Song of the Week: Mac N Cheese at Woody's

There is no video for Mac N Cheese at Woody's, as it was part of the Sugar Boy EP that was released exclusively on Bandcamp back in early August of this year. But it feels weird posting the article without one, so please enjoy this completely unrelated educational video about the geographical vicinity to which one might venture if they were searching for large, apex predators.

I woke up late on the day the EP was released, so I downloaded it quickly and then did some browsing on Facebook before heading off to work. I fully intended to listen to it on the drive in, because that's the only part of my day that is completely uninterrupted, and I can enjoy my music in peace. Before I left, I noticed that someone in the Skinner Brothers Family group had posted a little run-down of all the songs on the EP, but since I hadn't played it yet I didn't know what the titles to any of them were. You can imagine my confusion when this person was talking about how Mac N Cheese at Woody's was their favorite... Were we still talking about the EP, or was this some kind of misplaced Yelp review?

It made much more sense when I actually heard the song a few hours later, but you have to understand that when things don't initially make sense to me, my brain makes things up to try and fill in the gaps. Most of the time, it's a harmless bit of fun like remembering the name of the St Pancras train station by calling it “St Pancreas,” but sometimes it goes a bit sideways and I spin an entire narrative that requires 3 priests and a bottle of Holy water to properly exercise.

For instance, with absolutely no basis in fact, my brain decided that Woody's must be some sort of department store that also sells mac and cheese, similar to the way Ikea has their famous meatballs. I couldn't tell you why that was my first logical choice above, say, a restaurant—but nope! Definitely a department store. I never did understand why a store like Ikea was selling meatballs to begin with, but from what I hear the place is gigantic. In order to be complaint with their building code, they probably needed some kind of oasis for customers to stumble into before starving to death while looking for the exit.

When the Sugar Boy EP was released, it was described as having a lot of influences from Jazz and the 1960's. To be honest, I've only dabbled in Jazz, and at the time I hadn't really listened to a lot of music from the 60's– at least that I was aware of. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from that description, and as much as I hate to admit it, I am often apprehensive to new things at first (cue Soft Play screaming “I DON'T LIKE CHANGE!”). Admittedly this time was no different, but the important thing is that my curmudgeonly attitude didn't last very long.

Every track on the EP has its own unique vibe, and Mac N Cheese at Woody's quickly became my favorite song from Sugar Boy, second only to Always On Somethin'. As is always the case with the Skinner Brothers music, even songs you are initially on the fence about will eventually win you over, and somehow every song ends up becoming your favorite in the end. That may not sound very impressive to you, but as a diehard cynic, I am completely blown away by this fact every release day. There's just a kind of magic in the Skinner Brothers music that makes it impossible to not enjoy, kind of like Coca Cola before they took the cocaine out.

If you catch my drift, you'll be okay...

Mac N Cheese at Woody's is such a laid back, sleepy track. Even the drums are soft and subtle, creating a welcoming ambiance that feels very familiar, and the mellow, trilling guitar sucks you right in and makes you want to stay for dessert. The lyrics are a bit dark in places, at one point saying what sounds like “Ain't no living if you can't even die the way you want to fucking die...” but if you're anything like me, the darkness just adds to the welcoming ambiance and gives the song an added layer of mystery. In this case, the mystery is “who hurt you, bro?” but still... I could also be completely wrong about what is being said there, and that would be awkward. But I have no lyrics to go by, so I stand by what I heard!

There's something about this song that is inherently relaxing and makes you want to drift off into a peaceful slumber. Comparatively, it strikes up a nice balance between many of the other Skinner Brothers tracks that are full of fiery energy and relentless drive. Mac N Cheese at Woody's feels more like taking your coat off after a long, stressful day, and sinking into your favorite recliner with the hot beverage of your choice. There will always be plenty of opportunities to grab life by the horns, but sometimes pausing for a breather is the next best thing.

If you haven't checked out the Sugar Boy EP yet, you can do that here.

☘️🖤