JACKSON SCOTT UNVEILS NEW VIDEO FOR ‘THAT AWFUL SOUND’
DEBUT ALBUM MELBOURNE RELEASED 9TH SEPTEMBER ON FAT POSSUM. FIRST UK SHOW AT VISIONS FESTIVAL 10TH AUGUST
Jackson Scott has unveiled a new video for ‘That Awful Sound’. The song is a highlight from the 20 year old’s debut LP Melbourne and was stamped and certified ‘Best New Track’ by Pitchfork. In the new video, directed by nautico (nautico-la.com), a dreamy, Donny Darko-esque affair is punctuated by psychedelic birthday candles, lipstick and flesh wounds. Jackson’s prop du jour, the toy gun, also makes an appearance.
Some words from nautico, the directer: “Jackson wanted to do something surreal and psychedelic and we wanted to do a coming-of-age story so we combined our ideas. He kept saying he didn’t want a “typical indie video” so we tried to make something challenging that would be a departure from our usual narrative style.
Watch the video for ‘That Awful Sound’
“Jackson also mentioned he wanted it to look Kubrick-esque, so we tried to make the visuals as symmetrical as possible, as well as incorporate trippy-looking backgrounds (the wallpaper in the kitchen and the girlfriend’s room).
“We wanted to throw subtle details into this one that wouldn’t be initially apparent but discoverable on repeated views to fit in with the maze-like structure of the track. For example, the lead’s girlfriend is wearing a catholic school uniform and a portrait of the Virgin Mary hangs above their head as they begin to make love, which could partially explain the guilt our main character feels about sex.
“The flowers on the table, white lilies, are frequently associated with virginity, that’s why as our characters get deflowered the colorful psychedelic goo drips down the petals. The rabbit represents the main character’s dying innocence and youth. That’s why in the end he buries it: accepting the death of his childhood and completing his arc by growing up and becoming a man.
“The outdoor shots were filmed at Murphy’s Ranch, an abandoned Nazi bunker in Brentwood Forest in Los Angeles. The cast and crew had to hike over 3 miles, then walk down over 500 steps on a hot summer day to get to the location all the while carrying loads of heavy gear! We have an amazingly dedicated crew that works with us, much love.”
JACKSON SCOTT LIVE:
09 August – London, Rough Trade West instore (6PM)
10 August – London, Visions Festival
Jackson Scott could be your friend, that guy on the bus, or even your next door neighbour. He’s definitely not the same-named porn star, or the same Jackson Scott who dated that English actress. Then again, this Jackson Scott isn’t just another someone. Whilst most college dropouts armed with a 4-track barely see the world beyond their bedroom curtains, this one has been creating Melbourne, a seriously special debut record of boundless tales crafted with the precision and dedication of a true musical wunderkind. “I remember riding in the baby seat listening to Nevermind – maybe listening to a junkie sing pop songs subconsciously influenced me as a four year old,” he recalls.
A master welder melting kraut, punk, surf, folk and pop into one psych rock solvent, you could say that for this Jackson, life as a contemporary composer was mapped out from the start. Recalling the ingenuity of fellow home-recording wizard Sparklehorse or leftfield sense of humour of Mellow Gold-era Beck, Jackson has swiftly hushed any mumblings of slacker pop with his clever yet eerie textures and solid direction. Boasting the obscure creative genius that only Tim Burton could bring to a record, Melbourne is the sound of a truly original and extraordinary artist exercising his knack for turning a simple cognitive thought process into an elaborate musical narrative.