PP&M were the best! We just don't have the same kind of music coverage as we used to. But, if you look you can find stuff like this:
Even though Ritter isnt specifically known for political music, at times his lyrics possess a social awareness. Notable examples include Girl in the War and Thin Blue Flame, two tunes off his 2006 album The Animal Years, which used the Iraq War as his narrative backdrop. Also, The Temptation of Adam off his 2007 album, The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter was a socially conscious love song in a world on the brink of a pending apocalypse.
Ritters upcoming album, Fever Breaks, will be released on April 26. The album was produced by Jason Isbell, another respected singer-songwriter who is unafraid to speak out on political issues. Isbells 400 Unit served as Ritters backing band.
The album features a few songs influenced by the current political climate. The Torch Committee is a pointed critique of bureaucratic corruption. Silverblade, one of two songs which Ritter composed for Joan Baezs 2018 album Whistle Down the Wind, is a murder ballad, which touches upon issues important to #MeToo.
But perhaps the albums most direct protest song is All Some Kind of Dream. Back in October 2018, Ritter posted a demo version and lyric video. On the YouTube page, Ritter made the following statement: Ive always avoided writing overtly political songs in the past, but recently Ive been so enraged I didnt know what else to do.
https://shadowproof.com/2019/04/24/protest-song-of-the-week-all-some-kind-of-dream-by-josh-ritter/