DOWNLOAD: Idle No More: Songs for Life Vol. 2

We are pleased to present Idle No More: Songs for Life Volume 2. As with Volume 1, the highlights are many!

Idle No More is just about 2 months old. It’s hard to know for sure how many strong in number the movement is now, but one thing is for certain - the message has circled the globe, crossed oceans, and reached people from all walks of life. Musicians are among those from the artistic community who have been vocal in their support. Some have written songs. Some have spoken out at shows. And some have graciously allowed us to share their music with you here.

The collection kicks off with the call to arms Red Action by power duo Indian Handcrafts, who will soon traverse our fair land as the opening act for Billy Talent. Blue Rodeo, who made national headlines for their shout out to Idle No More, offer the song Fools Like You, from the 1992 platinum selling Lost Together. Rising stars Nick Sherman and Tracy Bone are here, as are indie darlings Royal Wood and Hannah Georgas. The timeless power pop of Vancouver’s Odds. Reggae and R&B from New Zealand courtesy NRG Rising. And the poignant cello piece Theresa, by Anishinaabe musician, researcher, and media artist Melody McKiver. Plus much more - 17 tracks in all! We hope you enjoy it!

Some are asking, what IS the message of Idle No More? Read on below the set for words from the founders.

This exciting collection – and the additional volumes that will follow soon (there’s that many artists and voices!) – was conceived by Marty Ballentyne, Holly McNarland, Kevin Joseph and RPM’s Ron “Ostwelve” Harris. RPM is thrilled to collaborate on it!

And now -

DOWNLOAD: Idle No More: Songs for Life Vol. 2

‘We contend that: The Treaties are nation to nation agreements between The Crown and First Nations who are sovereign nations. The Treaties are agreements that cannot be altered or broken by one side of the two Nations. The spirit and intent of the Treaty agreements meant that First Nations peoples would share the land, but retain their inherent rights to lands and resources. Instead, First Nations have experienced a history of colonization which has resulted in outstanding land claims, lack of resources and unequal funding for services such as education and housing.

We contend that: The state of Canada has become one of the wealthiest countries in the world by using the land and resources. Canadian mining, logging, oil and fishing companies are the most powerful in the world due to land and resources. Some of the poorest First Nations communities  have mines or other developments on their land but do not get a share of the profit. The taking of resources has left many lands and waters poisoned – the animals and plants are dying in many areas in Canada. We cannot live without the land and water. We have laws older than this colonial government about how to live with the land.

We contend that: Currently, this government is trying to pass many laws so that reserve lands can also be bought and sold by big companies to get profit from resources. They are promising to share this time…Why would these promises be different from past promises? We will be left with nothing but poisoned water, land and air. This is an attempt to take away sovereignty and the inherent right to land and resources from First Nations peoples. We contend that: There are many examples of other countries moving towards sustainability, and we must demand sustainable development as well. We believe in healthy, just, equitable and sustainable communities and have a vision and plan of how to build them. Please join us in creating this vision.’

Jessica Gordon, What is Idle No More?

Don't forget you can also grab the first volume of songs for life here: DOWNLOAD: Idle No More - Songs For Life - Vol. 1

This exciting collection – and the additional volumes that will follow soon (there are that many artists and voices!) – was conceived by Marty Ballentyne, Holly McNarland, Kevin Joseph and RPM’s Ron “Ostwelve” Harris. 

DOWNLOAD: Idle No More: Songs for Life Vol. 1

Idle No More: Songs for Life Vol. 1 is the first of an ongoing series of free downloadable compilations of songs by artists who support the vision of Idle No More, Indigenous and allies. Volume 1 features a broad and diverse array of artists - everyone from Derek Miller (whose contribution, 7 Lifetimes, is a brand new track inspired by Chief Theresa Spence), to John K. Samson of the Weakerthans.

Bluesey-roots from Digging Roots. The indie stylings of Whitehorse. A funky hip hop jam from Plex with Wab Kinew and Sarah Podemski. It’s a feast for the ears. A celebration. And we’re only just getting started. If ever we’ve been idle - whether in our thoughts or our actions - we are now Idle No More.

This exciting collection - and the additional volumes that will follow soon (there's that many artists and voices!) - was conceived by Marty Ballentyne, Holly McNarland, Kevin Joseph and RPM's Ron "Ostwelve" Harris.

Listen to and download the tracks now, and read on below.

Idle No More: Songs for Live Volume 1

From co-creator of Idle No More: Songs for Live Vol. 1 Marty Ballentyne

Music is transcendent. Somewhere in between the melody, the rhythm, the words, the instruments and the people playing them, it all adds up to something more than the sum of its parts. It’s magic! Music soothes frayed nerves. It makes you dance. It says things you just can’t put into words. Songs make you think, make you feel, bring you up, bring you down, bring you around. For some music is loud and groovy on a Friday night; for some, it’s quiet and calming on a Sunday morning. Music brings us all together. We have it in common, along with the air, the water, the earth beneath our feet, and the sky above.

