Transgalactica are back with “Liberal Anthem,” the third track from their debut album “Better Angels,” and it’s a real statement piece. This isn’t just another political song. It’s a gutsy celebration of enlightenment values, standing tall in a world that’s getting more divided and tribal every single day.
Right from the start, you’re hit with a heavy guitar riff that somehow blends 16th-century Polish folk music with modern hard rock. It shouldn’t work, but it totally does. The result is a sound that’s both ancient and contemporary, a genuine anti-populist punch. The vocals are full of conviction, throwing out lines about a “Church of John Stuart Smith”. A clever nod to Steven Pinker’s assertion that liberalism needs its own kind of reverence.
But the real magic happens when “Liberal Anthem” switches things up near the end. The song shifts from minor to major, and suddenly the whole vibe lifts. The melody, which takes a page from Velvet Underground’s “All Tomorrow’s Parties,” turns unexpectedly hopeful and almost feels like a hymn (tying us back to that church line). The band even imagines Jon Anderson singing this part, and you will get why, because it begs for that soaring, otherworldly voice.
Transgalactica have pulled off something special: a song that’s smart and packed with feeling and a witty sense of humor, showing you can stand up for humanistic values without losing any of rock’s raw energy.
