Cleopatrick Reveal New Song + Game ‘Family Van,’ Announce ‘Bummer’ Album

The van is a way of life for Cleopatrick! Not only is their new single titled “Family Van,” but the band has also made a game about it as well. And the song itself is part of the group’s newly announced Bummer album, which is set to arrive on June 4.

As you might expect from a band that’s logged plenty of miles, the song is born out of a sense of frustration. “It’s an exercise in anger, and a conscious acknowledgement of the humble beginnings, independence, and DIY mentality that makes our band what we are,” says singer-guitarist Luke Gruntz. If you like the song, you can find it here and check out the lyrics below:

Cleopatrick, “Family Van” Lyrics

caught you biting my shit when
i was mixing macchiatos for these old men
wondering what its worth, wondering who i am
you were feeling gutty with your pad and pen

i used to cut work early
up late, tryna isolate what hurt me
i was hoping that the poetry would give me peace
till you heard my heat
till you observed this beat

“look you can’t just diss and come tell man sorry”
can’t hear me talk and go tell my stories –
thats word from Aubrey, dog

i know you only fucked with me cuz im alone
ya im alone
ya ya

man in the end i always know who’s hollow
you’re hollow
ya ya

now all you rock dummies double take when i talk
play it safe, got no heart
fumble takes, got no sauce
double back, double cross
never break, take the loss
can’t keep pace
label boss, label shelf, label toss
i just

i know you only fucked with me cuz im alone
ya im alone
ya ya

man in the end i always know who’s hollow
you’re hollow
and you’re old
ya ya ya

lesson i learned from a melancholy girlfriend
contrast my passions with these fuckin has- beens, yea
she said “surprise of disguise only works in unmasking”

now all you rock dummies double take when i talk
play it safe, got no heart
fumble takes, got no sauce
double back, double cross never break, take the loss
can’t keep pace
label boss, label shelf, label toss
i just – FUCK
i can’t believe what i have seen man
feel them tugging at my feet saying
swimming in the streams is a real big bummer
got these old mother fuckers trying so hard to pull you under

Might as well make lemonade out of lemons and that’s what Cleopatrick are doing by providing a fun new “Family Van” game based around their new single. “Family Van: The Game,” which you can find right here, comes complete with an 8-bit soundtrack composed completely by the band themselves.

In the game, the band wakes up in their hometown of Coburg, Ontario, late for a headline show in Toronto. The player has to drive the duo’s trusty van Vannah Montanah to the gig on time, dodging various obstacles and challenges along the way including picking up the band and crew, major label contracts and clingy groupies.

Gruntz says of the game, “Growing up, Ian [Fraser] and I were always playing video games. I have countless memories of our childhood sleepovers spent drinking root beer, listening to music, and shredding through some newly rented title from the local Blockbuster. We loved these shared digital adventures, always grinding through ‘one more level’ – until we realized our eyes were red and the sun was coming up. Those were some of the best nights.”

He adds, “After this whack last year, we felt like both ourselves, and our friends could really use a little piece of that juvenile escapism we enjoyed so often in our youth. And so we made ‘Family Van: The Game.’ It’s an 8-bit adventure for all ages and it’s a dose of much needed escapism. It’s a nod to those innocent childhood nights, a vehicle for our new single, and most of all; it’s just dope.”

“Family Van” and the accompanying game are just the latest breadcrumbs leading up to Cleopatrick’s new album, Bummer. It was written, recorded and produced by the group with their close friend Jig Dube. The set will be released on the band’s own label Nowhere Special Recordings (via The Orchard / Thirty Tigers) on June 4 with pre-orders available here.

You can also look for the band hitting the road in the U.S. and U.K. this fall in support of the new album. All U.S. shows feature support from Zig Mentality and Ready the Prince. Dates can be found below and get your ticketing info here.

Cleopatrick, “Family Van”

Cleopatrick, Bummer Album Artwork + Track Listing

1. VICTORIA PARK
2. THE DRAKE
3. FAMILY VAN
4. GOOD GRIEF
5. NO SWEAT
6. WHY JULY
7. YA
8. PEPPER’S GHOST
9. 2008
10. GREAT LAKES

Cleopatrick 2021 U.S. + U.K. Tour Dates

Sept. 22 – Chicago, Ill. @ Cobra Lounge
Sept. 25 – Nashville, Tenn. @ Third Man Records
Sept. 26 – St. Louis, Mo. @ Off Broadway
Sept. 28 – Kansas City, Mo. @ The recordBar
Sept. 29 – Oklahoma City, Okla. @ VZD’s Restaurant & Bar
Oct. 1 – Tucson, Ariz. @ 191 Toole
Oct. 2 – Phoenix, Ariz. @ The Rebel Lounge
Oct. 3 – Santa Ana, Calif. @ The Observatory – Constellation Room
Oct. 5 – Los Angeles, Calif. @ The Echo
Oct. 7 – San Francisco, Calif. @ Bottom of the Hill
Oct. 8 – Sacramento, Calif. @ Aftershock Festival
Oct. 10 – Salt Lake City, Utah @ Kilby Court Gallery
Oct. 11 – Denver, Colo. @ Bluebird Theater
Oct. 20 – Minneapolis, Minn. @ 7th Street Entry
Oct. 21 – Madison, Wis. @ High Noon Saloon
Oct. 22 – Ferndale, Mich. @ Loving Touch
Oct. 23 – Pittsburgh, Pa. @ The Crafthouse
Oct. 25 – Philadelphia, Pa. @ The Foundry
Oct. 26 – Washington, D.C. @ Songbyrd Music House
Oct. 28 – Boston, Mass. @ The Sinclair
Oct. 29 – Brooklyn, N.Y. @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Nov. 24 – Tunbridge Wells, U.K. @ Tunbridge Wells Forum
Nov. 25 – London, U.K. @ Islington Assembly Hall
Nov. 26 – Birmingham, U.K. @ O2 Institute
Nov. 27 – Nottingham, U.K. @ Rescue Rooms