Deep songs are important. But not every single song has to be rich with implicit meaning and complex metaphors to be worth your time.
It’s a hot summer afternoon, and if you’re not at work right now you might be enjoying a cold one on your porch as you watch the early rush-hour traffic. It seems like everyone’s in a hurry these days, so if you should happen to remark on the speed of the vehicles in your vicinity, “too fast” is something you might find yourself saying pretty often. All the “too fast” people are probably gonna be pissed off when they get held up by someone who’s creeping along — that’ll get a “too slow.” But what if a driver just nails the proper velocity?
According to punk outfit Sinkers, that deserves the all-too-rare cheer of “good speed!” The group released their self-titled debut EP in December, featuring a track of that name, and the hypothetical we’ve been exploring is exactly what the two-minute Motörhead-y tune is about. After a parade of “too fast” and “too slow” cars went by the home the band shares on Trinity Lane, lo and behold: Someone driving a shiny black Pontiac GTO rightfully earned a “good speed.” It occurs to me that Maanta Raay frontman and Third Man Books head Chet Weise pilots just such a shining example of Detroit glory around town sometimes. Chet, was that you?
Sinkers has released a music video for “Good Speed.” Sadly, no cool cars here, but you do get to see footage from a recent performance at Hubba Hubba Tiki Tonk filmed by Derrick Lipschitz, as well as some hijinks in other spots. Keep an eye on Sinkers’ Instagram for updates, and catch them at the Muddy Roots pre-party if you’re headed up to Cookeville for this year’s festival, running Aug. 29-31.
