“KIDS” – the result of the collaboration between We Are PIGS – the alt metal hybrid brainchild of South Africa’s own Esjay Jones – Korn’s Brian “Head” Welch, and Love and Death’s JR Bareis – is gripping and chaotic and shouldn’t be judged on first impression.
Inspired by the portrayal of modern pressures and excesses by HBO’s “Euphoria” the song’s aim is to remind the youth of today that there’s always help available when things start getting too heavy – which may come as a bit of a surprise when you first listen to it.
There’s nothing that resembles the typical this-too-shall-pass song – not on the surface at least – but that’s where its power comes from. As lyrics of excess get tossed about by an intense and unforgiving composition there’s no toxic positivity or glossing over of uncomfortable truths. Hidden under all this mania, though, is a gritty determination that gives the refrain “the kids are alright” an unshakable conviction.
The animated video borders on terrifying. Caricatures of the band members perform the track in a dark, psychedelic world filled with dismembered pigs’ heads and mutant musicians as a young girl spirals out to the point of arson but, much like the aforementioned refrain, there’s a representation of hope in the darkness in the form of a red balloon although, in this case, it doesn’t have quite the same impact.
It disguises itself well but the gritty hope in “KIDS”, once noticed, shines through more and more with each listen and the video, while it’s much less obvious, carries the same nuance which makes the whole production a realistic and unexpectedly wholesome feel.
