Retribution; in-fighting; stalling; personal attacks; Sounds like a plot from HBO’s hit series Succession. Actually, it’s politics as usual these days. And just like that hit show, it’s hard to find a likeable character among our current elected officials. Toronto-based composer and vocalist Larry Folk follows up his moving song of goodbye (“Gathering of Friends”) with a to-the-point commentary on the current political climate called “Hey Politician!” Though never intended to be released publicly, the atrocious level of un-civility that exists in today’s politics begs for the song’s inclusion in his upcoming album Lessen the Blue. In the tradition of the great protest songs of the past, Larry’s view on the outrageous behavior is a biting statement on our divided reality. “Hey Politician!” is a fast, upbeat bluegrass scorcher that calls for a return to civility. In the words of Bob Dylan, “You gotta serve somebody.” When it comes to our public officials, that should be the people.
For more than 45 years Larry Folk has written and performed in a variety of styles, moving with ease and sustained emotion from simple folk ballads to the swinging standards of the Great American Songbook. On “Hey Politician!” He plays everything except for the bass playing of Pat Collins, and Folk engineered the recording which Murray Daigle mixed.
Folk’s ability to write lyrics that create stunning visuals for his listeners is matched perfectly to his masterful guitar playing. Larry’s early songs mused about love and the beauty of the vast Canadian wilderness but didn’t shy away from more serious subjects such as the horrible treatment of North America’s Indigenous Peoples. In the 80’s he performed his original song “Amandla! Ngawethu! (Power to the People)” on Ottawa’s Parliament Hill and at Toronto City Hall during rallies to end Apartheid in South Africa. A completely new version of that song called “There is a Power” appears on Lessen the Blue.
Larry’s songs continue to challenge the status quo, confronting our complex relationship with the planet, political divisions, the loss of innocence, and his response to Covid 19. He wrote his guitar piece, “Nunca Mas,” in response to the atrocities inflicted on the citizens of Argentina by the military in the 70’s. The title is the name of the committee formed to investigate what happened and translates as “never more.” The forthcoming album includes a new version for solo guitar.
