Ubetcha – I Need to Borrow $20 (Music Video Premiere)
A little over a year ago, Heartbreaking Bravery had the distinct privilege of introducing the world to Ubetcha, a collaborative project between Milk Dick‘s Brian Indig and Glueboy‘s Coby Chafets. The band, in turn, contributed another great, characteristically manic song to the A Step Forward compilation. Now, with the band’s debut release The Piss Olympics waiting just around the corner, the band’s graciously offered up the premiere for the music video for frenetic “I Need to Borrow $20”, which comes across as both tongue-in-cheek and completely sincere all at once.
Of course, the dry comedy present in the song itself is helped along greatly by the bold, ridiculous clip which packs in an impressive amount of shenanigans into a 93-second runtime. From a casually brilliant editing gag involving “Nathan” to a memorable sandwich-themed sight gag, Ubetcha provides a staggering amount of stimulus to unpack. On the surface, everything may seem like it’s ridiculous for the sake of being ridiculous but there’s a fascinating subtext to their hijinks.
For as much of a lark as “I Need to Borrow $20” seems to be, there’s a real case to be made for the song (and clip, as well as most of Ubetcha’s material in general) that it’s an honest exploration of fractured psyches. Whether it’s in the disjointed composition, the surprising lyrical conviction, or the disorienting presentation, there’s always something a touch darker happening in Ubetcha’s typically boisterous world.
It’s a fascinating dichotomy and one that will undoubtedly serve them well going forward, solidifying their reputation as fearless weirdos, with things like the “I Need to Borrow $20” working heavily in their favor. Another facet of the case for that very specific reputation can be found in their live show, which is shot through with a near-feral abandon. In case anyone’s looking to find out for themselves, Ubetcha’s release show for The Piss Olympics will be at Sunnyvale in Brooklyn, NY alongside Fits, Wicked Kind, and Drug Pizza on April 18. Show up and let them borrow $20.
Watch “I Need to Borrow $20” below and pick up The Piss Olympics from GP Stripes on April 11.
Heartbreaking Bravery 