Bon Bon Vivant is one of those only-in-New Orleans bands. They are hard to categorize, write great songs, and perform with the joie de vivre inherent in the city’s musical culture and overall vibe. TVD is proud to present the worldwide debut of “Ship Is Sinking,” the first single from their new album, Dancing in the Darkness.
The song is a kick-sand-in-the-bully’s-face response to the current political, economic and cultural climate. “If this world is ending, why don’t we go out singing” is one of the telling lyrics along with “we won’t go quietly into this angry sea.”
Though the song expresses rage and frustration, the music is uplifting with a lilting groove and a great chorus. I can imagine it being a great, singalong crowd pleaser once we are allowed to dance together again.
I have seen Bon Bon Vivant live numerous times and their unusual instrumentation contributes to their singular sound. Guitar, saxophone, accordion, sousaphone and voices mingle in an amalgamation that references eastern European folk music, jazz and Tin Pan Alley songwriting amid a danceable pop vibe.
Lyrically, the band touches on New Orleans’ customs with songs referencing dancing, costuming and other elements of our distinctive culture. To quote their bio, “This is a band that leans into life with hope, change, and genre bending original songs that are as fierce as they are heartbreaking.”
The album is in stores on December 4. You can pre-order now here.
