Reviews of Habibi Funk 031, Kayatibu, and The Good Ones
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Creativity born of activism
BOB ORAM reviews releases by Joe Solo, Ady Johnson, and Burning Ferns
SIMON DUFF relishes the cross contamination of Damien Hirst’s greatest hits by street artists from France and the US
In view of the grooming gangs inquiry, SIMON PARSONS feels the relevance of this powerful examination of trauma suffered at Medomsley Youth Detention Centre
JOHN GREEN doubts the motivations of a US war photographer who never questions why, or for whom, she is producing images of imperialist conflict
MARIA DUARTE reviews Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, Hedda, The Mastermind, and Regretting You
TONY CONWAY welcomes a thrilling and concise history of Hope not Hate, that is also a manual full of tactical advice
PAUL DONOVAN welcomes an inspiring account of living with deafness that has important lessons for the treatment of deaf people in today’s UK
Not On Our Watch
by Joe Solo
★★★★
NO SURPRISES, just creativity born of activism make this political music maestro's latest 13 songs superb. A guitar embellished with “This machine builds communities” is weaponised in the fight against the rich man making good men poor.
Solo's songs champion the need for a collective response yet the individuals who feature really stand out. Aided by the wonderful Rebeka Findlay on fiddle and vocals, his tale of a traumatised fireman working at Grenfell in Black Snowflake is heartbreaking, while JFK welcomes refugees in spite of Trump and Now's the Time to Rise and the title track are self-explanatory.
Solo pays tribute to Heather Heyer, murdered by a nazi in Charlottesville, MP Ellen Wilkinson in Land of Hope and Glory and dare-devil speedway rider and International Brigader Clem Beckett, killed during the Spanish civil war on Adelante. Truly unique, Solo's songs are lessons in the true meaning of solidarity.
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