Anthony D’Amato Releases “Kinda Strange” On Bandcamp For 24 Hours To Benefit The Equal Justice Initiative

New York City singer/songwriter Anthony D’Amato decide the message on his new single “Kinda Strange,” which focuses on reoccurring racial injustice, was too important to hold back for his upcoming release. Today, he releases the song in conjunction with Bandcamp for 24 hours only, with proceeds donated to the Equal Justice Initiative.

“Kinda Strange” is anchored by an angry, muscular distorted guitar riff and a powerful, exasperated chorus line: “Don’t you think it’s kinda strange how nothing seems to change around here?”

https://anthonydamatomusic.bandcamp.com/album/kinda-strange

“I wrote this song after the police shooting of Philando Castile, but it could be about any one of the senseless, state-sanctioned murders that occur with tragic regularity in this country. I was struggling in the moment to find the words to describe the maddening, sickening feeling of watching the same story repeat itself day in and day out all over these United States, and unfortunately, that feeling has only grown more gut-wrenchingly intense with time. There is an epidemic of police violence against black and brown people in this nation, and for far too long, white America has been unwilling to confront it in any meaningful way.”

“I recorded this performance a while back for an album that will hopefully see the light of day later this year. I wrestled with whether or not to share it now, and with whether or not it was my place to say anything at all as a straight white male, but I ultimately decided that this isn’t a time to be silent or to sit around waiting for a record to roll out in order to use my voice to support change. So with Bandcamp waiving their artist fees today, I’m posting the song for 24 hours as a benefit for the Equal Justice Initiative, whose mission is to end mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, to challenge racial and economic injustice, and to protect basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in our society.”

“The download is pay-what-you-can, and 100% of proceeds will be donated to the EJI. If you can’t afford to donate, I encourage you to visit their website (https://eji.org/), learn about the work they do, and support them in other non-fiscal ways.