Alpaca-in-Chief – Ex-God in a Toga
Pop stars aren’t supposed to face issues of their own mortality or wonder what spiritual path to take. Not on stage, anyway. If they don’t shove their gurus in a corner somewhere, chances are that they’ll lose their contracts. “Keep talk of the kingdom come for when you’re 30 and retired!”
Alpaca-in-Chief isn’t much worried about alienating fans or potentially losing endorsement deals. If his fans can’t take a joke, it means they must’ve walked through the doors by mistake. On “Ex-God in a Toga,” the artist imagines an ending that will likely be painful, but certainly hilarious.
Movie stars of old didn’t get a much sweeter deal either. They were rarely allowed to publicly acknowledge a romantic relationship. They couldn’t change their hairstyle, alter their weight, or say anything bad about the U.S. president. Jobs in the public eye demand a lot of stars and insist that they’re not asked any important questions.
There’s nobody working to keep Alpaca-in-Chief thin or off the books about religion. Either way, it’s hard to turn someone like that into a convert. Alpaca-in-Chief’s music is funny, clever indie-pop. You can sing it, you can quote, but you can’t give it to Sabrina Carpenter to sing. In Alpaca-in-Chief’s fantasy, Armageddon won’t be quiet, but it’ll make you laugh just like someone tickling your tummy. It’s the kind of indie-pop the world needs.
Big No No – The Muck and The Mire
Poor rock musicians have no chance! Most of their life’s work happens in a bar or immediately adjacent to one. Most of their songs are obsessed with life, what it means, and why it has to be this way. And, the majority of people reward the rock musicians for their activity, as well as other unlawful, immoral, and dangerous activities.
Big No No, a Swedish indie quartet, are done living in the darkness and collectively paying their respects to the evil, reckless nature of rock n’ roll. The band’s looking for some Sun, some good vibrations and a few honest people to share them with. But old habits die hard, and potential rock stars always feel pulled back in by the Devil and his recruits.
At least, it all sounds like a Summer garden party, even if the members of Big No No are conflicted about their role in this whole Positive Energy movement. “The Muck and The Mire” is a song about fighting your instincts, opting to take the best that life can offer, and buying that Spanish holiday before the merciless Swedish winter rolls along. Rock musicians have always had to make these kinds of choices. But, eventually, no matter how sweet the melodies are, they’ll end up back in the vicinity of a bar.
