Been Stellar Release Larry Clark Inspired Single "Kids 1995"
Indie rock band Been Stellar continue to keep the DIY spirit alive with their catchy, grainy guitar riffs and an exultant celebration of youth in their latest single, “Kids 1995.” The song, named after Larry Clark’s seminal film, evokes imagery of a late-night spree through city streets and reflects on the ruleless odyssey portrayed in the movie, traversing a scorching '90s New York summer, contemplating innocence lost and the acceptance of life as it is.
“Kids 1995” reeks of NYC rock nostalgia while remaining incredibly authentic to the band’s sound and showcasing their creative development. “It’s definitely getting at more of what we have in our heads, as far as what Been Stellar sounds like,” shares the band. “A lot of that is thanks to Aron Kobayashi Ritch, who produced the track. We were more meticulous in the studio with this one than we have been in the past.”
The single quickly builds from a winding, melodic plea from lead singer Sam Slocum, imploring above driving guitars. He sings, “And even if I was solipsistic / Or even if I am solipsistic / Would it really make any difference? / Because as much as I tell myself it’s all real / It’s just as real as it really isn’t.” This existentialism then transports listeners to a place of ecstasy before it falls right back into its euphoric, pop-edged chorus. “For me, the whole bit on solipsism always feels very raw, which I like,” shares Slocum. “At the time, I was really into the movie The Big Chill, and they used the Joe Cocker song 'Feelin Alright,' so that’s why I quoted that lyric - 'you feeling alright? I’m not feeling too good myself.'"
The accompanying music video is a beautiful blend of interlaid visuals that further ignite the track’s nostalgia. Grainy black and white portraits of the band’s members pan from one television screen to the next, collaged with crisp clips of a live studio session, shots along the water, and multi-channel vignettes. "We worked on the concept with our good friends Gabe [Jace Long] and Razzi [Schlosser],” says Slocum. “We wanted to capture intimate moments of us as a band and as individuals. The Todd Haynes Velvets documentary has some Warhol footage that we found super intriguing. Gabe brought on his creative partner Justin [Wall], and we shot it in two days. I believe the CCTV idea came initially as leaning into the fact that the song’s named after a film.” The video gives way to an explosion of quick cuts as the song reaches its cathartic climax.
Alongside preparing for their tour supporting The Goa Express, see dates below, the band shared what’s in store for listeners regarding their upcoming releases. “In the future, listeners can expect a lot more specific lyrics and a lot more noise. A lot of the upcoming tunes were very influenced by living in pandemic NYC. That’s not to say that we’re by any means abandoning the sound we’ve worked on up until now, but we’re at the point where we’d like to venture into some uncharted waters for us.”
Been Stellar Live:
May 13 - The Great Escape - Brighton, UK
May 14 - Rough Trade - Bristol, UK*
May 17 - The Sesh - Hull, UK
May 18 - Hyde Park Book Club - Leeds, UK*
May 19 - Lexington - London, UK*
May 21 - The White Hotel - Manchester, UK*
May 26 - The Social - London, UK
June 9 - Mercury Lounge - New York, NY+
June 11 - Philamoca - Philadelphia, PA+
June 12 - Songbyrd - Washington DC+
June 14 - Mr. Roboto Project - Pittsburgh, PA+
June 15 - Hahalls - Cleveland, OH+
June 16 - Subterranean - Chicago, IL
June 17 - 7th St Entry - Minneapolis, MN+
June 18 - Colectivo Coffee - Milwaukee, WI+
June 20 - Larimer Lounge - Denver, CO+
June 21 - Kilby Court - Salt Lake City, UT+
June 23 - Holland Project - Reno, NV+
June 24 - Moroccan Lounge - Los Angeles, CA+
June 25 - The Chapel - San Francisco+
+supporting Ultra Q
*supporting THE GOA EXPRESS
