Protest songs and charity records are sometimes seen as an ego (and likely sales) boost for the often rich artists involved, but for all their talent, Theatre Royal are hardly million-sellers. At the present moment there's an awful lot happening in Britain, Europe, the Middle East and further afield that will be having an effect on just about everyone in one way or another, whether that's directly or something as national (to the UK at least) as the forthcoming EU referendum. Recent events in Belgium are already being directly linked and blamed on the migrant crisis, a crisis that's caused by political decisions made by governments like our own.
Written following a debate about border control and the plight of refugees, Theatre Royal have (in what they say is a very minor way) at least made their feelings known in the lyrics to 'Standing In The Land', a single from which all proceeds go to Medicins Sans Frontieres. A calming, tender and thoughtful acoustic track, this is by no means a token gesture; a band coughing up any old rubbish in the name of a good cause. 'Standing In The land' has many of the hallmarks that the band have become known for, not least that it sticks in your head and is subtly arranged to enhance the song without any histrionics. "Fear of the unknown/it's not like we condone/but strange voices in our homes/it's too close to the bone... I saw it on my TV/but it's not in my life/we can turn it over/and still sleep well tonight...". That just about says it all.
Theatre Royal's website
Buy: 'Standing In The Land'.
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