The Occupy movement isn’t in the news nearly as much as it was before Zuccotti Park allegedly became a health hazard, and Mayor Billionaire’s Brute Squad evicted the protestors in the dead of night without any of those pesky journalists getting in the way. But Occupy is still a thing, and it could still come roaring back any day now. Especially with the weather getting warmer, and with the distribution of wealth remaining ridiculously and unfairly lopsided. And if Occupy does come roaring back, it’s gonna need some kick-ass protest anthems if it really wants to take this shit to the next level.
“Call To Arms” isn’t just Latyrx’s first official single in the 15 years since their excellent debut album, it’s also an eager attempt to be one of those sorely-needed Occupy anthems. Or an athem for whatever protest movement that may rise up in Occupy’s place, should it fail to carry on, since “Call To Arms” doesn’t explicitly name-check any particular organization. Nor does the song have a very specific agenda. It basically asks, “Are you angry about all this bullshit? OK cool, let’s march” (albeit in much more lyrical ways). The chorus has Karyn Paige screaming “What do we want?”, and she doesn’t sound angry as much as she sounds like she’s just trying to be heard above the clamor. Lateef and Lyrics Born, along with special guest Boots Riley of political hip-hop veterans The Coup, respond with “Anybody, everybody, everything.” When Karyn screams “When do we want it?“, the answer is “Right the fuck now.”
Occupy caught some criticism for not having enough focus or offering enough solutions, and the same could certainly be said of “Call To Arms.” (It also offers a dubious philosophy or two, such as “Long as we show up/ we’ve already won.” If only.) Of course, protest songs don’t necessarily need 10-point plans for correcting the wealth gap and reducing unemployment, they just need to inspire revolution. In that respect, “Call To Arms” succeeds modestly. It’s also noteworthy because it adopts an unusual tone for the kind of song it wants to be. Protest music usually comes in the form of quiet Dylan-esque folk or raging Public Enemy-style noise. But since Latyrx is always about positivity and throwing all-inclusive parties, “Call To Arms” takes the form of a reasonable, mid-tempo party jam with some decent hooks and a hot bassline. It aims for the chip on your shoulder, and the fury in your heart, but mostly it aims for your cerebral cortex and your booty. It may not be the musical Molotov Cocktail the 99% needs, but at least it’s a spark.
