From their forthcoming album, Tell Me, is the latest single, “Snakebite,” by Julian Brooks and Paris King. A tale of love, unrequited, Vocalist, Julian Brooks describes the song as being about “his paramour coming under the influence of spiritual charlatans.” Julian and Paris have come together after some rather tenuous runs in previous projects. Both are stalwarts of the Bay Area, and their sound is a product of their habitat, and experience. To hear what they’ve come up with on “Snakebite,” their union was predestined to be a propitious one
As a song, “Snakebite,” doesn’t have much meat on the bone. It’s fast and driven by power chords, and is about as fundamentally Punk as it gets. It’s the shape and delivery that King and especially, Brooks, bring to the song, that give it a broader appeal. Julian Brooks doesn’t fit your standard mold of what a Punk Singer should be, which makes him qualified to be one. There’s something quite manifold about Brooks in that he takes on several different elements at once. He’s charismatic, but also has a repellent aspect to his persona. His presence is more that of a bad boy, but has a quirky charm that can be disarming.
Paris King is something of an enigma, as little or at least much less is known about him than Brooks. What we do know is that not only “Snakebite,” but the entire Tell Me album was essentially born out of sporadic jam sessions. It wasn’t an especially structured process, creatively, and you could say that lends itself well to the chaotic elements of “Snakebite.” In fact, “Snakebite,” was recorded entirely on an acoustic guitar, which is highly impressive, considering how much distortion the track has. It may not always be apparent, but you can certainly say that there was a fair amount of experimentation on this record.
Speaking of experimental, the video for “Snakebite” is unquestionably the product of a liberated mind. Brooks recalls showing up to the set, and simply saying, “let’s get weird.” Weird may be a subjective adjective, but what we see in the 6 minute video for “Snakebite,” is a contender for such. In the video, we see Brooks and his love interest, Dancer, Melissa Cruz, checking into a hotel. Cruz is the object of possession, as several nefarious characters attempt to steal her away from Brooks. It’s bizarre and tongue-in-cheek, and it’s actually earned the duo several awards, including those held at film festivals.
So is “Snakebite,” a case of the video making the song? It’s a matter of opinion of course, but the song itself is quite memorable and features some idiosyncratic vocal work by Brooks. From a strictly musical standpoint, “Snakebite,” might not quite be a potential crossover hit. With the strength of the visual storyboard, Brooks and King might just be able to convert some new fans. The video for “Snakebite” is currently on YouTube and the song can be found across all major streaming platforms.
Heather Savage