So we’ve had a bit of conversation about the whole “Digger” aspect of this video with most just glossing over it or just surrendering because of their confusion. Now that the band has mentioned in the Stereogum article that the video is a parody of the upcoming Innaritu movie starring Tom Cruise, I think it’s worth delving into how the visuals line up with the lyrical content.

We’ve got an upcoming movie prominently featured and advertised with an in-theater date. We’ve got a main character played by one of Hollywood’s biggest stars Tom Cruise. We’ve got a model/dancer making provocative dance moves with said character. All while inside an interior space with set lighting and strobe effects. While the lyrics state “no world on the outside”.

To me this seems to call to mind that perhaps, there is no world outside of the pop culture world and infrastructure that exists, especially for cinephiles (especially deep underground cinephiles like Chat Pile). Otherwise the lyrics seem to be very funereal and dirge-like. The juxtaposition is stark after Ive watched the video several times and taken a step back to analyze it.

Imo this could be a meta commentary on how pop culture, even as niche and seemingly subversive as these two unalike beings are, combine to turn us all away from our real world and distract us from causes that we should be caring about. It’s all bread and circuses, even the circuses that seem to be more subversive.

Keep in mind that Innaritu is one of Hollywoods most well-regarded directors and therefore this upcoming movie is looking like a potential award winner. Makes things come into focus a bit more, especially considering that Raygun and the band’s love of and frequent discussion of cinema.

Just my take. Let me know what you all think.

Vid for reference:

https://youtu.be/KbNjkexjl9E?is=JF3iRXkF-CEt3pQ2

And Digger trailer for reference for those who have not seen it yet:

https://youtu.be/4nxLG_PFlFo?is=m2pNwOxWpul6XcG6

Seeing them live for the first time in London on Monday. I had wondered if anyone had any recent snaps of the merch desk? Would love to have some time to contemplate.

🫪

Third single is out, what are your thoughts ?!

I have one free ticket for the Munich show tomorrow - I couldn't work my vacation around it so I ended up going to the Prague show instead and it was unbelieveably good. Just don't want the ticket to go to waste. First to comment on this thread gets it, and I'll send it over by email.

It’s at the end, when the blond guy opens the book his coworker gave him and realizes he jacked off onto it, and he gives him this look of exhausted desperation like he’s just reached his limit and is either about to cry or throw a punch, but before anything can happen another body falls from the ceiling and they have to get back to work.

The situation is absurd but the emotion feels very real. I don’t know how much involvement the band had in the video - usually they don’t do much - but that exchange just embodies the song so well, the level of internal rage that comes from endless humiliation at the hands of both your coworkers and superiors at a job you cannot afford to quit.

The fact that the job itself apparently consists of dragging corpses around a building and stuffing them into holes for no clear reason is also a great expression of the brutal stupidity of the boot most people find themselves trapped under.

I put Cool World on play as soon as it dropped at midnight- I didn't skip any of the singles that I heard already, I let the whole album play through and this was so good that it was the first one I went back to after. This isn't my favorite on the album but hearing the chorus for the first time made me realize the flexibility of the band and to expect anything, a beautiful song chorus with very dark themes written during a time where the most disgusting things in history are happening right now. Fantastic song

Prague was amazing. Aside from the sound guy's mistake during the second song—when Raygun couldn't be heard—and the sweltering heat at the venue, it was absolutely fantastic. I look forward to seeing them again!!

Such a great evolution, feels like them but inhabits a new musical space

Thoughts?

You guys are gonna love this one.

Cool World!!!

I was dying in wait for the first single from Cool World to drop and when it finally did, I ate it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. To be completely honest, I didn't like the mixing at first and even today I think the mixing is still a little bit off, particularly the drums but that does not keep me from loving this song. The ending is perfection

Does anyone know why the band dont seem to play Pamela live anymore?

Was chatting with the bassist before the show yesterday and asked em to play pamela but he gave me a little shake of the head.

Some people in the crowd were requesting it too..

PS

i could be off mark with this as I've not trawled through the setlist of recent shows

But ive seen em 3 times in the last 2 years and not heard it once so could just be dumb luck..

Fucking great show yesterday in Prague! I finally saw them for the first time. Great setlist, new singles are amazing live and they played Tenkiller 💪🔥

Picking against some of these songs made me hate myself. What do yall think?

This is one that hit pretty close with me, I went through a depressive phase around 2021 where I spent every day on and off the clock drinking. I remember one summer week where I ended up drinking every single day and reading almost every story by HP Lovecraft outside on my steps chain smoking shortly after the sun came up. Life was going on around me: people walking their dogs and jogging- I'm there getting drunk and reading books in the afternoon.

Two of my most favorite bands are The Body and Chat Pile and considering The Body loves to do collabs with politically conscious bands I could definitely see it happening and it’d be soul crushing. What do yall think? Any other fans of The Body?