Pink Floyd introduced generations to The Dark Side of the Moon, and that’s cool. Chousand just wants to introduce generations to the dark side of the meme. The Connecticut-based kings of meme-o are best known for their high energy, low self-esteem brand of in your face punk. Their self-titled debut album was released in the Spring of 2018 and was packed to the brim with huge hooks, subtle jokes, and the kind of jovial energy that can only be expressed before life removes the crow-bar from it’s backpack and brings you to your knees. This is the moment when things start to get a little…well, Gary.

Now, what the hell is Gary? Well, to put it simply, Gary is a mindset. It’s walking a fine line between “everything is fine” and “I just want to die.” It’s also the follow-up EP to the band’s previously mentioned self-titled record. This time around, the sound is darker and a lot more cynical as Chousand have opted to take the levity of youth that soaked their previous work and invert the colors. The songs that make up this EP are crass and angry, abrasive and ready to burn the house to the ground. This all comes across perfectly in the Julian Focareta directed music video for lead single, “Don’t Forget The Beers,” that I get to share with y’all today.

This being our first introduction to Gary, it only makes sense that the music video is this chaotic and evil look at the psyche of a man on the brink of mental collapse. The track alone is a solid indicator of what the band has been cooking up in the two years since they last released music. It still has a lot of the same driving energy, but the focus feels a little shifted. It’s a more jagged look at what the band has to offer without shying too far from what listeners have come to expect. This marries perfectly with the video which offers up a dichotomous look at both the hollow stare of living through the motions and the chaotic energy of wanting to do whatever it takes to feel even a shred of the life that once coursed through your veins.

The music video for “Don’t Forget The Beers” can be seen above. This track is only a small taste of of what Chousand has in store for the world with Gary, which is set to be released on February 29th. You’ve been warned.