Soul Low‘s Cheer Up is one of the great Milwaukee albums of 2017. The record is the perfect distillation of the band’s happy-sad aesthetic, with sometimes aggressively upbeat pop tunes masking decidedly melancholy lyrics. One of the few tracks to match music to mood, however, is “Amputee,” a dreamy, pensive tune with lyrics like “Just because your touch feels good / Doesn’t mean it always will.” Oof. If that’s too heavy for you in heavy times like these, then the song’s sweet, comedic video should help take the edge off.
Directed by Milwaukee filmmaker Harper Robison, the “Amputee” clip takes the song’s title literally, depicting the trials and tribulations of a headless body as it checks out a movie, tries to get into a bar, and goes bowling. Overly curious dogs and lots of rolling mannequin heads also make appearances.
Speaking of appearances, the video made its debut as part of the 2017 Milwaukee Film Festival’s “Cream City Cinema” program, but appears online for the first time here. Enjoy this illustration of a typical night out in Milwaukee (sans head) below.