Cordelia Stephens releases ‘The Protest Songs’

Cordelia Stephens in an English-American folk artist who possesses a voice that marries power and vulnerability. Her songwriting is a journey into the complexities of modern life and love, channelling the influences that have shaped her, including Aimee Mann, Brandie Carlile and Gillian Welch.

After her debut album Threshold in 2012, followed by the release of Wide Awake Dream in 2016, Cordelia Stephens returns with her third offering, the EP titled The Protest Songs. This collection of songs is a direct and unflinching exploration of pressing issues in our 21st-century society, ranging from the Me Too movement to gun control, war, domestic violence and inequality.

The Protest Songs EP, featuring five tracks, was tracked and mixed at producer Brandon Wilde’s Studio 76 in Kingston, New York, with additional contributions from collaborators Dylan Wissing on drums and Tony Lauria on piano, both of whom have played on Cordelia’s previous albums. Kingston, New York, is a place steeped in the history of protest movements, located north of New York City and not far from the iconic Woodstock. It’s a region where the echoes of past activism remain and it’s the perfect backdrop for the messages Cordelia conveys in her EP.

The EP opens with lead single “The Camera Lies,” a self-reflective song written at the start of the Me Too movement, about the role of bystanders in industries and institutions which are known to be exploitative and of which we are often beneficiaries. Opened a drum roll, bright piano tones and guitar chords enter before settling into a laid back groove of lulling bass notes and snapping drums as Cordelia’s elegant voice hover above to thread delicate melodies carrying poignant lyrics. It’s a soulful indie pop outing that wraps a serious message in its beautiful sound.

“Perfect Storm” serves up a mellow indie rock sound that Cordelia penned after meeting a mother whose child was killed in a school shooting. With a melancholic atmosphere of gentle drums, airy piano notes and intricate guitar flutters, Cordelia’s stunning voice dances above to craft a blissful, rhythmic sound.

“First Reveal” was originally written 2 decades ago in protest to the Iraq war and recent global events inspired Cordelia to record and release the graceful anti-war song. Hushed drums underpin the soothing guitar plucks as Cordelia weaves her vocals into the fabric of this meaningful indie folk outing. Capped by a slick guitar solo and brimming with profound lyricism, it’s a superb moment on the EP.

Next up, “New Normal” looks at domestic violence to craft a haunting alternative folk song that delivers a moody aesthetic of downtempo taps of drums, eerie organ lines, silky guitar tones and brooding vocal leads. The EP closes with “Democracy,” an upbeat folk pop outing that takes aim at the wealth gap in America, crafting a buoyant and enjoyable sound to conclude her stellar new EP.

Listen to The Protest Songs below