Brooklyn’s jazz-meets-indie rock collective Vinegar Mother – comprised of Julia Zivic (guitar, vocals), Itamar Gov-Ari (guitar, keyboard), Jason Zivic (drums), Chris Stelluti (tenor sax), and Mike Roninson (bass) – has been hard at work on their debut EP, The Sunny Seat, due out next month. We’ve got the exclusive premiere of the video for “Sunny Seat” right here.
Exquisitely shot, the video overlays shots of the band playing in what looks to be a living room in the city with shots of a woman who is basking in the glow of the sunny seat on a train, looking distraught for a majority of the video. She is clearly dealing with heartbreak, trying to keep herself together with the warmth of the sun – and her winter coat – in the desolate cold of the big city. Anyone who has lived in New York City can relate to the sentiment in the song, which makes it all the more impressive. The song matches the video to a perfect T, and we’re overwhelmed with the beauty of the colors and scenery displayed.
The band had quite a bit to say about the track itself.
“Sunny Seat” actually started off as a journal entry for me. I was writing on the subway after a bad falling out with one of my longest best friends. As I wrote, I noticed a rhythm happening and decided to keep it going. It was 6am, I was on my way to work on the G train, and as we went over the bridge, the sun hit me directly in the face. I was comforted by its warmth, but the unbearable feeling of loss remained. I remember writing about how desperate I was to get home to Itamar and Jay and make a song out of these emotions I had. This song and its natural coming about means a whole lot to me. It cuts me deep every time we perform it. – Julia
I was really excited to work with Jason and Julia on a riff I wrote during another rehearsal. This song came at the right time, it was a fresh breath of air and a new sound for us. I was really excited to explore new sonics with chord voicing/textures we haven’t used before. – Itamar
The first time we went over this song in rehearsal I thought it was called “The Sunny Sea”. Writing this song came at a time in our musical partnership (Itamar, Julia and myself) when we were beginning to find our new sound. Exploring the sound felt good, and Itamar was able to push me out of my comfort zone with a few rhythmic variations, particularly in the second verse. If not for that little nudge out the door, the song wouldn’t be the song, and Vinegar Mother wouldn’t be Vinegar Mother. – Jason
Tour Dates
10/21 Sofar Sounds (NYC)
10/27 Shapeshifter Lab (Park Slope / Gowanus) w/ The Cherry Circus
10/28 Brooklyn Home of Music (Greenpoint) w/ Poetic Thrust & Shornstein
11/8 Gold Sounds (Bushwick) w/ The Misters
11/18 Radio Bean (Burlington, VT) 10pm EP RELEASE
11/30 Pianos (LES) 9pm
The Sunny Seat is out November 18th. Keep up with the band on their website.