Idle No More began in November as a grassroots effort by four women to educate people about Bill C 45, tabled by the federal government.  The news media and commentators such as Rick Mercer had given the bill cursory attention when the bill was introduced in Parliament in mid October. Hidden inside the 440 page bill are changes that will affect all Canadians, now and in the future. Most Canadian waterways, protected since the days of John A. Macdonald, are protected no longer. Amendments have been made to The Indian Act without consulting First Nations. A series of teach ins by Sylvia McAdam, Nina Wilson, Jessica Gordon and Sheelah McLean first brought awareness, then concern, then action. People started talking. Social media networks were lit up by the sharing of information. And virtually overnight, the national conversation shifted considerably. Little over a month after the first rallies and flash mob round dances took place across Canada, Idle No More has become an international movement.

At the heart of Idle No More is a desire to foster dialogue. People are talking, and about many things - not only Bill C 45, but also the relationship between Canada and its First Peoples, protection of the environment, the economy, and the Third World conditions of some of our communities. People are also talking about how they can contribute. It was in this spirit of pitching in that musicians Holly McNarland, Kevin Joseph, Ron Harris (Ostwelve), and Marty Ballentyne came together to work on gathering tracks from artists in support of Idle No More, to be released as a series of free downloadable collections of songs. This is the first.

Idle No More: Songs for Life Vol. 1 is the first of an ongoing series of free downloadable compilations of songs by artists who support the vision of Idle No More. Over the past few weeks we’ve been contacting people from across Canada and around the world, and the response has been fantastic. It’s a feast for the ears. A celebration. And we’re only just getting started. If ever we’ve been idle - whether in our thoughts or our actions - we are now Idle No More.

Words of support from artists on Volume 1:

Jenn Grant: "Perhaps music can help spread awareness and support our precious earth, and to our leaders who are fighting this cause. Let us grow together and show our cause and concern. Canadians need to shout and sing and sometimes starve - let us be heard. "

Holly McNarland: My focus is to speak to music fans and to hopefully sway some of the opinions and myths about First Nations people, and shine some light on how the Harper Government is selling us out via our water, land and resources. Bill C-45 needs to go.

Whitehorse: We believe that conditions in many First Nations' communities are deplorable and would not be tolerated in neighbourhoods in Toronto or Calgary (for example) and as such there is a deep double standard at play in Canada. We support Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence and urge Prime Minister Stephen Harper to meet with her. Also, the shredding of environmental regulations and the defunding of environmental and science organizations at the very time when there is a push by Harper to build a pipeline through environmentally vulnerable lands and waters is cause for great concern to all Canadians.

STREAM: Cris Derksen - "Our Home on Native Land"

#SoundtrackTheStruggle continues with this new track from electro-cellist Cris Derksen.

Half-Cree electro-cellist Cris Derksen continually experiments and creates with her instrument (the cello), electronics (especially the loop pedal), the addition of a live drummer, and her voice. Here her impassioned declaration of our home on Native land will ring through your heart and feet and across Turtle Island. #IdleNoMore.

STREAM: Cris Derksen - "Our Home on Native Land"

The 10 Best Indigenous Musical Moments of 2012

‘Tis the season for looking back on the year that was: reflecting on the highs and lows, and seeing what music moments stand out in our memories. It's an interesting time for reflection, with all the hope and passion currently rising among our people, so let's take a moment to reflect on the incredible Indigenous music that found its way to us in 2012.

From new albums, EPs, and videos to standout performances and collaborations from all corners of Turtle Island and beyond, here are our Top 10 picks for the Best Indigenous Musical Moments of 2012—the songs we've been raving about and playing on repeat this past year and the sounds that stood out in our hearts, minds and ears.

10. Bear Fox x The 1491s, "Rich Girl"

It all starts with watching NAMMY award-winning musician Bear Fox, in collaboration with Bobby from Native comedy crew The 1491s, perform her song Rich Girl. The song touches on the issues of growing up in an Indigenous environment with very little in material wealth but having riches in culture and in the beauty of Indigenous life with family. Nothing like live and unplugged for some of the best musical moments:

9. NRG Rising, "From Darkness to Light"

"From darkness to light" is an apt description at this time of year as the hours of sunlight finally begin to get longer in the Northern hemisphere, and as our people rise up and unite. It's also the name of our next pick from NRG Rising, the New Zealand reggae band that features three powerful Maori women - a mother and two daughters - who create conscious, soulful work. We love this track.

