…asleep for so long, PINE BARONS Frantic Francis
Pine Barons Frantic Francis is available on Bandcamp, Deezer, Apple Music
by Walter Price
The history of lush psych-infused post-punk Brit Pop has produced some of the most memorable and iconic sounds known to the rock and pop scenes. Similar seminal vibes can be found in the recent single “Frantic Francis” from Philly’s Pine Barons. A collective that’s new to me but has been kickin’ out weighty and cinematic tunes as well as touring for what appears to be a decade or more. But, HEY! It’s better late than never to discover something new from a veteran act, right…
“Frantic Francis” isn’t all celestial slowburn, there’s quite the nostalgic picture being painted as well, “Drifted out in the fog/ I could cry out to the moon,/ but it won’t listen/ And I’ve been asleep for so long/ with all these voices in the room/ what am I missing? — Wake me up Mommy,/ I want to drink some tea/ Don’t worry honey,/ this is all a dream…” Memories are as equally beautiful and complicated as they can be a twisted fantasy of our own making and this single seems to know this all too well. The results are heartfelt and indelible.
The track comes replete with a stylish Alex Beebe-directed music video that’d have Radiohead and Coldplay nodding with approval. Prep a cup of Chamomile, you can see the dreamy film as well as stream the subtext lullaby, here at the GTC.
PINE BARONS Frantic Francis
Pine Barons photo by @lilredberet
Written, produced, engineered, and mixed by KC Abrams
Performed by Pine Barons
Mastered by Ryan Schwabe
Video by Alex Beebe
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I’ve been asleep for so long
there’s a lighthouse in the room
it’s only spinning
And if I laugh hard enough,
I might break out into song
and just keep singing
No longer a grip to my palm,
There’s no reading there at all…