Watch: New videos from Silversun Pickups, Dream Ivory, Paper Pools and Eyedress
Kevin Bronson on
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Here’s some fine weekend viewing and listening: New videos from Silversun Pickups, Dream Ivory, Paper Pools and Eyedress …
SILVERSUN PICKUPS, “Alone on a Hill”
Bassist Nikki Monninger is the featured vocalist on the veteran L.A. quartet’s new single, “Alone on a Hill,” and she stars in director Suzie Vlček’s video as well. Longtime Silversun Pickups fans — they’re the ones who erupt in cheers at shows when Monninger sings the bridge in “Little Lover’s So Polite” — will delight. It’s actually the first SSPU release on which Monninger has been the sole vocalist since their 2005 debut EP, “Pikul,” on which they covered “Creation Lake,” a song by the Movies. The follow-up to “Scared Together,” “Alone on a Hill” is the second single from SSPU’s forthcoming album “Physical Thrills” (out Aug. 19). “This song exposes a side I didn’t know I had in me,” Monninger says. “It felt freeing, especially with everything going on in the past couple of years. I’m grateful everyone gave me so much support during the recording process as I am a bit timid when it comes to hearing the sound of my own voice. Bri [frontman Brian Aubert] just kept telling me to channel my inner Kate Bush.” SSPU’s upcoming live dates: Sept. 29 at House of Blues Anaheim; Oct. 1 at Agua Caliente Casino; Oct. 2 at the Ventura Theater; Oct. 3 at the Orpheum.
DREAM, IVORY, “Tastes Like Candy”
Twentysomething brothers and reformed dream-poppers Christian and Louie Baello — dba Dream, Ivory — are back with a new single that sounds as much like KROQ 1998 as it does Tik Tok 2022. “Tastes Like Candy” is the new banger from the duo’s debut album, “About a Boy,” out Sept. 30. “‘Tastes Like Candy’ is a song about the guilty pleasures of being lazy,” the duo asays. “As mild introverts, we wrote this to emphasize how uncomfortable most social settings can be to us. ‘Tastes like Candy’ reveals that we are all well aware about the dangers of being too lazy; we are reluctant to put ourselves in situations involving any social interaction and realize it can be detrimental mentally. But, it tastes just as good to throw everything out the window and stay in bed alone most days.” The song is the follow-up to last month’s “Soaking Up the Sickness.” Dream, Ivory will open for Girlpool on Oct. 8 at the El Rey Theatre.
PAPER POOLS, “EVIL”
The follow-up to “Turn on Your Lights,” “Evil” is the second single from songwriter Allen Orr’s solo project, Paper Pools. It evokes early MGMT — i.e., it’s a bop, but it isn’t. “It is very uptempo and seems upbeat on the surface, yet the lyrics are dark,” Orr says. “I wrote ‘Evil’ from the perspective of someone like me (though not necessarily me) who is in a toxic relationship. There’s a real push-and-pull in a relationship like that: I need to reject this person, but I also really love this person. But the song also applies to anything in life that can be both positive and negative. There are stretches in our lives when we latch onto things that may bring us happiness and joy, yet they’re not good for us long-term. Thinking back to my upbringing with the Jehovah’s Witnesses, I was raised in an extremely specific way of thinking that had both positive and negative moments. But I reached a point when the turmoil became too much, and I needed to take life in a new direction.” Writer-director Philipp Dietz’ video, starring Chris S. Gabriel, captures that turmoil. Paper Pools’ debut EP, “It’s in Our Mind,” is out Aug. 26.
EYEDRESS, “In the Dog House”
You never know what you’ll get from L.A.-based Filipino artist Idris Vicuña, aka Eyedress. With “In the Dog House,” it’s a buddy song that director Bee Eyes turns into a buddy movie. Pro skateboarder Franky Villani, making his first ever musical appearance, is Eyedress’ chum here, and they bake their troubles away in hilarious fashion. The song, which arrived with this week with another single, “Dream Dealer,” is the latest from Eyedress’ forthcoming album “Full Time Lover,” out Aug. 26. A slew of singles, including “Still in Love,” “Smoke & Mirrors” and “House of Cards,” have led up to the album, which features a slew of guests. Among them: Nosaj Thing, the Drums, Homeshake and Vex Ruffin.
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