Dead Billionaires Turn To Ill Comfort In “Straight Shooter”

 In News

Apathy and escapism are just easier than action and responsibility. We can’t justify the time for tasks and routines that will better our lives, yet don’t hesitate to click “yes” when a prompt asks us if we’re still watching a beloved TV show hours into the evening. It’s a destructive instinct inherent to everyday existence, one that you can zoom in on for your own life or take a broader view of the world around you. For Dead Billionaires, they decided to tackle both vantage points in the video for their latest single, “Straight Shooter,” which looks to ignore useful remedies in the face of comforting detachment.

Both the song and video expertly depict parallel forms of escapism. One narrative thread follows the plight of a sick individual, eschewing medicine in favor of creature comforts like alcohol and television, which director Ashley Travis captures with all-too-familiar scenes of an electronic screen providing the color in life. In contrast, another thread showcases spirited concert-goers who lose themselves in the musical moment, seemingly oblivious to the impending catastrophe unfolding around them. In both instances, the larger problem at hand is set aside for fleeting moments of relief, moments that could be better spent addressing and fixing the problem at hand.

The lyrics, set against a buzzing rock jam with punchy drums and driving guitars, emphasize the weighty themes, breaking them down to their core issues (“My head aches and my body’s sore\ But I’m still awake”) while still cognizant of the world all around (“Rainforest is coming down\ Trying not to be the first to drown\ Cause it’s too late”). It’s another taste of the insightful socio-political commentary we should expect from their forthcoming record Disaster Preparedness Coloring Book (set for release on Friday, June 2nd), which was also previewed by “Curb,” a galvanizing war cry (which received its own music video) that provides the balance to the detached analysis of “Straight Shooter.” Both angles help make Disaster Preparedness Coloring Book an essential assessment of modern-day life with music that will melodically embody its passion and vitality and lyrics that will inspire us to do more and be more.

Check out the video for “Straight Shooter” below. Pre-orders are available for Disaster Preparedness Coloring Book now through Bandcamp, and make sure to follow Dead Billionaires on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for more news and updates!

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