Embedding and identifying hidden messages via song is a time-honored tradition of the skate vid trade. Josh Kalis has spoken on the romantic and tender notions behind using Marvin Gaye’s ‘Let’s Get It On’ in Toy Machine’s ‘Heavy Metal’; putting the Jackson 5’s ‘I Want U Back,’ for the prior decade synonymous with Guy Mariano and ‘Video Days,’ to Paul Rodriguez’s debut in ‘Street Cinema’ was an audacious (and pretty correct) statement about the prodigious talent at hand. More recently Girl stirred messageboarders by soundtracking Mike Mo Capaldi’s ‘Pretty Sweet’ section to Fitz and the Tantrums’ ‘Moneygrabber’ just after his jump from Lakai to DC; last year Pontus Alv gave an IG-storified wink to a Slap board theory that picking Naked Raygun’s ‘Treason’ for Ville Wester’s closing part in the Polar vid anticipated his decamping to Palace.
In recent days Palace has launched ‘Beta Blockers,’ built from tornado-proof videocameras, James Bond music and burger money. Therein, Jahmir Brown rapidly elevates to the top of listmakers’ ‘overdue for pro nod’ rosters, getting down on some gaps, switch backside lipsliding the pyramid ledges, and turning in a switch frontside noseslide for the ages as the death-watch ticks for the Municipal Services plaza. There is a healthy slug of twirlsome footage from the beloved Jamal Smith, a grip of emotes and a beautiful fakie kickflip from Lucas Puig, and the video part that Shawn Powers has had in him for all these years, comprising the company’s best full-length since ‘Palasonic.’
It is made so in large part by a surprise ender section from Chewy Cannon, who Palace upon scooping him from the spiraling Blueprint described as ‘our favorite skater,’ and who along with Dane Brady and Jake Johnson probably ranks as one of the least-seen most-influential pros of recent years — in particular the quick-footed, wallie-heavy and tough-on-urethane stuff showcased in ‘Diagonal.’ — who seemed to have steadily stepped back some as Palace and Adidas brought up next-genners. His ‘Beta Blockers’ material is of the classic vintage, with the twist of being filmed almost entirely in and around Philadelphia; it is a glorious trip to see him ply his switch backside nosegrinds, nollie snaps and noseslides at Muni and FDR and Temple, round and round again.
The risk-tolerant soundtrackers at Palace HQ’s choice of ‘Wicked Game,’ the 1989 Chris Isaak hit with the Cinemax-level video, invites all types of speculation as to deeper understandings of the part, beyond the concept of Chewy Cannon flouncing in waves and wallowing on a deserted beach. Is it a lament of unrequited love from the boardbuying masses, who have had to subsist for these last years on sporadic clips while dreaming of a video part such as this one? Is it a hint of heartbreaks yet to come, as Chewy Cannon slides through with a gleaming package of top-drawer tricks, only to vanish for years?
Is it wicked for Chewy Cannon and Palace to provide knife-sharp lines through the Muni benches, fleeting as they may be? Or is it an act of mercy and kindness, as fire spreads across the earth and disaster threatens? Between this vid and using PM Dawn in ‘Palasonic’ is Chewy Cannon gunning for Nick Trapasso’s Most Chill Music Supervision belt?
Tags: Beta Blockers, Blueprint, Cam'Ron, Chewy Cannon, chillwave, Chris Isaak, collaboratories, Diagonal, hamburgers, Jahmir Brown, Jamal Smith, Life's a Beach, memory bliss, Muni, Palace, Philly steps, Street Cinema
boil the ocean 
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