As the year begins to wind down, Louis York's Masterpiece Theater – Act 1 maintains a spot at the top of our favorites thanks to complex, genre-defying tunes and engaging story-telling. Claude Kelly and Chuck Harmony know how to rock a party, yes, but their relatable lyrics prove that there's plenty of substance behind the groove. Their song "Nerds" stands out for this very reason, and they recently released a captivating lyric video to accompany the track.
Fans of the duo will notice that the video omits the song's prelude -- a self-esteem-boosting '80s rock/power ballad anthem -- choosing instead to shine a somber spotlight on society's ills. A compilation of news footage about the murder of Mike Brown immediately makes an impact as Harmony's mournful piano playing gives voice to our pain, reminding the world that this particular wound is still fresh. As we seek to make sense of it all, the composition becomes brooding, giving way to dark synth and scratchy beats while Kelly introspectively sings, "I wonder if Martin was alive now / Would he be proud?" News clips and photos of racially-charged current events provide a riveting backdrop to the song's thought-provoking ponderings. With such disheartening circumstances, it's sometimes easy to become buried under the weight of it all. We understand why "these are the things that keep me up at night." But rather than wallow in helplessness or succumb to bitter complacency, Louis York offers a challenge, melodically urging that we "gotta do better."
"As artists we have a responsibility to use our platform to say something meaningful. To make a statement. This is ours." We applaud Louis York for putting their words into action. Watch the video below, follow Louis York on Twitter and if you haven't already, get your copy of Masterpiece Theater – Act 1 today on Amazon or iTunes.
