VIDEO PREMIERE | Real Numbers, "In The End"
Soaking in the electric stage lights with Real Numbers’ Eli Hansen; photographed by Gordon Byrd.
Every so often the closest thing to pure pop perfection descends like a dove; akin to an act of providence or a radiant rainbow display of light in the wake of a storm. This shines like an angelic deus ex machina at the finale of a Greek play or the rays of day-breaking sunbeams that signal a reprieve from a tale of endless night to the gentle hearted endearment of thematic scoring that cues the fade to black of the closing credits at the end of a heroic motion picture. Every so often the world is gifted with the sounds and sights of what a happily ever after truly feels like.
Embodying these aesthetic values and more can be found in our debut of the visual for Real Numbers' gorgeous anthemic ballad "In The End". Featured off the Minneapolis band's upcoming Slumberland EP Brighter Then, we are treated to the results of Eli Hansen, Cameron Soojian, Sophie Durbin and the band's sessions with Matt Castore at A Harder Commune studios from the previous 2019/2020 winter season. The result is a modern day resurrection, reconstruction and restoration of the often overlooked beauty found on the 80s output of lesser sung heroes from the imprints of 53rd & 3rd, Sarah Records, Cherry Red, throwback Rough Trade releases and vintage singles from the C86-era of Creation, One Little Indian and so on. Real Numbers spin their styles to the hard left of the radio dial to a frequency bandwidth that embodies your favorite forgotten, fallen, overlooked & obscured idol(s) with a luster to brighten the fog and haze of a brand new day, year and/or era.
The Gordon Byrd-directed visual for "In The End" emanates with an understated performance pop minimalism and the illumination of timeless technicolor stage lighting effects. Delivered like a streamlined utilitarian economic Warhol rendering and nod to the Exploding Plastic Inevitable; Byrd accentuates the beauty and bliss of Real Numbers’ artistic sound and sensibilities that relays ineffable sentiments of true love, care, adoration and admiration beyond all metrics and other systems of measure. "In The End" allows the audience to enter into the sacred kaleidoscopic glow of inexplicable ecstasy and affection that surpasses the temporal flights of feeling alone for something more substantive and greater that envelops the spirit, mind and being. Real Numbers revel in a heightened and elevated sense of attraction and kindred connection that surrounds the self with a sense of something greater than a solitary existence. The gilded jangling chords and heart melting keys dissolve the pangs of despair and loneliness for something that defies conventional descriptors and transcends the fickle fancies of emotions that often alter their course with the direction of changing weather, winds and whims.
Eli Hansen of Real Numbers provided us with an exclusive preface introducing “In the End”:
As some of you may know there have been zero Real Numbers songs not written by me. This one right here was co-written with Cameron Soojianso it's a first and I am very proud and excited that you get to hear it today. Its inception was a demo Cam recorded at home that was almost lost forever, featuring the chords, vocal melody and "In The End" lyric which I then arranged and added the rest of the words.
Electric light bathed the golden glow of Real Numbers’ Eli Hansen; video still courtesy of Gordon Byrd.
Lead guitar is also Cam with Ian moving to bass guitar. The video was shot pandemic-safe, in separate locations at different times, tied together with Gordon Byrd's expert editing and production. Key was an old rotating Christmas light meant to illuminate a metallic tree purchased a few Christmases ago in Milwaukee, WI.
Real Numbers’ Brighter Then EP will be available March 19 via Slumberland Records. Pre-orders available here.