The ‘Dare Me’ music video contrasts so well with their style of music that it circles back into being a perfect fit. Posing as a sardonic caricature of an overly corporate world, it falls flawlessly into the nature of the song and the rest of the album.
It opens with a shot of the pedalboard before panning into a foggy office. The footage of the band appears as if they’re office workers arguing over pie charts and making phone calls, but most scenes contain at least one person playing their instrument. At several points throughout, they abandon their work and convene around some enormous stage lights to play the song together.
The combination of the dingy overhead lights, mist, and stage lights creates a flickering and slightly unnerving energy. It feels a little reminiscent of early 2010s music videos that often featured liminal spaces like old motel corridors and basements. The song itself features hazy guitars interrupted by jarring drum breaks. These elements are exaggerated in the video, through rhythmic flashing lights and forever-moving camera angles. It feels immersive, as if viewers are being absorbed into the 80s-style office and invited to what could either be a business meeting or some bizarre after-workband practice.
‘Dare Me’ ends abruptly, like a snap back into reality. Having disrupted the standard office protocol, the band are left lurking around the office, with paper strewn everywhere as dull, clinical lights from behind cast them in shadow. The sharp cut leaves behind just a trace of the haze and reverb that moved through the song. It’s another hit for a band that never seems to miss.
Molly Sexton
Image: Louie Kovatch
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