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A photographer is staging a gourmet cheeseburger as subtle bass notes drop in. The bun is perfectly laid out, its toppings stacked high and condiments applied with surgical precision.

Austin based songwriter Shakey Graves featured actor Craig Anstett in this intriguing video for “Big in the World” from his new release Movie of the Week. The album is scheduled for a September 15th release on Dualtone Records.  

“I started singing the chorus to myself and wrote the title down on a sheet of paper,” Graves said. “That night I took the tune over to my friend Dan Creamer’s house and in his backyard we fleshed out this semi-dystopian/hopeful melody.” 

The soft vocals and dream-like piano create a mysterious atmosphere. Dark lighting in the video highlights the vibrant colors as strawberries are painted for a perfect red glow. Pancakes are propped up high and motor oil is poured over them for a beautifully inedible shot.

Shakey Graves overcomes fear in “Big in the World”

“I started writing “Big In The World” mid-2020 while asking myself what I wanted from my future and present as a person and a musician,” Graves said. “Cities were on fire and ideologies were being dragged through the streets. Our president was openly mocking everything I knew up to that point and ironies turned into fear and back into comedy on an hourly basis.

I considered buying a gun. I considered anti-violence.  I longed to leave all possessions while simultaneously worrying that I should be hoarding grains and water. I pondered escape and looked at every way of buying in or selling out that I could muster.   

I thought a lot about the repercussions of all the decisions I made so far and wondered if I really wanted to change or just be perceived as making it ‘Big’.”

The melody of the song creates highs and lows throughout that keep your mind questioning the reality on the screen. Graves asks “why you gotta be somebody’s anything to be big in the world” as Anstett’s character becomes angry and destroys the set.  

 “I don’t think that either of us would imagine that three years later we would be in a band together asking these questions to audiences on a nightly basis,” Graves said. 

Shakey Graves finds a stage name at Old Settler’s Music Festival

Alejandro Rose-Garcia, known by the stage name Shakey Graves, quickly built a following in the Austin music scene after his 2011 release Roll the Bones. Graves performed as a one man band with a kick drum and his energy and creativity struck a nerve with fans. Graves also worked in the entertainment industry as an actor in the Friday Night Lights series and Spy Kids films. 

Graves’ name comes from a late night interaction with a festival attendee at the Old Settler’s Music Festival on the outskirts of town. A man wandered into their camp and warned them to look out for “Spooky Wagons,” and after some brainstorming the alias was chosen. 

Shakey Graves Day

Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell even designated an official holiday for Shakey Graves, and every February 9th fans celebrate his art. “Big in the World” is an intriguing song with a mysterious video that lets you philosophically examine your life and how the choices have shaped your existence. 

More information on Shakey Graves’ new release Movie of the Week can be found here.