No. 1 hot new band Hot Mulligan are back with the announcement of their fourth full-length record, The Sound a Body Makes When It’s Still, which is set for release on Aug. 22 via Wax Bodega. The announcement was accompanied by “And a Big Load,” which serves as a first taste of this new era of the post-emo giants.
Preorder The Sound a Body Makes When It’s Still here.
“And a Big Load” is a true, authentic Hot Mulligan track with a clear indication of what’s to come for the Michiganders. Its introspective and dark lyricism, co-vocalist Tades Sanville’s echoing yells, and twinkling guitar riffs highlight Hot Mulligan’s niche while still introducing something new to the table. The track is an account of how haunting it is to be alive and aware of the positions you place yourself in. The lines “All alone, it’s just these thoughts and me / Am I ever gonna make things right?” portray the feelings of hopelessness and frustration that come along with being self-aware of your actions. Co-vocalist and guitarist Chris Freeman explains,
“It’s the consequences of your own actions. You could face them; you could avoid them entirely. Our biggest conflicts and struggles are often self inflicted. Drink too much? Hangover. What did you say last night? Apologize… or don’t. You could commit suicide instead. You could commit to being sober. You could commit to drinking one million beers. At the end of the day it’ll all be left for you to deal with. It’s terrifying.”
The song was released alongside a perfectly chaotic music video directed by Michael Herrick, which features the band giving a high-energy performance in a skate park. The video also sees the band in a handful of random and nonsensical acts and includes callbacks to the early 2000s pop-punk and nu-metal aesthetic.
In true Hot Mulligan fashion, the tracklist of The Sound a Body Makes When It’s Still features a handful of silly song titles, including “Monica Lewinskibidi” and “Monster Burger and a $5 Beer.” However, don’t let this fool you. Although they’re known for their ridiculously funny titles, the actual meanings and inspirations behind the songs are usually quite dark and sad. The Sound a Body Makes When It’s Still, which has been described as the band’s most ambitious and cohesive record to date, is no exception. This album explores themes of addressing fears of uncertainty about the future and navigating the present despite these anxieties.
Sanville expands upon this idea, sharing,
“‘The Sound a Body Makes When It’s Still’ is a lyric reference. That lyric is in a song about paranoia, which is fear. With the album title, you can go the meditation route, or, the horror that you are in your body, and you have to exist. You have no choice, really. Even if you plan on killing yourself, right now you exist. And that is a terrifying thing.”
Hot Mulligan has a thrilling year still ahead. In addition to the release of this highly anticipated fourth record, the band is about to embark on a set of intimate live shows in the United States and head overseas to support Pierce The Veil on their I Can’t Hear You World Tour. They also have a string of festival appearances lined up over the next few months, including Bonnaroo, Four Chord Music Festival, and Sea Hear Now. Tickets and information for Hot Mulligan’s upcoming shows can be found here.
The Sound a Body Makes When It’s Still Tracklist:
- Moving to Bed Bug Island
- And a Big Load
- It Smells Like Fudge Axe in Here
- Island in the Sun (feat. Corey Castro of Free Throw)
- Bon Jonah
- This Makes Me Yummy
- Monica Lewinskibidi
- Milam Minute
- Cream of Wheat of Feet New Cream of (feat)
- Mix Master Wade On The Beat
- Carbon Monoxide Hotel
- This Makes Me Yucky
- Let Me See Your Mounts
- Monster Burger and a $5 Beer
- Slumdog Scungillionaire
- My Dad Told Me To Write a Nice One For Nana So This Is It
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