San Francisco-by-way-of-Tempe, Arizona, rock and roll machine Alvie & The Breakfast Pigs wrote a new song about the American experience. Today, we’re debuting the video for “American Something” — check it out below!
“American Something” opens with a military snare beat and a minor key take on a classic American theme of patriotism. Imagery of the open highway, Alvie & The Breakfast Pigs on stage, and USAF fighter jets flying in formation beneath a superimposed flag waving in the wind. But thirty seconds into the video, the lead guitar line veers away from the familiar, similar to the liberties one Jimi Hendrix took in his infamous interpretation of “The Star Spangled Banner.”
Immediately, then, the tongue is seen with the cheek. The imagery of faux patriotism reveals itself and the song becomes uncomfortable. Lead singer Alvie Adams sets the tone early with the opening lines “Look into these eyes and tell me that / Differences can be good but don’t rely on it.”
Loud, fast, melodic guitar lines undercut the speedy current and chaotic disarray of the landscape presented, musically capturing the feeling of powerlessness under the Trump administration.
The new track “is a song about what it feels like to live in modern America. It doesn’t feel patriotic and it doesn’t feel good,” according to a statement from the band. “We hope our new tune ‘American Something’ will move you to stand strong and take the power back.”
“American Something” is one half of a split release with another SF rock and roll outfit, Northern Waste, whose song titled “Fump Truck” leaves less to the imagination and is also available for listening below.
Both bands will be teaming up this weekend for a pair of shows in SoCal, one at Los Angeles’ Bridgetown DIY (La Puente, proper) on Friday, and on Saturday at an undisclosed house show in San Diego.
In early March, Alvie & The Breakfast Pigs will perform at a First Friday show in Oakland, before supporting Joan and the Rivers at The Caravan Lounge in San Jose and taking off for a brief tour through Colorado and the PNW. They close March with a show at Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco supporting Kandur.
Everyone is Dirty, The Helltones, Alvie & The Breakfast Pigs, Credit Electric
The Uptown
March 2, 2018
FREE, 8PM, All Ages
Joan and the Rivers, Alvie & the Breakfast Pigs, Cola
The Caravan Lounge (San Jose)
March 3, 2018
FREE, 9PM, 21+
Kandur, Alvie & The Breakfast Pigs, Fellow Vessel
Bottom of the Hill
March 30, 2018
$10/$12, 8:30PM, All Ages
