The twanging heartland rock of the new Ceramic Animal single invokes a long history of mellow-yet-upbeat singles of the genre from contemporaries like The War on Drugs and Kurt Vile to the wave of artists that inspired that sound half a century ago. “Up in Smoke,” the latest track from the band’s Dan Auerbach–produced new LP Sweet Unknown, falls directly in line with this tradition, pitting its crushed-dreams chorus up against its warmly comforting instrumentation. “’Up In Smoke’ takes you on a forlorn, lonesome journey that shows how the feeling of isolation can seep into every aspect of life,” explains vocalist Chris Regan. “The upbeat instrumentation creates a necessary dichotomy, and acts as a sign of hope. There is always a chance to break out from the hold of solitude.”
The visual for the track only adds another layer of positivity to the single, with the band returning to familiar environs in the nostalgic clip. “The song has an extremely nostalgic feel, so walking around our home town and copping some candid shots near some of our favorite local spots was a fun and easy way to bring some visual context to it,” the band’s Anthony Marchione notes of the video, which at one point shows the quintet comically cramming into a tiny convertible, at another shows them uncovering the carnage of a summer barbecue in the middle of what looks like a snowless winter. “There’s a cool contrast between those scenes and the more rural ones with us playing our instruments. I think it all speaks to how embracing the people and places around you can be therapeutic in the wake of a dark emotional state.
Check out the video below, and pre-save the album here.
