The Johns - “Wistful Part I and II”
We’re excited to premiere the new video for “Wistful Part I and II” from Brooklyn garage-tropicalia band, The Johns. Back in February, the band released their eclectic debut album, Forge, which includes the songs featured in the video as its final two tracks. With the onset of the pandemic in early March, The Johns were grounded following a European tour in February, and frontman Johnny Dydo’s partner, Erica Schreiner, had to cease work on her film, The Special People. Looking for a creative outlet, the two banded together to work collaboratively on the video for “Wistful Part I and II” while quarantined. The end product is a captivating, multi-perspective video that captures one of The Johns’ last live performances and interposes it with various scenes shot from inside Dydo and Schreiner’s apartment.
If you enjoyed the band’s video for “Blood Run Free,” then you’ll love Schreiner’s work on this one, as it’s once again shot entirely on faded-looking VHS tape and maintains a similar allegorical style. In “Part I,” Dydo recites a spoken-word piece over the creeping sounds of a warbly keyboard as crumbled roses, broken eggs, and butterfly wings chaotically swirl in a fishbowl. Part II is a rhythmic, bachata-tinged lullaby that’s dominated by Dydo’s David Berman-esque croon and some effervescent guitars. For this portion, the video captures shots of The Johns’ last live performance at The Sultan Room, and also cuts to scenes of Schneider placing roses and eggshells (representing brackets and parentheses, respectively) in the precise formations dictated by the lyrics. The faded looking VHS tape really adds an extra layer of feeling, as for many of us, seeing live music inside an actual venue seems pretty vintage these days. The video also cuts to shots of Schreiner and Dydo dancing, as the final chorus rings out: “Like the kind word she whispered / As I was dancing with her/ Still makes me feel so wistful / It makes me want to whistle.”
Stream the video below!
You can purchase Forge on limited edition blue vinyl via Bandcamp. The album is also available to stream on Spotify. Keep up with the band by following them on Instagram and liking them on Facebook.
