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In the annals of music history, punk is the genre typically associated with spitting in the face of authority and rallying the masses. With their new single we’re premiering today, The Keystones make clear that those messages are just as resonant in the form of modern rock and … is that a hint of nu-metal I hear?
The punkiest aspect of “The Wolf of Walgreens,” musically speaking, is its length. Clocking in at a touch over 2 minutes, the lead single from The Keystones’ upcoming EP goes hard practically every second — save for a couple well-placed clips from its cinematic doppelganger, The Wolf of Wall Street. Is there a record scratch or two in the mix? Absolutely. But they fit right into a song that is downright propulsive.
It’s easy to get caught up in the driving beat because, as driving beats go, this is Steve McQueen careening over the hills of San Francisco. It’ll get you from point A to point B in no time, which makes it easy to miss the scenery along the way — or, in this case, the lyrics that put the pharmaceutical industry on blast:
He’s just a New York Pharma Boy
Insurance claims in daddy’s Royce
Shareholder succubus, he’s sung this song before
Cold facts, his tongue is split in two
Left half is working over you
Flashbacks to Fridays at the Fairwick Heights Hotel
“There was a lot of anger during the writing process, but also a lot of levity, a lot of humor,” Keystones singer Jack Sherman shared. “We’re not so young as to believe a song or an album can change the way the world works, but we wanted to send a message to the people who profit most from the hardships other people face — to let them know that we’re here, we’ve noticed, and we’re going to make some noise about it.”
It’s a wonderfully raucous noise you can check out right now using the player at the top of the page. It’ll also be on the 88Nine airwaves throughout today (6:30 and 10:30 a.m.; 2:30, 6:30 and 9:30 p.m.) and The Keystones’ forthcoming EP, Do You Work Hard Enough? For a live taste, check out the band’s big gig coming up Sept. 7 at The Rave with Diet Lite, Modern Joey and Chapped Lips.
