VIDEO PREMIERE | Rat Fancy, "Never is Forever"
Nighttime hangs with Rat Fancy; photographed by Joey Tobin.
LA's own Rat Fancy have been kicking out an exciting and energetic sound lately out of their SoCal stomping grounds. From their album Stay Cool (recorded by David Newton of The Mighty Lemon Drops); Diana Barraza, Gregory Johnson and the gang present the debut of the visual for "Never is Forever", directed by Paul Rocha. A tour de force nod to the French new wave movement of cinema (or the nouvelle vague if you will)—Rocha’s direction updates the styles of Jean-Luc Godard that follows Barraza and Johnson all over Los Angeles that showcases an eclectic day in the life of Rat Fancy’s core duo.
Like a new take on the cinematic sensibilities of classics like Breathless, My Life to Live, et al.—Rat Fancy takes the audience on an adventure that hops from bookstores, record shops, taquerias, DTLA skyline vistas with Dodger Stadium being the centerpiece of the entire visual. "Never is Forever" begins with images of Diana and Gregory's cat gazing out the window to mark the dawning of the new day as the two awake, get out of bed, brush their teeth, apply makeup and whip up some eggs and breakfast. The awe-inspiring anthem of "Never is Forever" is perfectly paired with a b/w art house accompaniment that could be appropriated as a cool advertisement commercial by the board of tourism to explore and enjoy LA that accentuates the charms and local landmarks found throughout the City of Angels. The underlying plot of the visual is Rat Fancy's quest to catch a Dodgers game, where they ultimately arrive at the ballpark before anyone else as they continue to take in a beautiful sun-shining day.
Rat Fancy shared some thoughts on the Paul Rocha-directed visual for “Never is Forever”:
‘When Paul told us about the concept for the video, I was totally stoked,’ says Barraza. ‘Imagine a French new wave video that’s cinematic and gorgeous, yet the song isn’t dainty or frilly. What if the leads weren’t waif thin or white?’
Barraza is proud of her city. She’s a third generation Angeleno.
‘If you think of California being a part of Mexico, we have always been here,’ laughed Barraza. ‘Greg was born here and Paul is from here. It was really cool driving around when we shot this, pointing out spots where my great grandfather worked or where my dad had his first job in Downtown LA.’
The song itself blissfully dives head first into the chaos of today’s world.
Rat Fancy’s Stay Cool available June 7 via HHBTM Records and Solidarity Club.