Washington, D.C. shoegaze/dream pop band BOUND will release their sophomore record later this year via Jetsam-Flotsam Records and Diehard Skeleton Records, but today, we’re thrilled to recall their excellent 2018 record “No Beyond” and unveil an outstanding music video for the song “Weathering”, as well as its special acoustic version, recorded in quarantine, revealing even more of the band’s unique vast atmospheres to get lost in. Check out both videos and scroll further down to see the band’s special commentary on the song, COVID-19, their upcoming record, and some other bands worth your precious time.
Asked about the content behind “Weathering“, the band commented:
“Aside from the obvious description of the geological process of mechanical weathering, for me the lyrics are about something that I held onto too tightly for too many years, mostly alone. And the imagery in the song is tied to very specific experiences in that saga. Musically, even though the song was arranged in 2017, it’s derived from altered parts of a song that I wrote almost 10 years prior when my life was very different and I was very much in the throes.
The music video uses footage that Trish and I shot together on a few rainy evenings in D.C., weaved together with animation that depicts erosion and further explores the concepts and imagery suggested by the lyrics. Beyond that, I’ll leave it to others to decide what they get out of it all, if anything. The song served its purpose for me. Now maybe it serves other purposes for other people. The video brings it to life and takes it further.”
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The official video is a previously unreleased music video started (and then abandoned) in 2018 when the album No Beyond was released – and later finished in July 2020 to go along with the new acoustic performance. The acoustic performance is being released as a companion piece and was recorded in June 2020, during the COVID-19 lockdown.
“I guess having more time at home during the pandemic has allowed us to develop new relationships with some old songs and finish some old projects.” – continues the band.
“Since the whole band hasn’t been able to get together lately – and while we’re waiting for our new record to come out – Trish and I decided to do a stripped-down acoustic version of a song from our 2018 record No Beyond. People familiar with that record might have a hard time imagining those songs performed acoustically.
We thought “Weathering” had the most potential to be done in this style, and it’s a song that we always liked but didn’t get as much attention when the album was released. It’s also one of those songs that has continued to evolve as we’ve played it live, mostly with new vocal harmonies, so we thought we’d capture some of that too. We set up a laptop, some mics, and some cameras and recorded it in our basement practice space. Earlier this year, we teamed up with Jetsam-Flotsam, so we sent the video to Dane, who runs the label, to maybe post on social. He liked it so much that he thought we should put it out as an “official” version. With all the hiccups of a live home recording – and being the anal-retentives that we are, I guess – we didn’t really feel comfortable with that. But it did remind us that there was a half-finished music video for “Weathering.” Trish had started it shortly after No Beyond came out, but abandoned it as we got caught up in other things. She’s an amazing graphic artist, and she does most of the visuals for the band. We decided to resurrect that old video, and she worked to quickly finish it so that we could release it together with the lockdown acoustic performance.”
On COVID-19:
“We have a new record coming out this year. It’s been done for a while, but just like everything else in the world, things got a little delayed with the coronavirus lockdown. Obviously, tour plans had to be scrapped, which was very disappointing, and vinyl production ended up taking longer. We also had to drop or change a lot of what we had planned as far as music video concepts and some other companion pieces and promotional aspects were concerned. We’ve just had to adapt. Even before the coronavirus stuff, finishing this album had already been a difficult road. So I think we’re looking forward to finally getting it off our chests.”
On the forthcoming record:
“The new record is coming out in the early Fall via Jetsam-Flotsam, in partnership with our own imprint Diehard Skeleton Records. I can’t give details yet, because the rollout isn’t starting until late August. But I can say that the record is massive, and it’s a major expansion of what we do. To me, No Beyond kind of felt like a lullaby. On the whole, the new one is definitely much more muscular, more forward, and more densely arranged. It’s grander, darker, and odder. People who have listened to No Beyond will likely be surprised.”
Other bands worth a check:
“This is too big of a topic, so I’ll stick to a handful of friends who had or have new music coming out this year.
North Carolina’s Wailin Storms just released a killer record on Gilead Media called Rattle. If you’re looking for thunderous, hollerin’ doom-rock, then pick up a handful of snakes and get down to their gothic tent revival, now.
Philadelphia’s Hold Down the Ocean just followed up their excellent 2018 album The Symmetry of Odd Numbers with a new EP called Sidereal Month, which is supposed to be followed by a companion LP soon. It’s emotional post-hardcore and space-rock made by members of All Else Failed.
Baltimore’s At the Graves is forever churning out enjoyable gazey, sludgy, doomy, one-man post-metal, like his most recent EP Pain after Pain; follow him on social media for regular live streams, too.
Here in D.C., keep your eye on No Man. It’s smart, expertly-executed hardcore punk featuring members of Majority Rule. So far, they’ve released two songs from their upcoming LP, Erase, but it’s already clear that it will set a new genre standard.
Also check out Endless Winter; he’s regularly releasing new solo ambient stuff and clever covers as singles, but his 2018 full-band LP Season 1: Kuiper is a relatively undiscovered gem.”
Weathering lyrics:
The eastern summer rain
Falling down
In every small, familiar space
Finding the lowest place
Like darkness deep in me
That crept into you
How so sure
Of this stranger I now find
Across geologic time
Tonight
In the eastern summer rain
I knew you
I feel what I need to prove
Following westward moves
In knots
No matter what
It’s never too much
I’m still there
I keep what we used to swear
It must be under there
Tonight
Under the city lights
Standing out
Dissolved
In the eastern summer rain
Somehow
Freezing in the cracks again
