Micah Erenberg does it for love, Trapdoor make a move, Coilguns fire and more in today’s Roundup. Welcome to the merry merry month of May!
1 There are countless reasons why we do the things we do. But in the main, they boil down to two motivators: Money or love. Manitoba singer-songwriter Micah Erenberg is one of those guys who Do It For Love, as documented via the lush, sweetly swirling Flaming Lips pop of his new single — not to mention the endearing home-movie video that illustrates it. SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “Do It For Love is a song about the unlikely friendships that follow you throughout your whole life. “I had a friend when I was a kid who didn’t want to grow up,” says Erenberg. “And as we did he went through a lot of hard times. It wasn’t easy for him, but no matter what he always had a positive outlook on life. He was always able to turn a bad vibe into a good one; a great gift for such a young person. That’s kinda what the first verse is about. To this day he’s still an inspiration to my own growth.” Do it to it:
2 L.A. indie-popsters and environmental activists Trapdoor Social cruise the streets of their city — on a bicycle, of course — in the video to their funky-fresh single The Move. SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “The infectious track is inspired by the idea of a growing movement of people who want to leave the world better than they found it. With funk-fuelled guitars, impassioned vocals and a contagious chorus the single is sure to be stuck in your head all day long! The visuals feature protests for environmental regulation change.” Get in gear:
3 Coilguns have another round in the chamber. Less than a month after releasing their last single, the Swiss hardcore/noise/metal/punk rebels are back with the video for the angular and aggressive cut Blackboxing, taken from their recent album Millenials. Brace yourself. It packs a punch. SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “Coilguns is one of the proud flag holders of the 2.0 DIY scene since their inception in 2011 when they accidentally formed with the purpose of playing fast and simple music.” Accidentally?
4 What would make you happy again? The song celebrating the arrival of spring? A cute stop-motion video about cooking? A jangling surf-pop ditty with a catchy chorus? Well, you can get them all in Happy Again, the latest offering from Chicago trio Dehd and their May 10 album Water. Now turn that frown upside-down. SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “There’s a phenomenon that happens during the winters here in Chicago. As the season goes on you start to lose interest in things , it’s harder to get out of bed, your whole world outlook turns grey. Then on the first sunny day you’re happy again and you can see the cause of your depression so clearly. Even though it happens every year you forget until that first ray of sun. This song is about catching that first glimpse of hope.” Get cooking”:
5 Soundgarden and Audioslave singer Chris Cornell’s tragic 2017 death impacted countless musicians — including Sullivan singer-guitarist Brooks Paschal, who used the story to fuel his anthemic emo single Tell the World, from his May 31 Natural Disaster album. He already gave us the lyric video; now here’s the self-directed live-action version. SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “I didn’t know Chris personally, and I hadn’t achieved what he had, but I felt like I could empathize with why he did what he did. The amount of pressure we put on ourselves is often times untenable, especially in this business. The highs are beyond our wildest dreams and the lows leave a void that is literally irreplaceable. I have never been suicidal, but I have felt the weight of what it means to try your fucking hardest while the world expects more.” That’s telling it like it is:
