Decent Criminal Release "Shaun of the Dead"-Inspired Long Distance Homage
In a time where we all seem to be forcibly separated from those we love, Decent Criminal’s music video release for their long distance anthem, “Bleached”, feels exceptionally timely. A tune built on punk-infused guitar and 90’s-esque alternative vocals, the nostalgia almost seems to ooze. It is no secret that the band hails from Northern California, the influence of west coast alums easily markable (I get hints of Sublime every time I listen, and they cite them as influences along with Smashing Pumpkins and the Pixies).
“Bleached” serves as the perfect pining track. From a plane visit, different time zones, and an imaginary shared world in between, the repetitive crooning of “I just want to lay with you for hours” seems to be the emphasis of this fictional love story. The band shared with me, “I guess distance makes the heart grow fonder. But how long can your heart take in a situation like this?”
The music video, released this month and directed by friend of the band Eric Schrader, is an homage to the whimsical and unique connection that these relationships can breed. It follows a “Shaun of the Dead”-inspired storyline, where a woman’s zombie-partner eventually bites her as the two descend into flesh eating camaraderie. The sweetness of the song remains, the pair sharing a bed and enjoying their time together despite the hardships. Decent Criminal reports that the video was shot on the last day before their personal quarantine began, March 14th, and served as a special time of friendship. “It was a special one. I really can’t thank our crew enough for throwing this all together in just a day. We drank, ate and laughed during the whole process.”
Photo courtesy of Decent Criminal
Comprised of Tristan Martinez (guitar), his brother Hunter Martinez (drums), Alex Kouninos (bass/vocals), Brian Gellman (guitar/vocals), and Jesse Hernandez (bass), Decent Criminal is by no means new to the punk scene. With the Martinez brothers founding the group in 2014, they have gone on to release their self-titled debut LP in 2016, Bloom in 2017 with Dodgeball Records, their latest full LP Bliss this past year with Bearded Punk/Wiretap Records.
It is Decent Criminal’s continuous touring schedule that has kept them abuzz in the community for the past few years, and they are modifying how they connect to fans in a time where live shows are becoming obsolete. “We’ve been asked to do live stream acoustic sets, and with a good amount of those we’ve tried to change it up each time”, they stated. “Always asking for requests.” In addition, the band has been sending out personalized thank-you notes for each online purchase, sometimes adding in extra pieces of merchandise or limited vinyl pressings of older records.
Despite living through such an unpredictable time, the band is keeping their heads up. “We had two European tours booked, big festivals, and a East Coast tour and plans to book more as the year rolled on”, they shared. “I’m very lucky to have a band with my brother and be able to have our gear set up where we are living and can write and jam out ideas during this down time.”
“Bleached” is available on Apple Music and Spotify
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