Parquet Courts take to New Orleans for “Wide Awake” music video

Shrimp Po-Boys, a colorful array of Creole cottages, and festive purple, green, and gold costumes are all scattered throughout the music video to Parquet Courts latest track, “Wide Awake.” Set in New Orleans during Mardi Gras, we find the band members romping about town, donning stylish purple suits while flipping through records and parading around Bourbon Street. The carefree party atmosphere of New Orleans moves and grooves throughout the video, and the New York rockers encapsulate that feel on their latest single.

The track itself is an upbeat punk-funk track, stylistically different from most of the band’s earlier work. Sourcing wild percussives from cowbells to whistles, even chants and cheers in the background, the track feels like an homage to new wave sounds of New York-past. The band found early success with their driving punk jams on 2013’s Light Up Gold, and the fact that this track strays away from the previous sound is an exciting change.

Parquet Courts teamed up with Brian Burton (aka Danger Mouse) for the upcoming album, who has previously worked with artists like The Black Keys, James Mercer of The Shins, and A$AP Rocky. Speaking on the production choice, frontman A. Savage said “The ethos behind every Parquet Courts record is that there needs to be change for the better, and the best way to tackle that is to step out of one’s comfort zone. I personally liked the fact that I was writing a record that indebted to punk and funk, and Brian’s a pop producer who’s made some very polished records. I liked that it didn’t make sense.”

Parquet Courts returns to Union Transfer on June 8th behind their upcoming 5th LP, out this May. Head to the concert calendar to find more information and to buy tickets to the show.