He emphasizes that side of his work here, bringing the traditions of early '60s protest singers into the new century in articulate, albeit sometimes rough-hewn, style. Political messages sometimes take precedence over pop-friendly hooks and standard meter, but the asymmetric rhyme patterns often underscore his passion in denouncing religious hatred or calling for better treatment of the world's ocean life. A small band and several backing vocalists expand the melodies beyond the core sound of a singer and his acoustic guitar. For instance, a flute adds a light counterpoint to "Ashes Upon the Ground," one of several songs that decry the human cost of war (the liner notes show that he wrote it in 1998 and therefore it is not specifically an indictment of America's current war in Iraq).