The sound of Cal in Red’s debut collection of songs Low Low lands somewhere between the beach-ready pop of SoCal indie bands and the genre’s turn toward heartland rock sometime in the mid-’00s. Which checks out, given that the group’s sibling pair of Kendall and Connor Wright are based in the Midwestern city of Grand Rapids, which is just a stone’s throw away from a beach. Having already won over at least one pivotal figure from the 21st century indie-rock canon, the imminent release of their debut album is certain to dredge up nostalgia for some listeners and perhaps lead younger audiences down a rabbit hole of bands whose names begin with “The.”
Having just released their latest single “Frontside” last week, the duo returns today with a video for the track directed by Darkroom Dave that aims to put Western Michigan on the indie-rock map (shoutout Radiator Hospital, shoutout Major Murphy; also, does it count that Sufjan went to Hope College?). It’s a lighthearted clip that seeks to match the contemplative nature of Kendall’s lyrics while demonstrating the band’s playful side. “’Frontside’ is me reflecting on youth, past relationships, and the passage of time,” Kendall shares. “I tried to share all these micro-moments I experienced growing up. A lot of our songs have a healthy dose of anxiety woven into the lyrics about this lifestyle we’re living. I’m getting older now. Is it time to get serious? What does that even look like? It would’ve been easy to make this song a nostalgia-bomb, but I feel like the ‘now’ of it all is just as important—appreciating the present in relation to the past.”
Check out the lyric video below, and pre-order Low Low here.
