An impressive group of northern Minnesota musicians, including the dean of the Duluth music scene Charlie Parr, have lent songs to a compilation album called “The Arrowhead Story.” This album is due for a Sept. 7 release, but has a digital page up now.
It’d be an interesting collection on its own and it listens pretty nice, overall. But when you know that the album was assembled by a coalition skeptical of new non-ferrous mineral mining interests in northern Minnesota, you see that the sheet music has really hit the fan in this ongoing debate.
Several songs are overtly critical of the controversial new mining techniques and companies involved in this issue, including ones actually called “Copper Nickel” and “An Open Letter to PolyMet.” Actual Wolf’s “Anywhere, USA” is great, but “Don’t Poop In Your Own Pool Brother” goes where alliteration probably shouldn’t. It’s a mixed bag, but if you like to blend your politics and music you’ll probably like this.
Industry.Peace.Environment. One by The Arrowhead Story
So now we wait for the pro-mining album? Who is the Charlie Parr of the extraction industry?
Until then, put The Arrowhead Story on your MP3 player and wait for the EPA to release its response to PolyMet’s Environmental Impact Statement. Because, you know, that’s a normal way to spend the summer.
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