Zack Oakley Premieres “Badlands” Video
Zack Oakley — known for his work in JOY, Pharlee, and probably six or seven other bands by now; they roll productive in San Diego — issued his first solo record, Badlands (review here), last Fall through his own Kommune Records imprint. And while I might not usually put song lyrics up with a post like this (admittedly, every now and again I do), I’m including them here, because the thing about “Badlands,” the song, is that it’s pretty grim. The album starts out with the classic shred-boogie of “Freedom Rock,” sneering in the new West Coast tradition that, Oakley, it should be mentioned, has helped to define. Cuts like “I’m the One” and the harmonica-laced blues rocker “Mexico” — also cowbell, shimmering psych and maybe organ or just other swirling effects in that one (I might be imagining that), if you’re keeping count — and the Cali-as-fuck “Acid Rain,” which definitely has organ, offer insert-label-here-and-yes-that-means-all-of-them-worthy, modern-as-classic-as-modern heavy rock and roll, a righteous stepping forward for Oakley into a spotlight that he more than earns through craft and performance in these songs. In other words: Fuck yeah, dude.
But “Badlands,” especially in following “Acid Rain,” feels subdued with its acoustic pluck and far-back vocals, flourish of keys and subtle layering. The song builds, of course, but it’s still lines like “I woke up today feeling like I’ve never felt before/Do I run or hesitate when they knock upon my door?,” especially with Oakley‘s vocals more forward than at other points on the record, feel particularly effective in incapsulating current anxiety and paranoia. Who are “they” knocking on the door? Cops? Fascists? Fascist cops? And the “badlands” themselves become the setting regardless even of climate fears, though those might get a nod as well in that lyric about the sun falling into the sea, but it’s the vulnerability and what feels like a sincere expression of fear that most stand the song out to me. Pick your apocalypse. On a record that seems to take such pleasure in hurrying from place to place at times — the shuffle of “Fever” or the wah-drenched “I’m the One” — even the prior acoustic track “Searching High Searching Low” and the more languid early going of “Desert Shack” don’t hit on quite the same kind of patience, and the fact that “Badlands” is both the title-track and essentially buried at the end of the record that shares its name is telling. It’s there, waiting to be found.
The new video — hey, it’s premiering right down there! — makes finding it that much easier.
Some comment from Oakley follows the clip below.
Please enjoy:
Zack Oakley, “Badlands” video premiere
Zack Oakley on “Badlands”:
I released my first solo record in September of last year. It is a completely DIY release meant solely for lovers of underground psychedelic music. My brother and I grinded hard to get this thing out and we’re absolutely over the moon to be able to premiere this video. For all the diehard vinyl heads there are copies available at our homemade label, Kommune Records, website http://www.kommunerecords.com (international shipping available!). For those who don’t mind digital, we have the entire record available in hi-fi formats for free at my Bandcamp (zackoakley.bandcamp.com). All other streaming services offer it as well.
Again, this project is completely DIY from the engineering and production down to the physical pressing. If you like this thing please share! We are an independent operation that relies heavily on word of mouth of the underground!
from the album “Badlands” by Zack Oakley
Video made by Zack and Matt Oakley and Cory Martinez
Kommune Records 2021
LYRICS:
What evil lies in this world today
coming back around
it doesn’t take but just one look
how easily it’s found
take me back to better days
or send me to my grave
i do not wish to stick around
and watch the slow decay
I woke up today feeling like
ive never felt before
do i run? or hesitate
when they knock upon my door
he may strike us down
and ban the rest
till we’re dead upon the floor
the hand of god
feels closer now
than it ever has before
will the sun rise tomorrow?
or fall into the sea?
Well it feels like im caught
in this terrible dream again
im lost in the badlands
