Premiere: Mt. Joy Debuts New Political Track “New President”
Watch The Accompanying Lyric Video Below
Philly-bred indie folk band Mt. Joy has released their latest track, “New President.” The song is the band’s first following their untimely canceled tour with the Lumineers, as well as their sprawling and vibrant sophomore album, Rearrange Us. It is also Mt. Joy’s most explicit foray into political music yet. The track is intentionally timed to coincide with the upcoming election and the band’s message comes across clear and concise - “We need a new president.”
The band has not been shy with their activism this year, donating 100% of the profits from the first week of release for Rearrange Us to Campaign Zero, a nonprofit dedicated to reducing police violence. Still, “New President” is quite possibly the band’s most direct statement in their catalog. The familiar breezy folk instrumental palette gives the track an earnest bent, but the lyrics make the band’s frustration and anxiety unmissable. As the band states with the refrain, “Yes we need a new president / And we should fall in love again.” It’s a simple hope, but the band is not so naive as to think voting alone is the answer.
The song takes on a stomping, determined tone on the bridge as singer Matt Quinn insists, “We’re gonna march down this boulevard / We’re gonna march down right now / We’re gonna tear down these fascist clowns / We’re gonna tear them down right now.” With the song, Quinn recognizes that change is a long process, one with no foregone conclusion. It takes energy and commitment. Yet, he also makes clear how untenable the status quo is, singing “I’m sorry / Same story / Same story / Same fools.” Though the band knows we need a new president, they also know that politicians won’t be the ones to build up a new future for the country. Instead, the future lies with a unified people working for the common good.
Frontman Matt Quinn explains, “The new song is centered on the idea that America reminds me of the arc of so many failed relationships. The issues start piling up and we recognize that there are issues, but we let go and don’t exert the energy to fix them. So, now we are at the breaking point. We have to put all of our energy into fixing these problems or else, among other things, we will lose our freedom. I had the opportunity to get out and protest and it made me somewhat optimistic. There are so many more people that want equality and a world where human rights are inalienable rights. So, I hope the song captures the feeling of realizing we are at the final breaking point, but feeling hopeful that we can still fix it if we do it together. And don’t get me wrong, Fuck Donald Trump.”
With “New President,” Mt. Joy asks their fans to take the first step towards fixing these problems on November 3rd. Check out the song and accompanying lyric video below.
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