There is a sad beauty in the old, the abandoned and the redundant. A pair of dress shoes with holes in them, a rusted push bike, even a Discman; these remnants of a not so distant past sit meekly in a world where they are no longer needed. Things that were once necessary are now idle reminders of an old life and the new self. This dichotomy is a simple fact of life that we all experience, and it is captured beautifully in the film clip for When he Sun Goes Down, the latest single from The Outdoor Type.
The Outdoor Type finds beauty in the mundane in his video for When The Sun Goes Down, a brilliant representation of the dichotomy of modern suburbia.
Zack Buchanan has been writing and performing as The Outdoor Type since last year. He released his debut EP not too long ago, a five tracker that explores the intimate stories of surviving in modern suburbia. His music blends alternative rock melodies with a hint of country twang on the guitars and even some touches of analogue synths. He’s a story teller, not in a folk way, but in a slightly abstract approach that allows for any manner of interpretations. The dreary tales of suburban life echo forth in sublime fashion; Zack could easily be telling your own story of the suburbs.
When The Sun Goes Down is the opening number on the EP and has been given the video treatment thanks to British director Kate Tartsus. After touching down in Australia not too long ago Kate reached out to Zack on Twitter (because the telephone is another one of those redundant artifacts) in the hopes of filming a live acoustic set of his. Zack was blown away by her skills as a cinematographer and a collaboration between the pair for a music video was all but inevitable.
“Working with her was great, everything fell together quickly” Says Zack on filming the video. “To be honest we didn’t really know what we were doing, just bouncing ideas back and forth. To say she has a lot of energy is a gross understatement. We smashed out the clip in few short shoots, driving around the city, having beers and waking up way, way too early.“.
The video for When The Sun Goes Down follows the themes of the average suburban life and searching for a release from the grind of the machine. It’s a life that is known to many, and is one that has a tendency to sink its hooks in and refuse to let go. As Zack says “When The Sun Goes Down is a simple song really. The mundane, nine-to-five, long road to middle theme contrast with the escapism of getting getting smashed on the weekend and dancing all night“. That contrast is captured beautifully by Kate, her ability to portray otherwise boring objects and scenery in a delicate light is outstanding.
Images of old tyres, derelict couches, trashed alleyways, lone pegs on a clothesline and unused stairs next to escalators evoke the feelings of two separate lives clashing together. These still shots are juxtaposed of panning shots of the road and beach, as well as the moving trains, symbolise the desire to break free of the mould and enjoy one’s self. Her work with light and shadows work well to bring this point across as well, often filming Zack half covered in shadows. This is a man caught between two worlds; one in decay that he no longer wants, and one that shines with promise.
It’s a simple video, but it is brimming with heart. Kate has found the spirit of When The Sun Goes Down and has given it a visual identity that speaks in volumes to the lives of many Australians in modern suburbia.
The Outdoor Type has a couple of EP launch shows coming up this week, starting with Sydney tomorrow at the Oxford Art Factory. Check out his socials for all the deets.
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