Wednesday, Dec. 07, 2011

Cults, 'Go Outside'

The dreamy, distorted, lo-fi Cults have produced an effortlessly breezy song with a melody that isn't so much sung as it is released into the air. The lead single off the band's self-titled debut album, "Go Outside" sounds like an innocent call to play in the sunshine. But don't be fooled by its chiming glockenspiel or the children's voices in the chorus, for the tune has a sinister side: it's preceded by an audio recording of Jonestown cult leader Jim Jones saying, "To me, death is not a fearful thing. It's living that's treacherous." Jones' message gives added weight to the lyrics' subtle references to depression — "You really want to stay inside and sleep the light away" — and turns the song from a celebration of life into something much darker.

Bonus trivia: Jones' followers also appear in the music video; director Isaiah Seret spliced together original footage to make it appear as if the People's Temple are actually singing along.