American University is known for being extremely politically active. A great part of this awareness stems from making connections to our daily lives. This column seeks to relate two things I am passionate about: music and a comprehension of the world around me.

Alt J, the English trio (formerly a quartet) named for the keystrokes that produce a triangle, has a new album This Is All Yours that was released on September 22.

Courtesy of Absolute Radio

Sticking to their guns (no pun intended) as heard in their debut album, An Awesome Wave, the band continues to employ seemingly nonsensical lyrics. Many listeners shrug this off and keep jamming regardless of their lack of comprehension. However, the new track “Left Hand Free‰” is possibly already causing some controversy with the line “I tackle weeds just so the moon buggers nibble /A right hand grip on his Colt single-action army.” With all the incidents throughout the past year involving gun control, singing about it can be seen as quite the political statement.

In an interview with The Guardian, lead singer Joe Newman jokes of “Left Hand Free” catching attention among the conservative Midwest and the National Rifle Association (NRA). He says, “And I say, ‘Gee whizz’, which I’m not sure is a phrase I’ve ever uttered before. I can imagine it appealing to American truckers with Good Riddance to Bin Laden stickers!‰” It is vital to note that the band is not pushing pro-gun sentiments on to their listeners by any means.

Speaking of politics, groundbreaking legislation was made in California yesterday as Gov. Jerry Brown signed off on a bill which would allow citizens suspecting a close relative to seek a restraining order to confiscate their firearms. This bill is a direct reaction to the mass shooting near UC Santa Barbara‰’s campus back in May.

The relationship between politics and music is definitely not an obvious one. However, it is fascinating to note how what I‰’m currently listening to can touch upon a huge political reform affecting the whole nation.