Polarity/1: A Voice for Today's America

A Review of Music from the Documentary 'In Debt We Trust'

By Liz Singer

American artists have always felt free to speak their minds, even when their opinions touch on controversial topics. During the Vietnam War, the politically-conscious Edwin Starr sung out, "War, what is it good for?" to protest America's place in the bloody battle. And leading up the 2004 presidential election, Green Day recorded ‘American Idiot,' an entire album devoted to the dissatisfaction with George W. Bush's presidency, and subsequently, the ever-changing America. Today, Polarity/1 is no exception.

Polarity/1, a multi-instrumentalist/arranger/composer/producer, was one of the early voices warning of the impending debt crisis, having composed most of the score and served as Music Supervisor for Danny Schechter's feature-length documentary 'In Debt We Trust'. Focused on America's dangerous addiction to debt and the predatory nature of our credit and loan industry, the film predicted over two years ago the economic meltdown being experienced today.

Proudly speaking his mind through his music, Polarity/1 uses freedom of speech to express his opinions on America with five songs featured in the documentary. The music -- "Free Money," "Charge It," "Winter In America (Chills To The Bone)," "I'm So Broke," and "Free Money Blues" -- touches on topics ranging from poverty, to homelessness, to drug abuse, all the while allowing his bold statements to shine through the various sounds of each track.

In traditional twangy blues style, complete with a woeful chorus of melancholy men, "Free Money Blues" tells the financial burdens of the average American. Listing off dream items like flat screen TVs and new video games, the track reveals the pain of Americans, stuck in an economy where the rich keep getting richer and the poor keep getting poorer. In Polarity/1's strained voice, listeners can feel the frustration at life in America, where money is abundant, but among all people, somehow the dollars don't add up right.

On the rock track "I'm So Broke," Polarity/1 continues to wail about finances, forcing every listener to understand how it feels to have nothing in such a wealthy country. Commenting on the homelessness problem, he says: "What's left in my pocket goes to keep me off the docket." Screaming "I'm so broke" over and over, listeners are left to think about the current state of America, as they must try to find solutions that will balance out the distribution of wealth in the country.

Taking a turn to rap, "Winter in America" also deals with the issue of homelessness, though this time taking a more drastic approach as it describes the brutally cold weather that they must endure. Once again proving the seriousness of the situation, Polarity/1 introduces the problem of drug addiction facing poor young people, suggesting that the country is to blame, and not parents: "You tried to raise ‘em right, but before you know, they'll be suckin' on a crack pipe."

Through all five tracks, Polarity/1 continues to reflect on the crucial issues facing Americans today, as those in poverty keep struggling to survive, while the government does little to help out. With such political music, it's obvious that Polarity/1 is doing his part to change the face of America. And by listening to the music of "In Debt We Trust," we are also invited to do the same. Enjoying the songs and its message is only the beginning, though. In a country where debt is quickly becoming the only thing we can trust, Polarity/1's album functions as the ultimate personal question: What are you going to do to fix America?

All five songs are available for free download at http://www.reverbnation.com/polarity1