Lace up those army boots, dust off your gas mask, and be prepared for this Molotov cocktail. However, we sadly aren't throwing it (this time). That job is reserved for the Brooklyn-based art punk band, Imperial Motors. This lethal cocktail has a name, and it is "Charlie Don't Surf." What a coincidence! That is the same name as the new EP from Imperial Motors! It's a scary world outside those doors, so you might as well sit down for a minute, put on "Charlie Don't Surf," and read what I have to say.
Imperial Motors is a Brooklyn-based art punk band comprised of members Liam Patrick O'Toole, Andrew Garces, Josh Cukier, and Ben Biber. Their debut single, "Freeloader," was released just this past August, but don't let the brand new car smell shake you off of this band. They know exactly what they want to do, who they are, and what they stand for. The kind of stuff you can only seem to find in younger bands. With that being said, a band is a band, and I plan to treat the legends and the young bucks as equals when I give them a listen.
Bartender
I could have sworn my Spotify glitched and started playing some unknown Bauhaus song to me as soon as this opening track played. At least the vocals echoed that sentiment.
Now, I haven't had the pleasure of falling in love with my bartender...yet. However, as any good child of the internet, I am no stranger to parasocial fantasies. This entire song is a great portrayal of being desensitized to what the truth is. In this case, losing awareness of who you are thanks to your lovely bartender filling your glass. The truth slips out, however, in the chorus, you are brought back to reality. Screaming out the dark truth:
Two hundred years ago you’d reach in the water / You could grab a trout, eat a trout — now you can’t even drink the water
Freeloader
The instrumentals in this track set the scene of being stuck in a video game. Not knowing what is real and what isn't. The Backrooms would be the best place to hear this song.
This was Imperial Motors' lead single, and honestly, it felt very underwhelming for such a big title to have. It doesn't highlight the great parts of this band as much as songs like "Bartender" or "Sonya". The lead vocals are all over the place here, which isn't something I usually would have a distaste for. However, with the other 3 songs on this EP, it just doesn't go together as well as I wanted. I will say, nonetheless, this flaw does fit the theme of not knowing what is real and what is not. It was not something I could find myself enjoying to its fullest. I can applaud them for being able to make this song sound like you are stuck in an uncanny valley sort of world.
Sonya
I fell in love with this song, and it definitely will show in my Spotify Wrapped this year. It is a great song that has a beautiful, odd theme. A story of two glaciologists in love amidst a climate disaster, contemplating suicide. Despite the bleak topic, I found myself dancing along to the prominent disco-sounding drum.
The full band breakdown comes in and makes you spiral into a dozen questions about the fate of our two glaciologists. Another great showcase of how this band uses its instruments to build up a scene for its listeners, successfully putting the listener into that universe.
Infinite Money Glitch
I really love the tie-in with this song and the name of the EP, "Charlie Don't Surf." At the surface, it is the name of the 5th mission in the popular game, 'Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare', a Clash song title, but it starts as a quote from the 1979 war film, 'Apocalypse Now'. A line that doesn't hold much meaning at a glance, but thinking deeper about it, it is a sad truth for what we still live in today. Best quoted by bassist and singer, Liam O'Toole:
It really is like a video game glitch. You enter a certain combination of inputs, and you rig the game. The bombardier doesn't look at the civilians he's dropping missiles on as people; they're NPCs on a mini-map.
One of my favorite things about writing for MSM is listening to music I never would have heard on my own. This is one of those cases. In the "great" age of the internet, you would think new music would be more available to you. Well...sometimes. If your FYP is perfectly curated to be more than brain-rotting Gen Z humor, unlike mine (Littlest Pet Shop version of Shakespeare is perfection though!).
Despite being in the world of punk music and its vast array of subgenres, I had never heard of this band before. So, I am really glad they came across my "desk" and I had the chance to listen to a genuinely good EP, listen to it multiple times, and dig into every inch of it. I am excited to see what these fresh faces have in store for us in the future and to see them grow into themselves. We need more artists who aren't afraid to tackle tough but relevant subjects. Imperial Motors does just that.
Keeping Up with Imperial Motors:
Instagram | Spotify | Bandcamp | Soundcloud
