Big In Sheboygan | Music Video of the Month

Our October music video of the month is an aesthetically stimulating and curiosity-invoking music video for a track entitled “In Rat Park (They Don’t Like The Drugged Water)” by English math-rockers Big in Sheboygan. Debuting to youtube on August, 21st, 2020 this track was originally released in 2019 from the band’s full length “Nathaniel”. The math-rock inspired instrumental band from Essex, United Kingdom, like all great bands, enjoy adding visuals to their upbeat, uptempo, positive math-rock vibes having also created a music video for their song Swim Team. The song begins with a jangly-twinkly guitar riff The beat of the song is clicks along varying between choppy bits, marches, and melodic interludes.

This cinematic and visually appealing music video follows around a Gritty adjacent, fuzzy yellow character who initially appears to be in a trance-like state staring into a screen as many of us do from time to time. The camera jump cuts to reveal a pet fish near a window; while ironically, our fuzzy friend views fish on television. The intro riff is bright, radiant, melodic, and builds to become an amalgamation of each member’s unique contribution to the myriad of sounds heard throughout this song.

As the song becomes more technical, choppy, and builds suspense our friend, naturally, appears to take his fish for a walk (in its bowl of course). Our subject brings their fish companion through farms, fields, cities, and even takes the pet skateboarding and hitch-hiking. Now with a clear destination, the beach! Eventually, our furry friend and fish are picked up by the boys in Big in Sheboygan themselves.

As droning guitar and bass ring out over a steady driving beat our 2 pals arrive at the shoreline. Instead of releasing the fish into the water the pair casually enjoy beach activities such as building sandcastles and playing catch. Finally, it’s time to say goodbye and the fuzzy yellow man, fish in hand cocks back to throw against strong winds. The fish plummets to the rocky shoreline and our main character dusts off their hands and skips away in a delightfully energetic way, much like the timbre of this song. 

Nathaniel was mixed and recorded by Thomas Le Beau Morley at TLBM recording in London, England. And mastered by Ed Rome at Slam Door Studios in the band’s hometown of Essex. Big in Sheboygan is Pete Baker, Steve Couldrey, Mat Gilbert, and Paul Saward. Big in Sheboygan is on Lonely Voyage Records. Follow Big in Sheboygan on Instagram, Facebook, and Spotify!

Stay in touch with Mad Indie Media. Be “in the know” on great music, great food, and more! Listen to our current playlist rotation.