“‘Love I Can Love’ was first demoed in early 2019, although like many of our songs, it became buried in the vault,” says the band’s Adam Grindler in an email exchange. “It wasn’t until we were asked to perform a wedding in December 2023 that we dusted it off and were reminded of how much we enjoyed the song. Though the circumstance of its creation is hard to recall, it’s very much a reflection on the love the two of us share. We don’t usually tend towards songs about our own love, preferring to keep that world quietly to ourselves. But we felt something special in this one: the fun yet somewhat cryptic specificity detailing our unique experiences together paired with lyrical moments that felt widely relatable. Ultimately, the energy and feeling of performing this song live drove us to explore it more in the studio.”
Known for their handmade videos, the group uses the music video to expand upon the lyric “sometimes I’m hard to see” by delivering an “explosion of color, latex and inflatable vines,” as it’s put in a press release.
“Creating a music video involving masses of balloons was a hilarious yet challenging roller coaster ride,” says Grindler. “The concept evolved soon after beginning the daunting inflation process, and we became more turned on by all the creative possibilities of sculpting in such a vibrant medium. That said, the volatile nature of a balloon, especially in a chilly garage subject to the swift changes of weather during fall in Cleveland, meant we had to be decisive with our actions, and there was little time to get hung up on every detail. Our immersive balloon jungle proved to have a mind of its own, and we did all we could to quickly capture its growth as it simultaneously morphed and lost shape.”
Following a year spent immersed in their home studio, which they call Sleepy Dog Studio (named for their bulldog Joey who sleeps under the recording desk), the duo is at work on a new LP, Down Down Domino, due out in late fall.
“Love I Can Love” is the first of multiple singles and videos that the pair will release nearly every month this year.
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This article appears in Jan 17-30, 2024.
