Synopsis
In a dreamlike Pacific Northwest setting, the band members move through forests, rocky shorelines, and dark water as the song shifts between tense quiet and explosive indie rock. The imagery centers on a mysterious locket or framed object, while Benjamin Verdoes, Traci Eggleston, and Marshall Verdoes appear in isolated, sometimes unsettling tableaux. Aerial views of the islands contrast with intimate torchlit scenes, including Marshall playing drums in the water. The video favors mood, symbolism, and striking natural landscapes over a straightforward narrative.
Factoids & Trivia
- The video was filmed on San Juan Island and Orcas Island in Washington state, giving it a distinctly remote Pacific Northwest atmosphere.
- The central necklace-and-locket idea draws on the traditional metaphor of an "albatross" as a burden carried around one's neck. The concept was also influenced by Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner."
- Benjamin Verdoes, Traci Eggleston, and Marshall Verdoes all appear in the video. The cast therefore includes three members of the band rather than outside actors.
- The production used two RED One cameras. This was especially useful for the scenes involving Marshall Verdoes playing drums in the water, allowing the crew to capture close and distant angles without requiring him to remain in the cold water longer than necessary.
- Some of the aerial imagery was captured with a remote-controlled helicopter camera system, an ambitious approach for an independent music video of the period.
- The video was released in 2009, around the first anniversary of the band's debut live performance.
- A behind-the-scenes account of the shoot emphasized how a small group of Seattle-area filmmakers and creatives used relatively accessible technology to achieve a polished, cinematic result.
- The track appears on the band's self-titled 2009 debut album, released by Dead Oceans.