You don’t need to read too deep into Vinny Vegas’ newest single to get a sense of their discontentment. “Progress for People” is a passionate, emotional outcry for us to do better:
We can’t paint with broad strokes expecting precision
so we’ll narrow our focus to see what we’re missing
slowly but surely, we’ll kill off our darlings
because stories with endings are just far more inviting
we’ll take the weights of these massive decisions
when we know they’ve been under envisioned
nobody sees it the ways that they should
Listen: “Progress for People” – Vinny Vegas
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/320252934?secret_token=s-jM054″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=true&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]Atwood Magazine is proud to be premiering “Progress for People,” the latest single off Vinny Vegas’ upcoming new album Clear the Walls, independently out this Friday, 7/18/2017! The Baltimore DIY rock band delivers a wealth of rich musicality on their sophomore album, turning music into an especially potent vessel on “Progress for People” – itself a pseudo-anthem of clenched fists that activates and ignites our passion.
Flags half the mast, where they stay barely risen
no pause to oppression, just reactive divisions
progress for people, with values and worth
until they have no worth anymore
we’re keeping our time here
we’re keeping our time here
“Lyrically, this track revolves around the recurring chorus of “keeping our time here,” which speaks of the idea of carrying the effects of our actions with us,” explains vocalist Scott Siskind. “I don’t want to say that it’s a song taking any sort of social or political stance, but I don’t think you can live on this planet without having an opinion on the current human condition in our society.” You don’t need a smoking gun to put the pieces together – it’s all very clear: Our society is crumbling, putting up metaphorical and literal walls out of fear and prejudice.
Money reigns supreme: Just the other day, a lawmaker who will never have to worry about the jeapordy of his own healthcare proposed a bill to take healthcare away from millions of people. Can such gluttony and inequity be more transparent? “Progress for people, with values and worth,” sings Siskind, raising his voice in a highly focused display of ire. The song’s message is relatively simple: We need to focus on humanity. Many in power say they are fighting for those they “represent,” but few level-headed thinkers could believe that charade at this impasse. The band go on to list issues such as discrimination, corruption, and climate change as just a few of the many issues facing us today.
Show us faces of fear made from merciless man
show us shame by design, hate instead of love
show us armies of those not willing to follow them
We could turn it around, if we could figure it out
we could have it again, we could make it work
take the parts from the whole, dismantle the great machine
Show us mercy of man, where religion divides
all the colorful creeds show us unity
or the oceans will rise to swallow this world we’ve seen
“Progress for People” is as vibrant musically as it is lyrically. “Our good friend, Liz Haight offered her talents on this one to add the string parts, which created some really nice textures in some of the more delicate moments of the song,” reflects Siskind. “It’s definitely one of my favorites on the record.” Vinny Vegas go above and beyond by layering their music with delicate, intricate birds and whistles that help them fully realize the song’s potential.
And what potential it is: Capturing the emotionally heavy climate of a dark time in America’s history, Vinny Vegas’ “Progress for People” acknowledges our problems, forcing us to face ourselves in a mirror and wake up to the bitter realities of a divided, selfish society.
We could turn it around, we could have it again
learn to take from the earth, then to give it back
we could swallow our pride or swallow the salty seas
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