Justin Scanlon has been writing trenchant poetry on the subject of war all his life. I have no idea what kind of luck would have his work only meet a minimal audience in obscure venues like WBAI at three o’clock in the morning,. He often says, “sometimes quality gets lucky, sometimes it takes longer. And longer might be lucky too. Look at Hendrix and Cobain. How lucky do you think they really were?” Justin began collaborating with producer/musician Dominic Barone early this year. Suddenly I’m hearing the makings of that very kind of luck wrestling its way from the womb in outraged, howling, and kicking action. Like Picasso’s Guernica, these works represent a refined and uncompromising commitment to disturb and compel in equal measure. Rare is for the rare. I hope you join me in appreciation. William Boleslavski