MARK TURNER wallows in the virtuosity of Swansea Jazz Festival openers, Simon Spillett and Pete Long
Latest editorial
Creativity born of activism
BOB ORAM reviews releases by Joe Solo, Ady Johnson, and Burning Ferns
PAUL DONOVAN recommends three new books that explore the human relationship with nature
Doomed adolescents, when the missing person is you, classic whodunnit, and an anti-capitalist eco-thriller
WILL STONE takes a ticket to indie disco heaven, but misses the rarely performed tunes
Reviews of new releases by Jens Lekman, Big Thief, and Christian McBride Big Band
TOM PIERSCIONEK recommends a remarkable series of interviews with those few and brave Israeli citizens who refuse to do military service
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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