Einstein said that the definition of insanity is to repeat the same mistakes while expecting different results. It’s also the theme of Floodland’s new video, ‘Tangled’, as the band offer a myriad of reasons not to continually get messed up in some one else’s bad news.
“Moreso tangled up with someone you shouldn’t be,” explains Floodland’s lyricist/guitarist/singer/principal Dutch boy Aaron Green. He says that ‘Tangled’ is all about knowing that things will turn out exactly the same every time, but just not being able to help yourself, and repeating the same patterns hoping for a different outcome, “which usually doesn’t work out…”
“The original idea came from Eamonn, our drummer, and we all added our parts in. I didn’t really write it from one specific experience—more something that’s happened to me once or twice and I’ve seen happen. I don’t usually write songs with a specific event or person in mind. I get some lines to start and then elaborate on that.”
Floodland are avoiding retreading too much familiar ground and have decidedly pushed themselves creatively on the album. They enlisted Gavin Gardiner of The Wooden Sky to produce them, choosing to record live off the floor, and focused on capturing a certain energy.
“We really had a loose recording process in terms of performance. We recorded live off the floor, and didn’t focus as heavily on getting all the notes exactly where they should be but more looking for something that feels good overall – leaving in the happy accidents, and playing with textures.”
Filmed by award-winning designer Abracazebra, the video is intended to further capture the energy of the live recording, pacing itself with the music and then wrapping itself around it like a kaleidoscope.
“We were trying to capture the interplay between the different parts and vocals. Lining up the close shots of the background vocals in one screen,” says Green.
“{We used] quick cuts to the lead guitar jabs that pop in from time to time. I really like when the editing reflects different parts of the song so sometimes the panels follow the vocals, sometimes they shift around a guitar lick or drummer part.”
Perhaps the panelling is an unintentional allusion to the parallels of perspective: the two sides to every tangled story, and an infinite number of truths. Or maybe the video is just repeating the same thing again and again…
Floodland are releasing the full of their album, Static Walls, September 1st at Halifax’s Seahorse Tavern as part of the Halifax Urban Folks Festival, along with performances by Beauts and No It’s Fine. Tickets are $10.00 in advance and $15.00 at the door. Click here for more details.