Vaadat Charigim released one of 2013’s best tapes with The World Is Well Lost and since that Burger release, they’ve released stunning videos for “Odisea” and “Kezef Al Hamayim“. Just recently, the Tel Aviv band unveiled another video for The World Is Well Lost‘s sl0w-burning “Ein Nehama Ladoachim”, which may be their most singular visual piece to date. It’s a striking clip, to be sure, that features the band playing the song in an abandoned mall. There’s an emphasis on transcendent Kaminski-indebted cinematography, allowing an eerie tension to permeate the clip. That tension is elevated to another level when paired with the record’s commentary-heavy lyrics.
Many of the songs on The World Is Well Lost deal with wars both personal and political, in one way or another. With that knowledge, an abandoned building suddenly becomes a haunted shelter, a clip of a hovering plane becomes foreshadowing, Hello Kitty transforms from a beloved children’s icon into a cruel reminder, and the very act of music suddenly becomes a personal brand of activism. These elements are things that Vaadat Charigim not only understand but thrive on. It’s those same principles that make their music necessary listening and their videos necessary viewing. When art can function on multiple levels and stand for something as important as a call for peace, kindness, and personal independence- no matter how basic- it’s worth celebrating. Watch “Ein Nehama Ladoachim” below.
Between the streaming of Terrestrials the behemoth of a collaborative album between Sunn O))) and Ulver, the announcement of a Bad Banana reunion show, John Dwyer releasing his first material post-Oh Sees hiatus, Big Air publicly unveiling their excellent debut tape, Buds, Fear of Men releasing a very promising sneak peek of their upcoming debut full-length Loom, a surprisingly punchy new track entitled “Any Wonder” from Yellow Ostrich, Mary Timony’s newest project, Ex Hex, offering up a hard-charging sample of their upcoming Merge debut, the cleverly constructed first music video to come out of the pairing of Nada Surf’s Matthew Caws and Julianna Hatfield for their Minor Alps project, an NPR Tiny Desk Session from The Pixies, the energetic black-and-white music video premiere of The Orwells’ “The Righteous One“, a live performance video of an all-acoustic run through of upcoming Drive-By Truckers track “Made Up English Oceans“, and Angel Olsen‘s absolutely stunning smoky, seductively noir-ish music video for upcoming Burn Your Fire for No Witness track “Hi-Five“, it’s been one hell of a Monday. Then, to top it all off, there’s the video that managed to edge out all of this to become today’s focus piece; Saintseneca‘s extraordinary clip for upcoming Dark Arc track “Happy Alone”.
Dark Arc, at this point easily one of the year’s most anticipated albums, should officially herald the arrival of Saintseneca, a band that was previously best known for being a conglomeration of two excellent Ohio basement punk bands; All Dogs and The Sidekicks. They’ve been maintaining an entrancing (and incredibly effective) rollout campaign for Dark Arc, their Anti- records debut, and seem poised to continue rewarding the investment of anyone who’s paying attention. “Happy Alone” has officially elevated their art form even further. The Christopher Good clip is clearly indebted to a vast array of arthouse influences and features stunning handheld cinematography, a gorgeous (magic hour-infused) color palette, inspired editing, yet another great song from the band, and band member Zac Little’s head in a giant bubble as he makes his way through everyday tasks.
It’s borderline dadaism and dips in and out of some Warhol-level pop art as it goes along to the most weirdly entrancing effect. It works as a surface level piece and as a light commentary on the nature of loneliness. There’s really absolutely no reason for any of it to add up to the inexplicably powerful whole that it is but it manages to do that and a little more. On its own, “Happy Alone” is definitive enough to act as a perfect introductory piece to the uninitiated while being singular enough to plausibly rank as one of the bands most important moments in their continuing evolution during this much-deserved groundswell of success. Above all else, though, it’s just a beautiful piece of art. That’s something that will always be worth rewarding. Watch it below.
together PANGEA recently saw their third record, Badillac, released officially on Harvest Records and awaiting a cassette release on the increasingly prolific Fullerton label Burger Records (pre-orders available). Badillac marks a major uptick for the band’s production value- a value which used to reside comfortably in the gutter back when they were just called Pangea. It’s also one of the best records to find a January release and will likely still be among the very best records of the year come June and possibly December. Anticipation for Badillac had been steadily building since the gonzo blitz of the music video for “Snakedog” and now the band’s poised to capitalize on that interest now that the record’s actually out. This is where the beguiling video for “Offer” comes in.
