birds and batteries – Modern Mystery

The new video for “We’re An Industry” by the San Francisco band Birds & Batteries conveys a lot using just some metal and other hard materials employed by the method of stop motion. The video was carefully crafted by the Made By Cabbage Head production company who designed the set by hand and filmed frame by frame.

The protagonists of this video – seeming like more of a short film – are two steel wool people placed in a desolate, industrial setting with pipes, coils and other constructional components who discover they create sparks when touching together.

The song itself is a lamentation of belonging to the center of the earth with lyrics describing baring the burden of causing natural disasters under rough and hot conditions, sorrowful strings and mechanical, almost militaristic drums.

Then, the instrumentation becomes looser and builds up with the percussion quickening and the vocals all the sudden taking a new, proud tone. Greenery begins to grow up the metal structures and flower as the vocals harmonize and reach higher notes and the two steel wool characters look on, sparking hand-in-hand. By the end of it, you are left with a beautiful, resolved feeling.

Birds and Batteries are currently on an American tour:
November 26, 2010
9pm
San Diego, CA
Soda Bar
with: Longstay, Patrick Norton & The Saints, DJ Lord Nelson

November 26, 2010
5pm
Los Angeles, CA
Origami Vinyl

November 27, 2010
Tucson, AZ
Cafe Passe

November 28, 2010
Albuquerque, NM
Low Spirits
with: The Cave Singers, Excalico

November 30, 2010
Lubbock, TX
Bash Riprock’s

December 1, 2010
Austin, TX
The Mohawk
with: The Authors, Sunset

December 2, 2010
Frisco, TX
Lochrann’s

December 3, 2010
Fort Worth, TX
Lola’s

December 4, 2010
Denton, TX
A Spune Christmas
Hailey’s
with: Telegraph Canyon, Doug Burr, Monahans

December 7, 2010
Memphis, TN
Buccaneer

December 8, 2010
Louisville, KY
Zanzabar

December 9, 2010
Pittsburgh, PA
Thunderbird Cafe
with: Nik Westman and the Central Plains

December 10, 2010
New York, NY
Pianos
with: ARMS