Video premiere: Fellow Robot, ‘Promises’

Kevin Bronson on December 6th, 2019

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Fellow Robot mastermind Anthony Pedroza says that “Promises” is “one of the weirder songs in our catalog” — which is saying something, considering that the Long Beach group’s style-shifting, often-whimsical music is based on a science fiction novel Pedroza is authoring, “The Robot’s Guide to Music.” In his story, Fellow Robot is the 140-year-old main character.

Fellow Robot, the band, is comprised of Pedroza, Luis Renteria, John Zell, Michael Adams and Roberto Escobar. They released the album “The Robot’s Guide to Music, Vol. 1” in 2018 and followed up with “Vol. 2” this year, and you can’t help but be engaged, and probably smile a bunch, as they shift from indie-rock to folk to theatrical pop.

Speaking of smiling, Pedroza wishes everyone “a safe and happy holiday season” as he introduces Fellow Robot’s video for “Promises,” which depicts a merry (and suspenseful) night in a festive living room during which the kids unwrap, unwrap, unwrap … and unwrap their gifts.

It’s directed by Stimson Snead and stars Orion Pedroza (Anthony’s son, who created a video for 2018’s “Garden of the Lord” by building a world in Minecraft), Amali Escobar, Veronica Escobar and Rachel Star Albright.

“We want to end 2019 with something lighthearted and fun as a thank you to our fans, friends and family,” Anthony Pedroza says. “When we sat down with director Stimson Snead, he had the idea of a perfect Norman Rockwell family gone wrong. The song reflects [my] desire to keep all of the promises he makes to his family, friends and bandmates.”

In a word, it’s a gift.

||| Watch: The video for “Promises”