The Boxer Rebellion have made some successful noise in the last year, releasing their second full-length, Union, digitally (and later physically) and having it do things like go straight to number one on the iTunes alternative album charts. How do you like them apples?
You know what apples I like? The ones like the film clip to Union’s opening track ‘Flashing Red Light Means Go.’ I know it’s not actually an apple, per se, but if I’m gonna use metaphors, you’re coming along for the ride, because that’s what the Boxer Rebellion make you do in this clip; go on a post-apocalyptic, Matrix-esque, machine-controlled World War Three crazy train as you listen to the drilling drums, soaring guitars and a little bit of vocal acrobatics, intersecting and absorbing one another in a four man sonic rush. It has one of those uplifting, floaty feelings that make you do figure eights with your head and do those floppy arm stroke moves in front of you, like you’re Penny Lane in pretty much all of Almost Famous, minus the crying scenes.
The stratospheric, escapist sound is completely at odds with the creepy clip. The bowels of the Internet have been far too stubborn to provide information on who the kids behind the clip are and what it’s about, so I believe, like the otherworldly song and peculiar video, the Boxer Rebellion are trying to create a mysterious image. To be honest, I have no idea what the clip has to do with the song, musically, lyrically or band-nominally. And to be even more frank, I don’t really care. There are machine sharks with TVs in their mouths. SHARKS WITH TVS IN THEIR MOUTHS. What are they trying to tell us????? Just roll with it. I rest my case.
[youtube rMMRkclZ450]