“Offer”, directed by Ada Rajkovic and Kaya Yusi (operating under the name Lonely Highways), is full of vaguely sinister undertones that emphasize the song’s introspective tendencies more completely than anyone was probably expecting. Depending on how it’s viewed, “Offer” can play like a nightmarish collage of people temporarily losing their minds or like a lost paean to all of the weird shit that happens on a long, exhausting tour. There’s a sense of intrigue that immediately pulls the rug out from beneath the viewer and keeps them hooked throughout as quickly intercut scenes of band members kissing and people projectile spewing liquid into each others mouths goes by at a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it clip. If anything, “Offer” is the fullest and most honest visual representation of together PANGEA’s aesthetic to date. Give in to curiosity and watch it below.
Lemuria’s The Distance is so Big was one of 2013’s more intriguing records, playing up some of Lemuria’s more unique strengths. Those strengths, and that record’s playful curiosity, are amplified considerably by the music video the band just unveiled for the shape-shifting “Oahu, Hawaii”. In a small miracle of animation from Okay Video, the “Oahu, Hawaii” video centers around an ambiguous central figure’s canoe journey through different settings. Every time there’s a new passage that presents itself musically, a new one opens up visually as well. From wide-open skies to a jungle canvas to a flooded lobby, the video conjures up a palpable sense of mystery, exploration, and longing.
There are beautiful little touches throughout “Oahu, Hawaii” that most often appear in the form of surrealist imagery the central character encounters in the various environments that are passed through on this journey. When the song reaches its conclusion and the passage comes to an end, it leaves us with one of the more stunning music video images in recent memory; as night falls a starry sky seamlessly intersects with the clear water to the point where the two merge into something that approaches being downright spiritual. There’s a surprising ending of sorts but to discuss it here would only take away from its impact.
Watch the video for “Oahu, Hawaii” below and order The Distance is so Big from Bridge 9.
Potty Mouth became one of the great breakout successes of last year on the backs of a few very well-received advance singles, EP’s, and (finally) their fantastic debut LP Hell Bent. There were moments of controversy that occasionally surrounded them but the band kept pushing forward, disregarding any obstacles in their way. Hell Bent became a conversation-starter in the ever-expanding cultural niche of the 90’s indie punk revival alongside Speedy Ortiz’s Major Arcana. While the latter record exploded under the watchful eye of an adoring public, Hell Bent was undeservedly swept to the side. It may have been a case of Potty Mouth’s basement punk aesthetics feeling more hard-won and lived-in than their like-minded kin.
This aesthetic remains firmly in place in the band’s new video for “Black and Studs”, one of Hell Bent‘s many highlights. “Black and Studs” is presented in crisp black-and-white by Faye Orlove, who also tackled the video’s graceful throwback animation sequences and visual effects. Apart from the graphic design visuals, the video’s central conceit revolves around the various band members getting ready in the morning and coming together by the end to play the song. It’s a simple idea with masterful execution and a perfect soundtrack to accompany it. Watch “Black and Studs” below.
Adam Widener is most famous for once fronting the bands The Zygoteens and, more recently, Bare Wires. Both bands made a fairly big impression on their respective circuit, winning over a large following with relentless touring and consistently great discographies. Fortunately, Widener’s far from finished. A fact that’s proven on his most recent solo outing Vesuvio Nights. It’s a record full of basement punk gems that rival his best work during his time with both The Zygoteens and Bare Wires. One of the most impressive cuts from Vesuvio Nights was “Laughter on Your Heels I’ll Follow”, which has now been given a winsome visual-graphics-heavy music video. There’s a certain infectious joy to be found in both the song and its visual representation, with each presenting a relentless energy that’s impossible not to respond to. There are enough hooks (again, both musical and visual) to snag the interest of anyone that finds themselves in the vicinity of either the song or the music video and it all takes place in under two minutes. Watch “Laughter on Your Heels I’ll Follow” below and order Vesuvio Nights from Speakertree Records.
Earlier this week Burger Records released DTCV’s excellent new record, Hilarious Heaven, on tape and made it available for streaming. While all 26 songs on Hilarious Heaven are worth spending a lot of time with, there are a few that manage to truly stand out. The brilliantly named “Alpha Waves in a Gelatinous Conductor” is one of those songs, which may very well be why the band decided to give it a music video. In the clip for “Alpha Waves in a Gelatinous Conductor” new footage gets filtered through an old lens, suggesting a wistful nostalgia that’s in keeping with its soft climactic feel. Both aesthetics play off each other extraordinarily well, with neither coming across as detrimental to the other in the slightest. For a mid-record song, “Alpha Waves in a Gelatinous Conductor” packs the punch of a huge penultimate one- or even something that’s fashioned as an epilogue or intended for a closing reel. The implementation of the hazy home-video effect works perfectly in that regard, leaving “Alpha Waves in a Gelatinous Conductor” a very appetizing first taste of Hilarious Heaven, which boasts enough intrigue to spark a serious amount of interest. Watch it below.
