Brooklyn-based alt-rocker Moon Walker shares his latest provocative single "The Stolen City" where he examines the forgotten, hidden past of the modern American city, along with its accompanying visualizer. The sophomore album from Moon Walker, The Attack Of Mirrors, is due out October 21 and available for pre-order now, including a limited run on vinyl available for pre-order here.
Moon Walker's unabashed observations of the flaws and failures of American society permeate the artist's work, and the latest single, "The Stolen City" is no exception. Written while watching the Lena Waithe-produced television show Them, Moon Walker was instantly struck by the way modern American cities are quick to stamp out their true, often dark, history and culture in place of a more polished, idyllic facade. Moon Walker explains the show, "made me think a lot about how, even to this day, geographical locations are stolen or gentrified and the history, culture, people, etc. that they were stolen from are often forgotten."
"Despite not believing in ghosts," Moon Walker continues, "the concept that places are haunted by their history makes a lot of sense to me. It's terrifying to think about all of the horrific history (some remembered, some forgotten) that haunts every American city."
Over shredding guitar riffs, distorted vocals and a haunting backing instrumental, Moon Walker commands attention with the track's unrelenting lyrics, "We'll let the dead do all the wishing / So we can start a brand new system / We'll forge their headstones on our floor / And stomp until our feet are sore." Equipped with a true fearlessness and a deep desire to confront harsh realities embedded in society, each of the musician's spirited releases continue to elevate his sound and cement his message.
The latest release follows the previously shared singles "Pins & Needles," "The Price of Life Itself," and "I'm Afraid I'll Go To Heaven." The angsty "Pins & Needles" sees Moon Walker fight against the pervasive feelings of comparison and the disillusionment that comes with feeling stuck. He aims to keep himself afloat while seemingly everyone else is moving faster and achieving more, along with its accompanying video where viewers are invited through an empty NYC subway car. Plunging into more weighty subject matter, "The Price Of Life Itself" grapples with the deeply flawed structures that lay at the foundation of American society. Through reverberated vocals and grainy electric guitar, the track came about when the artist saw a militarized police response to an entirely peaceful protest with his own eyes in the midst of the 2020 Black Lives Matter demonstrations. With the ethos of the track shown in the concluding lines, "We can stay above the water, while still lending a hand to those who sink / The price of life itself." The track's accompanying video brings viewers into a sinking rabbit hole à la Alice in Wonderland, available to view here.
The dark, synthy lead single "I'm Afraid I'll Go To Heaven" is a bold look at religion as it pertains to the modern political system and like much of Moon Walker's music, strikes a balance between sarcasm and sincerity. Watch the accompanying surreal, The Shining-inspired video here.
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