VIDEO: Ceramic Animal Release New Music Video 'Valerie'

Today, Ceramic Animal have released a new single, "Valerie" along with a companion music video directed by Perry Shall and Bob Sweeney. The single is the last release prior to their new album Sweet Unknown, due out March 4th.

"'Valerie' is an ode to rock n roll and its classic tropes. Its upbeat instrumentation dichotomizes the darker lyrics as it tells of the rise and fall of a mysterious muse, Valerie. The underlying themes reveal how someone can seem like they have it all together but everyone is struggling in ways that aren't always apparent," said Ceramic Animal singer Chris Regan. The music video features a series of vignettes picked directly from MTV's hair band era.

The band recently announced a major North American summer tour supporting The Black Keys. The dates will kick off in Las Vegas on July 9th and Ceramic Animal will continue on through July 30th where they'll wrap in Philadelphia, PA. Sweet Unknown will be the first release for new label home Easy Eye Sound. Sweet Unknown was produced by Dan Auerbach.

Ceramic Animal hails from historic Doylestown, Pennsylvania, about an hour north of Philadelphia. The band features a trio of brothers-Chris Regan (vocals, guitar), Erik Regan (drums) and Elliott Regan (vocals, keys)-along with childhood friend Anthony Marchione (guitar) and Dallas Hosey (vocals, bass).

A guitar band of the highest-order with an acute focus on songwriting, they fuse post punk, psych and 70's pop together in a sound not too far from contemporaries like The War On Drugs, Strand of Oaks or fellow Pennsylvania artist, Kurt Vile.

Before reaching the ears of Easy Eye Sound owner, producer and The Black Keys frontman, Dan Auerbach, the band had found critical and commercial success on their own terms. Ceramic Animal funded, produced and self-released three albums and attracted a large and far flung fan base. They never made a conscious decision to keep things ruggedly DIY; instead, they just felt their way in the dark and did what five boys from Doylestown, PA would do - work hard.

Lively and imaginative, Ceramic Animal's music highlights a very real and relatable strain of emotional alienation coursing through the lyrics, where people leave you with holes in your life, where flickering memories of brighter times offer the only comfort. The three Regan brothers lost their father - their greatest influence and biggest fan - just before the making of this album. It makes for a more reflective record, but not one devoid of hope or warmth.

Watch the new music video here:

To post a comment, you must register and login.