LA's Olympian Burgers and Purgatory Pizza enthusiasts Criminal Hygiene take you through life's changes and forced rearrangements as we enjoy their video debut for "Rearrange Me". A current student of visual anthropology and media at USC; bassist James P. Watson takes directorial duties for the band's self-made video that gives an intimate view of a special day in the life of Criminal Hygiene.
Displayed in classic on-screen VHS font, we are introduced to what is to be, "A Special Day" as drummer Bird Man awakes, checks the phone messages, tosses said phone, gets into gear as guitarist Michael Fiore and James Watson follow suit. While sorting out which shirt, jersey, or superhero outfit will be suitable; the trio spends time to focus on their own personal grooming, hygienic rituals and most important, Bird's mustache upkeep.
Busting out skateboards, bicycles and putting up show flyers around the neighborhood; the band grabs their instruments and gets into performance mode. While kicking out melodic and rough guitar licks, the heavy-hearted lyrical responses to the accumulated complaints and nags reaches a raspy-throated boiling point. "You say I'm inconsistent, have to admit I've been fucking consistent," as Bird keeps the rhythm in between picking his nose and answering his cell while drumming in time to the lyrics of, "You say you don't like the way, all your friends call me every day."
"I think I'm changing, when you rearrange me…" Taking out frustration on the paper puzzle piece adorned performance/practice space, the Los Angeles trio cracks 40 ouncers, starts up a bonfire and burns what looks like is the master tape to the "Rearrange Me" single. The metal trash can fire ignites and consumes the tape as the band's defiant noise pop protest of controlling significant others winds down while Fiore's expressive-emotion-charged guitar stays with you long after the single has stopped. The video's closing features the candle lit, pour-a-little-out tribute to their friend, band mascot, Grady.
Criminal Hygiene's CRMNL HYGNE LP is available now from Small Smile Records.
