Still of Mona Sabau from the video for Whoa Thunder’s “Daisybeds,” directed by Brian McClelland
It was a long seven years since the last release from Whoa Thunder, the sometimes-solo, sometimes-full-band project helmed by St. Louis’ own Brian McClelland after tenures in bands like the quirkily clever Hotel Faux Pas (who recently reunited for a one-off show), the pure power-pop joys of the Maxtone Four and Tight Pants Syndrome, and Jenn Malzone’s ever-shifting indie rock band Middle Class Fashion. But don’t let that lead you to believe that McClelland’s been taking it easy—if anything, he’s been busier than ever. His primary outlet hasn’t been music but film, producing and directing countless projects released under his Blip Blap Video banner: “Police Week,” a documentary short film selected to screen at the 2022 St. Louis Filmmaker’s Showcase; dozens of music videos by the likes of Bruiser Queen, Clownvis, Todd Sarvies, Prairie Rehab, Jenny Roques, and KRISTEENYOUNG, among many others; and his 100-episode live music series Live from the Boom Room hosted at this very website.
In September, though, McClelland surprise-dropped the new Whoa Thunder EP Red Days, announcing it as “a sort of sequel-in-spirit to my previous EP, The Depths of the Deep End, continuing a journey through the dark, but fumbling towards the inevitable light at the end of the tunnel.” The six songs on Red Days find McClelland incorporating some of the synth sounds of Whoa Thunder’s 2013 debut, the glitchy synth-pop confection You’re Under Attack. Paired with the new album’s slower tempos, the synths give Red Days a thoroughly modern sound with just a tinge of the swooning, anthemic sound of 1980s post-new wave like U2, Tears for Fears, or the Cure. The aforementioned “light at the end of the tunnel” comes with the EP’s thematically perfect closer, a cover of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ 1982 single “You Got Lucky” that is melancholy yet hopeful, with synths straight out of the Police’s “Spirits in the Material World.” You can stream the album on HearNow, Bandcamp, and the usual streaming services.
Given McClelland’s pivot to video over the last few years, it’s perhaps unsurprising that McClelland shot his own video for the album’s first single, “Daisybeds,” which The Arts STL is proud to premiere. Watch the video right here, then keep scrolling for an interview with McClelland about the song and the new EP.
The Arts STL: It was seven years between Whoa Thunder releases. Why the wait, and what kickstarted the creative process that led to the new album?
Brian McClelland: This batch of songs was written and recorded before covid hit. Like many people during that period, I kind of lost the plot in regards to my music overall. I was nearing 50, so that probably had something to do with it, and just kind of feeling rudderless with my musical creativity. My energy has been steadily more focused on filmmaking for some time now, and I think I was having a hard time pulling that focus from video back into my music. As the years piled on, I was feeling depressed and a little blocked about it. My hopes were just to release this stuff and get it out into the universe, in hopes that I can finally start getting excited about making new music again.
Whoa Thunder has up until now been a band driven by you but still very collaborative. This album was pretty much a solo affair. Why the change in approach? And how do you feel that choice affected the sound of the final product?
The first album, way back in 2013, was basically a solo album as well, with me covering all of the instrumentation, except for the live drums and some percussion, and sharing vocals with my then partner and our friend. After we realized those guys didn’t want to perform live, I started to perform one-man shows with backing tracks until slowly building up some solid full-band lineups, and it was with an incredible all-star full lineup with which we recorded our second release, Depths of the Deep End. When that lineup kind of dissolved, and I was going through a lot of personal trauma at the time, I decided it would be easier and more rewarding to focus back on the original solo project vibe for the studio work, with a small live lineup backing me up for shows.
There was a point after the first record where I went through a pretty crushing divorce that kind of opened up a reservoir of darkness in me that wasn’t accessible prior to that. That experience definitely set me on a path of discovery that started with our second record, Depths of the Deep End, and is hopefully kind of ending thematically with the new one, Red Days. I had a lot to purge. But now, at the end of that cycle, I’m excited to have two more unreleased singles coming later this winter and early next year that harken back to the sillier vibe of the first record, which I’m really looking forward to. I’m planning on releasing a few Red Days videos and then follow them up with videos for the new singles next year.
What was the songwriting and recording process like for “Daisybeds”?
These songs really represented my usually pretty bleak viewpoint at the time. It started with the main guitar part, which includes a weird chord that I have yet to be told is an actual chord or not, but somehow it really felt natural to the progression. Reading the lyrics now, it was obviously inspired by my previous breakup, the feeling of being with someone who is wanting to escape their situation, with them having no choice but to leave some scorched earth in their wake. I think the resolve feels resigned but hopeful.
Your past songs were heavily influenced by your love of power pop—they were often story songs, with an emphasis on clever wordplay. “Daisybeds,” by contrast, is very atmospheric, and its lyrics poetic, cryptic, evocative but definitely not straightforward and literal. Was that change in approach a conscious decision? Were there any artists or songs that were an influence in this new direction?
I think a lot of the first record was based on characters, as opposed to the last two batches that have been very personal, and very much rooted in my own emotional experiences. So any changes to my lyrical approach were pretty organic and not intentional. I’ve always been a huge fan of artists like Beck, who can move from heartbreaking balladry to goofy dance anthems in the same two-hour show. I would love to be able to strike that kind of balance.
The lead guitar over the last minute or so of the song is especially evocative. Who played that? And was that a part of the composition, an improvisation, something in between?
I was lucky enough on this record to have two incredibly talented lead guitarists on board, John Horton and Curtis J Brewer. Those parts on “Daisybeds” are all quintessential Curt Brewer. Dude has vibes for days. He contributed all of his parts remotely from his apartment studio in Brooklyn, with no input from me, and he absolutely nailed the assignment. He was a member of the band for a hot second before he moved to NYC, and we’ve remained pals and creative collaborators on many projects since.
The video for “Daisybeds” is as impressionistic as the lyrics. At what point in the creative process did you start seeing the song visually? And how did the visual concept develop between initial idea and execution?
The video was conceptualized in the early days of covid, when I was inspired to make an impressionistic version of one of my wife Mona Sabau’s personal stories. We set out with some minimal gear on a pandemic camping vacation—traveling through several national parks in the American West through Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Colorado, and Kansas—and started shooting whatever moved us, and what we felt fit the narrative. There are very specific shots mixed in with some very impressionistic stuff.
Any fun, interesting stories from the filming of the video?
It was a blast collaborating with Mona. She was an absolute trouper, walking barefoot in a nightgown through the brine flies of Salt Lake and the scorpion-infested sand dunes. We would just pull up to these places, get her in the gown, and we were off shooting for an hour or so. Incredibly freeing to work so casually with your partner. It was a gift for both of us, I think.
What was it like directing your own wife in the video?
I work with Mona quite a bit, but usually with her behind the camera. She was an actor back in Kuwait, so putting her in front of the camera was an easy transition. We both had ideas and just tried whatever sounded interesting.
What impression do you hope the video leaves on the viewer?
I hope there is some kind of emotional impression, even if they aren’t quite getting the undertones in the story it is based upon, which is basically rooted in religious and sexual oppression. | Jason Green
Stream Whoa Thunder’s Red Days EP below via Bandcamp.
