Shannon & The Clams compose an ethereal tribute to love eternal on "Real Or Magic"
Shannon & The Clams compose an ethereal tribute to love eternal on "Real Or Magic"
True, real love is something that most experience only once in a lifetime, if at all. It’s a blissful feeling, one that suspends time for what seems like an eternity even as the seasons of life continue to march forward, ever changing. Through hardships and victories alike, the affection and companionship of a special someone reinforces the meaning of our existence, lending purpose and strength to overcome, endure, and thrive in love’s warmest of embraces. Buoyant in the euphoria it can be impossible to imagine ever being without one’s other half, but when events beyond our control separate us from those we love too soon it can become a seemingly insurmountable challenge to carry on alone. In those moments a safe harbor is always accessible, welcoming us to retreat within to once more feel the presence of love preserved forever ageless in memory. Shannon Shaw knows this all too well, and has channeled her emotions into a new album with The Clams that gives voice to sentiments that surface in the wake of heartbreaking loss.
The band’s latest single, “Real Or Magic,” features lush production by Easy Eye label boss and notable Black Key Dan Auerbach and is a showcase for Shannon & The Clams’ unmistakably authentic brand of psychedelic garage rock as a simmering kaleidoscope of timeless aesthetic carried on a groundwork of shuffling rhythm and glistening keys. Shaw’s vocals soar enveloped the velvet drapery of The Clams’ instrumentation, dreamy and intimate amidst the taffeta atmosphere and mirrorball magic of a last dance, grasping for dear life and fighting back tears in the hope this final moment could last always. “Real Or Magic” is as much about letting go as it is about holding on, coming to terms with loss and moving forward while preserving the memory love within ourself. It’s not an easy thing to do, and the ache is tangible as Shaw asks herself “was it real?,” her inner monologue responding like a voice from the other side, echoing and ethereal in its passionate reassurance “it was so real.”
Depositing the band in the hypnagogic surroundings of another dimension halfway between The Black Lodge and The Madonna Inn, the accompanying video for “Real Or Magic” directed by Vanessa Pla accentuates the track’s otherworldly nature with a softly saturated color palette and textural film grain that untethers the footage from any discernable time or place. Existing within the liminal space between sleep and wakefulness, “Real Or Magic” is possessed of an ephemeral quality as icons of love fade and fall into the background, drifting away on serotonin swells. As everything seemingly real dissipates into the ether, one vignette in particular stands out; a spilt glass of milk, filmed in reverse, its contents returning neatly to the glass from which they came stands emblematic of the healing process. The time for tears is over and everything is back where it should be, even if only in dreams.
The Moon Is In The Wrong Place is available May 10th via Easy Eye Sound. Pre-order or pre-save the album here. Follow Shannon & The Clams on Instagram.
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