The liner notes on Steve Earle's upcoming album, "The Revolution Starts Now" (due out Aug. 24 on Artimis Records) are charged with urgency:
"Democracy is hard work. American democracy requires constant vigilance to survive and nothing short of total engagement to flourish. Voting is vital, but in times like these voting alone simply isn???t enough. By the time some of you hear these songs the election will be over. Then the real struggle begins.
"When the dust clears and the votes are all counted (we???re watchin??? YOU, Jeb) it will be up to all of us???Democrats, Republicans, Greens, and independents alike???to hold whomever is left standing accountable for their actions on our behalf every single day that they are in power. The day after the election, regardless of the outcome, the war will go on, outsourcing of our jobs will continue, and over a third of our citizens will have no health care coverage whatsoever.
"Like I said, it???s hard work and there???s so much to be done. And there always will be."
Read/hear more on this at Common Dreams' Web site.
Take a listen to the title song and two other songs from the album, including "F the CC," available online.
Jim Rinnert is the art director at In These Times.