George W. Bush probably hates these recordings. God knows that he has good reason to. Sowing the Seeds, released on September 11, is full of contributions by left wing, democratic, intellectual and cultural elites. Representatives of almost all of the groups and sectors that have opposed him are given voice here. There are some songs that question his policies directly and others from within the modern folk canon that deal with universal themes. You could argue that these are mere polemics, but I think that you would be wrong. The songs fit seamlessly within the tradition of folk music as a vehicle for tackling social issues and addressing injustice.

Appleseed has a long history of promoting these types of recordings, and it only makes sense that it should continue to do so with its first artist compilation. As is the case with all good samplers, this release showcases many established artists like Pete Seeger, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Bragg and Ani DiFranco while also giving room to lesser-known artists like Lizzie West and Sharon Katz. It doesn’t always work. Sometimes the songs border on saccharine and simplistic in their view of world events, but the overall message is one that needs to be heard.

In at least one respect Give Us Your Poor is a better collection than Sowing the Seeds. The CD gives voice to ordinary people by letting them help write and sing their own songs. Furthermore, when many of the musicians — like Jewel, Sam McClain and Willie Robinson — sing about being homeless and poor they also do so with firsthand knowledge of the issue. The result is a stunning collection of tunes and spoken word offerings that draws yet more attention to an important and growing social problem. One can only hope that more than just people’s ears are engaged.