If the state of the world has you feeling weighed down, allow us to recommend some “Cheerful Coping,” from Boston and Brooklyn alt-rock/pop-punk band We Demand Parachutes.
The melodic and explosive “Cheerful Coping,” produced and engineered by Alan Day of Four Year Strong, captures the spirit of the modern day – and the little things we do in order to keep moving forward as the world burns around us.
“‘Cheerful Coping’ is the story of the underdog. There is something powerful in having a mindset of resilience. Like the rest of the world, the three of us have all had some wild life happen these past couple of years. As a band, we’ve adopted the mantra, ‘Cheerful Coping.’ The world’s getting weirder. We think it’s important to keep that positive mindset and keep driving through the obstacles. Life is going to knock you down; you’ve gotta keep standing back up,” says We Demand Parachutes.
And that’s what We Demand Parachutes are doing on this new single. As vocalist and guitarist Kevin McCord paints a vivid picture of modern-day struggles with relatable lived-in anecdotes and clever wordplay, Ben Shumaker’s drums and percussion add a dynamic thunder to the mix, acting as the undertow that pulls the listener in after taking McCord’s lyrical bait, while Seth Richardson’s low-end bass and programming add a unique depth and complexity.
Add in Day’s studio finish, and what emerges is classic chemistry from We Demand Parachutes: a relentlessly catchy and hyper-polished composition that’s somehow both heavy and airy at the same time. As McCord sings about the “weight of the word,” the music of “Cheerful Coping” seems to crash down all around him with a drama and intensity most bands fail to capture .
The title track to a new six-track EP due out later this year, “Cheerful Coping” reflects a creative songwriting shift for We Demand Parachutes, taking demos and ideas born in isolation and rebuilding them through the pre-production process in the studio with Day at Ghost Hit Recording studio in West Springfield, Massachusetts.
How are we feeling about this one?
