Stephen Webber turns climate collapse into a catchy carnival on new single 'Little Brains'

If the planet’s going down, Stephen Webber wants it to have a killer soundtrack, preferably one with a tuba solo.

With 'Little Brains', the fourth single in his wonderfully sideways Ukelately series, the Emmy-winning maestro trades doomscrolling for deft satire, crafting an eco-conscious cabaret that dances across extinction timelines like it’s headlining a vaudeville revue on the Titanic.

Joined by the magnetic Zahara (Annette Philip) on harmonies and a rhythm section that includes a very game tuba, Webber pokes fun at humanity’s self-inflicted absurdities, turning them into earworms in the process. From prehistoric slackers to robo-apocalypse dinner parties, his lyrics march gleefully through millennia of poor decisions, offering punchlines with the sting of prophecy.

'Little Brains' is a masterclass in playful dissonance. The ukulele bubbles with irreverent charm, while the rhythm lopes along like a jester waltzing through a minefield. Beneath it all lies surgical precision, where Webber knows exactly when to smirk and when to sucker punch.

But the real magic lies in its refusal to scold. There’s no grandstanding here, and no sanctimony either, just a sly grin and a reminder that laughter, when aimed correctly, can cut deeper than outrage.

In an era drowning in apathy and alarm, 'Little Brains' offers a funhouse-shaped mirror, distorted but no less reflective. It’s an anthem for anyone who understands that sometimes the only way to process catastrophe is to sing through it.