Ani diFranco isn't really a folkie, I don't suppose. But she's a helluva protest singer.

Liz Phair is crude, rude and angry, but she makes some good points about the relationship between men and women these days.

I'm concerned that so many of the singer-songwriters are writing about personal drama -- relationships, which are important, but not the end-all and be-all of human existence -- rather than social and political causes. The wage gap between the haves and have-nots in the U.S. is real and oppressive; the environment is on the ropes in many, but not all, places; our politicial process is for sale to the highest bidder; and on and on, but I don't see a lot of music being addressed toward those issues.

But... maybe it is and I'm not listening in the right direction. So I'll watch this thread and see what suggestions come up.

WW