The Capitalist Blues

Inspired by the divided sociopolitical climate in the United States, Leyla's McCalla's album The Capitalist Blues explores the psychological and emotional effects of living in a society where money is king, and the poor are left to fend for themselves. Despite the pessimism and cynicism the album's title evokes, these songs focus on recognizing that while we may feel overwhelmed by the injustice happening around us, we must always resist the temptation to be overcome by it. The Capitalist Blues is a clear musical departure from the folk approach of McCalla's first two critically-acclaimed albums. Comprising mostly original songs and increasingly steeped in the music of her adopted home of New Orleans and her ancestral home of Haiti, McCalla's songs span the musical spectrum from New Orleans traditional jazz to Zydeco to Haitian Rara.