Now well over a decade into their career as a duo, Minneapolis’ Bad Bad Hats are using their once-allotted (well, unless roman numerals or a stark color palette are involved) self-titled album as a reclamation of their sound, self-producing the project comprised of 10 song ideas sourced from their fanbase on Patreon. The resulting record is one of impressive experimentation and even more impressive adherence to the central BBH tenet of “hiding sad songs in happy exteriors,” as vocalist and songwriter Kerry Alexander puts it when introducing the new album’s latest single.
“‘Bored in the Summer’ is a song about nostalgia and the grief of growing apart,” Alexander shares of the overwhelmingly upbeat sunshine-pop track. “Mourning the passing of time, of not realizing what you had when you had it. Throughout the song I wanted to juxtapose warm memories with chilly encounters in the present tense. It’s sad, really. But of course you might be deceived by the cheeriness of the tune. Many people have told us that’s the Bad Bad Hats signature: hiding sad songs in happy exteriors. And I guess they’re right!”
While the track invokes a bit of Michelle Branch or “Soak Up the Sun” era Sheryl Crow, the music video only doubles down on its playfulness as the colorful balloons, piñata-like instruments, and bouncy houses feel more than a little Gondry-esque. Check it out below, and pre-order Bad Bad Hats before it arrives this Friday via Don Giovanni here.
