Pat Cassidy (Sweet Vermilion) | photo by Jeremy Zimmerman | jeremy-zim.com

Last Friday, President Trump passed an excutive order barring citizens of seven primarily Muslim countries from entering the United States for 90 days. If you’ve been anywhere other than under a rock since then, you’re aware this decision has sparked quite a bit of controversy, and now, Pat Cassidy is adding his voice to those in opposition. Earlier today, The Districts’ guitarist shared two new songs under his Sweet Vermilion moniker, “Daybreak//Misunderstanding” and “Patient Sounds”. All proceeds will benefit the International Refugee Assistance Project, and you can download them now via his Bandcamp page.

Where his bandmates have already tried their hands at fuzzy power pop and whimsical psychedelia, Cassidy’s Sweet Vermilion takes a gentler, acoustified approach. On “Daybreak//Misunderstanding”, he places a soft, detached vocal against stately, arpeggiated guitar, recalling the expansive folk odysseys of Department of Eagles. Meanwhile, second song “Patient Sounds” copes with a long distance relationship, riding a wobbly 6/8 groove into a cathartic, swaying synth crescendo. You can stream both tracks below, but you better donate after, or the Spirit of Good Will is going to find you and give you a stern talking to.