Watch NRG Rising – From Darkness to Light:

8. The Medics, "Foundations"

The Medics' Foundations was the much anticipated debut LP from one of Australia's brightest new bands. And it rocked. Percussive, passionate, potent. Turn it up and let it ride.

Listen to the opening track Beggars:

7. Skookum Sound System, "Nawala"

As individuals, vocalist/song carrier Csetkwe, DJ/producers Deano (Dean Hunt) and Impossible Nothing (Darwin Frost), and video artist Amphibian14 (Bracken Hanuse Corlett), have been honing their skills for years. But just over a year ago, these four artists joined forces to form the dynamic audio/visual collective Skookum Sound System. And the result is killer. The collective itself is one of our favourite "moments" of the year, but here's one particularly bumping beat for you to get into:

6. Thelma Plum, "Untitled"

It's been a breakout year for this 17-year-old Indigenous singer-songwriter from Brisbane, Australia. Thelma Plum's voice and writing exceed her years with a timeless quality that can transport you to another time and place. With only a few tracks available online, we're all waiting for more, but it's easy to revel in what she's already shared with the world thus far. We love this live, unplugged performance of Untitled:

5. Nick Sherman, Drag Your Words Through

In the rip your heart out in a good way category, the debut album from Nick Sherman, Drag Your Words Through, is rooted in folk/rock and full of earnest yet thoughtful and well crafted songs. They stick to your bones and Sherman's rich, textured vocals is a fine sound indeed. We've been spinning it all year long. Listen to the track Winterdark here:

4. Samantha Crain, "It's Simple"

Miss Samantha Crain started the year off great with the release her 7" single A Simple Jungle and no one's forgotten the two catchy tunes it was comprised of. Her indie spun americana vibe shines in the tracks It's Simple and Cadwell Jungle. It's been enough to keep us going all year and we're ready for her new album to drop in a couple weeks!

Watch the video for It's Simple:

3. Cris Derksen, "Pow Wow Wow"

There was no shortage of killer music videos on our screens this year. Cris Derksen (who we also tagged as an Indigenous Musicians to watch in 2012) has one of our favourites. As part of APTN's First Tracks program and with acclaimed Indigenous director Lisa Jackson at the helm, Derksen released this intergalactic, fancy dance-filled three-and-a-half minutes of pure gold:

2. A Tribe Called Red, S/T

Loved as much across Indian Country as nightclub dancefloors, the increasingly popular purveyors of "pow wow step" navigated the diverse musical landscapes of hip-hop, dancehall, moombahton and electronic styles on their eponymous debut full-length album and, having posted the entire record as a free download on their site, it spread like wildfire. As a collective, it's been an outstanding year for ATCR - we weren't kidding when we also included them in Indigenous Musicians to watch in 2012. And it's safe to say we can expect more big things from DJ NDN, Bear Witness and DJ Shub in 2013. They're just getting started.

If you don't have it already, you can still grab their debut album here:

1. The Round Dance Revolution: Idle No More

Of course, in the so-obvious-do-we-really-need-to-even-mention-it category, we couldn't possibly round up the best moments in Indigenous music in 2012 without mentioning the #RoundDanceRevolution that is currently underway across the globe under the banner of #IdleNoMore. Unless you've been living in a different universe in the past month, by now you've likely heard our peoples' words, songs, drums and dances echoing out from highways, railway lines, government buildings, and your local shopping centre to virtually every corner the Internet. And on the evening before the winter solstice, before one of the largest Indigenous mobilizations in recent history, Ryan McMahon eloquently brought together much of what was already racing through the malls and minds of our people across Indian Country: the revolution was starting—and this was its soundtrack.

As the round dances, stick and bone games, and other gatherings and song circles spread across the globe over the holidays, it's no wonder that Naomi Klein said: "The #idlenomore round dances taking over shopping malls during xmas rush r the most subversion actions I've ever seen #rounddancerevolution." But the spirit of the movement is not just subversive, it is joyful and creative—so it makes sense that, as we head into the new adventures of 2013, we look back on something that offers us an important and inspiring foundation from which to step into new beginnings.

Read Ryan McMahon's full post here: The Round Dance Revolution: Idle No More

And here's video of an #IdleNoMore New Year's Eve Round Dance in Winnipeg—taking over the main intersection of Portage and Main:

What a year! We can't wait to see what 2013 brings. See you at the round dance!

STREAM: Star Nayea - "1 Voice for Idle No More"

Star Nayea shares her powerful voice to #SoundtrackTheStruggle and #IdleNoMore in this stirring a cappella track 1 Voice for Idle No More. Listen up.

