The Lords of Liechtenstein’s Rauchwerk brothers perform with Austin Hughes, left, of M. Shanghai, at Jalopy in Red Hook, Brooklyn, on Dec. 6, 2014. (Steven P. Marsh/willyoumissme.com)
You can accuse New Jersey-born, Brooklyn-based band The Lords of Liechtenstein of a lot of things, including having questionable fashion taste (I have just three words: Argyle. Sweater. Vests.) and possessing endless charm, humor, and musical talent.
But you could never call the folky band — brothers and Holmdel, New Jersey, natives Dan and Noah Rauchwerk and three band mates — subtle.
The new video for “Kool Aid,” from their latest album, “Downhill Ride to Joyland,” is a perfect example.
Their team describes it this way:
Their new unreleased music video “Kool Aid” was inspired by cult leader Jim Jones and is meant to be a satirical take on the power that charismatic figures hold over us. The video translates that theme to the present day and is critical of how such leaders cause us to accept poisonous ideologies. “Drink the kool aid.”
But let’s just say they seem to have a someone much, much more contemporary than Jim Jones in mind as the inspiration for this video. (Clue: Pay attention to the wording on the paper cups! If that doesn’t make it clear, I have just one word for you: SAD!)
Watch and enjoy here:
If you like what you see and hear and want to see the Lords live, your next opportunity in the New York City area will be Wednesday, Oct. 18, at the Schimmel Center in Manhattan, in support of Uncle Bonsai. They’ll be at The Turning Point in Piermont, New York, on Sunday, Dec. 10, performing on a 4 p.m. bill with The Levins. Check out their full schedule on Facebook.
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