Rare Americans always put their message and their subscribers first. After thousands of requests across their channels, the Vancouver punks have partnered up with Toronto-based studio Solis Animation to deliver yet another profound audiovisual for new single “Brittle Bones Nicky 2” – the sequel to fan-favorite and JUNO-award winning release “Brittle Bones Nicky” out now.
Debuting in 2019, the two-part narrative shines a light on Nicky – a kid who grew up in the foster system who just couldn’t beat the odds against him. Thousands of fans formed a one-of-a-kind bond with Nicky as the underdog and all he represents, creating fan art around his story and even dressing up in character as Nicky at Comic Cons. 60 million streams and over 30 thousand comments later, plus a short stint with APG/Atlantic Records, Rare Americans knew they had to continue the story before closing this chapter around their new album.
“Brittle Bones Nicky 2” follows Nicky on his way to the afterlife. Taking an Indiana Jones-like rollercoaster ride, he arrives at the gates of heaven and hell and ultimately learns his fate. James Priestner of the band explains, “He figures he’s a shoo in for heaven, but little does he know, getting in isn’t so simple…” The track also reflects the band’s dynamic range, blending elements from hip-hop to ska-punk and incorporating a makeshift orchestra, horns section, skank guitar, and 6 different voices to match the animation. Speaking on the new addition to their world, dubbed Crooked City, James adds, “It’s an experimental song, not following popular song structure. It’s designed more like a short film with the accompanied video.”
“This song was huge for us,” says James Priestner, “it established ourselves as storytellers, brought industry interest to the band, made us thousands of fans around the world, and got our name out there in the alternative music community. We believed that bookending our new album with these songs only made sense, as it closes the Brittle Bones Nicky chapter… for now at least, who knows what will happen in the future!”
The new single will be included on their forthcoming body of work, in addition to The Clash-inspired track “Knives, Guns & Bed” which dropped in January and anti-holiday release “The Moneyz” which landed on Spotify’s New Music Friday in December. Acquiring all their masters following their departure from APG/Atlantic and never losing sight of their DIY ethos, the band is set to release their sophomore full-length 17-track album Rare Americans 2 on March 5th independently.
For anyone who has ever felt lost or struggled to find their place in this often chaotic world – don’t fret, you’ve found your people. Rare Americans are the voice of our generation – from telling stories of mental health, financial issues, systemic pressures, substance abuse to relationship woes and the struggle of finding your identity. By creating a candid dialogue and encouraging introspection by-way-of both the lyrical page and their story-driven animated videos, the band seeks to find hope while in turn fostering a community for all.
It’s not surprising then that Rare Americans sit on top of over 120M global streams, all independently reeled in minus their short stint at the label. They’ve seen consistent growth in their YouTube following, and prime engagement from those already tapped in, with 342K subscribers and counting since their launch in late 2018.
Their message: think for yourself, be yourself, do it yourself. James Priestner elaborates, “A lot of Rare Americans fans are extremely talented artists from many different disciplines, but when I talk to them I can feel their lack of self belief. That can cause a host of mental anguish, and it’s largely what a lot of Rare Americans 2 is inspired by. It’s been a core part of Rare Americans to empower our listeners to believe in themselves, embrace their weirdness, and understand that you can control your own destiny. But it’s equally important to communicate the amount of effort it takes to get where you want to go. It’s our goal with the new album that people feel a sense of community and support in dealing with their issues, because we’re all fighting similar battles.”
RARE AMERICANS 2 TRACKLISTING:
1. Brittle Bones Nicky
2. Milk Man
3. Falling Down
4. No Easy Roads
5. Hullabaloo
6. Knives, Guns & Bed (feat. Clare Tweedy)
7. Gas Mask
8. Berlin
9. Up Up & Away
10. 9 Times Out Of 10
11. Adults Or Kids
12. Without You Around
13. Missing Targets
14. Ryan & Dave
15. Two Lives
16. The Moneyz
17. Brittle Bones Nicky 2