Drama Dolls – Robot
No, things aren’t getting any better. And despite your good intentions and your willingness to read numerous political pamphlets until you were convinced your voice was going to a just cause, they’re not letting anyone well-intentioned make any choices.
The well-intentioned people, for the most part, have also quit trying to approach the problem as conventional warfare. Instead, they’re teaming up, trying to keep their spirits up, and cooking up angry songs about the state of the world and the fact that while they might not have the resources to change it, they’ll continue to fight against it.
You’ll find them everywhere, but you’ll need to ask around. Don’t worry, these people are, for the most part, friendly do-gooders who are able to make a lot of noise. They’re in bands like the excellent Drama Dolls. And like Drama Dolls, they’re angry, but maintain their sense of humour. “Robot” is a protest song, a tune not about being taken over by robots, but about being turned into lifeless, soulless machines. These people are everywhere and are fighting the good fight!
Tradition – Blush
You’ve still got a while yet, probably! The end of reality as you know it is not going to arrive tomorrow. That famed Fourth Turning may be here, as author Neil Howe proclaims. But he was off by a decade or so the last time around.
What certainly is happening, and you can hear it in rock music just as much as on the news, is that things are breaking down, citizens are losing trust, conflicts are spreading, and nobody has any clue how to stop it.
If there’s one good thing coming out of this is the fact that this all can inspire some fantastic art. These trying times are particularly potent sources of inspiration for bands like Tradition.
Protest rock music can come in a lot of different ways. It’s not always sloganeering that we need. In fact, “Blush” is a post-hardcore song that, over a brilliantly produced, lushly distorted sound, talks about crooked politicians from a perspective of personal upheaval. It’s a sign of the times!
