We’ve been on your case for a while now with our idea of the “East Coast” movement in post-rock so I won’t bore you again with the details of the community that’s been growing there (and extending their reach to the West Coast as well as Europe and beyond). Suffice it to say, for now, that Old Faith are very much a part of that scene; they play a sort of heavy post-rock (although this track is a bit more dreamy), with the bass turned up loud and artwork by Brian Morgante (otherwise known as Deadhorse and featuring heavily on the covers of albums from this scene). If you’ve been paying attention, you already know based on those facts that I love them. And, indeed, their upcoming self titled release is a pure joy for fans of this kind of post-rock. Thus, I am delighted to premiere today the excellent video for “Switchbacks” off of that selfsame album. Head on over the jump!
Post-rock has always, in my mind at least, been related to urbanity. Something about the somber yet hopeful tones of the genres just screams “city!”. Here, with “Switchbacks”, Old Faith look at the repetitive, comforting and often lazily dreamy beats of the city; the routes of public transportation, the languishing movements of people through streets and the comforting skyline of the city. The music gels incredibly well with these images, as post-rock also describes that same kind of powerful lethargy, with its loops, repetition and delay. The track itself is a more relaxed one then the rest of the album, more concerned with internal couplets than momentum, a fact which makes it perfect for this kind of video.
And it seems as if the band agree with me. Here’s what they had to say about the video: “The video was the brainchild of the talented Glauco Lima. He approached us and said he had a vision. We were blown away by the result of a video that showcases life and how it ebbs and flows. He masterfully wanted to craft life in fast and slow paces and featured the beautiful city of São Paulo, Brazil. His creativity knows no bounds”.
Overall, this is a good introduction to another great album from American post-rock. Old Faith releases in just three days via Refresh Records. You can head to the band’s Bandcamp to grab it; if you’re a fan of well made post-rock that’s more about feeling and impact then the tired cliches of the genre, then I suggest you don’t sleep on it.