There’s something great about the anticipation that builds when you’re waiting for a release from a band you love. That feeling of trust, knowing they’ve consistently delivered amazing music in the past, fuels your excitement. Or, when they are throwing out a new video, or some kind of other project. It can be like Christmas.
The days tick by, each one a beat in the countdown to release day. Then, the moment you finally hit play and the music floods your ears, it’s pure joy. It’s a culmination of that anticipation, a validation of your trust. Bad Mary are just one of those bands for me, and they have s this incredible ability to make me smile every time.
Their music is a shot of pure, unadulterated joy, and it’s clear that creating it brings them immense pleasure. That energy is infectious – it bursts from the speakers and fills the room, making it impossible not to get swept up in the sheer exuberance of it all. It’s the feeling of being invited to a party where everyone’s having the best time of their lives, and you just can’t help but join in the fun.
And Bad Mary isn’t stopping the party anytime soon. They’ve dropped a music video for “Better Days,” the centerpiece of their “Better(er) Days” EP. This ten-year anniversary project is like a love letter fans, revisiting and revamping a collection of songs that have become synonymous with the band’s infectious energy. It’s a chance for longtime listeners to re-experience these tracks in a fresh light, while also introducing them to a new generation. And what better way to celebrate a decade of “Better Days” than with a brand new take on the track itself?
This is just one of those songs from the band that I absolutely love and it again is another very clever song that connects with everybody. It deals with the feeling of being trapped, overwhelmed, and disillusioned.
The crushing weight of unmet expectations and the frustration of feeling like you’ve lost your way. It’s about that feeling when the optimism you had about life gets stomped on. That moment when problems pile up, and it seems impossible to get out from under them. I love how it captures the frustration of constant overthinking, getting in your own way, and feeling stuck in a cycle of negativity. And I think a big problem is that many of us tend to overthink.
It talks about a time when the future felt bright and wide-open. It seemed like you could do anything. But now, it feels like those possibilities are gone. The song goes into broken promises, the feeling that those dreams might not happen – a real feeling of being let down.
It also talks on how useless those cheerful “stay positive” comments can feel when things are truly terrible. When you feel completely drained and hopeless, sometimes those phrases can make things even worse. Even with all that darkness, the song doesn’t give up completely. There’s still a question about whether there’s a way out, even if it seems impossible to find right now. Ultimately, it suggests a kind of gritty determination to keep going, even if you feel completely lost.
The music video for “Better Days” is a brilliant twist on the classic game of life, a perfect visual match for a song that brims with ‘optimism’ about the chances life throws your way. With a spin of the wheel, we’re launched into a world bursting with color, following Amanda as she shuffles across a giant game board.
The video’s aesthetic is playful and upbeat, mirroring the band’s infectious energy. It completely resonates with me – I share that same childlike sense of wonder, a feeling that’s probably why I love those nostalgic, visually vibrant Nintendo games so much. This video perfectly captures the spirit of the song.
The best part of the video is how well it echoes the song’s themes. The game board brilliantly mirrors both the challenges of life – crushing student loan debt, a sprained ankle – and those little moments of twisted optimism we all, or at least Amanda will experience. You know, like when the stock market crashes, but hey, at least you didn’t invest!
There’s even a hilarious part that captures that classic awkward moment of accidentally waving to a stranger. It’s a fantastic modern take on the classic game, infusing it with a dose of real-life humor that perfectly complements the song’s message of embracing the ups and downs of life.
I think the video’s overall tone – a celebration of life’s unexpected turns, finding humor and joy even in the mundane. Bad Mary’s creativity shines through yet again; this a band with an endless supply of imagination that consistently finds new ways to connect with their audience.