The latest album from the Brothers Lazaroff, Dangerous Times, was released on November 1 and, for six weeks in a row, the record has cracked the CMJ Top 200 chart, peaking at 105.
That's no small feat, and it stands as a testament to the hard work of brothers Jeff and David Lazaroff, as well as their backing band — especially since this is their first attempt at a concept album.
"We started writing this in November of 2015 and continued as we watched the Presidential campaign unfold," explains Jeff. "The 'concept' became tracking the intellectual and emotional responses of witnessing a campaign of bigotry, racism and misogyny develop and gain traction — and eventually win. Writing these songs helped us channel our anger, disbelief and fear."
"We had to process what we were seeing," adds David. "Rallies that were reminiscent of fascist European countries from the '30s, a candidate that played off of our worst impulses — all done through this reality TV, social media filter."
Today in an exclusive with RFT Music, the group releases the video for "Cover for Our Heads," the album's fourth track. Jeff says the song is meant to reflect "on the spiritual conflict of getting basic needs met in a modern world that pulls us into a reality that celebrates celebrity, excess, fame and false beauty."
The video is a relatively simple one, with David and Jeff serving as the only figures onscreen while a playful animated background rotates between shots of rain, sun, stars, eyeballs, waves, sunglasses, head-covering roofs and more. The piece was directed and edited by the Lazaroffs' longtime friend Chad Raines, a New York-based artist. The source footage was shot by Brian McClelland of St. Louis' Blip Blap Video.
"We wanted the video to be satirical and absurdist, really the only way to successfully make sense of this political reality," explains David. "Chad Raines is a longtime friend from our time spent in Austin, Texas, and he makes really experimental and hilarious stuff, so we asked him to pick between a few tunes to make a video for. In both the music of the album and the concept of the video we wanted to avoid anything overly earnest."
Brothers Lazaroff will be holding their sixth annual Hanukkah Hullabaloo this Saturday, December 10 at Joe's Cafe, performing two sets — one at 7:30 p.m. and one at 9:30 p.m. Additional performers include DJ Boogieman and Rabbi James Stone Goodman and the Eight Nights Orchestra. Food and drink will be provided by Lu Lu Seafood, Dim Sum Food Truck and Urban Chestnut, as well as by the Brother Lazaroff themselves — as always with this affair, the group will be frying latkes on-stage.
Watch the video for "Cover for Our Heads" below:
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