regularly posting new songs online, he just released his third album of the year. Like his previous two albums, it heavily focuses on the genocide in Gaza, but it explores other concerns as well. The includes tunes such as “Ballad of Donald and Kamala (When It Comes to Israel)” and “Jill Stein” which are critical of the two-party system where citizens are derided for voting third party.
Möbius Strip Mall – Rent Strike
It is appropriate that a band called Rent Strike released an album filled with catchy anti-capitalistic tunes. Concerning the album, on a Reddit AMA singer and principal songwriter John Warmb said that “it’s a concept record about the Very Real psycho-spatial prison that has been erected in the landscape of our collective unconscious – a place where desire and libidinal energy are trapped in an endless and illusory cyclical loop of dissatisfaction and forced to function in service of the market. Fun stuff!”
They All Go Mad – Wahid
The latest album by the conscious rapper pulls no punches. This is highlighted in the album opener “GENESIS!” where he declares “Yearning from freedom from colonialist. Truth is we under rule by the same demon. I’m penning reasons to serve as some penicillin to heathens.”
The Mighty Several – Paul Heaton
This quintessentially British album opens with the tune “National Treasure,” where Heaton sings the praises of doctors, bus drivers, and shelter volunteers who he describes as “unknighted, unsung, on ladder’s bottom rung. But all of them national treasures.”
MANIC EPISODE!! – Downupright
This is the latest album by the prolific (2nd album this year) genre-bending and gender-fluid producer, composer, & DJ. As stated on the album’s Bandcamp page it is “an album that takes you deep into the chaotic, terrifying experience of living through mania.”
Hold Your Joy -Damien Dempsey
The tenth album by the Irish singer-songwriter includes social commentary on tunes such as “Landlords In The Government,” where he sings: “The landlords in the government would have you living in a tent, they charge the most colossal rent and bow down to the vultures.”
Democratic National Convention 2000 (Live) – Rage Against The Machine
It’s not technically a new release, but this live EP of their protest performance outside the 2000 Democratic National Convention is now available on streaming services. The explosive set opens with vocalist Zack de la Rocha telling the crowd, “Our democracy has been hijacked! Our electoral freedoms in this country are over so long as it’s controlled by corporations! We are not going to allow these streets to be taken over by the Democrats or the Republicans!”
Check out the ongoing playlist of 2024 protest music.