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“On the Sand” is the latest video for Life In A Blender’s Bent by the Weather, the band’s fourteenth album. It’s a track of some wistfulness and true emotion, which helps carry the impact of the song combined with the visuals.

The lyrics are from a poem by Edgar Oliver who describes an idyllic day spent at Coney Island with friends but he’s wistful seeing his friend wrestle his son on the beach. Edgar’s father died of an overdose before he was born. Edgar is featured in the video; he is an American stage and film actor, poet, performance artist, and playwright. He is considered a “legend” of the lower Manhattan theater scene, known for his distinctive accent.

The video was filmed by Leo Rauf, the son of lead singer Don Rauf. He’s directed several music videos for Video Age, The Lostines, and other bands.

The video was filmed at Coney Island and features Martin Kramer, Henry Tenney, and Susan Hwang, the founder of the Bushwick Book Club.

As for the band and the album from where “On The Sand” hails, here’s a quick snapshot (courtesy of Mr. Rauf):

“The band recorded most of the foundational tracks for Bent By The Weather under the quizzical gaze of Danny Blume at his far-from-uncomfortable studio, “Hidden Quarry” — hidden in plain sight among some bushes in upstate New York. When these various components—born of Blume—were completed, a midnight carriage delivered them directly to Al Houghton in his Dubway laboratory (Dubway Studios, NYC). Houghton placed them on a gurney, raised them toward the lightning-filled sky— bringing each monster hit to life.

In the final stages, Scott Anthony of Storybook Sound applied the mastering grease, which makes the whole album digestible for human ears.

When listening to Bent by the Weather, we encourage you to applaud the drummings of Ken Meyer, the bassmanship of Mark Lerner, the guitar-itude of Al Houghton, the 10-finger pileup of Dave Moody on both guitar and cello, and the bowings and pluckings that jump from Rebecca Weiner Tompkins’s’s pail of violins…”

Obviously, wonderful tongue-in-cheek humor and wit has always been part of the LIAB oeuvre. And why not.

So now you’ve had a moment to digest this new video; I’ll be back soon with a full album review.

Bent By The Weather is currently available.

https://www.lifeinablender.net/

By Rob Ross

Rob Ross has been involved in the music industry for over 30 years - as guitarist/singer/songwriter with The Punch Line, freelance journalist, producer, manager and working for independent and major record labels. He resides in Staten Island, New York with his wife and cats; he works out a lot, reads voraciously, loves Big Star, traveling down South and his orange Gretsch. He's pretty groovy!