Art Rock, Carnival Rock, Indie Jazz
The relentless churn of negativity, the hypnotic pull of the “shiny little box,” and the biting line “Here’s the hand basket—put the hell in it” chart the dark, circus-like descent into the madness of modern media consumption.Sonically, the combination of pump organ, piano triplets, and a raw, noisy edge nods to an approach reminiscent of Tom Waits—unpolished, theatrical—a drunken prophet shouting from the street corner. And that carnival barker? The perfect embodiment of how bad news is often sold: loud, exaggerated, impossible to ignore.

Shot guerrilla-style over a year in Seattle’s shifting seasons, this music video for Billy Brandt’s single “Bad News” channels the eerie spirit of the 1962 cult horror film Carnival of Souls while channeling modern unease. Dreamlike and disjointed, it follows a lone protagonist haunted by Bad News (a looming presence in everyday life). He sees it in masked faces on sidewalks, cryptic street signs, fleeting expressions on the train. It’s embedded in minds, street signs, and the rhythm of the city itself. Tensions mount: a surreal dance with Bad News on a moving train, as if trying to keep pace with the chaos. “Here’s the hand basket—now put the hell in it!” says the Carnival Barker. The overload leads to a breakdown—an ER visit where the protagonist undergoes metaphorical surgery to extract this phantom affliction. But questions remain…