Joker's Hand

If you haven’t yet given a listen to Joker’s Hand and their debut album All-American Rage here’s a friendly reminder you’re missing out on a touchstone of pop-punk, hip-hop bombast. Straight out of Torrance, CA duo Kevin Kawano and Matthew Lau boast an untouchably incendiary sound that they use to take aim at economic inequities and capitalistic greed. The album’s title track serves as the album’s fiery closer and the duo has just dropped a suitably wild music video for the song.

Directed and produced by Javier Alejandro Juanillo, the video sees Kawano and Lau parodying the bonkers realities, aspirations, and dreams of what it means to spend your life working towards a wealth you’ll never attain. Playing the sleazy voice of some rich executive Kawano rides hilariously portrays the absurd ways the immensely rich are disconnected with other people — which the video puts not too fine point on in showing Lau in orange prison jumpers working on the computer while Kawano hits golf balls.

Joker's Hand

But the song is more than just parody, with much of the lyrics switch-footing along with the song’s genre-bending sonics into broader commentaries that arent’ so hyperbolic. Like the song’s chorus which emphasizes a life lived on minimum wage, something only people who’ve done so would ever understand. “Like Beastie Boys, Fighting for the right just to make some noise,” Joker’s Hand” rage and even in the depressing real-world of which the duo is acerbically fighting for — I do take some small comfort knowing Kawano and Lau are filling that vacancy.

“‘All-American Rage’ explores the ever growing gap between the rich and poor, highlighting the contempt felt by normal, hard working people while large portions of the elite continue to perpetuate a faux image of ‘success.'”

Joker’s Hand will be playing on May 6 and 21 at at Hennessey’s Tavern, May 17 at The Venice West, and June 10 at BL Dancehall and Saloon in Agoura Hills Strange Case. Visit Joker’s Hand at their website, Twitter, and Instagram to stay updated on new releases and tour announcements.

Watch the video for Joker’s Hand video “All-American Rage” below!

artist to watch in 2023
Joker's Hand