PREMIERE | Kerry Charles, "Seal it With a Kiss"
Games of chance and the sport of love; video still courtesy of Peter English.
Valentine's Day is wonderful. Valentine's Day is blissful. Valentine's Day is awkard. Valentine's Day is weird. Highlighting the latter is the new single and visual from Jersey's own Kerry Charles with "Seal It With a Kiss" featured off the upcoming album debut I Think Of You via Grind Select. The follow-up to 2016's Two Cozy Rooms Vol. 1, Charles cherishes the sentimental exchanges between kindred hearts and spirits that revels in the sublime and sacred orders of the ineffable attachments and bonds between a loverly pair.
"Seal It With a Kiss" is the song you would stumble upon in the left side of the radio dial. The sappy romantic overtones and understated production of emotive expressions reach those corners of the consciousness that crave the cuddling of a special spirit that offers comfort and companionship in ways that words can never describe in full. "Kiss" croons like the balladeers of yore, recalling the icons of the lounge lizard circuit that would enjoy residencies at local casinos and bingo halls to bring song cycles of pure sentimentality to aunties worldwide. The cadences that Kerry conjures up are those smooth rhythm & blues tones that stay in the mind, that linger in the soul like an inextinguishable flame that kindles a passion that flickers and gently burns like the evocative gestures of deepest affection.
The Peter English-directed visual acts as an absurdist rom-com romp. The subtle and suave styles of Kerry Charles’ delivery are counter-balanced by the not-so-subtle antics of the surreal and strange. It begins with Matteo Scammell cooking up a storm in his palatial estate with a little help from a branded box of Kerry Charles' "Date Night Kit" that comes equipped with the curious tagline of "In the Mood to Set the Mood." Matteo's date Lee Minora arives, basking in awe of the castle-esque home, as the two partake in the delights of burgers, fries and glasses of rouge in crystal stemware. Upon cozying up to the fire with a game of Kerry Charles' "Love Moves" — things take a turn for the bizarre. From here we are introduced to the mustachioed singing belly phenomenon that is at first shocking, scary and almost crushes the vibe all together. That is until both involved bellies begin to singing in perfect unison. Upon realization of this shared common thread, our couples breaks out in dance, concluding with our singing bellies being joined in a comedically outlandish congress.
Beyond and behind the golden reeds with Kerry Charles; press photo courtesy of the artist.
Kerry Charles provided some reflections on the song and visuals for “Seal It With a Kiss”:
”Seal it With a Kiss” is an ode to all the awkwardness and anxiety that comes with a new romantic relationship.
The idea for the video was conceived— as most great ideas are— in the upstairs foodcourt of a Wegmans with my long-time friend and creative partner Peter English, who produced and directed.
The look of love; video still courtesy of Peter English.
We knew that the video needed to match the romantic vibes of the song, but we both wanted to go somewhere weirder with it.
The story follows a couple on an early date. The exact moment when you need to be vulnerable and things maybe get weird— we wanted to take that feeling of vulnerability and push it way, way too far.
L’amour; photo still courtesy of Peter English.
The result was this Cronenbergian body horror story mixed with absurdest romantic comedy.
We had a blast shooting it over the course of two days with DP Phil Bradshaw at a gorgeous mansion in Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia. Actors Matteo Scammell and Lee Minora perfectly capture that tension and cathartic release that we all know so well. Happy valentine’s day!
Kerry Charles’ “Seal it With a Kiss” is available now everywhere.
I Think of You will be available April 14 via Grind Select.
Also available is the limited-edition romantic card game Love Moves that serves as the perfect companion piece to the record for partners to gain a deeper degree of intimacy with one another.
