Indie rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs rocks the Empire State Building, NYC's monstrous 1,454-foot symbol in their new visuals for "Despair," the second single off their latest fourth studio album, "Mosquito." Shooting the video on top of the Empire State Building marks a milestone for the trio as they officially become the first group to ever shoot a video in the famous landmark. It is somewhat inappropriately titled "Despair," and no, there are no "Sleepless in Seattle" homages at any time during Yeah Yeah Yeahs' up-tempo garage punk anthem.
This aching anthem finds vocalist and pianist Karen O singing about wasted days and nights and tears stinging her eyes, before concluding, "Nothing to fear." It is one of the most melancholic tracks on "Mosquito," but drummer Brian Chase said he feels it reflects the album's "wise and peaceful sense of love." He explained: "Love has always been there in different forms. In the form it takes on 'Fever to Tell,' it's very wild and passionate. This one seems to be not quite omniscient, but can see situations from the other side, so there's a peaceful sense to it, but at the same time, encouraging whatever it is to go through its process."
Karen described this track as "a love song to despair." She added: "It's a feeling that you have that visits you time and time again. It's an incredibly uplifting song , though, about wanting to run away from certain darkness in your life. It was certainly "an iconic moment", Karen told the New York Times about video shooting. But it was also the 34-year-old singer's first visit to the summit of the legendary skyscraper. The same was true for the video's director, Patrick Daughters. "I don't like heights," he explained. While Yeah Yeah Yeahs performed on the 86th floor, a camera crew circled in a helicopter. "It was plenty loud," Daughters said. "I don't think they had to worry about the neighbors."
Karen starts the clip by making a scene in a bar, before the action shifts to show guitarist Nick Zinner in a cab and Chase napping on the subway, each on his way to the Empire State Building. Fittingly with the lyrics, the trio eventually convene at the summit of the skyscraper, where they ultimately rock out as the track adds whirling guitar and pounding drums to Karen's spare vocals. She's all smiles as the song unfolds and the band takes a minute pause momentarily to take in the view from their heightened perspective, the camera pans out to the amazing sights around New York City, and it's clear just how far Yeah Yeah Yeahs have come.
This aching anthem finds vocalist and pianist Karen O singing about wasted days and nights and tears stinging her eyes, before concluding, "Nothing to fear." It is one of the most melancholic tracks on "Mosquito," but drummer Brian Chase said he feels it reflects the album's "wise and peaceful sense of love." He explained: "Love has always been there in different forms. In the form it takes on 'Fever to Tell,' it's very wild and passionate. This one seems to be not quite omniscient, but can see situations from the other side, so there's a peaceful sense to it, but at the same time, encouraging whatever it is to go through its process."
Karen described this track as "a love song to despair." She added: "It's a feeling that you have that visits you time and time again. It's an incredibly uplifting song , though, about wanting to run away from certain darkness in your life. It was certainly "an iconic moment", Karen told the New York Times about video shooting. But it was also the 34-year-old singer's first visit to the summit of the legendary skyscraper. The same was true for the video's director, Patrick Daughters. "I don't like heights," he explained. While Yeah Yeah Yeahs performed on the 86th floor, a camera crew circled in a helicopter. "It was plenty loud," Daughters said. "I don't think they had to worry about the neighbors."
Karen starts the clip by making a scene in a bar, before the action shifts to show guitarist Nick Zinner in a cab and Chase napping on the subway, each on his way to the Empire State Building. Fittingly with the lyrics, the trio eventually convene at the summit of the skyscraper, where they ultimately rock out as the track adds whirling guitar and pounding drums to Karen's spare vocals. She's all smiles as the song unfolds and the band takes a minute pause momentarily to take in the view from their heightened perspective, the camera pans out to the amazing sights around New York City, and it's clear just how far Yeah Yeah Yeahs have come.
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