Released 11 September 2020
For thousands of years, indigenous cultures have revered the Earth, as a living breathing entity. This belief was personified in Greek Mythology with the Earth Goddess ‘Gaia’. The term Mother Earth is a popular term used in the west now.
In more recent times, James Lovelock's and Lynn Margulis's ‘Gaia theory’ in the 1970’s, posited the Earth as a complex but self-regulating system, where all living and non-living systems were in a constant state of seeking balance and homeostasis.
Since the industrial revolution, this balance been off kilter. The Earth has been under severe stress, trying to restore balance, and as she was doing this, the goal posts kept moving as we pushed more and more carbon into the atmosphere. We see the effects of this now with the increase in both the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events.
Every living system that collectively makes up the biosphere is under severe stress.
‘Planet in Pain’ personifies the pain felt by Gaia, because of our insatiable appetite for resources and growth at any cost. We continue to consume with the false belief that this can continue without consequences, not just for humans – but 8 for million other species who rely on our behaviour and morality for their survival.
We need to stop treating the planet like an ATM and start treating it like a savings account.
For Todd B. (Sydney)
Song Review – Fred Bambridge – 9 November 2020
"The Brisbane based singer-songwriter has been actively writing music for a while, and this single acts as his second release of 2020.
If you haven't heard of Paul before he's a fantastic artist who crafts some cinematic tracks that captivate the listener from the off with some shimmering guitar tones and haunting effect.
His vocals in ‘Planet in Pain’ remind me of early Nick Cave in parts with the gruff underlying tones giving it plenty of atmosphere, mixed in with the chorus' soaring strings and you're given something to really sink your teeth into.
The release's whole tone is rather dark, and as we mentioned earlier fairly haunting in places. There's a fine balance of Coldplay's atmospheric tunes mixed in with some Radiohead and Phil Collins (especially towards the end).
If you listen closely to the track you hear you'll hear him singing "our planet is in pain", "let's clean up this mess" and "marching on the streets / to claim justice from the suits". Paul is a big activist in the environmental movement, and for the 25+ years he's been a part of the movement he's got himself a dedicated fan-base with him even getting play-listed on Spotify by Green Music Australia and being in rotation on Extinction Rebellion's very own Rebel Radio.
There's much to love here, and if you loved what you heard be sure to check out his previous work too, it's definitely worth your time!"
https://www.itsallindie.com/2020/11/paul-j-rogers-releases-haunting-track.html?fbclid=IwAR1dRmDTjag2z0QMXr5F8m0QBEGaF5zQ-i0Wnpq2RjpE1OZaULxn47LQ8DU
Song Review – Nicole Mendes – 5 October 2020 – The Other Side Reviews
"Compelling and captivating, ‘Planet in Pain’ is a painfully honest single touching on the effect of climate change in modern society. Written as a narrative from the Earth Goddess Gaia, ‘Planet in Pain’ illustrates the frustration, desperation, despair and concern to “clean up this mess.” Yet, it is not only the lyrics that capture your attention but more the melody underlying Rogers spoken word. Lying somewhere between Chris Isaak and U2, Paul J Rogers adopts a simple combination of guitar and engaging vocals. In fact, it might be this simplicity that enhances the poignancy of his Leonard Cohen-esque style.
What really touches my heart is the final verses spoken without any backing instrumentation. It is not only the words, but the relevancy of the lyrics – “send suffering to millions and the profits to few…and when the West Wing brings its reckoning, we’re left with wearing masks”. I am unsure whether this was intended to discuss 2020’s sociopolitical situation, but these few lines definitely sent shivers down my spine."
https://www.theothersidereviews.com/paul-j-rogers-planet-in-pain-2020/