Chosen by Monk
It’s a new month, it’s a Friday afternoon, so better excuse to sink a pint or three? Not that we need one – an excuse or reason, that is – here at ÜRHQ, where every day is a party, especially when it comes to introducing our beloved readership to some off-the-wall new music! And hopefully our latest choice won’t leave a sour taste in anyone’s mouth…
My latest choice is not a tribute to Dave Grohl, but rather sees this self-styled “post-apocalyptic alternative metal” quartet from Tel Aviv turning their trademark sardonic humour toward the world of craft beer, taking a swing at the growing trend of sour beers, which have polarized beer lovers across the globe.
The song’s protagonist is based on a real-life craft beer aficionado, Yana Osin, a close friend and travel buddy of vocalist Maxx Datskovsky, the creative force behind the band, who explained more:
Yana, like many craft beer enthusiasts, has a deep love for stouts and IPAs but can’t stand the taste of sours. ‘Foo!’ is both a humorous homage to her strong opinions and a playful critique of the craft beer scene’s obsession with these peculiar brews.
The lyrics take listeners through a comical journey of disappointment as the character reluctantly tries sour beers like lambics and goses, only to be met with disgust. With lines like “smelled like a horse’s barn/I thought, ‘what is this?'” and “I think I’d rather chew a shoe!”, Illegal Mind blends their signature post-apocalyptic, rebellious tone with lighthearted jabs which don’t just poke fun at the beer itself but also the culture that surrounds it, mocking the acquired taste that some claim to love.
The repeated cry of “Foo! How can you drink this stuff?” becomes a central motif in the song, hammering home the character’s disbelief and as both a battle cry and an exasperated rejection of the sour beer trend, making it clear where the character’s—and by extension, the band’s—loyalties lie: with the rich, robust flavors of stouts and IPAs… Personally, I’ll have a cider any hour of any day of any week, but each to their own taste… and hopefully this might satisfy a few…