Palehound Preview New Album Black Friday with Video for Self-Love Single “Aaron”

Boston-based trio Palehound have announced their third album, Black Friday, marking the occasion with the release of their lead single “Aaron.” The forthcoming record, due out on June 7 via Polyvinyl Record Co., examines love and the many different ways it can take shape in our life. “Aaron,” in particular, explores love of one’s own body, and connects to singer/songwriter Ellen Kempner’s partner.

Kempner says of the track and its music video in a statement:

Aaron is a character that represents my partner, who is trans. It’s not specific to his experience though, the song is about change in relation to our bodies in general. It’s about learning to be comfortable in our skins, whether that means changing our bodies or mindsets. Robert Kolodny directed the video and captured this theme perfectly through portraying physical insecurity as living in an unruly, amorphous body and gradually shedding it.

The video for “Aaron” takes Kempner’s gentle, heartfelt storytelling and gives it an artistic texture that is both fitting and unexpected. Kempner sings underneath a knitwear mask, crafted by Gaudmother, as a figure runs around the streets in a ghillie suit made out of yarn. In the end, both figures take off their knit masks and are haloed by light, a visual representation of their own newfound self-love and body empowerment.

On Black Friday, Kempner and bandmates Jesse Weiss (drums) and Larz Brogan (bass) hope that their art will help others who are struggling. She herself knows the therapeutic benefits of music, explaining:

What I always want to do with my songs is to help people heal in some way, or come to some new understanding about whatever it is that they’re going through. Even if it’s just hearing a song and feeling less alone than they were before, that would mean so much to me.

Kempner produced the record with Gabe Wax (Beirut, Soccer Mommy). Palehound recorded their latest project at Panoramic House in Stinson Beach, Calif.

Watch the video for “Aaron” (dir. Kolodny) and Palehound’s 2015 performance at the Paste Studio below. Further down, check out the album art for Black Friday and the band’s national tour dates with Big Thief (who just released a new single “Cattails” yesterday).

Black Friday Album Art:

Palehound Tour Dates:

October
11 – New York, N.Y. @ Webster Hall
12 – Burlington, Vt. @ Higher Ground Ballroom
13 – Boston, Mass. @ Wilbur Theatre
15 – Montreal, Quebec @ Le Tulipe
16 – Toronto, Ontario @ Phoenix Concert Theatre
18 – Chicago, Ill. @ Metro
21 – Minneapolis, Minn. @ First Avenue
24 – Portland, Ore. @ Crystal Ballroom
25 – Vancouver, B.C. @ Vogue Theatre
26 – Seattle, Wash, @ Moore Theatre
28 – San Francisco, Calif. @ The Fillmore

November
01 – Phoenix, Aris. @ Crescent Ballroom
02 – Albuquerque, N.M. @ Sister
04 – Austin, Texas @ Stubb’s
05 – Dallas, Texas @ Trees
07 – Atlanta, Ga. @ Variety Playhouse
08 – Saxapahaw, N.C. @ Haw River Ballroom
09 – Philadelphia, Pa. @ Union Transfer
10 – Washington, D.C. @ 9:30 Club