After traversing the Sydney Indie Pop scene and buzzing across the air waves since 2014 with their debut single Smile, You’re in Kensington Petersham boys, The Vacationists are back with a brand new single and avant-garde music video to sync with its release!
The Vacationists have created a mind bending visual accompaniment to a quintessential indie-rock banger; It Could Be Much, Much Worse is the real thing.
Starting off, taking a more practical approach, like using a ladder to climb down the rabbit hole, It Could Be Much, Much Worse and its accompanying clip leads us into the unique haze that is their worldly indie-pop sound. Flashing into colour, vocalist and guitarist Johan Ydstrand brilliantly splices together the imagery that makes up the video. The video entices viewers, cutting, mixing and fusing footage from twenty odd public domain films to create a surreal mosaic of scenes as early as 1927 through to the late seventies.
Switching from different melded themes of running and dancing feet, spinning everything – especially wall clocks – detached waving hands and being knocked off your feet, the video is a bewildering mix of a sweet reverie and flashes of an unsettling nightmare. Whether knocked over from a plank of wood across the throat, a cartoon explosion or hit by a car whilst cycling in a chimpanzee face mask, you’re eventually led back up the rabbit hole, awake and thinking what did I just watch and what else can The Vacationists conjure into reality?
With The Vacationists’ very own version of Fantasia’s The Soundtrack featuring momentarily in their video for It Could Be Much, Much Worse to remind us that past the trance of their video, exists a polished and energetic indie-pop track worthy of getting your groove on. Johan proclaiming their sound is “something like a Lou Reed/Beach Boys mash-up as drunkenly (but competently) performed by The Jesus and Mary Chain.” With layers of shimmering guitar, deep hypnotic vocals and southern charm of keyboardist Craig Brinker, the call seems more than on point.
Sweating it out over the summer in a Coogee studio, The Vacationists’ It Could Be Much Worse is a bouncy indie-pop tune telling a story of heartbreak and finally letting go. Though residing in Sydney’s Inner West, the five piece band come from all over. Among them are a Swede, an American, and a few Aussies with Colombian and Thai heritage, which make for some ripples of diverse influences to mould their sound.
The Vacationists will be taking their invigorating and heartfelt performance to the Brighton Up Bar this weekend. Supported by Wells and Los Espinas, this Saturday is a single launch for It Could Be Much Worse and a tease to get fans frothing over their upcoming album Coney Island.
