Apparently, during times of great distress, people will actively and instinctively embrace whatever shreds of nostalgia can be scraped together off the floor of our existence and mushed back between our collective ears in a desperate attempt to regain the familiar comforts of a happier, safer era. So when Kiwi Jr. go all Kodakchome— complete with a Super 8mm frame effect—on their new video for “Waiting in Line,” we are more than ready to gobble it, despite having little no idea what they’re on about.
Kiwi Jr. have mastered the art of cranking out a fine jangle. They could read off the phone book, provided it’s sandwiched between the punches of a snappy chorus. They’re bright and warm and entirely cathartic to shout along to. When they sing “waiting in line, queuing up for the very last time” we, and ideally whatever glorious, sweaty, real, live human crowd we’re being pressed against the stage by, will happily join in, despite the near-completely mystery that this song holds for us.
“Waiting in Line” could be a lament for lethargically idling away, suited to a year where many of us barely set fool in public. It could also be a narrow-field stream of consciousness, and we’re simply not privy to the context of the joke.
What is clear, however, is that we’re being treated to a day on the town, as the east-coast-expats showcase a day in their life in the adopted city of Toronto, Ontario. Directed by Laura-Lynn Petrick the video captures a band and a city mid-pandemic, waving their pizza against the roar of silence.
“We like the candid and casual approach of director Laura-Lynn’s previous videos, including Weyes Blood, Jessica Pratt, Michael Rault, Twist, and she was excited by our idea to wander around downtown Toronto while it was something of a ghost-town,” says Kiwi Jr.’s vocalist Jeremy Gaudet.
With a thick coat of yesteryear vibes, the city (the city’s pizza, in particular) looks the most inviting it’s been in decades. Especially with no lines to wait in.
“Waiting in Line” is set to appear on Cooler Returns, Kiwi Jr.’s forthcoming album on January 22 (2021 willing) worldwide through Sub Pop, with the exception of Canada through the band’s Kiwi Club imprint, and distributed via Fontana North. Canadian buyers, in particular, can look forward to a limited run of 200 white vinyl LPs available via Bandcamp.