Hailed by The Globe and Mail as “the right kind of band for this decade,” Arkells are widely considered one of the most passionate, exuberant, and in-demand live bands working today. As radio mainstays, sport-sync shoe-ins, and curious students of culture, Arkells have remained ever-present – building awareness and personal community experiences around their live shows and new music at every turn. The most emblematic example of this being The Rally, Arkells hometown concert that sold 24,000 tickets and hailed as one of the biggest headline shows in the country. While off the road in 2020, Arkells pivoted to their first acoustic-leaning project, Campfire Chords, a deluxe LP and play-at-home guitar chord book inspired by their most beloved hits, and the band’s live-streamed interactive music lessons that moved fans to learn new skills while “flattening the curve” from home.
Their new single “You Can Get It” is their first collaboration with Chicago-born songwriter/artist/multi-instrumentalist K. Flay. Her near-undefinable amalgamation of dark-electro soundscapes, art-pop sensibilities, spitfire rhymes, industrial rock backbone, and versatile chameleon-like vocals has led to two Grammy nominations, tours alongside Grouplove, Imagine Dragons, and Thirty Seconds To Mars, and festival spots at ACL Fest, Bonnaroo, Coachella, Treefort, and Riot Fest.
“You Can Get It” was originally recorded in person in Los Angeles prior to the pandemic lockdown. As such, the high-energy song has taken on a new sense of relevance and urgency over the past 13 years. Arkells frontman Max Kerman comments,
It feels like the sun is finally coming out, and the song is about being free to chase down every dream and desire. When we started writing this song, the world felt dark. We were looking for answers. You look to people who give you energy. You look for little moments that can lead you on a new path. Collaborating with K.Flay gave us that jolt. She turned the song on its head and drove it home. Our band is always evolving and growing, and she’s now in the Family.
K. Flay adds,
This song is about finding your momentum, the potential energy that’s inside of you. The moment when you scream to yourself “I DON’T GIVE A F*CK TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT! YOU CAN GET IT!” So often, the future doesn’t just feel unknowable – it feels impossible. We wanted this song to feel like possibility. Like the world is opening up. Like you are powerful.
The song is fearless and steadfast. The message? Think big. And everything in the song points to the message. From the opening that features quick keys and shouted vocals to the building production behind the hook, this song is all gas and no brakes. The energetic production and pumped up vocals create a dance-worthy atmosphere for listeners. Even when things seem to slow down a bit for K. Flay’s verse, the dynamic production quickly takes over again, especially with K. Flay’s driving and lively vocals. The message is big. The production is big. “You Can Get It” is a vigorous reminder to listeners that possibilities are endless with the right attitude.
The video is a fun play on the iconic game show Wheel Of Fortune with Max Kerman putting a spin on the role of iconic co-host Vanna White, while his bandmates play through a game of puzzles that spell out meaningful experiences we’ve longed for while in lockdown. The ‘wheel’ depicts what’s coming up next, whether that is a live performance break, experiences with loved ones, or announcing K.Flay’s entrance to the song.
[…] their recent release, “You Can Get It” with K. Flay, the boys are back with a new single that is a hopeful summer jam. Frontman Max […]