A few weeks ago Philly’s shredders Purling Hiss released High Bias, their latest album of fuzzy rock. Today they drop the video for “Follow You Around” one of the poppiest selections from the record.
Shot in various locations around West Philly and Fishtown including Laurel Hill cemetery and the Girard stop on the El, the video, directed by Jake Rhoda, features frontman and songwriter Mike Polizze creeping around town and the band jamming and drinking in their practise space.
Videos by VICE
Whereas the first taste of High Bias, released on Drag City, came with the skittering and boldly dense guitars of “Fever”, the latest offering is pure fuzzed out lo-fi power pop complete with sides of acoustic guitar and “bop, bop, bops”.
The band are about to head out on the road. Check the dates below, watch the video and read a short interview we did with Polizze.
Noisey: The video follows you around Fishtown and West Philly. Are you much of a public transport commuter or car driver?
Mike Polizze: I’m both. It’s easy to get around town just walking and using the subway. I’ll drive when leaving the city, especially on tour! hehe
You live in the Fisthown area. Do you see much of Richie Charles of Watery Love or Kurt Vile walking around much?
I see Richie quite often, and also Kurt sometimes, but not as much. It is a small town in that way, and I just happen to live near a lot of my friends in the Fishtown and Northern Liberties area. And Max, from Watery Love is one of my roommates. He and Richie have a new band called Fully Glazed. I wonder if Watery Love is no more, and they just haven’t told me yet. Maybe I’ll run into Max in the kitchen soon and get some news.
I like how you are repping a Dead Milkmen shirt. They had a kind of novelty value but there are some solid songs on Big Lizard in My Backyard.
Big Lizard in My Backyard is my favourite record and probably the only one I really would ever listen to. I’ve seen them a few times, and I just like that they’re from the Philly area. When I was pretty young I met the drummer with his son on the street once in my hometown, outside of the city, and hung out and talked to him about music for a good while. So that’s a fond memory for me.
Did “Follow You Around” always have the ‘bop, bop, bops’ in it? Would you say it’s one of the more poppy and melodic songs you have written?
I think we added the ”bops” when we were in the studio. (Jeff Zeigler/Uniform Studio) It seems to definitely be one of the poppier tunes I’ve done. It’s kind of the wild-card song of the record.. but I think it brings a good balance with the contrast to the other songs. We are all pretty happy with it… And dancing around like ninnies in the video too.
I like how in the second half of the video Ben just focuses on drinking that bottle. What is it?
It was a bottle of scotch we were passing around to loosen up I guess. It went pretty fast… Right after the shoot, Dan went on a friendly black-out rampage, chasing us down the hall of the practice space. He was looking for bear hugs.
’High Bias’ is available now through Drag City.
Catch Purling Hiss at these shows:
Oct 29 – Brooklyn at Baby’s All Right
Oct 30 – Philadelphia at Johnny Brenda’s
Oct 31 – Raleigh at Kings Barcade
Nov 1- The Earl at Atlanta
Nov 2 – Nashville at Glass Menage
Nov 3 – New Orleans at Circle Bar
Nov 4 – Austin at Hotel Vegas
Nov 5 – El Paso at Monarch
Nov 6 – Tuscon at Night of the Living Fest at 191 Toole
Nov 7 – San Diego at The Hideout
Nov 8 – Los Angeles at Resident
Nov 10 – San Francisco at The Chapel
Nov 11 – Arcata at Richard’s Goat
Nov 12 – Portland at High Water Mark
Nov 13 – Seattle at Chop Suey
Nov 14 – Missoula at Stage 112
Nov 16 – Fargo at The Aquarium
Nov 18 – Chicago at The Hideout
Nov 19 – Detroit at El Club
Nov 20 – Cleveland at Happy Dog
