Andy Shauf Shares New Single “Try Again” with Surreal Stop-Motion Video
Photo by Colin MedleyAnother vignette from Andy Shauf’s forthcoming concept record, The Neon Skyline, has arrived, paired with a colorful stop-motion music video. “Try Again,” the second single from the record following “Things I Do,” lays out an awkward exchange of words between two exes as they run into each other at a bar—part of an overarching storyline that takes place over the course of one eventful night.
On “Try Again,” Shauf finds himself “somewhere between drunkenness and chivalry,” as he uses his charming storytelling style to describe a surprise interaction with his ex. His lightly sung reflections describe his character as self-conscious—attempting a bad British accent, holding a smile a little too long—and as the night continues, he realizes this reunion has caused dormant emotions to resurface. In the end, Shauf resigns himself to the strange experience, singing, “I make a silent toast to the things that I do and don’t miss.” Despite the dejection, the song conjures a cheerful atmosphere with energetic riffs breaking up each verse.
The video for the single—directed by Gérald Fleury and Timo Hateau of the animation studio Mizotte & Cabécou—explodes with a wonderful array of shapes and colors interacting with one another through stop-motion animation. It follows a sentient house as it blasts off into different realms. The house interacts with a tapping boot, clinking wine glasses and a waving coat as it searches across different settings for answers to its quest.
As Mizotte & Cabécou explain, they wanted their handmade video to reflect the feeling “Try Again” evokes without directly relating to Shauf’s narrative:
Rather than illustrating the storyline, we imagined our own offbeat tale like a parallel to the song. Design, motion, colors and atmosphere are influenced by the pop and childish dream world of ‘70s French animation
The Neon Skyline is out Jan. 24, 2020, on ANTI-, and can be preordered on vinyl and CD here. You can watch the video for “Try Again” and a cut from Shauf’s 2014 Paste session below, and find his album and tour details further down.
The Neon Skyline Album Art:
The Neon Skyline Tracklist:
01. Neon Skyline
02. Where Are You Judy
03. Clove Cigarette
04. Thirteen Hours
05. Things I Do
06. Living Room
07. Dust Kids
08. The Moon
09. Try Again
10. Fire Truck
11. Changer
Andy Shauf 2020 Tour Dates:
February
07 – Columbus, Ohio @ Ace of Cups *
08 – Lexington, Ky. @ The Burl *
09 – Knoxville, Tenn. @ Barley’s Taproom *
11 – Nashville, Tenn. @ Exit/In *
13 – Houston, Texas @ White Oak Music Hall *
14 – Austin, Texas @ Mohawk *
15 – Dallas, Texas @ Deep Ellum Art Co. *
18 – Phoenix, Ariz. @ Crescent Ballroom *
20 – Los Angeles, Calif. @ Fonda Theater *
21 – San Francisco, Calif. @ August Hall *
22 – Sacramento, Calif. @ Harlow’s *
24 – Portland, Ore. @ Revolution Hall *
25 – Seattle, Wash. @ Neumos *
26 – Vancouver, B.C. @ Commodore Ballroom *
28 – Calgary, Alta. @ Bella Concert Hall *
29 – Edmonton, Alta. @ The Starlite Room *
March
02 – Saskatoon, Sask. @ Broadway Theatre *
03 – Regina, Sask. @ The Exchange *
04 – Winnipeg, Man. @ Park Theatre *
05 – Minneapolis, Minn. @ Fine Line Music Hall *
06 – Milwaukee, Wis. @ Colectivo *
07 – Chicago, Ill. @ Thalia Hall *
13 – Lyon, France @ Epicerie Moderne
14 – Bordeaux, France @ Krakatoa
17 – Birmingham, U.K. @ Hare and Hounds
18 – Glasgow, U.K. @ Mono
19 – Manchester, U.K. @ Gorilla
20 – Leeds, U.K. @ Brudenell Social Club
21 – Bristol, U.K. @ Fiddlers
22 – Brighton, U.K. @ Chalk
25 – Brussels, Belgium @ Botanique Orangerie
26 – Utrecht, Netherlands @ TivoliVredenburg
27 – Rotterdam, Netherlands @ Rotown
28 – Nijmegen, Netherlands @ Doornroosje
30 – Hamburg, Germany @ Elbphilharmonie
31 – Copenhagen, Denmark @ Loppen
April
01 – Stockholm, Sweden @ Nalen Klubb
02 – Oslo, Norway @ Ingensteds
04 – Berlin, Germany @ Silent Green
05 – Cologne, Germany @ Luxor
06 – Rouen, France @ Le 106
07 – Paris, France @ Trianon
08 – London, U.K. @ Shepherds Bush Empire
24 – Toronto, Ont. @ Danforth Music Hall ^
25 – Montreal, Que. @ Corona Theatre ^
26 – Sheffield, Mass. @ Race Brook Lodge ^
28 – Boston, Mass. @ Paradise Rock Club ^
30 – Brooklyn, N.Y. @ Warsaw ^
May
01 – Philadelphia, Pa. @ Union Transfer ^
02 – Washington, D.C. @ Black Cat ^
04 – Charlottesville, N.C. @ The Southern ^
05 – Carrboro, N.C. @ Cat’s Cradle ^
06 – Asheville, N.C. @ The Grey Eagle ^
08 – Atlanta, Ga. @ Terminal West ^
09 – New Orleans, La. @ One Eyed Jacks ^
10 – Birmingham, Ala. @ Saturn ^
12 – Indianapolis, Ind. @ Hi-Fi ^
13 – Pittsburgh, Pa. @ Andy Warhol Museum ^
15 – Asbury Park, N.J. @ House of Independents ^
16 – Woodstock, N.Y. @ Colony Cafe ^
(* = w/ Molly Sarlé)
(^ = w/ Faye Webster)