Watch Figg’s dreamy, hazy video for “Bungleweed Motherwort”
Back in June, Seattle’s Figg released their self-titled album, a dreamy and psychedelic set of indie pop with some gorgeous arrangements. Now, the duo—who comprises Robin Peringer (who has performed as a member of 764-Hero, Love As Laughter and Modest Mouse) and Gilden Tunador, each of whom was a member of Seattle slowcore group Carissa’s Wierd—share a new video for album standout “Bungleweed Motherwort.” The clip for the lovely, stripped-down dream-folk tune is hazy yet lo-fi, produced by Tunador and edited by Hector Gallardo of Subharmonic City Productions.
Tunador released a statement about the video:
“The video’s visuals are a nod to My Bloody Valentine’s ‘Loveless’ album cover’s deep magenta, black and pinks, and dark and dreamy feel. It’s an attempt to translate a similar feel to the footage, which for me is a representation of the colors of grief and the heart in balance.
The lyrics were inspired in part by N.C. Wyeth’s painting ‘The Giant,’ which is of Wyeth’s children and his pupil, William Engle, playing on the beach, staring at clouds in the shape of a giant. The painting was commissioned as a memorial to Engle, who had planned to paint a similar image but died before he could, and so Wyeth fulfilled his vision for him.
I’ve always found the image and story behind the painting striking and remembered it when I was working on the ‘Bungleweed Motherwort’ video and struggling with a long-buried grief of my mother’s death which resurged when I became a mother myself, during the making of this album.
Like me, she was a musician, and like Engle, she died young and with a career left unfulfilled. The song’s writing process was like grief therapy and its message came to be about finding solace in nature, whether you’re imagining a protective giant in the clouds or finding yourself amidst giant trees.
Also, I shot the forest footage up in Northern California this summer before the fires — this video is also a small tribute to the majesty of the forests.”
Watch the new clip below.
Jeff Terich is the founder and editor of Treble. He's been writing about music for 20 years and has been published at American Songwriter, Bandcamp Daily, Reverb, Spin, Stereogum, uDiscoverMusic, VinylMePlease and some others that he's forgetting right now. He's still not tired of it.