The Pinkerton Raid “The Village”
Americana Highways brings you this video premiere of The Pinkerton Raid’s song “The Village.” This song was produced by David Wimbish; engineered and mixed by James Phillips; and mastered by Justin Longerbeam.
“The Village” is Jesse James DeConto (songwriter) on bass and lead vocals; David Wimbish on rubber-bridge guitar, piano, and additional vocals; James Phillips on synthesizers, percussion, and additional vocals.
This video was animated by Bernardo Tirelli.
The song simultaneously plumbs the depths of the state of both the world and the human heart right now, taking the Wall Street metaphors of the bull and the bear to broader level of profundity. “The bulls run through the city streets / Trampling roses, seeing red / These waving flags just feed their rage / It’s a mad disease of fear / The herd stampedes right off the cliff / We escape by narrow trails.” How will the society survive? What will characterize humanity? The animated video is both a source of visual entertainment and a dark, compelling draw. The song gloriously flashes the more restrained side of The Pinkerton Raid.
Jesse James DeConto tells us, “My dad and grandpa used to talk about their stock investments when I was a little kid. I remember the trauma and the losses of Black Monday, 1987. I was 10 years old, the oldest of five kids, and it was a rough few years after that. We lost our house to foreclosure. My dad wrote a song addressed to President George H.W. Bush, ‘I Can’t Afford a Good Night Sleep.’
“I always just kind of shrugged at the metaphors of the bull and the bear to describe the financial markets. They’re so familiar as to feel meaningless. But when you think of how much profit is made by corporations and investors exploiting basic human needs like shelter, education and healthcare, maybe the monstrousness of the metaphors start to raise the proportionate amount of dread.
“We’ve assigned some of the most dangerous beasts in the world to symbolize the ups and downs of the stock markets, gains and losses that have literally wiped away people’s retirement and livelihoods, their hopes and dreams. We’ve been told that the capitalist system of money turning into more money — a system that by definition and intent rewards capital more than it rewards labor— that this is supposed to be the best way to make sure everybody gets what they need. But, then, why name it after beasts known to take human life? It’s almost as if everybody knows we’re in a predatory system where a few devour most of the resources and the rest of us go without.
“In ‘The Village’ I’m reflecting on the community and mutual care that might be able to protect us from the predators. I probably took a fantasy approach to the lyrics and the video because it’s all just too real.”
Find the music here: http://www.follow.thepinkertonraid.com/thevillage
Enjoy our previous coverage here: REVIEW: The Pinkerton Raid “Jagged Vacance Winter Songs by Other People”