People are taking to the streets by the hundreds, hoisting up signs with prolific statements that demand a reaction from passersby and office-dwellers the same. They’re calling for a change, a collective acknowledgement at the very least, and they won’t accept their cries notion of going unheard any longer. In the music video for Thee Holy Brothers’ “Lift You Up,” the faces of activism through the decades take center stage as stars of the show, pressing not only the need for solidarity in the modern struggle but a desire to see the message finally echoing through every city and hamlet in the world.

More on Thee Holy Brothers: https://regionalrecords.net/

It doesn’t get much more powerful than the visuals in the music video for “Lift You Up,” and the soundtrack behind them complements the tone of the imagery all too perfectly. There’s a rusticity to the tone of the music that becomes rather transcendent as we find ourselves lost in the black and white stills and video, with younger listeners and viewers likely getting the same chills as older folks do when taking in such potent content. You don’t have to be familiar with history to feel the vibe – all you need to connect here is an ear for good music, honestly.

Stephon Ferguson’s portrayal of the incomparable Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for the spoken word part of this video is fantastic and well placed, and I like the forceful manner with which he embraces the role. It would have been too easy to utilize a delicate style for a part as iconic as this one; for what Ferguson does here is so much more powerful simply because he has the audacity to really put his whole being into the persona. It’s authentic and moving, perhaps putting the icing on the cake when everything has come to an end in “Lift You Up.”

Were the harmonies in the background not as strong as they are thanks to the chemistry of Thee Holy Brothers in general, the flow of the video both visually and musically wouldn’t be as incredible as it is in this instance, proving just how interwoven every element in this piece really is. “Lift You Up” is a compositional reflection of the spirit of its narrative; in order to achieve universal bliss, every component must work together to form a beauty through harmonization impossible when producing in ‘separate but equal’ capacities.

There is a lot of powerful music you should be listening to this month, but if there’s only one all-new independent offering you stream at the moment, it needs to be Thee Holy Brothers’ “Lift You Up,” not only for the might of its melodies but for the importance of its decree. Thee Holy Brothers refuse to stand silent at this unparalleled time in American history, and while some would be content to use their platform merely for personal gain, this is a crew too endeared to the story being told for there to have been any other path forward than this one.

John McCall