There's nothing like a walk around Seattle's Green Lake to boost your mood (it's a large freshwater lake north of downtown for those of you who haven't been there), and Seattle sweethearts Sundae Crush have the perfect anthem for summer, sharing its name. Today, KEXP premieres the video for the track "Green Lake," directed by Slovenian siblings Robi and Alen Predanič.
The song can be found on their debut album A Real Sensation, released late last year (on Black Friday, of all days!). The full-length was a bright light of jangly indie-pop to cut through the gloom of seasonal affective disorder, but beneath the joyful melodies lies a darker tone. Guitarist/vocalist Jena Pyle explained in a press release, “A lot of these feelings are things I was working through in therapy. I feel like I was finally able to be who I wanted to be after therapy and that’s why I like talking about it. Being around rock and roll and punk after a while showed me how misogynistic the scene is pretty consistently and how folks don’t take care of themselves. So after being in the scene a bit, I realized I should go to therapy to not take on the typical struggling, sad artist type who does nothing to change their behavior. I was often talked into writing songs in the beginning because I got into bad situations where talking to the other person seemed pointless — so I would just write a song about it instead.” (The album is dedicated to Pyle's therapist, and proceeds of album sales are being donated to WA Therapy Fund to support Black healing.)
On the track "Green Lake," Pyle reflects on those beautiful, perfect days when you're just too glum to get out of bed, against a joyful '60s-girl-group sound, punctuated with a fluttering flute and a guest saxophone solo from Adrienne Kerr. It's a feeling that many of us struggled with during the pandemic, being isolated from friends and family during lockdown.
To reflect these thoughts, the band teamed up with "The Witch Twins," brothers Robi and Alen Predanič from Slovenia, who began experimenting with costumes and self-directed VHS videos while they were in college. The twins bring their surrealistic aesthetic to the clip. "The Predaničs have a unique approach to music videos that includes a lot of prop and costume creation that looks fantastical," the band told KEXP. "In this video, they've crafted a world that has its own lore and mystery while still feeling ultimately relatable. There's also this tone of awkward enthusiasm throughout that reminds us of how the current state of the pandemic feels, with vaccines offering some hope for togetherness despite an unknown future."
As summer sets upon us, Sundae Crush remind us to "Get up! Get out! We've been waiting for you." See ya at the lake.
Sundae Crush unveil quirky video for the quasi-title track from their forthcoming debut full-length A Real Sensation
Every week, KEXP features a new local artist with an interview and suggested tracks for where to start. This week, we are featuring artists performing during FolkLife, this Memorial Day weekend at the Seattle Center.
