Political Works


#1

I’m curious about the forum’s favorite political works. These can be overt or subtle, academic or practical…One of my favorites is pretty basic but it’s a stone cold classic that I love…
Gil Scott Heron’s “Winter in America”


#2

Rage Against the Machine’s self-titled debut…aural equivalent of a molotov cocktail…


#3

ive always liked the battle of los angeles better myself, their true peak


#4

#9

when taken in context of what was happening at the time when that record came out, where you had a lot of listeners and (rock) critics dogging hip-hop artists for not making “real music” and slagging off samples as lazy or whatever, no matter how uninformed or reactionary that line of thinking was it was absolutely true of that era. so yeah the liner notes were them saying, hey, we’re just four dudes in a room making these sounds, that was kinda revolutionary. i don’t think they ever shied away from stating their influences were basically Public Enemy and Black Sabbath…


#14

“Raise my son, no vindication of manhood necessary”

This one’s more personal as political but, in context, it’s a real political message


#15

chumbawamba have some great tunes about politics and about their artistic and philosophical commitments, not political in the sense of party politics but, i think, still political because they’re making an attempt to commit to compassion and sincerity without compromising their art, even if they don’t always live up to that ideal. everyone sang is one of their best, as is the wizard of menlo park or on eBay. their covers of “rebel songs” are great as well.


#16

IM GLAD SOMEONE MENTIONED CHUMBA!!! probs my fav rock band and poetry collective of all time


probs one of my fav songs ever, ;u;

#17

remembered this track while reading the recent RA retrospective on gold teeth thief. knocked me over when I first heard it in that mix, still feels dangerous/revolutionary/etc.


#19

chumba! wamba! chumba! wamba! there needs to be a chumbawamba appreciation society or smth


#20

united tubthumpers of the working class earth :3


#21

“Anti EP was a protest against the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, which would prohibit raves (described as gatherings where music is played), with “music” being defined as a “succession of repetitive beats.”[7] Sean Booth explained the band’s strategy for the song “Flutter” by saying, “We made as many different bars as we could on the drum machine, then strung them all together.”


#23

I’v been missing the political angle on so much music this latest 10 + years
It seems to be hidden away . . .
I have tried to “shoehorn” a few simple points in an oldschool-mixtape style . . .
Here is my newest try . . . (shameless self-promotion and first introduction post in ONE)

The whole mix got sparked by wanting to cut on The Coup dissing on Trumph while it was still current . . .


#24

To me most music had political content when I discovered music

Might not be the classic example of Political message, but . . .
Still a favorit tune


#25

Just came over this old favourite in my crates . . .


#26

pretty much eveything fela


#27

#28

El-P’s production is too good, too clean for my tastes, which puts me off most of rtj.
Mike’s RAP Music though…


#29

only ONE RAY GUN OMICS hehehehe

in the direction of direct criticism hehe


#30

nice… i can’t listen to that electro tune without thinking of capt. rock being scratched in…:stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

Matana Roberts has to be mentioned.
Her 12 part Coin-Coin series has so far sounded better with each release, and we’re only up to No. 3 (unless someone can tell me otherwise? Please tell me otherwise!)
That said, the “women’s slave narrative tales” (her own words) on Chapter 1 is educational and depressing - the sweetly sung “Bid em in” being simply heartbreaking.
As with Strange Fruit - surely the political work - posting a clip here just feels cheap.
If you’re not familiar with her music, seek it out.
http://www.matanaroberts.com/