Mad Lasso is the latest project from singer-songwriter Franklin Smith Ellis. Since becoming a part-time Atlanta resident, Ellis has leaned into a more rootsy aesthetic. Produced by Stephen Meisel of Jr. Joy at Standard Electric Recording Co., his debut EP Sad Lasso presents stark lyricism and gripping intensity. Think of the old soul flavor of Townes Van Zant with the punk-ish energy of T. Hardy Morris. It’s a recipe for the kind of stimulant-fueled music that forces you to re-examine your life.
“Missouri” rumbles with heartland energy as Ellis weaves an arresting narrative about a misfit character who is led to madness by their social isolation. It’s hard not to hear the song in the context of the Georgia legislature’s recent proposal of our version of Florida’s heinous “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
Ellis acknowledges the terror of the church, saying, “I wrote ‘Missouri’ five years ago during a particularly strong bout of self-hatred and coming-of-age confusion. I addressed the song to the first people (beyond my mom) that made me feel my ideas and experiences were worth a damn. My eight to twelve-year-old self didn’t care that the same people lifting me up were simultaneously dragging down all people and ideas that didn’t perfectly align with their ‘do-gooder’ Christian identity.
“With some distance and age, I came to hate these men and their moral hypocrisy. I also hated that they brought me to hate Christianity and religion in general. But most damagingly, I recognized that I hated myself for being a vessel for their warped ideals masquerading as virtue.”
The video balances the heavier lyrical content with a touch of low-rent Clockwork Orange energy. After paying for a roadside flim-flam man, Ellis relives his life, which drives him to slapstick madness. It’s a nice bit of levity that pairs well with the song. The video culminates with Mad Lasso on the brink of insanity as the band thunders through the final ringing chords.
Watch/listen above.
Sad Lasso is out May 6.
More Info
Web: madlasso.com
Facebook: @madlasso
Bandcamp: madlasso.bandcamp.com
Instagram: @madlasso