Disappointment is part of America's DNA. It is as though its citizens are born with the desire for something better, fueling much of the country's entrepreneurial and creative output; but even if everyone had personal jet-packs by now, they'd still be left unsatisfied. And much of what's produced to fill the void is just ridiculous.
For Claire Evans and Jona Bechtolt of the band YACHT, the endless, sad parade of social media apps, wearable technology and other distraction-enticing creations pawned off as advancements, are ripe for a takedown. In the group's new video, for the song "I Thought The Future Would Be Cooler," Evans wears a dog collar attached to a leash, owned by an unseen hand. "Crowdsource cults," she sings. "All lit up on LED / Next thing you know, you're sipping on a battery."
"This is a science fiction video that uses only existing technologies," Bechtolt and Evans tell us via email. "VR, drones, self-balancing scooters ("hoverboards"), telepresence robots, selfie sticks, Soylent and vape pens. All of these things have variably been presented as symbols of our futuristic world, but individually, up close, they just feel straight-up comical."
The video was conceived and directed by filmmaker Eugene Kotlyarenko. "I Thought The Future Would Be Cooler" is the title track from YACHT's latest album, out now on Downtown Records.
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