VIDEO PREMIERE | Adir L.C. "Want to Be Good"

Tree leaning with Adir L.C.; photographed by Eran Badash.

As the world slowly heals from the countless agents of chaos and a globe gripped by a full scale pandemic, it has been life affirming to gradually reconnect with loved ones and old friends that we haven't seen now in ages. Recently we caught up with Adir L.C. surrounding the release of his new EP Future, Tense. As if the title itself did not already clue you in, Adir offers an update on the status of things amid worldwide hysteria, sickness, death, disinformation channels, despot demagogues running amok and many other stressors and agents of tension too exhaustive to list. And despite these overwhelming odds and challenges that we all as a collective have dealt with (and still continue to deal with), Future, Tense. revels in the proactive behaviors of self-betterment and earnest perseverance in the face of all obstacles.

"Chipped Checkered Wall" bursts with bountiful brass pronouncing a deep, humbled and matured appreciation for those that make life worth while. The title track sways like the mind wandering clock ticking boredom as well as the emotive swings of anxiety that sums up in a little over three minutes a year spent in the confines of quarantine. "Live Forever" delivers a sparse and organic blend of gentle strings and ecstatic brass that reckons with the finite and fleeting nature of existence that erupts into ensemble of lively la la la la las.

But today we fix our attention to the track "Want to Be Good" and the debut of the self-directed visual by Adir L.C. with camera work by Ofek Ariov, editing by Roy Eben Ezra and starring Adir’s family Britt, Shirai and Moka Cohen. The entirety of the visual centers around Adir's wife Britt giving him what we are told was his first haircut in a year and a half's time. Getting styled amid a pasture of wildflowers, the NYC x Tel Aviv artist rages against the frustrations and instabilities of volatility, disease, disenchantment and so on with a benevolent fighting spirit. Singing and looking straight at the camera as Britt buzzes his mane away, Cohen delves into the concepts of feeling isolated by the community and municipal surroundings of your own abode. The weights and sorrow of life under a novel virus running rampant interlocked with civic and societal failures are countered with a firm belief in the self, family and the hopes that our world will find some respite somewhere out of all of this. While Adir L.C. never claims to have the antidote to these astronomical adversities and agita, the artist hints that perhaps the answer to the biggest and complicated questions in the world might be more intuitive than we believe. For Adir it is the acceptance of the tempests that rage outside of the jurisdictions of our control and a recommitment to our closest kin, loved ones, the real ones around us and ultimately believing in ourselves and the strength of our collective resolve.

Adir L.C. provided some exclusive thoughts on the single "Want to Be Good" the Future, Tense EP, pandemic hair cuts, family life and other anecdotes:

Future, Tense. is a collection of songs recorded to capture a pivotal time in my life and our history. It's about love at the end of the world as we know it, our power as a pack and fragility in apathy. I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to just make it into the studio with my beloved band (Chris Daley, Danny Nosonowitz, Yonatan Peled) and record these songs with the one and only Adam Reich (one of Brooklyn's finest producers/musicians & founder of Shea Stadium) — before the songs disappeared into the ether of global pandemics and moving overseas to start a family. A mix of emailed tracks and practice space recordings laid on top of a live session from Adam's Sunset Park studio came together seamlessly, as letting go of perfection became so much easier with the times. I'm so excited to finally be able to share these songs with the world and enjoy the thought that they might bring folks some hint of inner peace.

Diagonal nature dances with Adir L.C.; photographed by Eran Badash.

The song "Want to Be Good" was written about the dance between the frustrations of being powerless in the face of global catastrophe and the knowledge that your only hope is to surrender to the chaos and do your best to be a good person. Being stuck in negative thoughts, or kicking ass and leveling up in life is a decision — the real suffering comes from forgetting about that choice. There will always be pain. You will always be homesick in your hometown unless you work towards living for the moment.

This video features my wife Britt (cutting my hair), our dog Moka and our newborn daughter Shirai. Britt has always been the one to cut my hair since we met, and it is a very natural, almost raw act to catch on film...especially if its my first haircut in over a year and a half. It was cool to turn from a hairy wild man who had been holding the weight of all that time, and being reborn fresh with our baby at the end. We recorded it with the song slowed down and then sped up the shot to match the song and the subtle chaos that brings into this all felt fitting.

”Want to Be Good” lyrics:

happy living on this hellhole

I just want to be good — don't have the time

we don't have the mind to rewind or react to all the ways that

time melts. spilling into something unmarked and combusting — scattered and divine

mine is yours, that's fine

I might get lost and tired, but I'll always try

our thoughts...it helps to believe ourselves instead of never believing

some things are stuck at beginnings. regrets are stuck at beginnings

this mess — now we're just forced to bed

it helps to try and believe it

our fault that the world is still screaming

big stress might lead to relief

I'm homesick in my hometown

time melts, spilling into something unmarked and combusting, scattered and divine

stripped and simplified

the virus and our pride are killing us

Adir L.C.’s Future, Tense. EP is available now.

Cover art for Future, Tense.