Round Eye set their sights on the Drumpf, Soilwork get animated and Robert Ellis gets passive aggressive on today’s Roundup. Don’t forget to take the turkey out of the freezer before Monday — unless wrestling the frozen neck and innards out of the cavity is a tradition in your house too.
1 When you’re speeding toward the cliff with no brakes and no one at the wheel, there’s only one thing to do: Crank up the tunes and enjoy what remains of the ride. And with that, I give you Shanghai freak-punks Round Eye and their new single Do The Drumpf. Don’t blame me. I just work here. SEZ THE PRESS RELEASE: “Do the Drumpf is one of two songs on a digitally released single on Joey Shithead of DOA‘s Vancouver-based Sudden Death Records. The compilation is a celebration of the second anniversary of the death of common sense in the USA. Round Eye front man Chachy says, “This video is our subjective window into the reality of the sitcom we call American politics.” Cue the laugh track above.
2 Just in case the previous video wasn’t cartoonish enough for you, here’s one that’s truly out of this world: The animated clip for Stålfågel — translation: Steel Bird — the new single from Swedish metal kings Soilwork. Watch as our heroes escape the clutches of evil space lords with the help of giant flying cream pies, then get vengeance with the assistance of the intergalactic Target Heads and a giant metal space-sub. Or something like that. SEZ THE PRESS RELEASE: “The song is taken from their impatiently awaited 11th album, Verkligheten, which marks their first in more than three years and also the first to feature Thusgaard on drums, who replaced Dirk Verbeuren in 2016.” Poor Dirk:
3 You might know Robert Ellis as a Texas singer-guitarist. But for some reason, he decided to write his new album on piano. Predictably enough, the Valentine’s Day release will be called Texas Piano Man. But here’s something nobody could have predicted: It sounds like the love child of vintage Elton John, Leon Russell and Ben Folds. If that doesn’t whet your appetite enough, the advance single Passive Aggressive should seal the deal. SEZ THE PRESS RELEASE: “It’s one of my favorites on the record, and I thought it would be fun and appropriate for the holidays. Share this song with that family member who always seems to ask some cutting question about your love life, or for that friend back home who always wants to know if you are still ‘trying out the music thing.’”
