Almost a year to the day I reviewed Zapruder‘s eponymous LP where I gushed about how much I thoroughly enjoyed all of it’s sun-soaked, whisky stained goodness. It was almost written in the stars that today the band would be sharing the brand new video for “Leaving Montreal” with us here. The French math something band take to the road in a smoothly executed and overtly charming journey. Jump in the van, air out your underoos, and watch it, as always over the jump.
The gushing about this band and this track will not stop. Last year I tried to allude to “Leaving Montreal” having a smokey, Scorsese kind of vibe, and the video only amplifies my need for the hyperbole. Opening alongside the silky smooth sax, the cuts between instruments, faces, and the careful tuning and arranging of their tools is wonderful. When the big dirty riffs and gravel-churning vocals combine, the lights turn on and the band take to the stage, laying siege to a different audience every night. The self-described cornball solo is only matched by the shirt of the beast wearing, nay, owning it and its print. It’s difficult to make a tour video stand out from the historically deep trough of examples, but there will be no accusations of complacency on this occasion.
Etienne of Zapruder was more than kind enough to share some words about the track and the video itself:
“When we wrote our second album, we decided to get together for a week and just enjoy. No limits, no “that’s not hardcore enough” or anything. I think this song is an epitome of that – it’s basically a blues song with a drunk guy parroting Elvis. And a dad rock solo. And it’s enormous fun playing it live. The video is a testimony of those days spent on the road, exploring places, meeting people. A lot of the album’s lyrics talk about that feeling of togetherness, and the corresponding fear and misery that comes from going away. In a sense, the video encapsulates those precious moments we live as a band, before everyone goes back to regular life.
And also there’s a drunk guy parroting Elvis.”
Find Zapruder here and Zapruder here. Physicals restock soon, next up – the next record. I’m excited.