Shock to the System is the second video from Trask’s latest album, Derealization.
You’ve got to hand it to Mike Trask. He definitely does things his own way. From his howly-growly vocals to his growing discography of his self-recorded, self-produced music, his art is distinct and immediately recognizable.
His latest release, a video for the song Shock to the System off his 2017 full-length album Derealization, is pure Trask – unusual, slightly comedic and strangely dark all at the same time.
“I put the video together,” said Trask. “I drew the dashboard by hand and did the green screen in my home office. The road is in Memramcook and the drawing is loosely based on a 1980s square body Chevy truck. My dad used to have one. I always loved the orange arms on the speedometer.
“The concept is loose,” he said. “There is a song on my album called Life which is about your life as a car ride, a drive you’re not really in control of, getting told info you may or may not need or want by a messenger that is questionable at best.”
Derealization was released in February and Trask wrote most of the album while he was working on his family’s lobster boat, an experience he credits for shaping his life in many ways.
“My work ethic has been forged by the boat and my time working with my father and the other men and women I’ve been lucky to learn from,” said Trask, speaking about his job as a fisherman. “I learned how to work hard and long with little reward at times. I learned to ignore exhaustion and fear and have confidence in your own strength and wisdom.”
