Listening to Seattle band Western Haunts is like stepping into a hazy, disorienting dream. The powerful thuds of percussion against the airy, translucent synthesizers and guitars are amorphous and almost comforting. It's a mood that's perfectly captured and expanded on in the sugar-high video for their song "Saved 4 Me", off their 2017 LP, Problem Pop.
The band squeeze in together on a couch, projecting Prince's Purple Rain on a screen with a buffet of sweets on the coffee table in front of them. Appropriately, a purple haze tints the frame. Bubbles float in the air while fog circles goblets of cotton candy, gummy worms, and the finest of Hostess confections. While the music carries such soothing lightness, the band only gets more intense as the video goes on. They intently watch Prince shred on the screen, downing liters of soda. It isn't long before they're stuffing each other's faces with treats and spraying Silly String everywhere.What the video does best is showcase the brilliant dichotomy that exists within the band. The lyrics and mood of "Saved 4 Me" seem to reflect the very serious nature of trying to save a relationship — doing whatever it takes to keep things together, even if it means fight and putting aside your own instincts. Combined with the grandeur of the track, it's a very emotional affair. To show that the band as a group of guys who just want to hang out, watch Prince, and eat candy actually makes the music more accessible. Everyone can get in their heads and stress over fixing all the problems in their lives, but we also just want to binge on our favorite things. Both are viable paths to happiness and Western Haunts demonstrate them expertly in both song and video.
Watch this exclusive premiere of Western Haunts’ new video and then look for more music on the band’s Facebook page.
Catch Sassyblack at our GAYEXP event on June 23 in the KEXP Gathering Space.
Listening to Bread & Butter is the aural equivalent of the proverbial "cracking open a cold one with the boys." The vibrant guitar hooks, the upbeat rhythms, and the shout-along melodies are basically pre-packaged to be your ultimate summer soundtrack. In the new video for "Cool in the Water", …
UPDATE: Light in the Attic write "due to circumstances out of our control, the listening party has been re-scheduled for Sunday, June 25th at Noon." More info here.
Droning feedback. Static. The mechanical thrust of distorted, blown out drums. These are the first few sounds you hear on CHARMS’ debut album, Human Error, out June 16 on Killroom Records (which you can stream below). Even before the song descends into a flurry of manic, sharp riffs and guttural sy…
