Protomartyr release a new single/video, “Michigan Hammers,” off of their new album, Ultimate Success Today, out July 17th on Domino. Following “Worm in Heaven” and “Processed By The Boys,” “Michigan Hammers” is fierce with staccato guitar and thrashing percussion. Singer Joe Casey’s voice is forceful and insistent: “The Michigan Hammers are on their way // A chant from the end of the bar, not all of them on pills // Break apart the surface lot // What’s been torn down can be rebuilt // What has been rebuilt can be destroyed.”
The accompanying video was directed by Yoonha Park, who was responsible for the band’s “Wheel of Fortune” and “Don’t Go To Anacita” videos, and was built entirely of found stock footage. “This video is a retelling of a well-known Michigan folk tale that describes timeless themes of greed, power, death and rebirth and nothing short of the conflict of good and evil,” says Park.
Joe Casey further explains: “Couldn’t make a ‘proper’ video due to the miasma. So why not make one using what tools remain? That’s sort of what MICHIGAN HAMMERS is about I think – building with rubble. It’s probably about that and mules, syndicates, too many parking lots, camaraderie, the ideal happy hour, failure, and takin’ what they’re givin’ ’cause we’re workin’ for a livin’ until we start takin’ it to the streets. Or something like that.”
WATCH PROTOMARTYR’S VIDEO FOR “MICHIGAN HAMMERS”
STREAM “MICHIGAN HAMMERS”
Protomartyr is Joe Casey (vocals), Greg Ahee (guitars), Alex Leonard (drums), and Scott Davidson (bass guitar). Ultimate Success Today features guest musicians Nandi Rose (vocals) a.k.a. Half Waif, jazz legend Jemeel Moondoc (alto sax), Izaak Mills (bass clarinet, sax, flute), and Fred Lonberg-Holm (cello).
Ultimate Success Today is available to pre-order now on LP, CD and digital formats. A limited blue-in-red colored edition of the LP is available exclusively on the Domino Mart.
WATCH THE VIDEO FOR “WORM IN HEAVEN”
WATCH THE VIDEO FOR “PROCESSED BY THE BOYS”
PRE-ORDER ULTIMATE SUCCESS TODAY
Domino Mart | Digital
PRAISE FOR “WORM IN HEAVEN”
“pretty uncharacteristic one for the group, restrained up until its final shuddering moments. Moody and meditative, it’s almost what would pass as a ballad in Protomartyr’s world.” – Stereogum
“relatively low-key and mellow, following a slinky guitar line while singer Joe Casey reflects about how close he is to heaven’s gates.” – Consequence of Sound
PRAISE FOR “PROCESSED BY THE BOYS”
“The seismic first cut off the Detroit band’s fifth LP Ultimate Success Today rattles with “cosmic grief beyond all comprehension.” Its video, a bizarre tribute to the Brazillian meme “Gil da Esfiha vs Galerito,” is equally discombobulating.” – The FADER
“On lead single ‘Processed By The Boys,’ out now, Casey once again casts his drunken-philosopher gaze on the world’s ills, backed by a reverb-laden stomp that builds into the kind of cacophony this band does best.” – Stereogum
“the classic wall-of-noise feel of a Protomartyr track” – Paste
Protomartyr Online:
https://www.facebook.com/protomartyr
https://soundcloud.com/protomartyr
http://pitchperfectpr.com/protomartyr
https://protomartyr.bandcamp.com
http://www.dominorecordco.us/artists/protomartyr
Keep your mind open.
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[Thanks to Jacob at Pitch Perfect PR.]