San Diego/Paris noise-pop duo Crocodiles looked like they were done a couple of years ago, with their prolific 2010s output sputtering to a stop with the release of 2019’s Love is Here – thankfully, it wasn’t a euphemistic ‘indefinite’ hiatus, more of a necessary slowing down, a consequence of the pandemic more than anything else. If you needed reminding, they’ve released no fewer than seven albums since forming in 2008, and today sees the release of their eighth.
Upside Down in Heaven finds core members Brandon Welchez and Charles Rowell getting back to what they do best, though they’ve learned a bunch of new tricks during their 15-year tenure as a band. For one thing, there was a time when they couldn’t have gotten away with a song like their new record’s title track, which leans heavily into a jangle-pop sound they pull off very well indeed. To coincide with the release, we’re premiering its televangelism-skewering video, directed by Sam Macon. Here’s Welchez on the video: “We were very excited to get the opportunity to work with our old friend, the very talented Sam Macon, on this new video. He directed two of our videos in the past but more than a decade had passed since we collaborated. I had a loose idea of what I wanted. The challenge was that I’m in LA and Charlie is in Paris, so we needed to figure out a clever idea we could shoot without being in the same place. Sam helped us polish the idea and directed me in person in LA and Charlie over Zoom. With some green screens and clever editing we got what we needed!“
Tune in below; Upside Down in Heaven is out now via Lolipop Records.
