Irish artist Meryl Streek released one of the most political and powerful albums of 2022. A devastating condemnation of the shameful Catholic church abuse scandal in Ireland, ‘796‘ addressed the discovery of 796 bodies of children who died at the St Mary’s mother and baby home, run by nuns from the Bon Secours order. In addition, there are no burial records, creating further heartbreak for affected families.
It’s no surprise that there is still so much to be angry about. On second album ‘Songs for the Deceased’, out via Venn Records, Meryl Streek both narrows and widens his gaze. The intensely personal is the inspiration for ‘Paddy’, an uncle of the artist, now deceased, who lived his life by his own rules, choosing to spend his time educating himself. Social justice is always going to be a source of fodder for Meryl Streek who teaches and informs on ‘Terrance’ and ‘The Stardust‘. The former is inspired by the story of Terrance, a young man who went to buy a paintbrush and was arrested for a crime he didn’t commit. He was found dead in his cell the following morning and 20 years on his family is still campaigning for information. ‘The Stardust’ remembers the victims of a fire that took place in the Stardust venue in 1981, killing 48 people. Again, families are campaigning for answers.
Meryl Streek unleashes his disdain through his music. The punk aesthetic is there but this artist uses synths and beats as well as his voice to exude fury. Take ‘Counting Sheep’, this incredulity is aimed squarely at politicians, with ‘Bertie’ homing in on controversial Irish politician Bertie Ahern, the track opening with the characteristically forthright “a despicable prick, played off as a good laugh.” Being a solo artist can inevitably be a solitary affair but on this album Meryl Streek has worked with a number of like-minded collaborators. Benefits frontman Kingsley Hall provides spoken-word on ‘Interlude’, while Cal Graham from UK punks The Diesel appears on ‘Dogs’ and Oliver Ackermann from A Place to Bury Strangers provides guitar on the outro of ‘Murder’.
One of the highlights of ‘Songs for the Deceased’ is ‘Gambling Death’, a heart-breaking social commentary on gambling and its devastating consequences. The soundscape is wild, fast and furious, but it’s the vocal of Meryl Streek which has a gut-wrenching impact as it wavers with the emotion of the subject matter. There is a spoken section, making it clear this is not just an Irish issue. Even the mismanagement of his own industry is on the firing line on ‘The Industry’, the artists and creators being taken advantage of by the egos of those controlling the business.
Sometimes music seems so much more important than purely entertainment. And so it is with Meryl Streek. Sadly there will never be an end to the inspiration for his craft. On ‘Songs for the Deceased’ he again hits the mark, producing an album which delivers on a wide range of subjects, executed with a ferocity that runs through his veins. This is an artist who will never turn away from confronting injustice and corruption, and we thank him for that.
8/10
Words: Julia Mason
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‘Songs For The Deceased’ is out this Friday.
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