The Nightwatchman is Tom Morello, the guitar genius from Rage Against The Machine. If you are looking for his over the top pedal effects and bent whammy bars, The Nightwatchman is not for you however. Morello has created a completely different sound for this band. It is straight up protest folk music.

The electric guitar squeals are more present than either of The Nightwatchman’s two albums though. They seem to slowly be creeping into the sound of the recordings. The Union Town EP is a collection of songs directly related to the union protests in Wisconsin. Morello’s pro-union agenda couldn’t be more clear on the record. The lead track “Union Town” was released in support of the union workers in Wisconsin.

Of the 8 tracks on the EP, 5 are covers, once again closely related to the unions. The shining star of the covers is the Florence Reece penned “Which Side Are You On?” The relaxed approach plays as the bottled up anger and vigor Morello possesses throughout the album. The song is mostly acoustic but is backed with a screeching electric guitar giving the song its intensity.

The other gem of the album is the Nightwatchman original “Union Song” that was recorded live on site with the picket lines in Wisconsin. A brief explanation leads into a spirited version of the song so intense you can hear Morello’s voice quiver with anger.

The song choices and focused recordings create one of the most cohesive EPs you’ll ever hear. It is definitely worth a listen.