Golden Animals are yet another Burger-affiliated act that have incorporated a retro aesthetic into forward thinking post-punk. Earlier this week the band released their black-and-white clip for “Most My Time”, which reflects the attitude of their music to absolute perfection. Floating through a hazy Halloween-friendly atmosphere, the video (conceived by Golden Animals in collaboration with Oswald James) jumps from eerie imagery to the everyday, creating an effective sense of tension-fueled discord that suits the band well. The cinematography throughout the video is genuinely stunning and the song itself is a good representation of the record it’s taken from, Hear Eye Go, which was released last fall. Golden Animals themselves specialize in a bluesy goth-punk take on 60’s powerpop, coming across like Thee Oh Sees with a classic Disney nightmare fetish (think The Skeleton Dance). The whole thing’s absolutely tremendous and worth a fair few visits. You can pick up Hear Eye Go from either label involved in the joint-effort release, Burger Records or The Reverberation Association Society. Watch “Most My Time” below.
Traditionally, the first week or so of a new year is one of the slowest (if not the absolute slowest) for notable music items. Fortunately for everyone, there are some places that cease to stop producing incredible content and just barrel on forward. Which is why the main section in this week’s edition of Watch This only features full sets from one of the most incomparable institutions in music; KEXP. Year after year the Seattle radio station has been providing the most incredible live sessions (audio and video) this side of NPR. The past week or so has been no exception and served as a strong reminder of what makes 90.3 so important. Enjoy.
1. Wimps
Wimps, a local Seattle band, raised one hell of a racket last year and found themselves in more than one basement punk enthusiasts top 10 list. They’re an intriguing proposition that immediately seem just a little off as they deviate from the norm in both sound and appearance- which, frankly, is exactly what most scenes need more of. Their session here is light and inspired, offering up an early indicator of something special.
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2. Crystal Antlers
There are very few bands as immediately attention-catching as Crystal Antlers, who push all the write buttons via their genre melting pot sound. Tints of shoegaze, post-punk, powerpop, no-wave, and ambient characterize their best releases and the band’s a force to be reckoned with live. None of this changes for their KEXP session, which only furthers the chances of the station having secured what may be likely to be one of the year’s best sessions in its first week.
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3. Pétur Ben
Like Crystal Antlers, Pétur Ben is a beyond-appealing mix of influences, recalling everyone from David Bowie at his most relaxed to Joy Division at their most spry to The Smiths in full-on smoldering mode and Dinosaur Jr at their most restrained. Hailing from Iceland, both Ben and the group he’s assembled behind himself are already one of the year’s great surprises. Everything on display here clicks effortlessly and comes off seeming like something that would’ve been considered classic today had it been released 30 years ago and has a shot at being considered classic to those in the know 30 years from now.
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4. Wampire
Apart from Gap Dream, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen the Burger Records aesthetic embraced as fully as Wampire have managed. Their psychedelic garage pop comes in the technicolor variety, complete with oddly-shaped brightly-colored sunglasses. Wampire’s sound also manages to exist in one of the smaller paradox that makes Burger such an interesting label; it’s undoubtedly relaxed but there’s a sincere sense of urgency coursing through each respective song’s veins. All of this would just be a footnote if the band’s music weren’t so absurdly good- and it is absurdly good- for proof just watch the session below.
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5. Gravys Drop – I Get Down (Music Video)
Gumball was one of 2013’s most overlooked releases and brimmed with an enthused confidence that made the record all the more enjoyable. One of Burger Records’ artistic triumphs, the label recently released a music video for the fun-loving band that accurately captures the sort of no-stakes ethics at work in bands like this. It’s a refreshing reminder that there are still bands (and labels) out there that know they’re allowed to relax and enjoy themselves. One of the best summer records anyone could hope for. Listen to it in full here and keep an eye out for more from Gravys Drop in the future.
This week saw two of the Upper Midwest’s best fringe bands release music videos, both of which include dancing. First came Chicago, IL band Mutts’ DIY slacker-goofball video for “Pickpocket”, which was an incredibly welcome and lighthearted affair following their absolutely stunning music video for “Prizefighter”. Both “Pickpocket” and “Prizefighter” were taken from the band’s extraordinary career high-point, 2013’s Object Permanence.
After Mutts unleashed “Pickpocket” on the world, Minneapolis, MN band Buffalo Moon unveiled the impressive music video for the first single (and title track) from their upcoming Machista. Buffalo Moon have been relatively quiet since the release of 2011’s Selva Surreal, playing a handful of dates whenever (and wherever) they could manage. Like Mutts in their most recent acoustic form, Buffalo Moon have frequently flirted with the basement punk scene. While both are capable of delivering full-blown post-punk (look at Mutts’ first three full-lengths for proof and check either band out live), it’s always nice to have some variety. Both Buffalo Moon and Mutts are continuing to deliver in full. Watch the videos for “Pickpocket” and “Machista” below.
Heartbreaking Bravery 