Eliza Gilkyson has announced the release her new album, 2020, a collection of politically charged anthems designed to motivate, reflect and inspire action during what she believes will be “the most important USA election of our lifetime.” Accompanying the announcement is her new single ‘Sooner or Later’ which doesn’t pull any punches in getting its message across – we can only put up with so much before it’s time to “rise up and take it all back”.
The lyrics touch on poverty, distribution of wealth, healthcare, racial segregation and the environment. In true Gilkyson style, she captures so much in so few words, her penmanship is swift, leaving no stone unturned and those words linger long after the final notes.
They take the oil from the earth, put their coal dust in the sky
Their poison in the water, they don’t care if people die
Take the food from the hungry, medication from the poor
Take the children from their mothers, we can’t take it anymore.
The album is out on 10 April 2020 via Red House and according to the press release, it was produced by Eliza’s son, Cisco Ryder. The songs are designed to be audience sing-a-longs in the Pete Seeger tradition of motivational political anthems. Well, if this single is anything to go by then I’d say she’s on a winner.
Fans are also going to be in for a real treat as she has also recorded two folk favourites: Bob Dylan’s “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” and Pete Seeger’s “Where Have All the Flowers Gone.”
Gilkyson says: “2020 was born out of a visceral impulse to promote unity, commitment and action during this epic and critical showdown of power versus people in the USA and our world today.”
“May human decency prevail.”
US TOUR DATES
SAT, Apr 4 Silver City, NM – Mimbres Arts
TUE, Apr 7 Seattle, WA – Royal Room
THU, Apr 9 Vancouver, BC – Rogue Folk Club
THU, Apr 16 Bainbridge Island, WA – Treehouse Café
THU, Apr 30 Exeter, NH – Word Barn
FRI, May 1 Boston, MA – Community Church of Boston
SAT, May 2 Canton, CT – Roaring Brook
SUN, May 3 Cambridge, MA – Club Passim
TUE, May 5 New York, NY – CITY WINERY Pier 57
THU, May 7 Sutton, MI – Sutton Bay Theater
SAT, May 9 Boyne City, MI – Freshwater Concerts
FRI, May 15 Houston, TX – Mucky Duck
SAT, May 16 Austin, TX – Cactus Café
FRI, May 29 Denver, CO – Swallow Hill Presents
WED, Sep 9 Berkeley, CA – Freight & Salvage
SAT, Sep 19 Los Angeles, CA – McCabes
SUN, Sep 20 Huntington Beach, CA – Huntington Beach Loft Concerts
Photo Credit: Jeff Fasano