Karney EP "Free Country (No Monarchs Welcome Here)" Review

Artist: Karney

Album: Free Country(No Monarchs Welcome Here) 

Released: 2026

Artist Website: https://karney.org/music/

This latest release from Karney is a three track EP of social justice songs. She was invited to perform at a No Kings rally in San Francisco and wrote the title track for the gig, to speak to the current political climate directly. When asked about the inspiration of the song she replied “I drew on songs I learned as a young songwriter by a group called The Congress of Racial Equality (CORE),” says Anna. “My parents had a record of their songs from the Civil Rights era of the 1960s, which inspired me to write ‘Free Country’ as a No Kings-themed protest song."

The title track, Free Country (No Monarchs Welcome Here) features KARNEY on acoustic guitar and vocals together with Ben Dubin on string bass and harmonica. The stripped production draws the listener into the lyric which encapsulates the anger that many people are feeling about the political climate in the United States. The performance, like all of the Karney music I have heard to date, is done with complete conviction. The harmonica parts are performed by a clear disciple of the blues. Often in folk music the harmonica is played without much skill, but simply used as a different color. However, Ben Dubin is clearly a student of the Mississippi saxophone, making it talk and howl like a man of the blues. 

Track two Just For Now continues with the stripped acoustic approach, but evolves into a full band production. I am convinced Karney is quite capable of singing just about anything. There is so much power and confidence in her vocals, even when the approach is softer. Her vocals are a force of nature in every way. Lyrically it takes on lighter subject matter, but still shines a spot on current events. It seems to be an effort to balance the dark feelings of the two tracks that serve as bookends on this release. In many ways her performance on this EP is a throwback in time. That's not to say it is dated, but more so that she is able to chameleon very convincingly into a late 60's approach when the US was in the throes of civil unrest. It is this quality that makes the music truly timeless.

The closing track on this short but sweet EP has a much darker sound, musically speaking. When asked about the song she responded with “My song Anymore is a result of feeling lost in a place that I used to call home,” she says. “I included some uncomfortable chords and let my feelings of rage flow." It has a much more Seattle Grunge vibe that is drenched in minor chords and a gloomier approach to her vocals. For this writer's ears, this track is the standout. The full band production adds dynamics that are difficult to achieve in an acoustic setting where instruments by nature sound pretty. The dark electric approach brings a different level of obvious frustration with the current political volatility. 

Karney always is able to surprise the listener with the many sides of her artistic vision. Her creative well is clearly quite deep. She is able to roll anger and beauty into one seamless statement. She reminds me of Jimi Hendrix in that sense. There was something so pure about his approach to the guitar that even the most aggressive performances were shadowed with passion that was bigger than anger, but there is no denying that anger was a key ingredient in the gumbo. It is a rare gift that Karney seems to have dialed in with everything she records.