Images by Bee Elton //
Sydney rock ‘n’ roll darlings Lady Lyon have returned to the stage with their new track ‘Texas Golden’, out via Evening Records.
Last month, Lady Lyon dropped their latest offering, a sun-drenched single by the name of ‘Texas Golden’. Amongst scratchy guitar riffs, fluttering vocals and an unwavering Motown beat, the track traces the internal butterflies that come with falling in love. Now the band have given us a preview of the accompanying video clip: a Reservoir Dogs-esque heist get away, with a twist.
The single-shot video, which unfolds in an empty office building and almost entirely in one room, takes its cues from hard-hitting gangster movies, while managing to not take itself too seriously – thanks to the addition of finger guns. Whether an intentional stylistic decision, or a choice brought about by budget restraints, these ridiculous hand gestures add a layer of much-welcome absurdism, offering up an original, offbeat take on a well-trodden genre.
The entirely black and white clip features band members, Hayley Lyon (“The Lady”) and Helen Henry (“The Tonehammer”), transporting a wounded Reece Grogan (“Not a cop”) inside the room post-heist, only to turn on him after suspecting that he is, in fact, a cop. Enter Ross Tipper (“The Sheriff”) with his finger gun and all hell breaks loose.
Shot, directed and edited by Reece Grogan and Joel McDonald of Sydney’s Yeah Rad, the clip also features Alana Lucky on hair and makeup and Bee Elton on stills photography duties. Meanwhile, ‘Texas Golden’ was recorded live at Stranded Rec in Bellambi by Mark Piccles (A.D.K.O.B) and released through up-and-coming independent Sydney label, Evening Records, whose roster features the likes of Pan Pacific Grand Prix, Caitlin Harnett & the Pony Boys, Darby, River Dreams, Jay Squire, Magic Nic and K. Walsh.
“‘Texas Golden’ is a song about falling in love,” the band described. “It explores the fear and the battles you face within yourself when you relinquish control of your vulnerabilities and entrust another person with your heart.”
Speaking about the video, they added: “We wanted to do something left of field that reflected the war within yourself you face when choosing to be vulnerable and let yourself be open to falling in love. And of course, we wanted it to be funny and lighthearted at the same time so we decided that finger guns with Oscar-worthy performances were the way to achieve that.”
Oscar-worthy performances in tow, it seems the violent intensity of a gangster shootout is the perfect visual metaphor for a feeling that can arguably be just as scary.
It’s been a huge year for Lady Lyon, opening for Jen Cloher, C.W. Stoneking, The Living End, Polish Club, Jon Toogood, Full Flower Moon Band, Gabriella Cohen and Caitlin Harnett & the Pony Boys (just to name a few). Now the band are gearing up to release their sophomore EP, Charity Bag, due out in April 2023.
You can catch the band on tour along the East Coast across October and November, with shows in Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales. Grab your tickets here.
