Photo by James Lockridge

Burlington, VT’s alt-punk band Better Things has released a new Lego-based music video for “Stick That in Your Juicebox and Sip It.” The new single evokes the logic behind the band’s name, which is all about moving forward, never losing hope, and pushing for self-betterment. The song is about progressing from loss, pain, or hardship, and working with what you have by keeping an open mind. From the opening line of “It’s a process that I’m not all that familiar with” to the closing “I’ll be alright, I’m moving forward,” it is a complete resolution of their drummer Mark’s internal conflict after losing love.

“The meaning of the song changed from the beginning,” says Better Things drummer Mark Weber. “Originally I wrote it as a way to get past some of my personal fears, but as I went through a tough situation in a relationship and it got applied to that song. Just because lyrically it’s somewhat open-ended and you can apply it to whatever bad thing is happening to you and use it. Honestly, any progress you make, any positive thing that happens, any little thing that makes you happy… you can use that as a means to move beyond whatever problem you’re facing.”

In contrast to the weighty lyrics, the light-hearted music video was shot with LEGO mini-figures that resemble Better Things. It was all shot with a cell phone camera, continuing on with the band’s DIY attitude. “It turned out differently than I expected from when we were first talking about it, and I think that happened for all of us” says Weber. “When we were doing it in the method we chose to, I was skeptical that it would turn out looking good or looking like something we could attach to this song, but when I saw the finished product I was more than thrilled with the outcome.”

“Stick That in Your Juicebox and Sip It” is available for purchase on Bandcamp.

“Stick That in Your Juicebox and Sip It” Lyrics:

It’s a process that I’m not all that familiar with

but at least I’m making progress

maybe that’s enough for now

Trying to hold my head

above the rushing water

gasping for one final breath

and take myself into the shallows

and I’ll crack a smile, like there is nothing wrong

and I’ll crack a smile, convince me that I’ll be alright

It’s a process that I’m not all that familiar with

but at least I’m making progress

maybe that’s enough for now

Why do you think I’m standing here?

Do you think it’s just coincidence?

You told me to fight, to make my own way

You told me to believe again

On my way, in the left direction

is this progress or just regression

Zero to Sixty in just Five seconds

Nothing to fear but my own reflection

It’s a process that I’m not all that familiar with

but at least I’m making progress

maybe that’s enough for now

I’ll be alright, I’m moving forward