New York's Weeping Icon are emblematic of everything that made Sonic Youth so compelling – downtown cool, noisy riffs, vague nods to krautrock, icy vocal delivery and hooks built under the guise of being anti-pop. Their latest track and subject of their new video "Like Envy" drips Sonic Youth to the nth degree all while delivering a scathing indictment against selfie culture. The video, which depicts various people taking selfies in serene places, with pizza, with pets and much more, shows it's contempt by juxtaposing those scenes against lyrics like:
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"Like Envy" is a critique of social media's mutation into a place where everyone can become their own brand," concurs guitarist/vocalist Sara Fantry. "[It's where] the unsustainable model of one's livelihood being staked on constantly staying relevant to a public whose attention is being fought over by, potentially, everyone on social media. The video is about an influencer struggling to carve out a special place for herself in the social media marketplace. Only when she loses her connection to the curated world, is she suddenly aware of the ominous things lurking around and within us - things our generation is often too preoccupied to notice when having to concentrate on being 'on' all the time."
"Like Envy" is culled from the band's self-titled debut, due on September 27 via Fire Talk Records/Kanine Records. Check out the video for the first time above, and order your copy of the LP.
