BILL CALLAHAN “AMERICA” Video Premiers on FRIDAY NIGHT SOMEWHERE Ep. 4

Bill Callahan (aka: “Smog”) dropped his 14th album, APOCALYPSE (Drag City)  back in April and, although it’s only 7 songs deep,  it has proven to be yet another masterpiece from the Austin-based songwriter/musician/vocalist.  You may recall that we recently hosted a giveaway for his Seattle show that took place last week.  We came away with a great photo-set for the show, which will accompany an upcoming review of that performance, but, as somewhat of a “review preview” I will say that the show was pretty amazing and that he played a lot of material off of the new album.  One song that was a particular standout in the live format is the track “AMERICA“, which saw Callahan and his backing duo really venturing into some crunchy psychedelic directions.  Now, Drag City Records has just provided us with a link to see the new animated video for the track, just in time to celebrate our nation’s independence.

In listening to Callahan, one often gets the feeling that he is a solitary type who retains complete control during his creative process and with all direction of his work.  For his recent videos, however, the aesthetics have been left up to animators, and with some remarkable results.  While the recent video for “Riding for the Feeling” was a slow moving, minimally detailed,  black and white piece with an illustrated skier floating horizontally through the sky over an endless range of mountaintops, the video for “America” is a bit more… “animated“.  Curiously enough, the actual video hasn’t been made available on its own, as of yet.  Rather, it can be viewed as a premier featured on the fourth episode of an internet talk show that is hosted by awkward over-sized puppets called, FRIDAY NIGHT SOMEWHERE.

Here’s the quote, regarding the video, via Drag City…

AMERICA! Yeah, that special weekend is upon us. In ever-patriotic style, Colonel Bill Callahan got something special for all y’all Drag City troopers: the new video for Apocalypse center-piece, “America!” Timing is everything, ain’t it? Hell yes! That is exactly what timing is, everything. So for just a few little minutes, put down your damn bottle rockets and strip off your Uncle Sam mask so’s you can fully revel in the eye-popping mini-drama this profusely animated beauty detonates onto your screen. “America!” is one tune that will not be misappropriated; take it at straight-up face fuckin’ value as a new type of national anthem!

To jump ahead to the Callahan video, skip to straight to the 7:30 mark below:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zra6xj37AA[/youtube]