Ding dong the Queen is dead. Fuck colonialism! Also, fuck Win Bulter! This is a sampling of some of the notable socially conscious releases during the month of September.
Songs/Videos:
Odana – Mali Obomsawin
Formerly of the folk trio Lula Wiles, this track is off her upcoming solo debut, Sweet Tooth. The album uses field recordings of relatives at Odanak First Nation to tell the Wabanaki people’s story. It is due on October 30th.
Previously featured as a Daily Dose of Protest.
I’m Good – Snotty Nose Rez Kids
The latest single by the Canadian indigenous hip-hop duo is a galvanizing anthem of resilience. One half of the duo Young D said in a statement, “We spent our last album working through the darker times we experienced. It was important for our new music to be positive and to show our fans that we needed Life After to talk about our experiences in 2020/2021, but that we’re back touring, travelling the world, making new music, and ultimately, we’re good!”
370 – Kapil Seshasayee
The latest single from the Scottish-Indian protest musician is an insightful examination of the ongoing conflict in Kashmir. It is off his upcoming sophomore album Laal, due out November 18. The album is the 2nd installment of a planned trilogy that scathingly indict different aspects of India’s caste system.
Trouble – Miko Marks & The Resurrectors
This timely tune is off Marks’s upcoming album Feel Like Going Home, due out October 14th. It was previously featured as a Daily Dose of Protest.
Thoughts and Prayers – The Discarded
This is the latest single by the father and sons Canadian punk trio. It is off the soundtrack of their upcoming animated film The Getgoes. The song was conceived during the 2018 Parkland High School shooting, but sadly it continues to be relevant.
Wicked Messenger – Steven Keene
This is a potent reworking of a Bob Dylan classic that originally appeared on Dylan’s 1967 album John Wesley Harding. The lyric’s scathing critique of political propaganda resonates more than ever.
The Spectacle – I Like Trains
The latest single by the UK post-punk band is an indictment of political propaganda. It was previously featured as a Daily Dose of Protest.
Animal – MILCK
The socially conscious singer-songwriter made the following statement concerning her latest anthem and companion video: “This song is my most personal one yet, about my own liberation from society expectations, and my own self doubts. This video also feels very close to my heart, as it is the first video that has been able to capture an earthiness that lives within me. I hope the video soothes you, and helps you remember your wild as you watch it.”
No Cuts, No Fees, No Corporate Universities – Mat Ward
This is the latest single by the Australian-based EDM musician and journalist. It is off his latest album Why I Protest (one of the best protest albums of 2022 (so far)), which is based on common protest chants heard at rallies.
Albums:
The New Faith – Jake Blount
The latest album by the singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and scholar is an ambitious concept album that tells an Afrofuturist story about a world devastated by climate change.
The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead – Megadeth
The sixteenth album by the trash pioneers finds the band in fine form. Even though Dave Mustaine has stated that much of the album’s political imagery is a metaphor for personal concerns, the lyrics do resonate in the current socio-political climate.
Bigg Perm – Psalm One X Custom Made
This collaboration between socially conscious rapper Psalm One and producer Custom Made, blends banging beats with poetic critiques about Black empowerment, queer acceptance, positive mental health, and breaking free from patriarchal structures.
Solidaritine – Gogol Bordello
The latest album by the veteran Ukrainian “gypsy punks” is a galvanizing call for solidarity against toxic political ideologies. Concerning the album’s title, the singer Eugene Hütz stated: “Solidaritine is an imaginary substance that unlocks our empathy and our full human potential, which is supposed to unite us in overcoming our common problems. It’s kind of a brother of adrenaline… Our music was always about perseverance… Take a group of people who have endured immigrant traumas and dislocation… All of a sudden, humankind encounters these problems like the pandemic and the war. This is when rock ‘n’ roll is the most necessary and where we perform the best.”
Free LSD – OFF!
The latest album by the hardcore supergroup is a soundtrack to a feature sci-fi comedy film of the same name that the band has been working on. The hard-hitting album does resonate in the current political climate.
Rumble of Thunder – The Hu
The sophomore album by the Mongolian metal band is a powerful environmentally-conscious record. “Not everybody realises the grave danger of being careless to our environment,” they said in a statement about the album. “Ignorance is the biggest issue human beings have, and that is still true when we are discussing about nature.”
Here’s What You Could Have Won’ -Kid Kapichi
The sophomore album by the UK indie rock band explores themes such as racism, poverty, and mental health. “The title Here’s What You Could Have Won sums up the feeling of missed opportunity,” frontman Jack Wilson states. “Being dragged right at a junction when you know you should be going left or screaming at the TV whilst someone picks the wrong answer on a game show. It looks inwardly at the U.K. and the decisions that have been made and how they have affected us.”
Arrangements – Preoccupations
Like the previous albums, the Canadian post-punk album has skillfully crafted a soundtrack for the pending apocalypse. In explaining the thematic themes of the album, lead singer Matthew Flegel jokes: “It’s basically about the world blowing up and no one giving a shit.” The music might be too pessimistic to qualify as true protest music, but it is socially aware and it does provide the perfect soundscape if you want to mourn for a world that is beyond fucked. Sometimes feeling sad makes you feel good.
Dentures Out – The Proclaimers
The latest album by the veteran Scottish brother duo attacks nostalgia. “There’s an idea that runs through this record,” says Charlie Reid, “that runs through British nostalgia for many people, that there are good countries and bad countries. There’s this idea that we are fundamentally a good country. I think any cursory glance at the history of this country will see it very least it’s mixed.“ This idea of reevaluating nostalgia takes on increased relevance with the death of the Queen, where a segment of the population mourns the death, while for others she is a reminder of a colonial system that has contributed to countless suffering to many.
III: The Betrayal & Iv: The Mark of Cain – Adrestia
Named after the greek goddess of revolt, the Swedish crust punk band released two albums on September 16th, five days after Sweden elected a far-right government. “It’s really scary that such a large part of Sweden’s population voted for a party which is deeply rooted in Nazism and racism,” the band stated. III: The Betrayal is the more political of the two addressing subjects such as the American betrayal of Rojava, Yezidi genocide, climate change, and inequality.
Politics: A Case Study Of The Nexus Between Populism, Apathy & Exploitation – Worker & Parasite
The explicitly political new EP by the Australian punk band pointedly addresses labor exploitation.
Algorithm & Blues – Motihari Brigade
Fronted by UK-born singer-songwriter Eric Winston, the sophomore album effortlessly blends catchy melodies with Orwellian lyrics. According to Motihari Brigade, it is possible to resist corporate influences and “escape zombie-dystopia.”
Euthanasia – Stray From The Path
Spiritual ancestors of Rage Against The Machine, the latest effort by the veteran rap-rock band is a no holds barred attack on injustice. It addresses topics such as homelessness and police brutality.
Ripple Effects – Tripple Effect
The debut album by the Australian folk trio juxtaposes pleasant vocal harmonies with biting political lyrics. It addresses issues of environmental justice and indigenous rights. It also includes the tune “Straight From the Heart (the Makarrata Song)” which won the 2020 Alistair Hulett Songs for Social Justice Award.
Below is an ongoing playlist of 2022 protest tunes featuring music that has been featured on the site: