Folding Legs, “Glorious”

Those familiar with Northern Spy Records know that the Brooklyn label is awash in noise and avant leanings rich in the tradition of ESP. And while Folding Legs—who boasts NS employee Chris Cerny among its roster—does include performance art into their live show, this might be the cleanest tone we've ever heard come out of their offices. Then again, maybe it's the Austrian influence.

Chris started folding Legs with Greg Henits when he was in Vienna (Greg in New York), before they both settled here. I mention all of this, because, as I watch their latest video for "Glorious" I'm envisioning it began conceptually as an internal struggle amongst the band; whether or not to go noisier and more dissonant, or to keep the pop tenets. The only way to settle it, of course, is by a good ol' fashion shoot out. The work of producer Lee Peterkin, the result is as beautiful to look at as Katharina Stenbeck's voice is to listen to, providing a perfect slow-motion tense accompaniment. The only thing missing is some tumbleweeds. Filmed in Brooklyn, the video also belies Chris' workplace, as it is in (*cough, cough) glorious hi definition, proving that my envisioned band struggle might just be an ideal songwriting tool.

Folding Legs released their debut EP, Drown in Light, last fall on KID Recordings. They plan on releasing more material later this summer.