STREAM: Star Nayea - "1 Voice for Idle No More"

DOWNLOAD: Derek Miller - "7 Lifetimes"

Artists are rapidly giving voice to the #IdleNoMore movement in word, dance and song and we're sharing the latest sounds from Indian Country's finest. But it's not just round dances anymore.

Today we #SoundtrackTheStruggle with Mohawk blues rocker Derek Miller, who released a song that he wrote and recorded for Attawapiskat First Nation Chief Theresa Spence.

At the time of press, tomorrow will be Day 19 of Chief Spence's hunger strike. She pledges to continue until PM Harper agrees to meet with her.

Artists, send us your contributions and we'll continue to broadcast the revolution and #SoundtracktheStruggle.

DOWNLOAD: Derek Miller - "7 Lifetimes"

DOWNLOAD: A Tribe Called Red - "The Road"

Late last night, on the eve before one of the biggest Indigenous mobilizations in history, A Tribe Called Red quietly released a new song, The Road, inspired by the Idle No More movement and the hunger strike of Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence.

The moody, minimal electronic track incorporates some of the traditional drumming and singing elements that ATCR have used in the past for their more dancefloor-oriented powwow step bangers. But this is something else.

The Road feels like the calm before the storm. A slow-building soundtrack for the dawning of a new era. With prayers and strength to Chief Spence, we give to you the sound of our people rising up and taking our spirits back.

DOWNLOAD: A Tribe Called Red - "The Road"

STREAM: Heebz The Earthchild - "Idle No More"

Leave it our boys Mob Bounce from the West Coast to drop one of the first Indigenous hip-hop tracks to draw directly from the spirit of the emerging #IdleNoMore movement and turn it into music. One half of the duo, Heebz the Earthchild, dropped this new joint on SoundCloud yesterday.

We'll let the lyrics speak for themselves, but we can already hear crowds gathering with a repeated, melodic chant of "Idle No More".

"Idle No More" Lyrics:

Put your coat on, this is a cold song. With the heart of my elders, this is an old song. We have to go strong when they hold bonds. Those politicians with there souls gone. We row on the river that we flow on and keep showing the world what we know is wrong. My eagle eyes are sharper then the scissors held by the barber, cutting the braids of our rivers. That's a cut to and from Stephen Harper. Your treason is harder then the stone in your heart SIR. I see more pride as we fight Bill C-45. We'll make you mortified that you ever tried to attack our people who stand fortified. This land is for the lives who stand for truth and not for lies. I know what I'm fighting for, and what I am fighting for, you know what I am fighting for, for this I IDLE NO MORE.

STREAM: Heebz the Earthchild - "Idle No More"

This is our first installment in an RPM series that seeks to #SoundtracktheStruggle. Submit your music to be featured — and tag your tracks on SoundCloud, Tumblr, Twitter and social media with #SoundtracktheStruggle

DOWNLOAD: Tall Paul - "Protect Ya Spirit"

Leech Lake Ojibwe Tall Paul has rolled out the 13th track from his #AheadoftheGame series/mixtape and it's this week's #RPMdownload: Protect Ya Spirit.

With his #AheadoftheGame series, Tall Paul posts one song every day the MN Vikings play prior to the game. This solid track, the 13th in the series, features instrumental production by Sacramento Knoxx (off his The Rise of the Turtle beat tape).

Tall Paul has always had a way with words and a message worth taking to heart. We dig the advice from the John Trudell sample he delivers right off the top - "protect your spirit because you're in the place where spirits get eaten". Tall Paul takes it away from there - listen, download, share:

DOWNLOAD: Tall Paul - "Protect Ya Spirit"

DOWNLOAD: Quillbox - "The Apology"

Quillbox is the new project from Ojibwe/Finnish artist Marc Meriläinen and The Apology in the first, brand spankin' new single. Get it here.

Also the creator of NADJIWAN, Marc continues to explore genres and technology with his exciting new electronic project Quillbox. The first single is this week's #RPMdownload - The Apology, which features samples of Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper's infamous "apology" speech to Aboriginal people for the residential school system. It's a thought provoking mix of words, sounds, effects and emotion - what are your thoughts? Download the track now and leave your comments below.

 DOWNLOAD: "The Apology" - Quillbox

DOWNLOAD: Janet Panic - "Sweet Music"

Versatile Métis singer-songwriter and guitarist Janet Panic has released a brande new single from her upcoming album Most of What Follows is True. If this track, Sweet Music, is a sign of what's to come from Janet, we're all truly in for a treat.

The Jeff Dawson produced Sweet Music is sweet indeed. A smooth, soulful pop tune with a message, a manifesto, for staying true to your passion and calling. Janet Panic is a charismatic and captivating performer and artist - let this track pull you in and download Sweet Music now.

DOWNLOAD: "Sweet Music" - Janet Panic