Saturday, October 25, 2008

Kev Carmody - Pillars of Society

"...the best album ever released by an Aboriginal musician and
arguably the best protest album ever made in Australia."
Bruce Elder, Rolling Stone.

Too right, I'd go as far as to say one of the most important
albums ever made in this country. Released in 1989 Kev
arrived with this no compromising album that for the first
time gave many an insight into indigenous Australia that
was completely lacking in mainstream Australia.
Its hard to believe now how little discussion took place
those days, most people had not heard of the stolen
generations, terra nullius, land rights hardly existed,
Eddie Marbo's 10 year battle wouldn't end for another
3 years and reconciliation was a process which had
yet to become mainstream.
This is a surprising album, one I never tire of, it covers
much territory and is but the beginning of most fantastic
recording career. I recently posted on Kev and a bio of
sorts so I'll just cover this album now.
First impression this is gutsy blues inspired folk music.
The themes are universal and at the same time personal.
Kev proved on this record he is both a poet and a spokesman.
In the opening/title track Kev shows his left political leanings,
so your in no doubt where he comes from.

They confer titles of status and dominance
On their progeny and their class

"sir" - "Your honour" -
"Your Grace" -
"Your Highness" -

We're made to polish

And lick their____brass
But you my friend can be like them

If you have their million dollar fee

But you'll find their system's designed

To keep us in line
And walkin' on our knees
(Pillars of Society - Kev Carmody)


"Attack Attack" is a no take no prisoners denunciation
of capitalism and the goals of those in power on the
far right.

It's easy to see
What this new right's doin'
Control our destiny
An' collapse our Unions
Privatize our existence
Abolish our free medical centres
Control every door
Through which we must enter
Under the old guise to: Rationalize,
Objectivize-Privatize-Fanticize
Harmonize-Economize-Democratize?
All new right lies
Iron out the kinks (that's us)
(Attack Attack - Kev Carmody)

The Classic anthem "Thou Shall not Steel"
is the greatest track of the record, but I've
already posted its entire lyrics earlier,
check it out if your unfamiliar.
But the spoken word Comrade Jesus Christ is
where hes pure genius shines, brilliant insight
into the truth of Christianity and its application
in a world of injustice, confronting and life changing
and when I first heard it I was blowen away,
someone was articulating the kind of things
I too believed and never expected to hear
on a Cd. It still blows me away, if you get
a chance listen to the Aussie Hip Hop group
The Herd's version on the Kev tribute Cd.
If you haven't got this album already do
yourself a favor, download it and if its
as good as I say, buy it from Kevs site
Here
And tell us what you think of the cd in the comments

Comrade Jesus Christ - Kev Carmody

He was born in Asia Minor
A colonized Jewish man
His father the village carpenter
Worked wood in his occupied land
He was apprenticed to his father's trade
His country paid it's dues
To the colonial Roman conquerors
He was a working-class Jew

Though conceived three months out of wedlock
The stigma never stuck
He began a three year public life
But he never made a buck
Because he spoke out against injustice
Saw that capitalism bled the poor
He attacked self-righteous hypocrites
And he condemned the lawyers' law
But they've commercialized his birthday now
The very people he defied
And they've sanctified their system
And claim he's on their side!
But if he appeared tomorrow
He'd still pay the highest cost
Being a 'radical agitator'
They'd still nail him to a cross
You see
He'd stand with the down trodden masses
Identify with the weak and oppressed
He'd condemn the hypocrites in church pews
And the affluent, arrogant West
He'd oppose Stalinist totalitarianism
The exploitation of millions by one
And 'peace' through mutual terror
And diplomacy from the barrel of a gun
He'd fight with Joe Hill and Waleca
Mandala and Friere
Try to free the third world's millions
From hunger and despair
He'd stand with the peasants
At the pock-marked walls
They'd haul him in on bail
He'd condemn all forms of apartheid
And he'd rot in their stinking jails.
He'd denounce all dictatorships
And Mammon's greed
And the exploitation of others for gain
He'd oppose the nuclear madness
And the waging of wars in his name
He'd mix with prostitutes and sinners
Challenge all to cast the first stone
A compassionate agitator
One of the greatest the world has known
He'd condemn all corrupt law and order
Tear man made hierarchies down
He'd see status and titles as dominance
And the politics of greed he'd hound
He'd fight against
The leagues of the Ku Klux Klan
And the radical, racist right
One of the greatest humanitarian socialists
Was comrade,
Jesus Christ.

Download Here

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi, rapidshare said:
This file is neither allocated to a Premium Account, or a Collector's Account, and can therefore only be downloaded 10 times.

This limit is reached.

To download this file, the uploader either needs to transfer this file into his/her Collector's Account, or upload the file again. The file can later be moved to a Collector's Account. The uploader just needs to click the delete link of the file to get further information.

Anonymous said...

Hi Bob!

NerdBurger here from Ausrock forum. Keep up the good work...I love your forum.

I get this error.

This file is neither allocated to a Premium Account, or a Collector's Account, and can therefore only be downloaded 10 times.

This limit is reached.

:( <--- SADFACE (that's me!)

bob nebe said...

Im uploading again, I wish I knew why that happened
ciao bob

milo said...

Pls upload again. I love this bloody album. Pawned this'n in the mid nineties. Saw him play down at Davies park, West End, a coupla time too. Cheers.

milo said...

Saw you'd moderated my comment. Figured you'd fixed it. Tried Rapidshare...no Go. Tried Badongo...All's Good. Hope this helps anyone else in simialar circ's. Cheers comrad Bob from Brisvegas, keep up the good work, fightin' the good fight and all that. Live long & ...

bob nebe said...

no problem comrads, it seems rapidshare changed the rules again
and put new limits on free accounts.
All at the same time as zshare losing all my links.
Mp3 blogs all over are adapting,
enjoy the fine kev cd
ciao bob

milo said...

As an exception to the rule, this is even better than I remember it. Not to sound ungrateful (in top five albums (re)aquired in 2008)some tracks cut out, just a couple of seconds before they finish. Tried to order new or secondhand copy through Rockinghorse in city. Can't be had for love nor money. One of the greatest Australian albums ever made imho and I can't buy it ?... Unbelievable. Anyway, thanks again.

Anonymous said...

Totally unrelated to Kev Carmody, but a heads-up you and sone readers may want anyway: Yep Roc Records (just google Yep Roc) is having a $5 CD sale, which includes (wait for it...) Go Betweens Striped Sunlight Sound, Birdman, and some more Oz bits and pieces. Finishes November 7.

Anonymous said...

thanks for this. Do you have any more Kev Carmody albums?

Anonymous said...

I just love this man & his music!
Serge Zéni

john said...

Hi, nice blog. cannot find this album anywhere - really want to hear. any way you could re-up or share a link to my email?

thanks!

john said...

hi, nice blog. cannot find this album anywhere - really want to hear. could you please re-up or send file to my email?

thanks!

bob nebe said...

back up