Watch Vivian Girls' Alex Ross Perry-directed music video for "Sludge"

September 10, 2019

Vivian Girls have released an official video for new single "Sludge," off their forthcoming album, Memory, out 9/20. The video was shot on Hi8 in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley, directed by Alex Ross Perry (Her Smell, Listen Up Philip). Of the video, Perry says –

"I just counted: there are four different photos of Vivian Girls in the look book I made for Her Smell. So if you had told me when I was first seeing them at Death By Audio (or was it Union Pool?) in 2008 (or was it late 2007?) that over a decade later, we'd be collaborating on a music video, I would have been alarmed at the specificity of this prophecy.

The notion was to invent a video for 'Sludge' that honored The Valley, toying with suburban nothingness and alienation, honoring filming locations from E.T. that are still emanating traces of decades-old magic.

To explore the dichotomy of light and dark, mortal and immortal, self and self. Of then and now..."

While a reunion album titled Memory may conjure images of a band waxing nostalgic about the halcyon days of yore, Vivian Girls’ newest record (their first in 8 years) is anything but a pleasant reminiscence. The latent darkness that always haunted their records is on full display upon their return. Vivian Girls are back and they haven’t forgotten what they went through. Pre-order your copy of Memory now from the Polyvinyl Store – very FEW Deluxe Early Birds (180-Gram Maroon & Green Galaxy Mix) remain. Grab a Cassie Ramone-created tarot deck or handy slipmat while you are at it.