- Andy Paine is a Brisbane based activist and also a singer-songwriter. He’s released an album called Symbiosis, containing eleven songs. Other than the one short soothing instrumental track -aptly called Take a Break When You Need To- the album fits neatly in the protest song genre, with a few of the songs, such as Sgt Watson and Jesus Was, specifically about protesting.
This is not surprising, as nonviolent protest is a key part of Andy Paine’s activist life. He was among a group of eight peaceful protesters who entered the Pine Gap spy base in 2017 and faced a real prospect of jail time for doing so.
He lives his life according to his beliefs, and his songs reflect those beliefs. As such the numbers on Symbiosis are straightforward. One young man with his acoustic guitar, outlining his concerns with the world around us. The album sits easily in a long tradition of folk songs, from Woody Guthrie onwards, with a strong local focus.
This release is for those who appreciate word craft and social commentary. Many songs reflect immediate social issues, from the destruction of the environment to consumerism to refugees, but it is not an angry album. A love of life and the world around us also shines through on each song.
Paine’s vocal range isn’t huge, but neither is Bob Dylan’s and he managed to produce some pretty good songs of this style. Many people who are into social activism of all varieties get value out of hearing other people’s perspectives on how they struggle and engage with the issues of the day. Having that set to music in simple songs that are easy to sing along to can provide extra value and motivation for the struggle. Andy Paine’s Symbiosis serves that purpose well.
- Andrew Bartlett.