Backlash: New Music Video From Alt-Rock Band The Town Hall. Debut Album "America Needs The Town
Backlash: bak·laSH/ noun 1. A strong adverse reaction by a large number of people, especially to a social or political development.
Backlash is the title of the new video now available from Brian Larney of The Town Hall, from his new indie alt-rock album “America Needs The Town Hall.” The video, whose song is available on Apple Music, iTunes, Spotify retail-streaming sites world, was released today on YouTube.
The video captures a live performance by Larney and friends at the Factory Underground Studio in Norwalk, CT. The unique event that was a record release party and video shoot rolled into one is fitting with Larney’s tendency to think far outside of the box. The final edit filtered in black and white, is both moody and stark, while cutting to shots of an entertained audience.
The music video, co-directed by Larney with Marc Alan, filmed by Aidan Gerety and Tom Stewart, edited by Larney himself, features Larney on acoustic guitar and vocal, joined by Adam Strange on keyboards, Joel Kelley on electric guitar, Kenny Cash on bass, and Jeff Hatcher on the drums.
The emotionally charged “Backlash” is a uniquely authored reflection of the songwriter’s own despair over the current state of American media and politics. Larney sings about the hate and anger that we all seem to share these days regardless of which side of the aisle we are on: feelings honed by the constant bombardment of the media, turning to detachment and isolation in an almost useless effort to cope. Infusing these emotions in a song with a melody that is at times melancholic as uplifting, that somehow leaves us with a bit of hope at the end, is all a part of what makes Brian Larney brilliant and unique as a songwriter.
In some ways, the new video may be Larney’s own artistic Backlash to the first video he released from the album last month called “Flickering.” That song is yet another reference to the constant glare of the media dominating our attention, a theme clearly on the mind of this very relevant and thoughtful artist.
Though “America Needs The Town Hall” is not an overtly political album, there is no getting around Larney’s own hard left stance on most political issues; Larney tends to keep his lyrics poetic and therefore not so specific that the listener can’t paint their own picture:
“I see the look before in your eyes, filled with gloom. The TV is on in the room. A thousand yard stare I just can’t get through, you’re not alone in this cold room, Don’t get tangled or torn up in two, caught up in a backlash…"
Backlash is the second song from the new album released by Larney, who is most well known for his work in the alt-folk group Lines West. The Town Hall is the songwriter’s first solo record since starting Lines West with partner John Radzin. As a solo artist, Larney has been compared to Father John Misty, City and Colour, Hozier, and the Lumineers.
“I have released a couple of albums as Brian Larney, but I wanted this to be a band record, so I had to give it a name.“The Town Hall” spoke to me. The original title of the record was “The Charm Offensive,” but that became “America Needs the Town Hall” based on a political button I saw that said, “America Needs J.F.K.” That was it,” Larney said.
America Needs The Town Hall. Indeed.
BACKLASH: New Music Video from The Town Hall Band Featuring Singer Songwriter Brian Larney, From his New Indie Rock Album "America Needs The Town Hall"
