It’s been almost a year since New Orleans-by-way-of-Nashville indie popsters The Winter Sounds released their last record, the Scott Solter (Spoon, St, Vincent, Okkervil River) produced Runner, via Florida’s New Granada Records. And in that time, they’ve toured in support of the record, taken some time off, and toured some more — and worked with animators Team Kolendo on the video for Runner-cut “Shoulders Above.” Blending beautiful hand-drawn animation along with a kind of paper mache stop motion animation that is as gorgeous as it is obviously painstakingly produced, the video loosely follows the development of man and animal from their beginnings as small arthropods and on until each finds themselves at their respective rungs on the evolutionary ladder.
But the visuals aren’t the only draw, as the band deals in lines of chiming guitars, persistent percussion, and singer Patrick Keenan expressive vocals. Along with a ridiculously hummable refrain of “tiny hands reach out for bigger ones,” the band invests the song with an anthemic swagger while keeping the listener drawn close. It’s a fine balance between melodic restraint and all-out emotion that the song strives toward, and “Shoulders Above” — visually and musically — works wonders in just over three minutes.
Beats Per Minute is pleased to premiere the video for “Shoulders Above,” taken from The Winter Sounds’ latest album, Runner.
