“Great Lake” by Trapdoor Social – A Video and Song Review

     Trapdoor Social released a video that is both tender and disturbing. For much of “Great Lake,” the video shows two ladies in a blue and white room with a shallow pool of clear water. They lightly caress and embrace, while mouthing the lyrics of “Great Lake.” It all seems innocent. But the video finishes with the couple covered by light, slightly transparent cloth and bound by ropes and chains that self-secured. The video does foreshadow the outcome by using light chains as attire for one of the ladies and by flashing the eventual result partially through the video (at 3:07), but we didn’t see it coming.

     Trapdoor Social was originally introduced to Indie Obsessive after their release of “Away.” At that time, the members were Merritt Graves (vocals, keys) and Skylar Funk (vocals, guitar). The band has expanded to include Louie Gonzalez (guitar), Patrick Griffen (bass), and Ben Ebert (drums). The history of the band and its attention to social consciousness are found at the bottom of this post. 

     Trapdoor Social is based in Los Angeles. They will be visiting the San Francisco area next week. Tour details are available at CLICK HERE.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TrapdoorSocial

Website: http://www.trapdoorsocial.com/

  

Lyrics of “Great Lake” by Trapdoor Social

Sunrise over Great Lake

Pressed against my window pane

And I don't mind if I make mistakes

Color of my life

On your knees before the throne you pray

To rid you of your vices

Or set you free to live your glory days

Just trading eyes for eyes

Sunrise over Great Lake

The lonely shore lies frozen in place

And I can't tow all this dead weight

Troubles on my mind

And I feel this is a golden age

For reasons I can't quantify

But life breeds on yet another day

Behold the highest right

About Trapdoor Social (from their Submithub post): 

  Trapdoor Social has found success with their music being added to a number of major market radio stations around the U.S., including Los Angeles's KROQ, Chicago's WKQX, Las Vegas's X107.5 and Colorado's  RXP1039. 

  Trapdoor Social is entering 2017 with a new sense of urgency. After reconstituting itself from a duo to a 5-piece, their eponymous debut album is a raucous, anthemic environmental call to action, erupting with signature blues rock and bass synth riffs. Titled ‘Trapdoor Social,’ it’s the band’s first full-length album, and was the first TDS project that included the work of bassist and guitarist Patrick Griffen and Louie Gonzalez. The first single, “Sunshine,” had national success receiving airplay across the country and winning another “Hall of Fame” Status for the band on Las Vegas’s X107.5 “The Beatdown” as well as staying in the Top 5 of KROQ’s “Locals Only” show for over a month.

  Disturbed by increasing carbon emissions and environmental degradation, the journey started after Trapdoor Social’s Merritt Graves and Skylar Funk met in an Environmental program at Pomona College and bonded over a shared concern for the future of the planet. The duo introduced themselves with the 2012 EP “Death Of A Friend”, a driving, emotive alt-rock experience. Produced by Curt Schneider, the EP features Death Cab For Cutie’s Jason McGerr on drums. The EP made waves when “Like You Never” became the #1 listener-requested track on KROQ’s “Locals Only” show, and the second single “Away” enjoyed radio play from a number of major market stations around the US (including regular rotation on WKQX in Chicago) and a national Discount Tire/America’s Tire commercial that has run since 2014.

  In May 2014, Trapdoor Social released the ‘Science of Love’ EP, which explored both sides of Skylar and Merritt’s influences as songwriters. As the boys started work on the EP, they decided to channel their music toward an environmental initiative in their community. They partnered with a few great non-profits and used their unreleased EP to raise $35k of solar roofing, which they are donating to Homeboy Industries. The 6.4 kW project represents 100% of the fundraiser’s earnings and will be installed soon.

  In December, 2014 the band toured to Colorado Springs to play RXP1039’s Christmas festival. Having discovered that the local high school (Mesa Ridge HS) marching band program was underfunded, the boys decided to record a song with the band to help launch a fundraiser to help keep the program alive and promote the benefits of music and arts education in the public school system.

  “Fine On My Own” was released on April 20th, 2015. It became top ten in Colorado Springs and was played in many other major markets. The song attained “Hall of Fame” Status on Las Vegas’s X107.5 nightly contest “The Beatdown” by winning ten times in a row. Trapdoor Social toured to Colorado in May, 2015 and promoted the fundraiser by organizing and performing a benefit show with the marching band. The fundraiser brought in over $7K for the school.

  In the summer of 2016, the band pioneered and performed at the first annual Sunstock Solar Festival, a 100% solar-powered music and art festival which hosted eight live bands and raised about $10K for the charity Kids Cancer Connection.

 In the fall of 2016, along with new drummer Ben Ebert, TDS toured in their solar trailer, an equipment trailer with solar panels on top, putting on solar-powered shows at outdoor venues and universities across the country.