Loss is a painful topic, but one that often produces great creative works. The grieving process of an artist can result in a beautiful representation of emotion through dance, art, and music.
Five-piece power-pop outfit Summer Scouts are able to do just that with the release of its music video for “Vessel,” from their recent third album Furthest Reach, a powerful pop rock power ballad that explores the loss of a parent and confronts the realities of how this changes the home.
“Family life and norms change dramatically after the death of a parent,” said the band of the track’s topic. “The home itself takes a drastic shift in its overall aura, a shift that slowly continues for years after the death, forever losing its original feeling… ‘Vessel’ visits this feeling that no one in the family wants to face and confronts it in an emotional conversation between the singer (an affected family member) and the house.”
Summer Scouts Counter Tough Topics with Simplicity
Although simple in nature, the video’s visuals blare with sentiment. As the band members pound away at their instruments and let their bodies move along to the music, neon-colored lights flash in the background. The ominous shading and fluid silhouettes of each band member are good accompaniments to the subdued synth sounds and varied guitar riffs of the track.
The opening riff almost takes the audience by surprise — right away one can see rapid finger movements gliding effortlessly on the strings as an upbeat, yet complex, series of notes introduce the rest of the instruments.
Bright lights flash during the chorus as the band’s alternative edge peeks through. Summer Scouts do a very good job of mixing in equal parts angsty alternative rock and cool rhythmic pop; with its hazy synth sounds and thunderous guitar riffs, “Vessel” gives off a Paramore circa “Misery Business” vibe.
However, Summer Scouts seem to be more than just glorified angst. With lyrics like “It’s too late to pretend / Can’t take back what I said / I pushed on and on and on for you,” the band expresses the agony that can only be known by someone who has suffered a painful loss. Toward the track’s ending, the upbeat tempo of the instrumental breaks down, almost as if the band itself is breaking down in anguish.
“Vessel” is a good introduction for someone who isn’t particularly a whole-hearted fan of pure alternative rock. Summer Scouts are the type of band that have an adaptable sound; their mix of pop and rock create a lightness that appeals to a wide range of audience members.
Plus, with the amount of emotion and passion that the band puts into “Vessel,” it’s easy for listeners to relate.
