ICYMI is a series featuring new and notable releases you (and we) may have missed
Art by Enne Goldstein, you can find more of their work here
March became a month filled with uncertainty and confusion for a lot of artists. Releasing music and videos during a pandemic has affected artists from various genres with the traffic and impact new music can have in their careers. A lot of these artists are cancelling shows, tours, and even pushing releases later in the year — hoping that the unprecedented situation we are living now with Covid-19, has been somewhat, resolved. In times like this, music can become emblematic of our situation based on our unique circumstances: if we are at home, still working, back home with our parents, on rent strike, still not getting through unemployment, not knowing if you’ll have a job or a house after all this. It can just be a lot. Music can help us comfort while isolated, social distancing, or even if our works are still considered essential and we are indeed, working through a global outbreak. If you are able, and are in the comfort of your house, safe and sound, trying to swim through the never ending day without a routine or chore in sight, these artists below have released videos during this difficult time, and they’re worth a peek.
Paint Fumes – “Dice Eyes”
North Carolina’s own Paint Fumes, shared their most recent video for the song “Dice Eyes” from their album What A World via Get Hip Recordings. The video, a stop animation effort with the band members presented as clay figurines puking, drinking, passing out in front of a trailer, smoking cigarettes, and lighting up a blaze, and yes, also getting high in paint fumes. Watch the video which also features the trio singing into the camera with hypnotizing (and also) rolling dices for eyes. Animation was made by Corey Zeigler, with the set created by Robert Childers.
Bad Moves – “Party with the Kids Who Want To Party With You”
Bad Moves video for “Party with the Kids Who Want To Party With You” is set up to see like it is a bust of a party, with a bunch of kids that are attached to a variety of screens and being entertained by videos and images of detonating bombs. The reality is that how different could that be from a real party where we are glued to our phones, instead of engaging with strangers or our own friends. Towards the end, the title of the song becomes a shared advice amongst the characters in the video. Standing next to each other, they secretly repeat the chorus of the song, singing it to each one on their right. Like a gossip story or an unknown secret. More like a secret we’ve forgotten to put into practice. The single is the first from their upcoming album Untenable on Don Giovanni. Via Rolling Stone the band shared:
“At the song’s center is the question of how to live viably as an artist while knowing that working people will inevitably continue to be ground down,” the band said in a statement. “Against that dreary backdrop, the phrase ‘party with the kids who wanna party with you’ becomes a kind of mantra for clinging to the moments of human connection that still exist — whether that’s at a real live rock show or on a Google Hangouts call with friends during a global pandemic.”
Man Man – “Future Peg”
A studio with a green screen for rent, a ballerina stepping on some vanilla sandwich ice creams, a shoe fetishist excited about them, a singing rat in a pizza box (Splinter is that you?), a tongue tied into a bow tied… I mean I could keep going on and that’s just the beginning and you should dive by yourself into Man Man’s world. Man Man’s newest video for “Future Peg”, is a literal incarnation of the lyrics, for the most part. The song is part of the band’s upcoming record Dream Hunting in the Valley of the In-Between on Sub Pop. This is the band’s first album in 7 years, the follow up to 2013’s On Oni Pond with Ryan Kattner (Honus Honus) as the sole original member of the group.
Elke – “Visitors”
Kayla Graninger makes music under the moniker ELKE. “Visitors” is the first single of a recently released Current Condition EP. The video, gorgeously directed by Zac Farro, showcases Graninger in a satin leotard suit, but also in a pants and jacket suit. Graninger’s stance is captivating as it is subtle. It’s sleek and haunting, just like the song. “Visitors” feels like the invitation to an outerworld that’s retrospective and personal, with Graninger in command.
Waxahatchee – “Can’t Do Much”
Waxahatchee’s newest release Saint Cloud includes the song “Can’t Do Much”. The video is a pretty straightforward behind the scenes of Katie Crutchfield’s performing “Can’t Do Much” surrounded by her band in a very retro environment. As simple as the concept is, you cannot help but feel enthralled with Crutchfield’s voice in this catchy track that encompasses American and folk vibes. Actually, check out the video for “Lilacs”, where Waxahatchee lets artist Marlee Grace unfold freely, while Crutchfield boldly moves through harmonies of self-discovery and freedom herself. The singer recently became sober.
