Brooklyn's Emmy Wildwood premieres the title track video from Chris Carlone off the upcoming Mean Love EP for her imprint/vintage boutique, Tiger Blanket Records. Throughout the latest transitions in the musical and cultural landscapes between coasts, the Williamsburg artist and entrepreneur sits within NYC's newest indie pop stars. On Emmy's "Mean Love", 'us against the world' values are shown through candid camera-caught intimate moments, baring everything that lies between the precious, sacred, and savage.
Emmy rocks a leather jacket in front of white walls that become a canvas for different color filters. The hyper and barely definable emotions are told in yin-and-yang balances (and arguable imbalances) of the best feelings in the world—the needles and pins of conflicting frustrations expressed in lyrics like, "twist the knife to show you care." The raw nature of affection detailed in Emmy's electric pop study is given a wilder and widened array of voyeuristic candy for the senses with a series of scenes that portray intoxicated couples fighting, making up, and making out. Random police car chase snippets straight from the show COPS filter in for emphasis. We had a chance to chat with Emmy about the new single, EP, video, and more.
The Chris Carlone-directed video for "Mean Love" rolls with a heart as savage as the single, from the fashion shoot poses, the closed circuit voyeurism, car chases etc… What was the thinking behind the conceptual design in these images?
I love that you said the single has a savage heart. That could have been one of the lines in the song! And I'm glad it came across in the video. The song tells a story of 'dysfunctional love.' I think almost everyone has had a relationship that can relate to that in some way or another. I didn't want it to be told by actors in the video. I wanted people to see dysfunctional love with several different faces. When I talked to Chris about this he really understood. And it was all up to him after that. I think he found some pretty accurate footage.
Tell us about the process, pain, struggles, and triumphs recording your upcoming Mean Love EP, and all the latest from your Williamsburg Tiger Blanket imprint and vintage boutique.
Making the Mean Love EP was very different. It's funny now thinking back that recording this saved me from a very rough time personally as well as that horrible winter we had in NYC this year. I was dealing was some serious health issues, and emotionally, I was a mess, which shows lyrically. I was sleepwalking through daily life, and the studio seemed to be the only place that I had any focus. Zach Jones and Greg Mayo are dear friends of mine, so I knew I could call upon them to produce this EP and soldier me through when I needed a lot support and no judgement. Additionally, I think they helped me put a rock and roll face on my angst instead of turning this into a sad, woozy pop record with too many ballads. The songs I had written were very dark, but the arrangements are fierce and fun. In the end, the whole EP is very honest, in a way I was scared to be. I'm really proud of that.
I am really stoked about the future of my label! We are in the middle of a really exciting re-brand, with a lot of surprises in the wings, including the first piece by our own clothing line, TBR. This will launch the same week as the EP in June. Also we are excited to launch a new band in July! Details on that to come!
Latest thoughts and reports from the Brooklyn scene?
Man, I still live in Williamsburg. And I won't lie, I know what everyone means when they say the vibe is changing, but it's home to me. I've been here eight years now. There's still killer shows here! I like to see Sam Tiews at Lodge, and I like running into Kyp Malone on the street. I buy my boyfriend presents at Treehouse and I love it. Plus, taking the JMZ into Manhattan is beautiful for me. Until I find a better more beautiful, I'm staying.
Emmy Wildwood's Mean Love EP will be available June 24 from Tiger Blanket Records.
