When you’re a kid, everything feels like the most important thing in the world. Your first crush is as intense as anything. Childhood friendships are stronger than any material in the world. And any disagreements will lead you to believe that you’re now mortal enemies with each other. Toronto’s Good Kid have taken these intense feelings of childhood and honed them into an engaging, fun sound. Steel yourself for some button-mashing and dramatic showdowns with the band’s video game-themed video for new single “Slingshot.”
The song itself sounds like Good Kid are getting ready for a good rumble. The dual guitars of Jacob Tsafatinos and David Wood carry urgency, rocketing the track ahead as vocalist Nick Frosst lays down the stakes. It seems an old friend has come back around, and the arguments that consumed their youth have grown into a full-blown feud. This all sounds very serious and heavy, but Good Kids bring a decidedly lighter touch to it, with a heaping dash of pettiness in the lyrics and a delightful melody to infuse some levity into the proceedings.
The video is a work of art. Animated by Gabriel Altrows and Gergana Peeva, “Slingshot” is a throwback to old arcade games. Good Kid have found themselves on the losing end of a boss fight, so it’s time for a training montage. The pixelated avatars of the band engage in your standard video game leveling up process, from lifting weights frantically to kicking trash cans in order to find extra lives. The lyrics appearing as speech bubbles is a nice touch, and overall the video is animated incredibly and deeply hilarious.
The over-the-top nature of the song and video were definitely intentional. Good Kid say “‘Slingshot’ was written about childhood rivalries and the perceived urgency of being a frustrated kid. We took inspiration from the exaggerated tales of friends turned bitter rivals found in fantasy and anime and tried to hone that into the lyrics and mood of the song.”
Strap in for some leveling up and watch “Slingshot” now.
