With just days until the 2024 presidential election, “Freedumb” — the new single and video from Massachusetts-based songwriter Abbie Barrett and her band — is just about as on point as it gets.
Tracked at Q Division, produced by Ed Valauskas, and recorded, mixed, and mastered by Pat DiCenso; “Freedumb” captures the chaos of January 6, 2021, when a violent mob stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overturn the election. The song and its video (Fuel Heart Productions) serve as a chilling reminder of that infamous day and what’s at stake on November 5th.
While Barrett wrote the lyrics alone, she and her bandmates co-wrote the music. They are: Mike Oram (guitar), Rice Edmonston (drums), and Ed Valauskas (bass). Guest musicians include Dana Colley (Morphine, Vapors of Morphine) on saxophone and 13-year-old Auggie Valauskas on upright bass.
Barrett didn’t set out to write a song about the January 6 insurrection, nor did she intend to make a political statement. But as the music came together, the lyrics started revealing themselves. Like many who watched that day’s events unfold, she felt deeply angry about the hypocrisy of it all.
“I don’t really consider this song all that political. If you support democracy, then you support the election process, which includes the peaceful transfer of power,” says Barrett. “Calling out the people — including the former president — who stoked the fires that led to such a violent and un-American event shouldn’t be considered controversial.”
A portion of the song’s proceeds will go to the League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan, grassroots organization that defends democracy through advocacy, education, and litigation at the local, state, and national levels. Visit abbiebarrett.com to listen and contribute.
