Video premiere: The Deep West, ‘Dominoes’

Kevin Bronson on November 18th, 2020

0

Brothers Adam and Joey Chavez won indie hearts in the early part of last decade as members of the New Limb. Now they’ve recalibrated as the Deep West, touching some of the same nerves with their first two singles, “Giving Up” and “Dominoes.”

Theirs is a clean, airy mix of folk and electronic pop amplifying their soaring vocals, which carry affecting messages of love, hope and perseverance. “Dominoes,” along with the video produced and directed by the brothers, makes a beeline straight for the heartstrings, grabs hold and won’t let go. It’s especially resonant in a time when so many pandemic-inflicted hardships have sent families spiraling into poverty.

The song was inspired by the late Bill Withers. “‘Lean On Me’ was in my head while writing ‘Dominoes,’” Joey says. “Bill wrote songs that touch on the bigger issues of the human condition and we want to carry on that message.”

In the video, filmed by Mikey Gauthier with Mike Dye serving as assistant director, a mother (portrayed by Shelby Date) living out of a trailer with two young children grinds through the daily ritual of providing for her family. She encounters the sympathetic (Corey Evans, as a Good Samaritan street performer) and the not-so.

“The concept of a mother and two boys living in poverty was based on our childhood,” the brothers explain. “We were on food stamps and a handful of times our mom had to ask for grocery money. The trailer was a means for highlighting the homeless crisis in L.A., and for putting our hero in the crosshairs of knee-jerk, superficial judgment.

“It was really special having the boys on the project, because they’re Adam’s nephews and up-and-coming actors.”

The release of “Dominoes” follows the Deep West’s debut single “Giving Up,” which speaks to the duo’s personal struggles with their music career. Before they broke up, the New Limb harbored plenty of promise; in fact, its female member Ella Vos has gone on to fashion quite a solo career.

“Music almost broke us,” the Chavez brothers say. “This song is about the moment we chose to keep it together and keep going, even though nobody really cared if we did or didn’t.”

||| Watch: The video for “Dominoes”