The Sights “Circus”

The SightsArtist:
THE SIGHTS
Label:
NEW LINE RECORDS
Video:
“CIRCUS”
Director:
Anthony Garth
Add Date:
July 25, 2005

 

Hello everybody! It’s Andy Gesner and the staff at HIP Video Promo checking in with another excellent video. We’ve sent you lots of great music and terrific clips over the past year – some outrageous, some subtle, some poppy and immediate, and some a little more sophisticated. But we’ve never been more certain that we’re exposing you to a sleeper indie hit than we are today. Unless you’re from Detroit or obsessive about garage-rock revival, you probably don’t know much about The Sights. That’s about to change. The reason? “Circus”, an absolute grand slam of a single track, and one that bridges the gap between Sixties guitar punk, Seventies glam, and indie rock with ease. With a sound as ferocious and muscular as anything currently on the radio, a gift for melody, and, as you’ll see, a great sense of style and swagger, The Sights are poised to explode out of the Motor City and into the consciousness of Indie Nation. Forget what you’ve heard lately: this is the band that ought to be the Next Big Thing.

While the first two Sights albums were straightforward blues-punk workouts, the latest from the trio draws more extensively from classic rock sources. Singer and bandleader Eddie Baranek has always had a knack for incorporating elements of traditional pop and Motown songwriting into his garage-rock without sacrificing any punk urgency – but on The Sights he ups the ante. This time out, Baranek’s songs sound like timeless classics themselves: two-fisted rock stompers with hook piled upon melodic hook. Credit for the heightened authenticity and seriousness of the sound goes, in part, to new member Bobby Emmett. While Baranek and drummer Mike Trombley continue to play with the chaotic energy of the MC5, the commanding new organist blasts away at his overdriven B-3 like a Nice-era Keith Emerson (no kidding!). And don’t be scared away by the absence of a bass player – Emmett’s percussive left hand on the piano bass is dextrous enough to propel these tracks.

“Circus” shows off the chemistry between Baranek’s soulful shout and Emmett’s gigantic organ. As Baranek forces the song higher and higher, building to successive climaxes, Emmett keeps pace with swells and vicious stabs. This is blues-rock for sure – but the bridge is built on a guitar riff as muscular as anything played by Mick Ronson, and the chorus is a cathartic shout. And Trombley’s backbeat is pure Motown soul – roughed up a little, sure, but still an irresistible invitation to get up and dance. The song culminates in a massive instrumental workout – hammered toms, squealing lead guitar, and Hammond glissandos that roar like a caged animal.

The Sights sounds like an album made by a band that’d blow you away in concert. The clip for “Circus” is further evidence. The group looks great – they approach the camera with a brashness that can’t be taught, but that is the unmistakable hallmark of the legitimate rock star. Baranek, in particular, performs with a wild-yet-knowing abandon reminiscent of Kurt Cobain. Meanwhile, Emmett stands at the Hammond organ like a turret gunner, head bobbing, attacking the keyboard with a punk rock savagery.

The Sights play in the deserted ballroom of an old hotel – one complete with a glossy wooden floor, electric candelabras on the wall, and a giant crystal chandelier. Baranek stalks the perimeter of a huge circular spotlight, and rushes up to an antique microphone while windmilling on his guitar. It’s all impossibly kinetic, and the camera can barely keep up with the action. By the end of the clip, the images have split, and several duplicates of the musicians play alongside the original. It’s as if the video director, along with everybody else, cannot believe that such a huge, full sound could come from three people alone.

Here at HIP we are very excited to be working with New Line Records to bring you the rockin’ new clip from The Sights. We have plenty of copies of The Sights CD if you are interested in setting up on-air giveaways for your viewers. The Sights will be on tour with Caesars throughout the month of July. The Sights are all about meeting regional programmers across the country and it’s our goal here at HIP to set up as many video interviews as possible.If you need more info call Andy Gesner at 732-613-1779, or email info@HIPVideoPromo.com . You can also visit www.NewLineRecords.com to find out more about The Sights.

Visit New Line Records
Visit New Line Records