Gary Dranow - Mother's Angry (self-released)

If you are afforded a musical platform, it seems a wasted opportunity if you don’t use it to say something worthwhile. After all, if you have put the work in to build up enough of a presence, a following, and a listening audience, shouldn’t you be allowed to speak out on matters close to you? There are enough wannabe popsters who think they are the new Elizabeth Barrett Browning because they managed to rhyme Moon with June and are content to wax (not so) lyrical about the fact that they have lost their phone or had an argument with this month’s significant other.

Turning his attention to matters of environmental concerns, Gary Dranow uses his elevated position to remind us that we are heading towards a tipping point, a breaking point, a point of no return, when it comes to this planet, the only place we have ever called home.

Gathering some anthemic sonics around him, he says it like it is. Gaia is angry with us. The delicate balance of ecosystems and climate forces, biological infrastructure and temperature control is being pushed to destruction. By humanity, the supposed custodians of the planet. You can talk about such things in scientific or spiritual language, from globally economic or smaller, localised social points of view, but the fact remains. We have wrecked the system, perhaps irrevocably.

Music can be many things, from throwaway entertainment to a force for enlightenment and awareness. “Mother’s Angry” is definitely in the latter category, or at least in one marked with labels such as information, warning or portent.

Music can be a potent force, and here, Gary Dranow shows that he understands the power of that platform that has been afforded him. Using a sonic delivery system such as accessible, anthemic alt-rock will probably ensure that it will reach much further than the usual political speech or academic report.

But will enough people listen? Will anyone act on such information? Only time will tell.

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