by Myles Tiessen (@myles_tiessen)
Screensaver’s lead singer Krystal Maynard sings a great deal about the monotony of daily life. The band’s debut album, Expressions of Interest, was crowded with abstract lyrics on the mundane trivialities that filled an isolated life.
As Screensaver expands their catalog further, It shouldn’t be any surprise that their recent single “Clean Currents” wrestles with misanthropic anxiety. Contrasted with the lyrics about self-denial and apprehensive indecision are motorik drum beats and off-kilter guitar riffs that push the song into a hip-shaking, certified bop. There isn’t much to get in the way of the music, and the production speaks for itself. The garage rock foundation is strong, and with the lo-fi, reverb-soaked vocals, you can hardly tell Maynard is singing about debilitating mental illness.
The accompanying music video follows Maynard through a bungalow with the band members individually appearing in random locations of the home. The camera glides through the house in a single shot, and as Maynard goes about her daily activities, she sings to the camera with an expressive performance. Feeling partially like a dream sequence, the video manages to capture the urgency felt in the song.
Drummer James Beck says the one-shot video was filmed in three hours and was genuinely DIY. “We’d all be hiding off-camera at different parts of the house, closing doors and placing instruments in position, running to our next spots to be there on time for the camera. It was pretty chaotic, but lots of fun to play with,” says Beck.
Beck describes the video as a “late 70s domestic Australiana vibe.” That seems about right with the Super 8 film look, dark yellow-red color grading, and mid-century home decor.