"It Feels So 80s...Or Early 90s...To Be Political"

Fiona Apple shares album info...Listening requires thought...

Well, let's start this off with Ms. Apple. I've already posted the title of her album, as well as a video of one of her new tracks, "Anything We Want," but the music blogs are going haywire today with the release of information about the album, titled The Idler Wheel is Wiser than the Driver of the Screw, and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More than Ropes Will Ever Do. Apple has released the cover-art, tracklist, and release date (June 25th). You can view that information here.

LISTENING: Maybe it's a sign of the times, but the fact that so many events that are triggering chain reactions are happening, it's making me visit some political artists that I've come to know and love, among them Le Tigre and Dead Kennedys. Yesterday, I took to listening to Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables by Dead Kennedys, and if you haven't heard it, please do. Not only is it a quintessential punk album, but it's rife with good riffs, memorable lines, and political puns. Some good tracks to check out are "California Uber Alles," "Kill The Poor," and "Let's Lynch The Landlord," which you can hear below:



Also, I've been listening to Le Tigre, which sadly disbanded a couple of years ago, but not before leaving us with This Island, a fantastic record in my opinion. Sure, they're feminist, and former riot grrl Kathleen Hanna has been known to be somewhat of an activist and beacon for female empowerment. But, they don't just sing about feminine issues, no, they take their inspiration from all sorts of injustices that aren't centered on gender. Among these is racial profiling, which is displayed in their track, "Bang! Bang!" which was written in the aftermath of the 1999 shooting of an unarmed African man, who had immigrated to the US, named Amadou Diallo. Diallo was shot 41 times by four police officers, and he was only reaching for his wallet. You can hear the track below:



The situation with the Trayvon Martin shooting in Florida has got me thinking about the idea of justice, and how it's a formidable concept, but the hurdles one goes through to reach it are unbelievable in most cases. And I guess my dissatisfaction with the outcome of that shooting, as well as my affinity for music with a message, it's sort of been reflected in my tastes for the moment. It's important to educate through reading, through music, and through film. These mediums are not just meant to entertain, so take advantage of these materials.

That's all. PEACE.