I grew up at a time when music wasn’t afraid to be political. Not all of it, of course; there was still plenty of throwaway pop and rock music for the sake of it, but there was always a voice to be heard in that shallow wilderness. Over the years, I have lamented that even though dark clouds seem looming ever thicker on the horizon, most artists seem happier to write about their recent breakup or the fact that it’s cool to be in the club, something that massages their own ego or something equally vacuous.
Well, that seems to be changing. Andy Smythe might have always been one of those voices in the sonic wilderness, or maybe he, like many, has reached a point where he feels that he can’t stay silent anymore. Whatever the reason, “The Drought is Coming” adds to a body of emerging musical work that tackles our lax attitude towards climate change and environmental issues in general.
Here, he weaves together delicate sonics, a suitably mournful violin that blends classical grace with klezmer pathos, a spacious piano, and a vocal delivery that holds our attention. The overall vibes are a mercurial blend of a prediction of what will come and a wake-like dirge to our indifference. Both music as an early warning siren and the dirge for the funeral pyre.
It is a gorgeous piece, a poignant piece, an important piece.
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