Sometimes just a little bit can accomplish a whole lot. That is shown to be the case both in the instrumentation and the storytelling with “Land of Plenty”. Fitted with only a voice, acoustic guitars, and sparse, ethereal keys, Toronto’s Abigail Lapell bridges current events with lessons from the past in the time-honored tradition of Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger. Set to a simple but mesmerizing winter landscape video that draws the viewer/listener in just enough to slow down their mind and let the lyrics sink in, “Land of Plenty” is a promising preview of what’s to come from Lapell’s upcoming album Stolen Time, out April 22.
“I wrote this song a few years ago, early in the Trump administration when the Muslim ban had just gone into effect. I remember hearing about it and getting really emotional, since it reminded me of my own family’s history of escaping eastern Europe after the Holocaust and finding refuge in Canada. The song highlights the balance between hardship and hope in that kind of journey, and how for my generation, growing up in the shadow of this history, we were always taught that — however flawed our society might be — we had basically won the life lottery by being born here. The song also reflects today’s ongoing migrant crises, and my recent experience helping with a “Group of Five” sponsorship application, which lets private citizens bring refugees to Canada. This is the same program that allowed my family to escape Europe along with over 35,000 immigrants following WWII,” says Lapell.
