Cheekface, from the artist’s Bandcamp
Often I’m sent suggestions of artists, albums, and songs. These have sometimes been spotlighted as a Daily Dose of Protest or part of the monthly recaps, but I often don’t get around to posting. It is a while since I did one of these, but here is a sample of some of the musical gems that popped into my inbox. If you are a musician, representative, or fan, and there is a socially conscious song, album, or artist you would like to see featured on the site, please feel free to contact me.
Tour is Not A Road Trip – A Day Without Love
A Day Without Love (ADWL) is the project of musician Brian Walker. The birth of ADWL took place in 2013 in response to experiencing 19 days of homelessness due to Hurricane Sandy. The pursuit of music was the means to rise above his own adversity and provide hope and inspiration to others. He recently released the EP Tour is Not a Road Trip which features four tracks off his upcoming album A Stranger That You Met Before which is set to be released in October of 2023. The EP addresses different aspects of being an indie artist, such as autonomy, friendship, survival, and sustenance. In a sense, the act of DIY can be considered an act of protest.
What’s So Funny ‘Bout Peace, Love and Understanding – Cheekface
Often the music that shows up in my inbox is from artists that I’m unfamiliar with, but with Cheekface I have previously featured them on the site. The indie rock trio makes music that blends catchy melodies with witty and scathing social critiques. This was well exemplified on their 2022 album Too Much to Ask. They recently released their spirited reworking of Nick Lowe’s “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding” (most famously recorded by Elvis Costello and The Attractions).
Five Seconds To Midnight – Beat The Paradox
Beat The Paradox is the project of Portuguese musician João Ribeiro. He recently released the 5 song EP Five Seconds To Midnight. The title track deals with humanity’s impending demise. The rest of the tunes also address the current political climate and are meant to serve as a wake-up call.
زن زندگی آزادی Zan, Zendegi, Azadi – Aboutface (Featuring Joshua Churchil)
Aboutface is the project of UK conceptual artist Ben Kelly. His latest EP is a collaboration with saxophonist Joshua Churchil. Zan, Zendegi, Azadi (Woman, Life, Freedom), is a Kurdish motto that has been adopted as a current protest chant in Iran. It is composed in response to women who have courageously risked their lives battling against patriarchy and harassment. This is a follow-up to his 2022 climate emergency-themed full-length album The water that glows like dancing glass cuts crimson.
Working at the Car Wash Blues – Kal Teaux
Kal Teaux is a NY-based protest singer-songwriter based in NY. His catchy and witty tunes often address labor issues. This particular song is a modern lyrical reworking of the Jim Croce tune “Working at the Car Wash Blues“.
Criticise The Poor – Ed Barnes
This scathing tune by the Australian folk-punk artist was released over a year ago, but as an oversight on my part, it was never featured. The tune takes aim at a classist government. The track was also mastered by veteran UK folk-punker Frank Turner, who stated the following: “It was a blast working on Ed’s new record, its fantastic, and this is a standout song – hitting the mark while raising a smile, and catchy as hell to boot.”