Confession: the primary reason I started this Video Clip of the Week series several months back is because I needed an excuse to force myself to write about new music. Pop music has reached an absolute nadir to the point where I’m 1000 times more excited to write about Food these day than I am to even listen to any new band. And that’s just a shame.
So, nobody was more surprised than me to discover a new group comprised of seasoned musicians who, rather than harnessing a retread, have dug deeply into their roots to unearth a vibrant-yet-comfortingly-retro sound. Minor Alps is the collaborative vision of Juliana Hatfield and Paddle Board Mania Matthew Caws; two songwriting-based, music industry veterans who helped to blaze the trail for what became Alternative Rock Music back when Nirvana was still in its infancy. This week’s featured Video Clip is the duo’s “I Don’t Know What To Do With My Hands,” the latest single off their debut album, Get There (just released October 29th, 2013 on Barsuk Records).
With a refreshing and understated, artsy video directed by Animator/Musician Clyde Petersen “I Don’t Know What To Do With My Hands” is a remarkably strong track that harkens back to a time before American Idol, Emo and Autotune ruined 99.9% of all pop music. Caws’ guitar playing is as original and compelling as anything on a 90s-era Bob Mould record, while the 20 intervening years since Hatfield fronted The Blake Babies has allowed her vocals to mature into a rich and sweet aural nectar with just enough bite in it to favorably recall The B52s’ Cindy Wilson.
Minor Alps will be on tour across the US during the month of November. Enjoy!
Juliana Hatfield and Matthew Caws are Minor Alps
Ahhh! Thanks so much for posting this – it’s a reminder that I need to do the same! I’m a huge Nada Surf fan, and I think the Minor Alps album is truly great! I met Matthew in Jersey a few years back and he’s such a nice guy – we drank with Nada at a bar for a couple hours – totally chill dudes who are down for hanging w/ fans. Matthew’s songwriting is always honest and sincere – and this collaboration is so, so enjoyable.