If there’s one set from SXSW 2023 that we are still thinking about, it’s Kid Bookie’s. No, we’re not talking about either of the official Marshall-curated showcases that he was apart of. Instead, we had the opportunity to witness Kid Bookie play a daytime set on the patio of JNL Barbeque, a two-mile walk from downtown Austin… and trust us when we say that it was worth every sweaty step.
Eight months later, we’ve been blessed yet again by Kid Bookie–except, this time, it’s in the form of a new single, “AI (Save Yourself),” fresh off his upcoming album, Songs for the Living // Songs for the Dead. The artist also issued an action-packed new music video to commemorate the release.
Keep reading if you want to know why we’re so excited about all this…
But first! Check out the music video for “AI (Save Yourself)” by Kid Bookie on YouTube, below.
In conversation with Kerrang, Kid Bookie shared a bit about the meaning behind the new song:
“I wanted to
prod and jest a subject that’s kind of new territory for music and in its infancy. It’s cool to listen to Michael Jackson do screamo and System Of A Down via AI manipulation or some shit, but there’s a darker side. I think the longer it’s left in the grey area, the more significant the impact it will be for artists and industry folk alike. But, I’m not scared of computers, and I don’t think it will be some Terminator apocalypse, just another evolution that affects the art, for better or worse, who knows.”
In a previous profile with the outlet, the artist also teased the concept behind his upcoming album, Songs for the Living // Songs for the Dead, which is due out next year.
He says that the new project will be a “ride from life to death from my perspective of living, because I am obsessed with dying”.
Sounds promising.
Kid Bookie stands out among fellow genre-bent alternative rockers
If “AI (Save Yourself)” is a taste for what’s to come next from Kid Bookie, then Songs for the Living // Songs for the Dead is already a sure contender for 2024’s Album of the Year…
We’re calling it now.
Kid Bookie stands out among the endless stream of genre-bent alternative rockers in the scene today simply by making the music he wants to make, no matter how ‘weird‘ the end result may be.
Generally-speaking, his music is a touch darker–heavier–than others in this general space. Additionally, his sound comes together without the goofy, insincere, over-the-top edginess that many of his peers tend to lean on. His vocal delivery, in all its forms, is distinctive and nearly flawless. There’s a delicious, sinister edge to every word he utters that we can’t get enough of. All that combined with heavy metal strings and his innate songwriting capabilities…
In short, Kid Bookie has expertly weaved together all of his diverse inspirations into a sound that’s wholly unique to him. It’s not often that we can say that about an artist and mean it 100%.
But in this case? There’s just no comparison.
No one’s doing it like Kid Bookie is.
Kid Bookie: live in concert, 2024
While Kid Bookie just wrapped up a series of shows supporting Bob Vylan on tour, he’s already got some plans set for next year. So, if you’ve been looking for a chance to see Kid Bookie live, you’re in luck.
The artist just announced that he will be supporting I Prevail’s upcoming European tour, which is slotted for May 2024.
You can also catch him at Takedown Festival in April of next year as well.
Keep up with Kid Bookie:
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok | Spotify | YouTube | Website
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