Last month, post-punk group Do Nothing announced their sophomore album Friend World with the lead single "Stars." It's eerie and a bit corroded, leaning into squirmy electronic blemishes, and sounding nothing like what Do Nothing showcased on 2023's Snake Sideways. Today, they've returned with another peak at the forthcoming album via the single "Act Natural," which is also very weird and comes with a ridiculous video.
"Act Natural" sounds bloated and wobbly. There's some woozy keyboard or synths and the guitars sound like they've maybe had a little too much to drink. They're coherent but they ramble. It's great. Then there's Chris Bailey's vocals, which at times remind me of Brandon Flowers; they're operatic, sometimes robust, and emotionally rich.
Friend World takes inspiration from novelist Elizabeth Smart and trailblazing comedian Andy Kaufman. The legendary comic used to end shows by singing the song ‘This Friendly World’. “It’s this big, face-value expression of positivity that rang so weirdly to me,” Bailey said. “I found it difficult to interpret the lyrics as anything other than sarcasm.”
“For me it’s an album about a lot of bleak things, but it doesn’t feel bleak,” he added. “I enjoyed making it more than anything we’ve ever done, and I’m more proud of it than anything we’ve ever made. That’s the whole point of the title really. There’s two sides to everything. Without the bad, there isn’t the good.”
Oh yes, and then there's the video for "Act Natural," which reminds of this random comedy sketch. It's funny, a hint upsetting, and strange. In the Clump Collective-directed visual, the band (Bailey, guitarist Kasper Sandstrøm, bassist Charlie Howarth, and drummer Andrew Harrison) attend a bizarre and ultimately fatal dinner party. There's telekinesis and soup.
Check it out below.
Friend World is out 11/6 on Submarine Cat Records. Pre-order it here.
