Philly indie rock band Moonroof has just released their new single “Bad for Me”, and it’s an ode to bad habits that all listeners can relate to.
The track starts off with a low solo guitar riff before some punchy drums and another more hopeful guitar rhythm cut in. The music strips down to just the simple strum from the beginning as lead vocalist Dave Kim starts to sing about feeling lost and indecisive. The guitar comes back to carry us into the pre-chorus, where we see him reaching for his fix but not being able to get it.
The chorus makes things simple: the lyrics acknowledge and accept that “I know it’s bad for me”. It ends as Kim is joined by background vocals as he expresses that something is wrong with his brain. The melodic delivery of these somewhat depressing lyrics gives the song a sense of dark irony.
The second verse incorporates more instrumental energy as we feel the frustration of knowing you’re not strong enough to break these habits. From here, we head right into the bridge. The music takes on a dreamy feel and almost overpowers the vocals – a clever production choice designed to plunge the listener into the “mad dream” with the band.
The music strips down for the beginning of the next chorus, and we build up to the lyrics “I’m insane”. Impressive vocal harmonies and the full energy of the music explode as we hear these words. This carries us to the point when a final guitar strum shows us out.
With this track, Moonroof has successfully captured the feeling of being trapped by these bad habits. Instead of fully fighting against them, we hear a somber and almost euphoric acceptance of them in the vocal delivery and musical progression. It’s a refreshing take on a relatable issue, and we can’t wait to hear more. The band elaborates further on the inspiration for the track:
“This song I wrote because of constant bad habits I had been falling into. I kept constantly finding myself in patterns of terrible choices and not wanting to be stuck in them anymore. Whether it was the people I was hanging out with/seeing or vices that kept me addicted. I wanted to write this song about being self aware and still choosing to make the wrong decision knowing what the outcome brings.”
Moonroof is currently working on their first full-length album and you can catch them on tour throughout the US this May and June.
