This video is for newest single “Radioactive” from Marina and the Diamond’s upcoming 2012 LP. The track, a big “club-ier” than those previously, splits the scenes between a desert, a city at night, and a hotel room. All around, it’s certainly pretty white-hot.
“Introduced to a glittering new nightlife, I fell in love with New York; it has this magic, fizzing white energy that no other city in the world has,” she said of that “Radioactive” day. “I felt happy and was inspired to write a song that felt light and euphoric, a more streamlined, minimalistic style of songwriting.”
Sleeper Agent’s debut albumCelabrasion has not stopped spinning since I received it in the mail less than a week ago. It will be out on Mom & Pop on August 16th and they just set out on a tour with Cage the Elephant and Manchester Orchestra. If the above points aren’t enough to tell you that “these guys fucking rock,” then I’ll spell it out for you: their take-no-prisoners high-energy garage rock is only properly experienced at high volume and with repeat listens.
I was recently given the opportunity to interview Sleeper Agent. No bullshit.
S: First off, Sleeper Agent is a sextet, which is a pretty large group. How did you all meet? What’s the dynamic like?
Sleeper Agent: A lot of us have been playing together or watching each other’s bands for years (as far back as 2004). Bands would crumble and I guess we’re the hodgepodge of a scene from yesteryear. Alex, joined in 2010. She’s from Ohio, we met her whilst she was opening for Sleeper Agent’s original lineup in 2008.
S: Also, you all have nicknames–Tutone, Kidd, Keyser, Grizzlee, Saga, and Junior. How did those come about and do you go by those on a daily basis?
SA: We don’t take ourselves too seriously and the nicknames have become a way of rib-poking each other (i.e, Alex is by far the youngest [Kidd], Tony plays with no pedals using only a clean or distorted channel [Tutone)]) Depending on our mood, we’ll interchange the real names and nicknames.
S: You and Cage the Elephant are the only two bands I can think of from Bowling Green, KY. You’ve also toured with them quite a bit. Are you all close?
SA: Justin, Tony and Scott have been stomping around with those guys since they were in Perfect Confusion. We consider them family.
S: Are there any other bands in Bowling Green that we should know about?
SA: Schools ( http://www.reverbnation.com/schools ). They’re on their way up. By far our favorite show to catch on break. We saw them four times on our last break.
S: Some of my favorite bands have guy/girl duo vocals. When you started the band, was there anyone you were emulating or did you just think “we both have great voices, let’s both sing”? … (more…)
