The Specials Return With “Protest Songs 1924-2012”
English Two-Tone band The Specials have returned with a themed album called Protest Songs 1924-2012, which collects songs with a message from the 88 year period. Although the band has always railed against socio-political issues, bassist Horace Panter says the record was influenced by the upheaval of the past two years.
“I think inevitably the air of paranoia that’s affected society because of the pandemic also affected the mood of the record,” he told UDiscoverMusic. “But even allowing for that, it became obvious that 2020 became the year of protest. To a degree, the new record was our response to the murder of George Floyd, but really there are so many things to get serious about right now. We felt we had to make our voices heard.”
The arrangements are often stripped back to focus on the lyrical content. Panter still delivers big tone to anchor the tracks.
Protest Songs 1924-2012 is available now on CD, vinyl and as a digital download (iTunes and Amazon MP3).
Protest Songs 1924-2012 Track List:
- Freedom Highway
- Everybody Knows
- I Don’t Mind Failing In This World
- Black, Brown, and White
- Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Us Around
- Fuck All the Perfect People
- My Next Door Neighbor
- Trouble Every Day
- Listening Wind
- I Live In A City
- Soldiers Who Want To Be Heroes
- Get Up, Stand Up
