It's the album of the summer, but somehow, in the middle of a long, busy winter, I managed to make some art with a very special group of friends for the album Trouble Anyway by Rosali. Last week, we all watched excitedly as it made it's way out into the world via an incredible record-release show at Johnny Brenda's featuring many of the album's roster of special guests.
The Album Cover for Rosali's Trouble Anyway
Though it's been a while since I shot an album cover, I've never made a music video before. Shot and directed with fellow experienced-photographer-but-new-videographer, Kait Privitera, over the course of two evenings and a couple of our homes and neighborhood locations, the video is simple– yet not simplistic. Like the song itself and the stripped-down album art, the vibe is a both tough and vulnerable; revealing, but removed.
“It’s a pretty genius video considering how simple it is. Rosali got it right. She sheds an honest light on the discomfort of loneliness.”
The song and the album also just got some kind words from Pitchfork:
“Middleman’s calm doesn’t stem from indifference. Rather, it feels like she’s laying her cards on the table in order to narrate her own game of emotional solitaire. Instead of conveying her feelings through grand gestures, Middleman reveals her heart in the granular details of her songs: She sings the title of “I Wanna Know” with the familiar tension of carefully tempered disappointment, acknowledging the nagging feelings of futility that accompany heartbreak ”
We worked to craft visuals and narrative that also play with the idea of expression though the small details; a rich interior world told through an evening spent being alone, but not necessarily being lonely.
Scroll down to see more press images and album art.
I loved playing a small part in helping make Rosali's music and vision come to life. She's going on tour this summer - go see her and be sure to pick up a copy of Trouble Anyway.
