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Frontman Michael Angelakos talks to MTV News about the first single off Gossamer.By James Montgomery Michael Angelakos of Passion Pit Photo: Getty Images When Passion Pit's Michael Angelakos learned that his label chose "Take a Walk" as the first single from his band's upcoming Gossamer album — the follow-up to their breakout debut, Manners — he was understandably nervous. Though not for the reasons you might expect. "It was really odd when they said it was going to be the first single, I was like 'I don't know if anyone's going to get it,'" he told MTV News on Wednesday (May 9). "And then I thought everyone was going to think I was being really political, and I don't think it is political, it's more about family to me. I really don't consider myself a very political person; I really don't like political songs, frankly." It's not difficult to see why he was concerned. After all, with its mentions of disappearing pension funds, overdrawn accounts and "socialists and all their damn taxes," "Take A Walk" seems very much to be a political anthem — one that could only have been written post financial crisis. And, since it premiered earlier this week, most have viewed it as such. But, as Angelakos said, the song is really about his family; each verse is about a member of his family at one point in their lives — from an immigrant selling flowers outside Penn Station to a well-heeled (though financially strapped) member of society. And, in a way, the song is also about him. "It's about very specific family members, the male hierarchy, and how the men in my family have always dealt with money. I've always been really fond of a lot of my family members and not so fond of others," he laughed. "All these men were very conservative; socially very liberal but for some reason, they all came here for capitalism, and they all ended up kind of being prey to capitalism. And I'm not making any political statements or anything, but it's ironic and it's sad. "So when people started talking about it as an 'immigrant song' or whatever, I was like, 'OK' ... I didn't want to make it into a greater political issue, especially considering the timeliness of it. I didn't want people to read it the wrong way," he continued. "I was more or less interested in analyzing my own family, and that was my way of talking about myself, because I'm a product of these men; I'm their blood. And that was a new way for me to express something." And that new way of expression also helps shape Gossamer (due July 24), which sees Angelakos coming to terms with the failings in his own life ... for reasons he's not entirely sure of ("I don't know why I felt the need to write so much non-fiction," he laughed). And it's why, for the first time, he says he's endlessly proud of the finished product. And not overly concerned with whether it manages to match the commercial success of Manners. To him, Gossamer goes much deeper than any of that. "This record was a struggle, that's for sure. At the time of making it, [I was in] a relationship that just felt like, 'Things are perfect, things are falling apart,' and it was mostly of my doing, because it was such a hard process making this record," he said. "Everything on the record's true, everything happened to me, I'm the one that made the mess and everyone else had to clean up around me. And the guilt and the pain that I felt throughout the record is definitely evident. "It's about the ways of dealing with pain and anxiety. Social issues are dealt with today in a variety of ways, of which I don't need to indulge in for you to understand; and I kind of gave in to those things, and I just lost control at a certain point," he continued. "And it was about regaining control. Once I did, that's when I finished the record. You can't make a record when you were in a terrible place, and most of the time, I wasn't finishing a record, I was treading water, and finally at a certain point, everything kind of clicked, and I saw what was happening. It involved being very open and honest, but that was my therapy in a way. I'm really proud of it." What do you think of "Take a Walk"? Leave your comments below! Related Artists Passion Pit

Kings die, dragons flourish and wildfire abounds in the latest episode of the HBO fantasy series.By Josh Wigler Gethin Anthony as Renly Baratheon in "Game of Thrones" Photo: HBO Just as the warlocks of Quarth welcome you to the House of the Undying, so too do we welcome you to this week's "Game of Thrones" recap! Shadow babies are a thing of the past, blue-lipped magic-users lurk about in the distance, and the threat of fire rages everywhere. As always, Westeros remains a wicked and weird place to live, but a place we love visiting every week. Keep reading for this week's highlights! The King Is Dead The War of Five Kings is down a player. Renly Baratheon, youngest brother of late King Robert, has joined his elder stag in the great beyond, thanks to the powers of Melisandre's shadow baby, a ruthless but calculated move on warmongering Stannis' part. Sad though it is to see Renly go, we benefit from his death in a few ways: 1) The Tyrell family is on the defensive, and that's going to make queen-in-the-making Margaery Tyrell a very interesting player to watch; 2) Loras, meanwhile, is feeling mighty vengeful over his lover's death, and there's nothing quite like a Knight of Flowers scorned; 3) It proves that Stannis is willing to go so far as committing fratricide in pursuit of the Iron Throne; 4) Renly's death pushes Brienne into Catelyn Stark's camp, the beginning of a great new chapter for both characters; and 5) We got to see a shadow baby assassinate a king. Really, how bad can that be? Fists of Fury Way up north, far beyond the Wall, Jon Snow and his companions finally reach the Fist of the First Men, a stronghold for the men of the Night's Watch. It's a site with great historical significance for the ancient order of warriors, both for what's happened in their long ago past, and for what's yet to come. Will Jon be around to see these coming events? Perhaps not — he's taken a dangerous assignment under the guidance of ranger Qhorin Halfhand, a living legend within the Watch, to stealthily ambush and kill Wildlings on their way toward dismantling Mance Rayder's assembled army of free folk. Mother Of Dragons Far east — really far east, if the opening credits' map is to be believed — Daenerys Targaryen and her khalasar are resting and eating well in Qarth, the greatest city that ever was or will be. A few new players are brought into the mix this week: the warlocks of the House of the Undying, blue-lipped magicians with unclear purposes; and Quaithe, a masked priestess of Asshai who is bound to resurface from time to time to offer mysterious words regarding Dany's future. We also gain new insight into Xaro Xhoan Daxos' interest in Dany — he, like so many men, wants to marry the exiled Westerosi princess and profit from her dragons — while new light is shed on Jorah Mormont's true feelings for Dany, already obvious to anyone with a brain. As for Dany herself, she's spending lots of time with her dragons, teaching them to breathe fire onto meat upon her command. Well-trained dragons mean a well-armed army, and Dany's certainly on her way in that regard. Catching Fire Dragons aren't the only source of fire in the world of "Thrones." In King's Landing, Tyrion Lannister makes the terrible discovery of thousands upon thousands of pots filled with wildfire, a highly flammable substance that could level the capitol of Westeros in one miscalculated move. Apparently, Queen Regent Cersei has commissioned the stuff in anticipation of an attack from Stannis Baratheon and his men. Now, Tyrion has co-opted the order and plans to use the wildfire for his own means. Exactly what he has planned is anyone's guess, but knowing the Imp's sharp mind, it's probably a better plan than whatever his sister was cooking up. Only Death May Pay for Life Death hasn't swept King's Landing just yet, but it's all the rage in Harrenhal, the great castle in the Riverlands where Arya Stark is currently serving as Tywin Lannister's cup-bearer. There, she runs into the assassin Jaqen H'Ghar for the first time since saving his life some episodes earlier. He claims to owe Arya three lives in return for the lives she saved: his own and his fellow prisoners Rorge and Biter. All she has to do is name the people she wants dead, and the deed is done. A deal that looks too sweet on the surface pans out exactly as articulated, as Arya's first intended victim — the torturous Tickler — is found in Harrenhal with his head halfway twisted around, thanks to the stealthy work of Jaqen. One down, two to go ... In Previous "Game of Thrones" News ... » "Game of Thrones" births a shadow baby » Has Robb Stark found true love? » A kid-killing trend sweeps over Westeros » Peter Dinklage's Tyrion lays the smack down » "Game of Thrones" wins a third season renewal What did you think of this week's "Game of Thrones" episode? Tell us in the comments section! Related Videos Watching The 'Thrones' Related Photos 'Game Of Thrones' Season Two